Upgrading a Squier Strat

[LPCustom]

I've got a bunch of parts for American Strats (from working on my own over the years). I've also got Squier Strat that I bought as a practice guitar. But it sounds really lifeless compared my real Strats. I recently upgraded one of my American Strats with DiMarzio MP401/402/403 pickups and it sounds great.

Now, I'm looking to upgrade the Squier so that it sounds decent. I've already put a graphite nut on it and locked down the tremolo (don't use it anyway). I thought about taking the pickups I took out of my American Strat and putting them in the Squier. But I think I want to put SD pickups in it. I like those bell-like tones of the vintage Strat pickups. Which SD pickups would be the best choice for a Vintage Strat sound? I'm talking single coils here, no humbuckers. I've always thought the SSL-1s were the way to go but you guys are the experts.

I intend to replace the pots and the switch with Fender American parts (which I already have) at the same time so it will be a full replacement loaded on a new pickguard. So it's not a problem if I need to change pots. I'm thinking eventually this will become a Frankenstrat. The electronics are the weak link right now.

 

[Amateur]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

If you really like the bell-like sounds of the vintage Strat, you should get the vintage noiseless pickups from Fender. I have a set of those on my Strat and I have yet to find any other pickup that come close to the sound.

 

[aaronl]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

If you really like the bell-like sounds of the vintage Strat, you should get the vintage noiseless pickups from Fender. I have a set of those on my Strat and I have yet to find any other pickup that come close to the sound.

i am by far not even close to being an expert, that being said, i did not like the fender vintage noiseless at all.
they sounded very generic to me, kinda sterile.
they are also rated at like 9.8k which is right around humbucker specs
i did like the fender custom shop 69 pups but am looking at a set of ssl1 based on some recommendations.
i am seriously thinking about dropping the $$ for some antiquities or fralins...

 

[Amateur]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

i am by far not even close to being an expert, that being said, i did not like the fender vintage noiseless at all.
they sounded very generic to me, kinda sterile.
they are also rated at like 9.8k which is right around humbucker specs
i did like the fender custom shop 69 pups but am looking at a set of ssl1 based on some recommendations.
i am seriously thinking about dropping the $$ for some antiquities or fralins...

That's why I qualify "If you really like the bell-like sound of the vintage Strat". Not everyone likes it, especially the ones who play with humbuckers most of their lifes. A favorite sound is a subjective thing. Idon't even want to convince or argue with anybody which sound is better. To me, it is a waste of time.

The 9.8k spec does not tell you how it sounds like. It just tells you what kind of impedence the pickup has and hence you can guess its output level. A set of noiseless pickup has three pickups and they have different specs for each position. You have to play a Strat with these pickup to experience the sound. A vintage Strat may not have a bell-like sound at all. It depends on which Strat you are talking about.

 

[LPCustom]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

I believe a lot of vintage Fender made Strat pickups make little bit more of a "quack" than a bell-lke tone. That's why I'm looking at SD pickups. I have a set of pickups out of a 62 Strat. But I don't care for the sound that much. I'll probably throw 'em up on eBay.

I _really_ like the sound I get from the DiMarzio pickups I just put in my 79 Strat. (MP402,MP401,MP403 - neck, middle, bridge)

I'm told that the best pickups for a Strat are made by Seymour-Duncan, though. So I've been going over the product line.

I'm looking at putting a Warmoth neck on this guitar and then later on replacing the body with a Fender USA body to make a Frankenstrat. So I don't mind spending a fair amount on the pickups. All the other electronics will be new, too.

I'm leaning toward a set of SLS-1s right now. (the lipstick tubes)

 

[madguitar26]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

if ya want vintage quack with no hum at all take a vintage rails for the neck or middle.
its an ugly mother ,but will fit the bag for real vintage and trebly strat tones.
use mine only with 011 other wise sounds thin.
hoped i helped

 

[tfb1990]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

if you really like the guitar go ahead and put some new pups in it.. but you might consider just buying a fender.. but this IS coming from a kid whos monthly income is $40

 

[Amateur]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

I believe a lot of vintage Fender made Strat pickups make little bit more of a "quack" than a bell-lke tone. That's why I'm looking at SD pickups. I have a set of pickups out of a 62 Strat. But I don't care for the sound that much. I'll probably throw 'em up on eBay.

You're right there. I have own a lot of Strats, past and present, from the 60s till now, the real ones, not re-issues, and I agree with you most of them just "Quack". Right now, I have a Strat fitted with SD Cool Rails in the neck and mid and a Hot Rail in the bridge position with Push/Pull pot to split them and another Strat fitted with the Fender noiseless pickups. The rails are not even close when I compare to the noiseless pickups for the bell-like tone no matter what combination I tried. I say those noiseless pickups "Ring". May be you can go to a music store and try a Strat with those pickups on a Fender amp and see if you can tell the difference.

 

[paspallum]

Bigger picture

Bigger picture

Hey
I don't want to sound mean... I think it is awesome that you like the 'bell-like' strat sound... and while I can't offer you any advice except to say that the Antiquity Surfers are supposed to be just the 'best'...

I just gotta point out one thing... you say you have a squier strat and over time you plan to put new pickups on it... new electronics... a new neck... and a new body.... dude.. you are not upgrading a squier... you are building a new guitar!

It's a bit like saying "I'm starting with a strat... I'm going to put a tele neck on it... then a tele body... then tele pickups.....

Paspallum

 

[Liquid]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

Go for the vintage noiseless fender there great pickups.

 

[coachc55]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

:yo: If you are patient, you might wait a couple of months. Because from what I have heard Duncan should be releasing their new stacks, possibly by December. I've heard they are suppose to be awesome.

CoachC

 

[John Wymore]

Re: Upgrading a Squier Strat

There is a cheap way to get a much better Strat sound out of the Squier than buying new pickups.

For my son's Squier upgrade we just asked around on the forum for some used USA Strat pickups from somebody that was upgrading. He got a nice set of USA pickups for $10.00 and the improvement with new pots and caps was huge. I did a refinish on it and it came out really cool ...

Squier Strat

 

[LPCustom]

Re: Bigger picture

Re: Bigger picture

Hey
I don't want to sound mean... I think it is awesome that you like the 'bell-like' strat sound... and while I can't offer you any advice except to say that the Antiquity Surfers are supposed to be just the 'best'...

I just gotta point out one thing... you say you have a squier strat and over time you plan to put new pickups on it... new electronics... a new neck... and a new body.... dude.. you are not upgrading a squier... you are building a new guitar!

It's a bit like saying "I'm starting with a strat... I'm going to put a tele neck on it... then a tele body... then tele pickups.....

Paspallum

If you read my post you will note that I DID say I was building a Frankenstrat. That's not what the topic says, okay. Does that really matter?