My Strat is back up and running!

[Van Noord]

I finally took my old HWY1 in for some upgrades and a badly needed setup.

This will mainly be used for sweet clean tones and basic rock, grunge & hair metal tones.

I aged the dials and pup covers myself years back with hot black coffee, and had Graphech saddles and a better bridge bucker installed. (sorry Seymour!) Pickgaurd is a naturally aged white...almost parchment.

The colour changes from almost a Merlot to chocolate depending on the light.

Its not just straight paint either, you can see the wood grain through it as seen in one of the pics.

Scars n' all...a 2004 Cocoa brown satin finish USA HWY1 Strat strung with 10's tuned to C#G#C#F#A#D#.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

What pickups do you have in that? And also what is the purpose of the Electrical tape over the Trem Springs?

 

[Van Noord]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

The two singles are stock Fenders, not sure what they are. In the bridge is a Dimarzio D-Activator.

The tape is actually cloth hockey tape. I find the springs vibrate and rattle too much and add unwanted overtones when playing with high gain. The tape absorbs those vibrations and keeps things in check.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

That is beautiful. Niceeee

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

Schwinggg.

I love those Highway 1's. I had one for a while and it was a great guitar.

How are you liking the D-Activator in there?

 

[Van Noord]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

Thanks!

First day with the D-Activator and I think its great.
Its hot, low noise, articulate, sharp and chunky all at the same time.

The JB I had in there previously was much more unweildly, almost reckless sounding in comparison. It was harder to "reign in" if that makes sense. It also had much less focus and clarity. Not a bad pup at all, just not right for this guitar I guess.
The stock Fender Atomic bucker was even worse, that one didn't last long at all.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

This guitar just gets better with age....

 

[Mincer]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

I really like that color. I don't think I remember seeing that color when those guitars were in the stores.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: My Strat is back up and running!

The tape is actually cloth hockey tape. I find the springs vibrate and rattle too much and add unwanted overtones when playing with high gain. The tape absorbs those vibrations and keeps things in check.

I have that tape on/ in most of my guitars as well (Canadianity For ya...). And I hear ya on the springs, I usually dampen mine as well (especially when recording), vs spending my $$ on things like silent springs...