Best inexpensive strat to mod from??
- Thread starter sunvalleylaw
- Start date
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Another update. Found a good used Squier Deluxe Hot Rails to gut for its electrics for my oldest's strat copy, and in which to put the original pickups along with new electrics from the Blacktop.
Here is the stock Squier. Very light was my first impression. Much lighter than my other strats and tele, and lighter than the strat copy. Sounds freaking GREAT with these Duncan Designed Hotrails. They have some brightness, but low and behold, the tone knobs work to darken it up. Really quite nice. The pickups should sound good in the strat copy, and I have high hopes for the Blacktop guts installed in this thing.
I think I will keep the bridge on this one for now. Not as substantial a trem block as I would like, but maybe I can change just that.
The two patients awaiting transplant.
Squier gutted like a salmon pulled from Puget Sound, and is HSH routed as expected.
Here is the stock Squier. Very light was my first impression. Much lighter than my other strats and tele, and lighter than the strat copy. Sounds freaking GREAT with these Duncan Designed Hotrails. They have some brightness, but low and behold, the tone knobs work to darken it up. Really quite nice. The pickups should sound good in the strat copy, and I have high hopes for the Blacktop guts installed in this thing.
I think I will keep the bridge on this one for now. Not as substantial a trem block as I would like, but maybe I can change just that.
The two patients awaiting transplant.
Squier gutted like a salmon pulled from Puget Sound, and is HSH routed as expected.
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sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Squier decked with all 5 springs.
Squier with the original Blacktop PG and pickups dryfit. Looks great to me! I really prefer the mint 3ply PG on this guitar to the original white 3 ply. I have a lot of wiring to to with pots and the 5 way superswitch on the back before it will really look like this.
Squier with the original Blacktop PG and pickups dryfit. Looks great to me! I really prefer the mint 3ply PG on this guitar to the original white 3 ply. I have a lot of wiring to to with pots and the 5 way superswitch on the back before it will really look like this.
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sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Turning now to the strat copy. Here it is dry fit with the original PG wired up with the guts taken from the Squire, and new knobs and tip. I really think this guitar will sound and look great when done. The neck really is pretty nice, and the PG is looking good with the new knobs, and pickups. And as I said, I really like how these pickups sound. It was just an easy swap from one PG to the other. Anyone want a Strat SSS 3ply white PG? 
All I need to do now is install the new switchcraft jack I have ordered, wire that up, and connect the grounds, install the new tusq nut, string it up, set it up, put one of @Mark Wein 's fire sale straps on, and I will be done! This project will take priority now over the Squire as the oldest is leaving in two weeks, and the other two kids can wait, or grab one of my guitars if they want to play in the meantime. 
Derek's (my oldest) original and kind of unique PG has ended up aging and yellowing a bit naturally and nicely, so it isn't so darned white. It has an original scratch he put in, and his guitar has a paint chip or two for character. I like it. And more importantly, he does too.
All I need to do now is install the new switchcraft jack I have ordered, wire that up, and connect the grounds, install the new tusq nut, string it up, set it up, put one of @Mark Wein 's fire sale straps on, and I will be done! This project will take priority now over the Squire as the oldest is leaving in two weeks, and the other two kids can wait, or grab one of my guitars if they want to play in the meantime.
Derek's (my oldest) original and kind of unique PG has ended up aging and yellowing a bit naturally and nicely, so it isn't so darned white. It has an original scratch he put in, and his guitar has a paint chip or two for character. I like it. And more importantly, he does too.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Ok, final update on the strat copy for my oldest boy. I finished yesterday, other than some set-up tweaking and intonation. It turned out well IMHO! Sounds really good, plays well as set right now, feels really good and comfortable. The Duncan Designed hot rails are a little brighter than the Dimarzio humbuckers in my strat, but that is expected. It is wired differently of course as well and is more traditional 5 way. I really kinda like the middle pickup position on this guitar. The bridge takes some tweaking for me as it is pretty spanky, but with the tone knob you can dial in some really good stuff. The bridge/middle position sounds fat and fun too. I really like that position with these hot rails. And I think the guitar looks really good for a modded strat copy! He seemed to really like it when he got home last night, and I hope it gives him some pleasure and comfort as he leaves home and embarks into the world.
The squier deluxe that will receive the original blacktop strat humbuckers will be next, but that will be a couple/few weeks off when I get into that.
New nut
Ground to body that I cut and soldered to the volume pot instead.
Set to reload.
All done sporting @Mark Wein 's strap.
The squier deluxe that will receive the original blacktop strat humbuckers will be next, but that will be a couple/few weeks off when I get into that.
New nut
Ground to body that I cut and soldered to the volume pot instead.
Set to reload.
All done sporting @Mark Wein 's strap.
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sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Just popping in to say I was just enjoying some easy "Island in the Sun" riffing around on my blue HH strat project (pictured in my avatar) tonight. Messing around with it and a few other easy songs with my kid tonight. Really enjoy this guitar as a member of the stable. It probably is the second go to after the tele.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
I had my friend from Pocatello, who is an excellent guitarist who has played with many bands over the years, and who can set up a guitar well check out my Fender, and told me I did a reasonably good job setting it up. Cool! His one suggestion, for lead tone, was to raise the right part of the bridge PU one half turn of the screw. Not too shabby if that is all he found!
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sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Little color on what? I'm confused, or missed the joke. If you mean the black and white guitars for the kids, yah. If they were mine, I would sticker them all up. But I was told I am not allowed to. They want them as is. I have to pick up the project on the third guitar and finish, as that has sat for a year. My kid who would play that one, has been playing my other acoustic and is into that right now, rather than electric. But, time to dust off the project and finish it off.Very nice, but may I suggest that a little color never hurt?
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Yeah, he said where I had them was fine for rhythm. But he is a lead guy from A club Rockies and Intermountain club bands, so he likes his lead tone on the bridge a little hot. I may try half a turn and see how I like it, just for grins. But I am not afraid to turn it back. The nice thing is he said I had them well balanced, using my own ear. I took that as a complement!