An “S-style” guitar refers to a design of electric guitar that is heavily influenced by the iconic Fender Stratocaster®. The term “S-style” is often used by guitar manufacturers to describe guitars that share key design features and aesthetics with the Stratocaster, but are made by different companies. This is a common practice in the guitar industry to avoid trademark issues while acknowledging the original design’s influence.
In the following, we’re going to investigate the origins, design, and evolution of this classic body shape. We’ll cover the intricacies of its design, its journey through music history, and its enduring legacy.
The Birth of the S-Style Guitar
The S-style guitar emerged in the early 1950s as the Fender Stratocaster®. The 50s was a period marked by a surge in musical innovation. Its inception is credited to the visionary guitar designer Leo Fender, whose foresight and ingenuity played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of the electric guitar.
The era was known for emerging musical genres like rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, and blues, each demanding instruments that were not just louder but also expressive and distinct.
At the time Leo Fender’s design of the Fender Stratocaster® was a bit of a departure from the norm. Up until then, electric guitars predominantly featured flat, un-contoured bodies. The introduction of the S-style body shape, with its elegantly contoured body and sleek look was a contrast to the more traditional designs of the time.
Design Characteristics:
Ergonomic Design
The S-style guitar’s body shape, noted for its sleek and flowing contours originated as an evolution from the earlier Fender Telecaster® influenced by player feedback and Leo Fender’s innovative spirit.
The Telecaster introduced first, has a simpler, single-cutaway body shape with more angular lines, giving it a classic, minimalist appearance. In contrast, the Stratocaster, developed later as an evolution of the Telecaster, boasts a more contoured, double-cutaway design, with ergonomic enhancements.
Arm Bevel
A key ergonomic feature of the S-style guitar is the arm bevel. This subtle curvature on the guitar’s top side is designed to comfortably accommodate the player’s strumming or picking arm, reducing the edge of the guitar’s body pressure against the player’s forearm, a common issue with more angular guitar designs.
The arm bevel allows for a more relaxed arm posture, facilitating smoother movement across the strings.
Belly Cut
The belly cut, a crafted concave curvature on the back of the body is engineered to ensure that the instrument conforms seamlessly to the player’s body.
When a musician holds the guitar, irrespective of whether they are in a standing or seated position, this curvature allows the instrument to rest more comfortably against the body. As a result, positioning the guitar in a more ergonomically favorable alignment relative to the player’s hand and forearm reduces fatigue when playing.
Material Selection
The choice of materials for the S-style guitar also plays a crucial role in its performance and sound. Traditionally, these guitars are crafted from woods like alder or ash, known for their balance and weight.
These woods are selected for their ability to provide a warm, balanced tone, with enough brightness to ensure clarity in the guitar’s sound. This careful selection of materials underscores the S-style guitar’s reputation for versatility and tonal quality, making it a favored instrument among a diverse range of musicians.
Evolution and Variations
Timeline of the S-style Guitar Body’s Evolution
The S-style guitar body shape has seen a wide range of adaptations over the decades. This evolution can be segmented into key periods:
- The Origins (1950s): As previously discussed above, the S-style guitar first made waves in the early 1950s. Its innovative double-cutaway body and contoured design set new standards in guitar ergonomics.
- Diversification (1970s-1980s): A period of significant experimentation, brands like Ibanez and ESP began incorporating the S-style shape into their designs, tailoring it to genres like metal and hard rock with high-output pickups and advanced tremolo systems.
- Modern Innovations (1990s-Present): The contemporary era blends classic traits with modern technology. Fender’s reissues of vintage models coexist with innovative takes from brands like Suhr and G&L, which offer modern electronics and ergonomic improvements.
Introduction of Variations and Sub-Models
The S-style guitar has inspired a plethora of variations and sub-models across different brands:
- Custom and Boutique Models: Many custom shops, including Fender’s own, offer high-end reproductions or unique builds. Brands like Suhr and Tom Anderson also craft bespoke S-style guitars with premium materials and pickups.
- Artist Signature Models: Numerous artists have collaborated with brands to create signature models. For instance, ESP has released several artist-inspired S-style guitars.
- Affordable Adaptations: Squier, ESP’s LTD series, and other brands offer budget-friendly versions, making the S-style shape accessible to a broader audience.
- Genre-Specific Variants: Brands like Ibanez and ESP have developed S-style models for specific musical styles, incorporating features like humbucker pickups and reinforced hardware for heavier music.
The S-Style Guitar in Popular Music
Iconic Musicians Who Popularized the S-style Guitar
The S-style guitar has been a staple in the hands of many legendary musicians, each contributing to its iconic status:
- Jimi Hendrix: Perhaps the most influential figure in popularizing the S-style guitar. His revolutionary playing style and performances, like at Woodstock with his Stratocaster, left an indelible mark on guitar history.
- Eric Clapton: Known for his expressive blues playing, Clapton’s use of the Stratocaster, particularly during his tenure with Cream and his solo career, showcased the guitar’s versatility in blues and rock.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan: A master of the blues, and arguably one of the greatest guitarists of all time (yeah I’m a massive fan) Vaughan’s impassioned use of his Stratocaster, “Number One,” brought a raw, powerful sound that redefined electric blues guitar playing.
- David Gilmour: His work with Pink Floyd, especially his solo in “Comfortably Numb”, demonstrated the guitar’s capability for creating atmospheric and expressive sounds, crucial to the band’s psychedelic and progressive rock sound.
- Mark Knopfler: The Dire Straits frontman’s fingerstyle playing on his Stratocaster brought a distinctive sound that became synonymous with hits like “Sultans of Swing.”
Genres Most Influenced by The S-Style Guitar Body Shape
The S-style guitar has had a profound impact on several music genres:
- Rock and Roll: Its bright, clear tone and versatility made it a favorite among rock musicians.
- Blues: The guitar’s expressive quality resonated with blues artists, who exploited its warm tones and dynamic range.
- Pop: Its adaptability made it a common choice for pop musicians, accommodating a wide range of sounds.
- Funk and Soul: The guitar’s crisp, clean sound is suited to rhythm-centric genres like funk and soul.
- Progressive and Psychedelic Rock: The Stratocaster’s ability to produce unique sounds made it a favorite for experimental genres.
In essence, the S-style guitar has not only been integral in the careers of numerous iconic musicians but has also left a profound imprint across various musical genres.
Technical Aspects: Hardware and Electronics
Pickups and Hardware Used in S-Style Guitars
The S-style guitar is renowned not just for its body shape but also for its distinctive hardware and electronics, which contribute significantly to its sound and playability:
- Pickups: The most common configuration is a trio of single-coil pickups (SSS configuration), providing a bright, clear tone with a distinctive bite. These pickups are known for their crisp sound, especially in the midrange, and are a key element in the S-style’s signature tone.
- Pickup Switching: A five-way pickup selector switch is standard, allowing players to choose between the three pickups or a combination, offering a versatile range of tones.
- Bridge: The S-style typically features a synchronized tremolo bridge, which allows for smooth pitch bending effects. This bridge is mounted on two or six points, contributing to both the guitar’s tone and its tuning stability.
- Control Knobs: Usually, there are one or two tone knobs and a volume knob, providing players with the ability to fine-tune their sound directly from the guitar.
Customizations and Modifications
S-style guitars are popular platforms for customization, with the most common upgrades including:
- Pickup Replacements: Swapping out the standard single-coil pickups for humbuckers (as in the case of a superstrat) or noiseless single-coils is common, catering to players needing more power or less interference.
- Hardware Upgrades: Many players upgrade components like the bridge, install locking tuners, and swap out the nut to improve tuning stability, sustain, and overall build quality.
- Electronics Modifications: This can include adding coil taps for more tonal variety, modifying the wiring for different pickup combinations, or installing higher quality pots and capacitors for improved tone control.
Overall, the technical aspects of the S-style guitar—its hardware and electronics—play a crucial role in defining its characteristic sound and functionality. The guitar’s design not only supports a wide range of musical styles but is also a favorite among players who want to personalize their instrument.
Pickup Configuration Options in S-Style Guitars
The pickup configuration in an S-style guitar is a critical factor that shapes its tonal character. Here’s an in-depth look at common configurations:
SSS Configuration (3 x Standard Single-Coils)
Description: This is the classic setup found in traditional S-style guitars, featuring three single-coil pickups located at the bridge, middle, and neck positions.
- Tone: Single-coils are known for their bright, clear sound with pronounced highs and a vibrant mid-range. They excel in clean and mildly overdriven tones.
- Genres: Ideal for blues, country, pop, and classic rock. They offer a sparkling clean tone that’s a hallmark of these styles.
HSS Configuration (Humbucker at Bridge, Two Single-Coils)
Description: In this configuration, a humbucker replaces the standard single-coil at the bridge position, while retaining single coils in the middle and neck positions.
- Tone: The humbucker offers a thicker, warmer sound with less noise and hum, especially beneficial for high-gain settings. It provides versatility, blending the humbucker’s robustness with the clarity of single coils.
- Genres: Suitable for players who need versatility, covering genres from jazz and blues to hard rock and metal. The humbucker caters to heavier music styles, while the single coils maintain clarity for clean tones.
HH Configuration (Dual Humbuckers)
Description: This setup features two humbuckers, usually in the bridge and neck positions, omitting the middle pickup.
- Tone: Humbuckers provide a full, rich sound with reduced hum and noise. They’re known for their warm, rounded tones with more sustain.
- Genres: Favored in rock, metal, and jazz, where a fuller, warmer sound is desirable, especially for distorted and overdriven tones.
HSH Configuration (Humbucker, Single-Coil, Humbucker)
Description: This configuration offers a humbucker at both the bridge and neck positions with a single coil in the middle.
- Tone: It combines the warm, rich tones of humbuckers with the crispness of a single-coil. This setup provides a wide tonal palette, from heavy riffs to sparkling cleans.
- Genres: Ideal for versatile players who frequently switch between clean and heavily distorted tones across various genres.
H – Single Humbucker Configuration
Description: In this setup, the S-style guitar features a lone humbucker pickup at the bridge position, while the middle and neck positions are left empty. This configuration is less common in traditional S-style designs but has gained popularity in certain modern variants.
- Tone: The bridge-position humbucker provides a robust, full-bodied sound with increased output compared to single-coils. This setup delivers a thick, warm tone with less susceptibility to hum and noise. The focused placement at the bridge ensures a sharper attack and more pronounced treble response, ideal for lead playing and solos.
- Genres: This configuration is particularly favored in rock, metal, and other genres where a powerful, aggressive bridge tone is desirable.
P90 Pickup Configurations
Along with the traditional configurations, there are additional pickup options available in S-style guitars that cater to specific tonal preferences. One such variation is the use of P90 pickups.
Description: A P90 configuration typically involves two P90 pickups, positioned at the neck and bridge, or a p90 pickup in the neck position and humbucker at the bridge position.
- Tone: P90s are physically larger than standard single-coil pickups due to their wider coil and larger flat bobbin. The larger coil captures more of the string’s vibration, with more midrange presence than standard single-coils, but with more clarity and bite than a humbucker. P90s are especially revered for their responsiveness and articulate sound.
- Genres: This configuration is ideal for players looking for a versatile tone that can cover a wide range of genres, from blues and jazz to rock and punk. The P90’s unique tonal characteristics make it suitable for players who want the cut-through quality of single-coils but with a bit more body and warmth.
Pickup Selector Switch
- Functionality: Most S-style guitars come with a five-way pickup selector switch. This switch allows the player to choose between the different pickups or a combination thereof, offering a range of tonal possibilities.
- Versatility: The five-way switch is integral to the S-style guitar’s appeal, allowing players to seamlessly transition between different tones within a song.
Hidden Routing Options
- Superstrat Routing: Many modern S-style guitars come with a routing beneath the pickguard that accommodates various pickup configurations, often referred to as “Superstrat” routing. This routing is not visible externally but allows for easier modifications to different configurations without altering the body.
- Customization: This feature is particularly appealing for players who like to modify or upgrade their guitars, offering the flexibility to change pickups without extensive woodworking.
In summary, the pickup configuration in an S-style guitar greatly influences its tonal capabilities and suitability for different musical styles. From the traditional sparkle of single coils to the rich warmth of humbuckers, each configuration offers its unique flavor, making the S-style guitar an incredibly versatile instrument. The hidden routing options further enhance this versatility, allowing for easy customization to suit individual preferences.
When choosing an S-style guitar, it’s important to consider how these factors align with your playing style and tonal preferences. The guitar’s body shape and routing determine its foundational character, while the pickup configuration offers a palette of tonal possibilities. Balancing these elements will guide you to an instrument that not only sounds right but feels right in your hands.
Final Thoughts
The S-style guitar body stands not just as an instrument but as a hallmark of timeless design. From its birth in the hands of Leo Fender to the hands of guitar virtuosos across generations, its elegantly contoured body and versatile sound have become emblematic of musical innovation.
Despite the passage of time and the advent of modern technology, the fundamental design of the S-style guitar has remained remarkably unchanged, a testament to its perfection. Like all great designs, its enduring form has resisted the whims of trends, proving that true elegance and functionality are indeed timeless.
