Affinity Strat

Pine Apple Slim

Pine Apple Slim

Kick Henry Jackassowski
Got this little Strat on a whim cause I liked the color(Burgundy Mist) lol. So now Im stuck with making it something I really wanna play. Neck is great, good fretwork, nice dark rosewood board.
I have an upgraded block/vibrato bridge on order for it.
I have 2 pick guards I could swap. One is a WBW guard with good pots and switch I got as a bonus when I ordered two used Gretsch Filtertrons off eBay. (Im really into Gretsch these days) The other is a real WBW Fender replacement guard with Texas Specials.
My only other Strat is a hardtail parts caster that right now has cheap a chinese SSS pickups. But I have a blue pearl HH pick guard that looks great with the black body on the partscaster that I could swap out and put the Filters in. Since the guard with the Filters is WBW, I don't think to would look too good on a black body.

So Im thinking Ill put the Texas Specials in the Burgundy Affinity and the Filtertrons in the hardtail with the blue pearl guard.
Does that sound like a good plan? Or would you put the WBW Filtertron loaded guard on the black body? It does have better pots and such.
 
Try it and see how you like it. You can always change it if things don't work out. I'm really impressed with the new Affinitys. Let me know how the bridge upgrade works. I'd like to do that to mine. I tried the GFS short block, but it didn't line up correctly. Maybe replacing the whole bridge assembly will work better.
 
PunkKitty said:
Try it and see how you like it. You can always change it if things don't work out. I'm really impressed with the new Affinitys. Let me know how the bridge upgrade works. I'd like to do that to mine. I tried the GFS short block, but it didn't line up correctly. Maybe replacing the whole bridge assembly will work better.
Click to expand...

Glad I ordered the whole GFS assembly. I was missing the arm anyway.
 
Chad said:
I need pics.
Click to expand...
This is everything but the WBW SSS Texas Special loaded guard, which is on order.
I’m not sure the Filters would go in the Burgandy guitar anyway as I have no idea what the route is under there.
The black guitar has a swimming pool so anything goes with it.
The guard with the Filters has top notch pots, etc. I guess it wouldn’t look too bad on the black, but really think I’d rather have a BWB guard for it.
F1E2D13D-4CF9-4407-8E1B-E5F17C362B40.jpeg
 
I got the Filters to go in an older Pro Jet. But then I decided I wanted to try T Armonds, so I have them on order from TVJ. I need to find a use for the HS Filters.
 
Pine Apple Slim said:
This is everything but the WBW SSS Texas Special loaded guard, which is on order.
I’m not sure the Filters would go in the Burgandy guitar anyway as I have no idea what the route is under there.
The black guitar has a swimming pool so anything goes with it.
The guard with the Filters has top notch pots, etc. I guess it wouldn’t look too bad on the black, but really think I’d rather have a BWB guard for it.
View attachment 41610
Click to expand...

I’d leave the black guard on the black strat but put the white pickup covers and white knobs on it. The throw the white guard with the filtertrons on the burgundy mist.
 
Last edited:
Chad said:
I’d leave the black guard on the black strat but put the white pickup covers and white knobs on it. The throw the white guard with the filtertromd on the burgundy mist.
Click to expand...
Come to think of it, I could keep the black one all black and swap pickup covers and pickguard.
 
Pine Apple Slim said:
It’s allways been my favorite Fender color, esp on a Strat. I had the cash in my wallet and couldn’t help myself.
Click to expand...

You’ve inspired me. I was thinking about getting an MIM strat (I am currently stratless). I don’t really need another guitar, of course, but the idea of getting a cheapie I might enjoy and then feel OK messing around with seems like it would be fun. I’m thinking about $100 would be the ceiling for me.
 
The Affinity Strats and Teles have some really good bones -alder bodies and such. The only problems with them are that the fretboards are a tad skinnier at the nut, and the bodies are about 1/4” thinner than normal. The thinner body may make any new trem blocks stick out from the rear of the body.
 
I paid $120 or so after tax for the guitar at a local shop. The "upgraded" GFS vibrato assembly has a solid short brass block which won't stick out the back, plus I get my missing arm, about $50 after GFS rapes you for shipping. String spacing is same as MIM at the bridge but yea the nut is a tiny bit narrower. The black guitar has an Alparts licensed neck and I don't notice a huge difference at the nut but there is a little.
The Loaded Texas Special guard was $100.Kinda worried they may be too hot, but I remember liking the Jimmy Vaughn back in the day and it had the Texas Specials. The Filtertons and the wired pick guard coast also me $100 if I go with those.
So $270 in with upgrades. I coulda done it perhaps $50 cheaper with maybe better pickups if I hadn't went for the preloaded Fender replacement pick guard. But I hate to solder so I try do do as little of it as possible.
 
Pine Apple Slim said:
This is everything but the WBW SSS Texas Special loaded guard, which is on order.
I’m not sure the Filters would go in the Burgandy guitar anyway as I have no idea what the route is under there.
The black guitar has a swimming pool so anything goes with it.
The guard with the Filters has top notch pots, etc. I guess it wouldn’t look too bad on the black, but really think I’d rather have a BWB guard for it.
View attachment 41610
Click to expand...

The way this pic is, is what I would do right now. Start with the new Strat, see if it has room for the pickups. See if you even like Filters in any Strat.

Me, after that, the Texas Specials would end up in the hard tail, order Rose Mariposas for the burgundy and buy another Strat for the hum pickguards.

HNGD
 
Last edited:
Pine Apple Slim said:
I paid $120 or so after tax for the guitar at a local shop. The "upgraded" GFS vibrato assembly has a solid short brass block which won't stick out the back, plus I get my missing arm, about $50 after GFS rapes you for shipping. String spacing is same as MIM at the bridge but yea the nut is a tiny bit narrower. The black guitar has an Alparts licensed neck and I don't notice a huge difference at the nut but there is a little.
The Loaded Texas Special guard was $100.Kinda worried they may be too hot, but I remember liking the Jimmy Vaughn back in the day and it had the Texas Specials. The Filtertons and the wired pick guard coast also me $100 if I go with those.
So $270 in with upgrades. I coulda done it perhaps $50 cheaper with maybe better pickups if I hadn't went for the preloaded Fender replacement pick guard. But I hate to solder so I try do do as little of it as possible.
Click to expand...

I think the Jimmy Vaughan Strat had Tex-Mex pickups, which IIRC had a little hotter neck and a weaker bridge. The Texas Specials also had more low end and "chime" and were quite sensitive to height adjustments. The Tex Mex set seemed more tolerant and required less adjustment to get a good sound out of.

Texas Specials:
Neck - 6.2K
Mid - 6.5K
Bridge - 7.6K

Tex Mex
Neck - 6.4K
Mid - 6.4K
Bridge - 7.4K

IIRC again, the Texas Specials respond well when adjusted quite low.

HNGD!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top