So my father in-law brought home a black Squier Affinity about a week ago. It did not work due to the electronics being bad. Long story short I removed all the electronics and pickups, ordered a new pickguard from warmoth and new pots and an LP style pickup selector. I found a set of Cool Rails, neck and bridge, on craigslist for $70.
After installing the pickups I had difficulty getting everything to fit into the narrow cavity area where the pickup wires run. This is mainly Squier's fault for a cutting a narrow route. After install and a couple hours setting the guitar up and a new nut it sounded great. My main complaint is that the neck pickup was difficult to balance with the bridge pickup. I kept the bridge pickup at 6/64 and balanced the neck to the bridge. I had to drop the neck pickup pretty low. It's probably about 11/64. I think most people use a Hot Rails in the bridge so there wouldn't be as much of a balance issue.
The bridge pickup sounds hotter than a standard single coil but still has a great clean sparkle. The neck pickup is thicker of course in comparison to the bridge and a standard sc but still has great definition and some top end grind. With both pickups engaged in clean mode it sounds amazing. One of my favorite clean sounds. Much like a Jazzmaster with both pickups engaged. This is my second strat with two pickup configuration. I prefer the simplicity and the tone of neck and bridge combined vs neck and middle or bridge and middle.
After installing the pickups I had difficulty getting everything to fit into the narrow cavity area where the pickup wires run. This is mainly Squier's fault for a cutting a narrow route. After install and a couple hours setting the guitar up and a new nut it sounded great. My main complaint is that the neck pickup was difficult to balance with the bridge pickup. I kept the bridge pickup at 6/64 and balanced the neck to the bridge. I had to drop the neck pickup pretty low. It's probably about 11/64. I think most people use a Hot Rails in the bridge so there wouldn't be as much of a balance issue.
The bridge pickup sounds hotter than a standard single coil but still has a great clean sparkle. The neck pickup is thicker of course in comparison to the bridge and a standard sc but still has great definition and some top end grind. With both pickups engaged in clean mode it sounds amazing. One of my favorite clean sounds. Much like a Jazzmaster with both pickups engaged. This is my second strat with two pickup configuration. I prefer the simplicity and the tone of neck and bridge combined vs neck and middle or bridge and middle.
