Changing Electronics?

[y2stevo]

Hey guys

I decided i'm gonna get my (or at least try) and get my Aria strat copy sounding somewhat decent. I have a lil demon and two duckbuckers in it and it just has no clarity but also sounds i guess "shrill" would be the word.I used to have 9's on it and it sounded unclear and shrill but now i have 13's on it and still sounds unclear and shrill, Except for the odd low register power chord that sounds massive because of the 13's :laugh2: but andthing with a single note sounds disguisting.
I'm thinking it could be the inferior pots and switch and also possibly the stock bridge (which I now have blockedin it. But I figure I may as well try replacing the pots first as that would be mucho cheaper

Only problem is I haven't a Clue what pots, switches to get. Whats the difference between having 250k or 500k pots?
And if i went to a shop what would I ask for? :laugh2:


Cheers :dance:

y2stevo

 

[Artie]

Re: Changing Electronics?

I may get some argument on this, (fair enough), but the "quality" of a pot doesn't affect sound quality - only longevity. For one thing, if the control is on "10", you've shorted past the carbon element. Its out of the circuit.

Having said that, I've found that CTS pots do have a nice "feel" to them. I use them in all my guitars, (except where I use push/pull pots.)

500k volume pots will give you a smidgen more high-end content than 250k pots. Same with 500k tone pots, although, for a completely different reason.

A better quality switch will help to prevent "drop-outs" while switching, but then again, will very little, if any, affect on sound quality.

This may sound stupid, but having good quality controls, that is, ones that "feel" nice, do make it more fun to play. That may account for something.

If I think of anything else, I'll post it.

Artie

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Changing Electronics?

Cheers Artie!

Fiddle-dee-dee
Think mabye then it's the bridge thats causing that?

 

[Artie]

Re: Changing Electronics?

Think mabye then it's the bridge thats causing that?

Its possible. The only difference between my Patriot and Predator is the bridge. Ones a bit shrill, one isn't.

Hopefully, someone else will chime in.

 

[MikeS]

Re: Changing Electronics?

I've got the humbucker version of the same strat Stevo (listed below). I'm with Artie in that I'm not sure that better pots make a big enough tonal difference to be audible.

I've noticed a few things about these strat copies that might attribute to "lesser" tone. The swimming pool route, a 4 piece body (and I doubt the wood is actually that good), and inferior hardware all point you in the wrong direction.

Here's a few things I've done (outside of the SD pups) that have helped the strat find a better voice:

1) Sheilding - Aria put none in. Get some copper sheilding and go to town. It will really quiet the guitar down.

2) New electronics - I did in fact install all new electronics with the pickup upgrade. I made a value difference in pots and the cap, so I'm not sure how much of the tonal change happened as a result of different values and how much happened because the parts were superior to Aria's

3) Lock down the bridge - 5 springs with the claw tightened all the way to the body (I probably couldn't use the tremolo if I wanted to). Increased sustain and clarity and seemed to pull a little bit of the shrill out of the bridge. I'm assuming it's a combination of the better transfer into the body and the fact that I also put foam behind the springs to keep them from vibrating and getting picked up by the pups.

That's all either cheap or free, so give that a shot. A new bridge may do the trick, but I'm all for exhausting all possibilities with existing equipment before getting swipe happy with the credit cards.

My Aria strat is by no means a tone monster, but it is remarkably better than stock.

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Changing Electronics?

Cheers Mike. I Already have the bridge locked down so thats that one eliminated, May as well try the shielding and while its open new electronics aswell Though as artie was saying I do like the feel of the controls, They do move very smoothly and much prefer the feel over the MIA Strat (only because the volume pot is a little stiffer tho :laugh2: ) mabye all I'd have to do there is clean em to get scratching out of them.
About how much would a bridge run for then, Its a vintage style 6 point new? and used?
Cheers

 

[MikeS]

Re: Changing Electronics?

Sheesh, in Ireland, I don't know what you'd pay for a new bridge. www.stewmac.com should give you a good idea of what a vridge runs in US$. They sell top shelf parts.

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Changing Electronics?

Sheesh, in Ireland, I don't know what you'd pay for a new bridge. www.stewmac.com should give you a good idea of what a vridge runs in US$. They sell top shelf parts.

Cheers.

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Changing Electronics?

Sheesh, in Ireland, I don't know what you'd pay for a new bridge. www.stewmac.com should give you a good idea of what a vridge runs in US$. They sell top shelf parts.

Cheers.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Changing Electronics?

I would look at the bridge first to try and fatten the tone. I usually go to ebay and try and find a cheap used tremolo that has cast rather than stamped saddles. The old style stamped strat saddles stink. Although I have a Aria Fullerton and that came with a nice heavy cast bridge. Also look for a good heavy tremolo block. The more mass the fatter the tone.

I usually replace the intonation bolts on the bridge with Cheese/pan head bolts. They are slightly longer than the traditional intonation bolts but you can cut them off with a dremel tool to the same length. The advantage they bring is that they are stainless steel and they don't rust or get stripped. They also add stability and mass. You can also sand the underside of the bridge to bare wood to get better transfer of vibration. The same is true for the neck pocket.

Also look at the nut and make sure it isn't plastic! Aria likes plastic nuts. Replace with something better although this is better left to a pro. Also get a nice heavy set of cast string trees. A lot of times the Arias don't have string trees. By making the string break hard over the nut you get more vibration through the neck and body.

Snowdog