In Strat modding mode! Come recommend me stuff!

[Chistopher]

I kinda liked the Pibb Xtra looking pickguard

[Rex_Rocker]

I kinda liked the Pibb Xtra looking pickguard

LOL, I liked it too in the pics. It's just that in person, the material looks kinda cheap. I would like it better with the Pibb Xtra pickguard, but cream knob and pickup, TBH.

[Rex_Rocker]

Aaaaaaalright, reporting back again.

Honeymoon period is over. I still want to keep the guitar, but a few things bug me.

Neck is still doing is its thing. It's doing it less, but it's still doing it. I know I had already decided on swapping it out, but I'm just confirming I will. I'm just waiting for Black Friday deals.

The Road Worn finish on the neck I'm not so in love with anymore. I've been comparing it to my Gibson's satin nitro. I prefer the satin nitro on the Gibson. Even if it starts buffing into gloss, a couple of scrubs with a scotch brite brought it back to smoothness. The Road Worn finish feels kinda rough by comparison. Not as smooth. Slightly coarse. I mean, it's alright. It's better than goopy gloss. It's just not my favorite anymore.

But the 9.5" radius is sooooo off-putting. I NEED a 12" radius at least. I bet that with the Modern C neck profile, a 12" radius fretboard would feel fantastic.

Also... the bridge pickup. I checked, and I don't think I have much room to move it closer to the bridge even if I got a different pickguard. Hard to tell, but I'm sure I've got like 1-1.5 mm at most before the edge of the pickup hits the edge of the route. However, I think the solution might be to use one of those DiMarzio pickups with mismatched coils and turn the dominant coil to the bridge. Maybe that will make the bridge position sound more bridge-y? Because as it is right now, even the Black Winter is sooooooo smooth compared to the 500T in the Gibson. It's not darker, mind you. It's just the attack is a bit laid-back and tubby compared to how bold it is on the Gibson, especially when chugging on the open strings. I ordered a D-Activator for that. Fingers crossed, that fixes it!

[Rex_Rocker]

Alright, another update, because why not.

Still haven't gotten the neck. This one is still doing the thing. I just have had other expenses. Hopefully, there will be sales this Christmas again.

However, the D Activator is sounding good! However, I still want a pickguard with the bridge pickup closer to the bridge. And a neck with a Maple fretboard. I don't care about the flatter radius now. I just want the maple fretboard.

[Rex_Rocker]

BTW, bought a black HS pickguard.

[Mincer]

BTW, bought a black HS pickguard.

I think that would look better.

[Rex_Rocker]

I think that would look better.

Yeah, plus the bridge pickup is closer to the bridge. Now I just need a cream neck pickup, LOL.

[donaldr]

Why didn't you just buy a body in the first place? You are replacing everything else on that guitar.

[Rex_Rocker]

Why didn't you just buy a body in the first place? You are replacing everything else on that guitar.

I did not buy it. I traded it for an Epiphone I was growing to dislike.

The whole story is I got the guitar in a trade, but I'm not even sure if I screwed the neck up myself or if I got it already messed up, so I didn't feel like asking the other guy for my guitar back. I did put 12's right after I got it home, tuned it to Drop C, and did not let it acclimatize since I did have the heat on and it was cold-ish out. I understand that was not very smart of me, but at the same time, It's not like it was subzero outside and super hot inside, and it's not like 12's in Drop C is much different than 10.5's or 11's in E. I have not had that problem in the past, but now I have. Lesson learned.

But the biggest argument is I didn't want the Epiphone back. I already have a better Les Paul. I just wanted to make this guitar work, rather. Probably out of stubborness, but I'm sure once I'm done fixing it up, I'll be very satisfied.

[Napthol]

Actually one of those Warmoth necks (can't recall which specific one) has the truss rod adjustment at the side of the neck.

[Rex_Rocker]

Actually one of those Warmoth necks (can't recall which specific one) has the truss rod adjustment at the side of the neck.

Yeah, but I feel ordering a Warmoth neck might be more trouble/moeny than it's worth here in Canada.

I don't doubt they're great, but with the shipping and import costs, they get spendy.... and are they really "better" than the replacement MIM necks Fender sells?

[Napthol]

Yeah, but I feel ordering a Warmoth neck might be more trouble/moeny than it's worth here in Canada.

I don't doubt they're great, but with the shipping and import costs, they get spendy.... and are they really "better" than the replacement MIM necks Fender sells?

Warmoth is great. But Fender necks are just as good. The nice thing about Warmoth is you customize the neck. You decide what radius, what frets, etc.

[Rex_Rocker]

Warmoth is great. But Fender necks are just as good. The nice thing about Warmoth is you customize the neck. You decide what radius, what frets, etc.

Yeah, but I wouldn't order anything fancy. I just want a 12" fretboard and a generic thin-ish profile. Fender has those. I'm even considering the 9.5" Modern C neck because it's like almost 100 dollars cheaper, and I can get by anyway.

If I really wanted to get fancy, I don't think Warmoth make the Super Wizard HP neck profile with carbon fiber or Titatnum reinformcents anyway, LOL.

[ehdwuld]

Yeah, but I wouldn't order anything fancy. I just want a 12" fretboard and a generic thin-ish profile. Fender has those. I'm even considering the 9.5" Modern C neck because it's like almost 100 dollars cheaper, and I can get by anyway.

If I really wanted to get fancy, I don't think Warmoth make the Super Wizard HP neck profile with carbon fiber or Titatnum reinformcents anyway, LOL.

They can if you ask

They have a wizard peofile in their menu
If you call they will certainly add the rods

I still think you should just get a squire and steal thw neck

[Rex_Rocker]

They can if you ask

They have a wizard peofile in their menu
If you call they will certainly add the rods

I still think you should just get a squire and steal thw neck

Their Wizard profile is more like Wizard II. But at the same time, that is going to cost me. If this was my main guitar, I'd do it. But no mater how decked out a Strat is, there is just no way I'm going to like it better than my Les Paul, so no need to spend that much, LOL.

About the Squier... yeah, maybe. They do have a Squier with the roasted Maple neck, no?