How to get a specific Stratocaster sound with the new Pro 8 Mustang plugin?

[brmichael]

Hi,

I'm not a guitar player, so for guitars I have to rely on VSTis.

I wanted to use the new Fender Mustang plugin in Fender Studio Pro 8 to create a specific, clean Stratocaster sound. Here's an example for what I'd like to create:

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As VSTi I'm using a Native Instruments Kontakt library called "Electric Mint". This is supposed to be a sampled Fender Strat. In order to get the pure guitar signal, I disabled all built in effects, the amp sim and the mic signal in this VSTi and routed its output directly to the input of the Mustang plugin, where I selected the Twin Reverb amp and cabinet simulations.

The results are quite good, but still need improvement. It doesn't sound like the guitar in the video, but somehow shrilly and less "twangy".

Is it possible to get the "real thing" out of this combination? If yes: how?

Any hints appreciated.

Regards, Michael

 

[John Vere]

In the video he is flipping through the different switch positions.
Position 2 which is the bridge and middle PU gives you the Quack. Position 4 is also a bit Quacky but it isn’t used as much.
Otherwise The Bridge PU is closest to a Telecaster. Mostly used for overdrive or twang and solos. Middle PU is I what I call the normal rhythm sound. The neck is for fat blues tones.

The Strat definitely has a wide palette of sounds. And you can even add more with stacked PU.
And then no 2 Strats will be exactly the same because there are a lot of different types of PU available,
So just calling a patch “Strat” means nothing.

So you want to use a sample player that would give you access to all these options.
Or at least one that is labeled as such.

Then he clearly shows the Amp settings which is probably more important than the actual guitar.

 

[brmichael]

@John Vere Thanks for your response. I appreciate your hints as a Stratocaster expert.

The NI "Electric Mint" instrument simulates a 1960 Stratocaster with all its features and options. Here's more information about it. The instrument also has built-in amp/cabinet simulation and effects which I used before, but these also didn't give me the sound I want. So I disabled them in order to get the pure Strat sound and let the TwinReverb do the job instead. The results were better than with the built-in amp, but I wonder if I can make it sound even more like the Strat in the video.

Of course "Electric Mint" allows you to select all pickup combinations that are possible on a real Strat. I also noticed that position 2 is the most "quacky" one. But until now I didn't get the sound I wanted (like the one in the video) from any of the five combinations. I think I'll have to continue experimenting. Maybe the fact that I'm forced to play on a keyboard rather than on a real guitar affects sound, too.

 

[John Vere]

Maybe the fact that I'm forced to play on a keyboard rather than on a real guitar affects sound, too.

Absolutely. If there’s a huge difference in how a guitar sounds just from picking technique.
So that will vary depending on how the actual sample is captured.
In my opinion every guitar vst sounds more like a piano than a guitar.
Because I play guitar I’ve never used vst guitar much. But I am actually just learning about it now.

Anyway that is a demo of a top notch Strat in top condition played through the most desirable Fender amp ever made. In other words it doesn’t get much better than that!
If you can figure out how to even come close using a VST you will be a genius.