I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

[Artie]

So . . . I've got several pups sitting on a shelf that I'm wanting to try. A couple, I've had before, but it's been a long time. Invader and Vintage Rails, to be exact. I've also got an SSL-5 that I accidentally stabbed with an X-acto knife, that forum bro Zhangliqun rewound for me to 11.3k with A5 mags. I've also got a Squier Affinity Strat (HSS) that was "given" to me in lieu of a $40 wiring job payment. (Brand new, still with the plastic protector on the pickguard.)

One of these:

View attachment 53590

While I've had good experiences with Squiers, I've never been too keen on the Affinity series. (Slim bodies and all.) A forum bro convinced me that I was too focused on body thickness. Now I'm a believer. This thing is light. Easy to play, and sounds good. (Post pup transplant, that is.)

So, I'm thinking . . . why not toss these in there just to hear them. I went ahead and replaced the electronics too. (Except the 5-way. Dang, I thought I had one in stock.) CTS pots, .022uf West Cap. 4PDT switch for series/parallel on the VR/Invader. I wired the 5-way to auto-split the Invader in the M/B notch position, but only if the series/parallel switch was in the "series" position. Sounds more complicated than it is:

View attachment 53589

Got her all buttoned up and dang if this thang don't sound killer! None of the sounds are "vintage" Strat, but I've got other Strats to cover that.

The Zhang Bucker: (His trade name. It's a single.) Installed in the middle. Wound to 11.3k with an A5 mag. Wow! Perhaps the first time I've ever played the middle position of a Strat by itself. Generally, I use the middle pup to compliment the N/M or M/B "notch" positions. I can "kinda" do that with the ZB, but it stands on its own. Solid girth. Not a humbucker. Not exactly a traditional single. Full-bodied. If we were talking about beer, this would be a Dopplebock. Amazing blues or Jazz tone. Cool, calm and collected, but will do in-yur-face if pushed. As for the "notch" positions:

I see more Zhang Buckers in my future.

The Vintage Rails: Sweet, smooth. Wired for series/parallel. Parallel is her sweet spot. Series is her with a new tatoo. (On her ass.) Two very nice flavors of jazz. Did I say sweet and smooth already. I love this pup. This works especially well when I need to turn things down. She still provides all she has to give, even at low volume. That works well in the "bedroom". Nice pup.

The Invader: Name says it all . . . but only in series. You all will get tired of me saying this: The Invader, in parallel, is one of Duncans best kept secrets. It is the perfect bridge pup in the "HSS Anything". (That is not a British ship.) Series is definitely loud. In your face. I may need to "mod" this to a "blower-switch" configuration. But parallel, split-in-the-notch-position . . . works. (Especially with the ZB.)

Sorry if this was long-winded. But this combo works. (At least, for me.) I had to tell someone.

Some pics. (Sorry. Cell phone.) I'll try to get some clips up in the next week or two.

Artie

P.S. Did I mention, if you look at that last pic, I wish they made an Invader in trembucker spacing. I know it's only cosmetic, but we care about how our axes look.









Artie

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Funny how things turn out some times.

About three weeks ago, I modified a Squier Affitnity Strat using a pre-owned EMG-81 that I happened to have lying about. I am not normally a fan of either item but, together, they rock.

 

[Artie]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

I saw your comment in another thread. It's what inspired me to post.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Careful or Aceman will accuse us of reaching.

 

[Artie]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

For what? Beer, I hope. :alcoholic

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Cool project. The thin body is a deal breaker for me...you absolutely do not want "light" with that 'el cheap-o' furniture wood. I modified one ( normal thickness Alder body) with also an Invader bridge..only pickup for these cheap Strats IMO.
I enjoy HO Singles pickups in the middle and bridge on these budget assemblies.
Mine is a bit different...its an all out conversion, with new frets (6100's) on the neck and a retrofitted steel full size steel Strat block, & locking tuners.
Everyone is pretty impressed. I did the same thing to a Peavey cheap Strat one time- just modified the *@#* out of it , but I couldn't get along with the frets( and didn't want to do a fret job) , but that big solid hunk of Poplar was sweet- wished I'd a kept it; that was the guitar for a bridge bucker!

 

[Artie]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

I did the same thing to a Peavey cheap Strat one time . . .

I'll trade my Affinity for your Peavey any day of the week.

(Somehow, I lost my PeaveyOlogist moniker.)

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Cool project! Dig the title, too.

 

[dominus]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Cool project. The thin body is a deal breaker for me...you absolutely do not want "light" with that 'el cheap-o' furniture wood. I modified one ( normal thickness Alder body) with also an Invader bridge..only pickup for these cheap Strats IMO.

There's plenty of humbuckers that would work in Affinity Strats. Ask me how I know.

 

[dominus]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

P.S. Did I mention, if you look at that last pic, I wish they made an Invader in trembucker spacing. I know it's only cosmetic, but we care about how our axes look.

They do now. Depending on the guitar, it can be more than cosmetic. I had volume drops when I had one in a Tele.

 

[Artie]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

They do now.

There's a trembucker Invader?

 

[dominus]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

There's a trembucker Invader?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/high-output/synyster_gates/

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

What have we told you about coprophilia? Seriously, though, this is a great project. Plenty of modders have gone with a single humbucker to hotrod a cheap guitar and make it a lot of fun; this one shows how you can get real versatility out of it.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

The Vintage Rails: Sweet, smooth. Wired for series/parallel. Parallel is her sweet spot. Series is her with a new tatoo. (On her ass.)

Bwahaha, nice one .

Do you still have the stock trem in the guitar?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Do you still have the stock vibrato in the guitar?

You pretty much have no choice. The narrow string spacing dictates a narrow Metric bridge. The slim body dictates a short sustain block. A Kahler flat mount would fit but would seem a tad over the top for projects on this scale.

 

[Kais]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

very cool project! I too have a squier strat laying around, might be about time to upgrade it

 

[Artie]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Do you still have the stock trem in the guitar?

Yup. But blocked, and with the spring claw snugged down. I rarely use a vibrato.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)



This is one of my "turds". I've made this because a recording project I was involved with, the project leader asked specifically asked for an EMG-loaded strat. This hardtail hosts a S set, aka the "Vince Gill" set.

I bought everything second-hand, and it costed me less than € 200,00 in getting it up to snuff, including locking tuners, new nut and electronics, plus leveling and polishing of the frets, that were a bit consumed and oxidized.

That guitar ended up in seven of the ten tracks.



This is my last "turdy" project. A Pac 112J from the '90s, which I upgraded with an EMG SA/SA/89 set, which tone brought up the memories of the best time of my life.

This one too needed a fret leveling and polishing, and it didn't really sound great until I blocked the tremolo with a piece of wood. This mod REALLY made all the difference in tone! I really like Yammy necks; I like that solid feel they provide, where Fender and specially Squires are a bit too thin-profiled.

I've recently found a single SA, so my next move would be to convert it to a S/S/S configuration. I already have the pickguard for it, so I'll be doing it probably next month, together with a new nut; the original is a bit too high; some chords in the 1st position sound a little bit off.

After that, it'll be just perfect. Total cost: less than € 175,00.

So, before polishing a turd, just ask me: I know ALL about it!

HTH,

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Thinking about what to do to my $80 Aldi " Livingstone " Strat.

 

[Artie]

Re: I polished another turd. (Works for me. Squier Affinity Strat content.)

Looks sweet. You've come to the right place.

My first choice for my project was a Cool Rails in the neck, but on mine, the baseplate is coming undone. So I did the VR. It worked out great. My point being, the Cool Rails and Vintage Rails are both great starting points for "cheap" Strats. You almost can't go wrong. Then, fill in the other slots to taste.