NGD incoming! Mod platform - Ideas?
- Thread starter Rex_Rocker
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Rex_Rocker
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Nah, not worth it. I figured there was going to be "idiosincracies" with the lowest end guitar Fender offers. It's playing much better than I thought it would. To me, very slighlly the off-center strings are not an issue. It's playing amazing, honestly.
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I tried to buy several Jacksons last year from low end to mid range.
Two of the guitars had bad string/neck alignment. One was a neck through soloist and couldnt be saved. The other was a bolt on dinky but the neck joint was compromised and wouldn't stay in place so tuning stability was flaky. (The neck route wasn't flat so there was very little friction contact between body and neck, so the neck moved.)
Another guitar I returned had leaning trem posts that weren't aligned with the trem cutouts. No chance of ever staying in tune unless it was blocked.
I mean they are screwing up some things very badly. If neck alignment and trem posts are out of whack, that means they are just hand drilling.
Fender/Jackson quality has taken a nose dive. I will not chance buying another one unless in person. I don't think they do any quality control. If it looks like a guitar, they will just pack it and ship it. In fact, I think I'm done ordering online. QC is so bad these days that I'm just going to check Guitar Center inventory in the future and drive out to see if any speak to me. Guitar Center is a return hub so I'm not too hopeful.
Also will look at used pre-covid models. I don't think its just fender, I had some problems with LTD.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I remember your threads. But honestly, I don't find that to be an issue with mine.
I'm sure if I really started to find it an issue, I could sort it out. What I did with my old prestige was shim one side of the neck pocket. I'm sure I could do that. But I don't find it needs it as is.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
BTW, I found out it's routed for HHH when I removed the pickguard. The problem, thouh, is that standard Fender pickguards won't fit because of the wider bridge.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I just checked, they sell pickguards specifically for the Sonic Strat HT H on Amazon. Maybe I'll get a tortoise shell one. Or a cream one.
Gave it a spin today plugged in. Sounds great! As expected, sounds like a Strat with a JB. Compared to my Les Paul Tribute with the Ant JB (closest thing I have), it's louder, more "hi fi" (more lows and highs), yet it's still familiar-sounding.
The EQ is very JB, of course. But the character is different than my LP, obviously. Palm mutes have a "softer" feel (I suppose because the pickup is further from the bridge itself), yet single notes have a certan "twangy" quality compared to my 'Paul. It's also louder/hotter because of the position of the pickup relative to the bridge too.
Also, tuners are holding tune fine. So no need to change them. At least urgently.
So far, I call it a win!
Gave it a spin today plugged in. Sounds great! As expected, sounds like a Strat with a JB. Compared to my Les Paul Tribute with the Ant JB (closest thing I have), it's louder, more "hi fi" (more lows and highs), yet it's still familiar-sounding.
The EQ is very JB, of course. But the character is different than my LP, obviously. Palm mutes have a "softer" feel (I suppose because the pickup is further from the bridge itself), yet single notes have a certan "twangy" quality compared to my 'Paul. It's also louder/hotter because of the position of the pickup relative to the bridge too.
Also, tuners are holding tune fine. So no need to change them. At least urgently.
So far, I call it a win!
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Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I think the one thing I'm still on the fence about is what to do about that tone knob. Right now, it's a dummy... but I wanna take it out and have something fun in there. Maybe a boost. A killswitch... I don't know. Something.
Don't know about a boost, honestly. I don't think I want anything active because I don't want to have to remove the pickguard just to change the battery.
Maybe a series/parallel switch. A split. Or a killswitch. Or maybe a Fender TBX? How does that work?
Don't know about a boost, honestly. I don't think I want anything active because I don't want to have to remove the pickguard just to change the battery.
Maybe a series/parallel switch. A split. Or a killswitch. Or maybe a Fender TBX? How does that work?
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A JB with a single 500K volume knob is going to be very bright.
Switch it down to a 250K will be about right.
BTW, I really like the fretboard. Nice piece of wood for an inexpensive guitar.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I was playing around comparing it to my LP, and I do think I'm going to lower the resistance the pickup sees. Probably going to do the same as I did with my LP's where I add a 1M resistor in parallel with the pot.
www.dropbox.com
First is the LP with the CS JB, second is the Squier. It's not night and day difference, but the Les Paul does feel more focused. Less fizz and less junk down low. Impressed how the Squier is doing, though. It doesn't sound totally blunt like my old Strat did.
Dropbox
First is the LP with the CS JB, second is the Squier. It's not night and day difference, but the Les Paul does feel more focused. Less fizz and less junk down low. Impressed how the Squier is doing, though. It doesn't sound totally blunt like my old Strat did.
marcello252
Well-known member
you can adapt the cream pick guard with an exacto knife in few minutes...
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Put some black screws on that pickguard 
marcello252
Well-known member
or gold/brass screws matching the saddles (a gold brige plate and tuners would be even better)
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
That would be great. Give it the Les Paul Custom treatment.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I'm thinking what I wanna do with the spot for the tone knob is have a mini switch that switches between 250K and 500K on the value of the pot. I kinda want to try 250K for Drop C (the tuning it's in right now), and 500 for anything lower.
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