NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

[Artie]

In Surf Green. I shouldn't be doing this, this close to Christmas, but when I walked in the store and saw it, I fell in love. And, it comes with Duncan Designed LS-102 Lipstick Tube pups. (I used guitar repair mad money.)



The bad news is, as much as I love this guitar, I'm NOT loving these pickups. When you use each one individually, they aren't bad, but the "notch" positions have none of the bell-like chime that you expect from those positions. It's almost like you roll the tone knob back when in the #2 and #4 positions. I'm contemplating replacing the pups with genuine Duncan SLS-1's, but that would darn near double the price of this axe.

I'm going to play with it some more before making any hasty decisions.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Yeah those are cool but also I'm not into those pickups!
Get some used alnico pickups and have a great strat. LOVE the color.

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

The thing is, I specifically bought this for the color and the Lipstick tubes. The ones in my vintage Dano sound killer. These . . . not so much.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

oh... time for new lipstick tubes???

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

I'm thinkin'.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Definitely has a killer looking vibe! Sorry to hear the pickups aren't up to par though.

I think you need to stick with Lipstick Tubes to keep the look...really dig it!

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Definitely has a killer looking vibe! Sorry to hear the pickups aren't up to par though.

I think you need to stick with Lipstick Tubes to keep the look...really dig it!

Absolutely keeping lipstick tubes. That's why I bought it.

The good news is, the more I play it, the more I like it. They're just "different" than what I'm used to. I guess that's why we try new things.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Absolutely keeping lipstick tubes. That's why I bought it.

The good news is, the more I play it, the more I like it. They're just "different" than what I'm used to. I guess that's why we try new things.

Sweet man!

I've never experienced lipstick tube pickups so I have no clue how they would respond in my setup but I know that my new pickups in my recent Warmoth build took sometime for me to understand them!

 

[beandip]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Use it for when you're feeling jazzy, or you've got some Dick Dale that needs to come out. Congrats on the new git, thing looks sweet!

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Thanks Mr. Bean. Jazzy and bluesy is exactly what I'm using it for.

 

[firebirdguy72]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Congrats! Surf green is absolutely killer! I really like the DD pickups. Especially the neck alone. The strat in my profile pics got em... well had them... it's currently in pieces because I sold the neck, I just couldn't bond with it... Anyway enjoy your new axe!

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

Thanks man. And it's funny you should say that. Playing with the neck pup makes me want to grab my surf board. (If I had one.)

 

[Rich_S]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

I owned one of those for a week. Like you, I bought it for the color, and because I wanted a surf guitar with a vibrato bridge. It was gorgeous, and a great guitar for the money.

Problem was, it reminded me once again that I simply don't get along with Strats. Can't play 'em, don't like 'em. Period. (Two spaces.) I replaced it with a Squiuer Bigsby Cabronita, but dang I wish it was surf green instead of black.

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster

I'm kinda warming up to this thing. The more Dick Dale riff's you learn, the better it is.