What budget do I need to sound like Mike Stern?

You can start building a Mike Stern-inspired rig for around ~£178. The sweet spot is ~£547, which gives you Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Boss Katana 50 MkII.

JazzFusionBlues1980s

Mike Stern

Fender Telecaster through a Mesa Boogie — Stern's electric jazz-rock fusion combines Coltrane-influenced harmonic vocabulary with a bluesy, rock-inflected tone drawn from years with Miles Davis.

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Budget Rig Breakdown

Signal Chain

GuitarCV Strat

ODTS9

AmpKatana 50

GuitarMid-Tier Strat

Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster

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“alnico V chime, quack, and real Strat warmth”

One of the best budget Strats ever made — alnico V single-coil pickups, a comfortable '60s C-profile neck and build quality well above its price point.

Tone Source

££ Mid-Range$380

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OverdriveAmp Boost / OD

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

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“warm mid-hump boost that makes your amp sing”

The legendary overdrive used by Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer — warm, mid-forward and more a tone enhancer than a distortion box.

Warm ODMid Boost

£ Budget$126

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Andertons→Gear4Music→GuitarGuitar→Reverb→Amazon US→Sweetwater→Guitar Center→

AmpPractice & Gigging

Boss Katana 50 MkII

“five-voice amp engine with built-in studio FX”

The benchmark practice and small-venue amp — five amp characters, an onboard effects engine and genuine stage-worthy volume in a 50W combo.

Amplify

£ Budget$189

ThomannCompare Prices →

Andertons→Gear4Music→GuitarGuitar→Reverb→Amazon US→Sweetwater→Guitar Center→

Estimated total~£547

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Background

About Mike Stern's Sound

Fender Telecaster through a Mesa Boogie — Stern's electric jazz-rock fusion combines Coltrane-influenced harmonic vocabulary with a bluesy, rock-inflected tone drawn from years with Miles Davis.

Mike Stern

Budget Rig Breakdown

About Mike Stern's Sound

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