Why are there no string trees on the new signature Strat? —Ben Ford

String trees hinder a guitar’s ability to stay in tune, but they’re necessary because of the headstock’s pitch— that is, the degree to which the headstock is tilted. We changed the pitch slightly, which, in combination with the staggered tuning keys, allowed us to eliminate the trees. As a result, you can actually use the guitar’s vintage tremolo system a small amount without the guitar going out of tune.Rosewood or maple fretboards, and why? —Frank Stokes

Maple seems to have a purer fundamental tone, and that’s what I generally use, though I think rosewood has a better rhythm tone for complex harmonics. I own one rosewood Strat, and I like it.

What is in your rig? —Nikili Kite

It’s very simple. I have three amp setups that produce tones ranging from really clean to very saturated, though I never use them all at once. The first setup consists of two Fender Twins with a Princeton Chorus stereo chorus. The second is a Marshall 100-watt set around 7.5 to 8 on the first channel for a Keith Richards–style crunch rhythm. I have a Fuzz Face on there, so I can also kick into a Hendrix-style sound. The third setup is a Marshall with a Tube Driver, for extra saturation; the Marshall’s volume is all the way up, and the EQ is set for a classic Clapton tone. Occasionally, I use a CryBaby wah with any of these, but I run it through a rack.

Given your penchant for vintage Strats, how do you manage extraneous noise at high-gain levels? —Anonymous

The noise is pretty bad. I don’t like it, but you have to pick your poison. I’ve chosen to wrestle the beast, but I would really like to slay it. I’m working with Fender’s Michael Braun to create a hum-canceling pickup that sounds like a singlecoil. I think he may well crack that nut. In the meantime, the middle pickup on my signature Strat is wrapped differently from the other two, and I can always use it if the noise is overwhelming.

You’re famous for obsessing about your tone. Have you learned to relax and let the music and ideas flow and let go of the technical stuff?—Mike Kretz

I’ve gotten better. There is certain music I would like to advance and implement on guitar, and pulling it off is a real challenge, so it’s hard not to obsess over it. If you want to make the guitar into a sustaining, ferocious sound, you have to use distortion, which is a beautiful thing, but it creates all sort of problems. Having said that, I’m not obsessing as much as I used to.

You have a very unique style. Who were your prime influences? —Paul Chase

When I was a kid, my dad played all types of music. It ingrained in me the idea that all music has something to offer. If you listen to the spirit behind the music, you can connect the dots between players like John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery…not to mention Mozart, Debussy and Gershwin. They were all big influences to me.

I was amazed by the cascading harmonics you demonstrated on your instructional video. What is the origin of this delicate technique and how long did it take to master it? —Charles Manthy

I don’t know the origin, but [seven-string jazz fingerstyle guitarist] Lenny Breau made it popular, and that’s where I got it, though someone may well have done it before him. As for mastering it, it’s an ongoing process, especially if you change the harmonics’ voicing. Just break it down and take it step by step.

How did you get that fantastic liquid tone on “Cliffs of Dover,” and was that one cohesive solo or an amalgam? —J. Paradis

I played a Gibson ES-335 through a 100-watt Marshall. I put it all together by playing sections, then dropping them in and connecting them into a seamless whole.

During the Seventies, you and Stevie Ray Vaughan were Austin’s primary guitar slingers. Was there a lot of competition between you? —Stephen Hung

No. We were playing different kinds of music. I always enjoyed hearing Stevie and his group play. It was nice to have him around in the clubs. You could go see him every night, and his greatness was readily apparent.

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