Upgrading a junky strat

Re: Upgrading a junky strat

Pot was rubbing up against the edge of the routing, had to fix it.
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The right cap this time... (Scratch that...)
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And that's all of them.
Literally just did this a few hours ago.

Extreme apologies for the mass of pictures and triple post.
 
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Re: Upgrading a junky strat

Now the real question is, how does she play? I have an SE strat and happen to love the neck profile. It's the most comfortable I own but yeah the hardware is junky and the pickguard browns faster than a cut apple. When I bought it I thought the original owner switched the white guard for a beige one....
 
Re: Upgrading a junky strat

Gotta say, The neck on it is my favorite among all 4 of my Strats. Even up against an American strat I like the neck on this thing better, oddly enough. Too bad the headstock is cut a bit off.

Plays a lot better than it did before I tore it apart, I actually played it so much that I wore down grooves in the frets all the way down to the 14th fret so that's still a bit of a problem but I don't feel like attempting to re-fret it.

Neck and middle pickups actually came to life when I replaced the pots, It doesn't sound compressed anymore. On top of that the 59/Custom Hybrid when split is really usable, and the ability to use it as a clean tone and switch to the bridge alone for dirt is really great too. Ended up a lot twangier than I expected, It's a good twang though.

I'll probably play it more tomorrow and when I have more time.
 
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Re: Upgrading a junky strat

Just recently did this to my Blacktop. Put in Novak WRHB, changed the switch to 3 way , new input jack and steel trem block.

All in the guitar costed me more than all the new parts ($350 vs $280) same but it plays and sounds better than the sum of the parts.
 
Re: Upgrading a junky strat

****... I really need to learn to read before I buy things. Thanks, You just solved the mystery of why my tone knobs have such a small difference when I turn them that It's hard to hear and why there's so much twang.
:smack:

I'm sure I sounded something along the lines of this when I read that.



Let me elaborate on "Small" difference. The middle tone sounds like a volume when I use it, It actually fights the volume pot, And the neck tone makes it sound like it's a bridge pickup.
 
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Re: Upgrading a junky strat

What did we do before the Dremel, is there a guitar mod project where that baby doesn't get dragged out?

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Re: Upgrading a junky strat

I rewired it twice and thought I was losing my mind when I couldn't figure out what I did wrong. I had it apart three times that night trying to figure it out, Had nobody said anything I'd still be trying to figure it out since I wired the cap facing down.

If you guys ever see something I did that's wrong or stupid feel free to tell me, I'm rather ignorant in the wiring and electronics department. Not that it doesn't show...
 
Re: Upgrading a junky strat

Just bought the right cap... I checked multiple times. I'm officially paranoid when buying parts now.
 
Re: Upgrading a junky strat

People freak when I tell them I want 12 Benjis for Squire. But you get a 6 point Gotoh trem an LSR roller nut locking Sperzels, SSL1's, all new pots. caps etc. To say nothing of my fret work.
This is what we do.
PC
 
Re: Upgrading a junky strat

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Finally have the right one.

All that's left currently.

1) Change the cap
2) Pull pickguard off and trim a little bit off the cavity so the pickup has a bit more room
3) Re-string and Intonate.
 
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