Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

jammertom

jammertom

Member
I’ve had a MIM Strat for about 15 years now…it’s my comfortable “old dependable”. And, even though a JB may not be perfect for every application or musical taste, I’ve always really liked how it sounds in the bridge of this particular guitar.
So, about a month ago, I decided to take the guitar apart and make a couple of upgrades (?) I changed out the comparatively thin factory trem block (zinc, I think) for a KGC brass unit (beautiful piece!). Then, off came the Graphtech saddles in favor of a set of GFS stainless pieces (also very nice looking). Lastly, since I didn’t have handy any of my usual D’Addario EXL110 stings, I threw on a set of Ernie Ball regular slinky.
I guess I should have left well-enough alone. After a week of tweaking EQ and set up, I just can’t get it to sound as good as I thought it did before. These changes have introduced some subtle artifacts into the sound that I just can’t seem to smooth out…It’s hard to describe. I’ll see if changing back to a set of D’Addarios helps. If not, I kept the old stuff and can put it back to the way it was.
My point isn’t to bag any of the new parts, but rather to recognize that there sure are a number of variables that can affect the tone of a given instrument. What if I had not been so familiar with how good this one could sound? I might have dismissed the JB as not being a “great-sounding” pickup and moved on...now that would've been sad...
 
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Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

I'd get rid of the brass trem block and replace it with steel...like you'll find in 50's and 60's Strats. I wouldn't go back to zinc.

I dunno what stainless steel saddles sound like but I've always used regular steel...again, like you'd find on 50's and 60's Strats.

I don't dislike the Graphtec saddles but they do dull the tone slightly. Maybe you liked that about them?

As far as strings go, I like and use Daddarios too.

But I don't hear much (if any) difference between them and Ernie Balls. New strings always sound bright and zingy though.
 
Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

To semi-quote the great Zerbeus,sometimes/often "better" is the enemy of good...

But,nothing ventured,nothing gained & it is reversible...
 
Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

Lewguitar said:
I'd get rid of the brass trem block and replace it with steel...like you'll find in 50's and 60's Strats. I wouldn't go back to zinc.

I dunno what stainless steel saddles sound like but I've always used regular steel...again, like you'd find on 50's and 60's Strats.

I don't dislike the Graphtec saddles but they do dull the tone slightly. Maybe you liked that about them?

As far as strings go, I like and use Daddarios too.

But I don't hear much (if any) difference between them and Ernie Balls. New strings always sound bright and zingy though.
Click to expand...

ALL of this, except the last point. IMO, Ernie Balls sound slightly more scooped
 
Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

More scooped and a little bit warmer top end I think. Dadario strings, in my experience, are a touch brighter. I had the same experience with a floyd rose equipped guitar. I swapped in a brass big block, and it seemed like it killed everything I liked about the guitar. Or, I just don't know what tone is. Same thing happened when I swapped a stop tailpiece for an aluminum one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 
Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

Several things come to mind:

1) Every change you have made usually has a significant – not huge, but usually clearly audible – effect on the guitar's tone. Add them all together, and you're looking at a big change.

2) D'Addarios are significantly brighter strings than Ernie Balls IME, and they also retain that brightness for longer.

3) Going from Graph-Tech to stainless (and cheap-o stainless at that) is bound to be a significant tonal change.

4) I don't trust the quality of anything from GFS. Just because something is "stainless" doesn't mean it's good quality or sounds good.

5) I can understand why you don't want the stock vibrato block, but I don't think a brass one is necessarily what you want. It is very different than the pot metal zinc block you had.

I would swap things out in that order, one at a time. Strings first – easy and cheap, so might as well try it. Saddles next, as IMO they might be having the biggest effect on the tonal change you experienced. Save the block for last, as it's the most involved to change out, and might have the least effect of the three changes.
 
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Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

Thanks to all of you for your insights and suggestions!
 
Re: Tone "upgrades" for MIM Strat...shoulda left it alone...

id go back to the graphtech saddles in an instant. if you want warm and smooth then i think the block change was a fine idea but id go back to the graphtect
 
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