Members Jkater Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 I have decided to go for the MIM Classic Player 50 strat and I'm expecting to not fall in love with the one-ply white pickguard. I'm useless with a soldering iron. Is it possible to buy a fitting 8 screw PG (tortoise shell ) and simply remove every thing without any soldering job and switch Pickguards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cymro#1 Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 Yes indeed. All you have to do is just what you said - with a screwdriver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mid Life Crisis Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 You don't necessarily need a soldering iron, but it does make it easier to remove and re-fit the pickups, switch etc to the new guard if you unsolder the wires going to the jack and the trem claw, and re-solder when everything's fitted. Other than that, you may need to fill and re-drill the screw holes as sometimes a replacement guard is not an exact fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blueshawk1 Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 I'm glad someone asked this question because I've never done it before and I bought a new pg for one of my strats. I didn't figure it'd be difficult, but it's good to hear it from others who have done it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paul44 Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 You don't necessarily need a soldering iron, but it does make it easier to remove and re-fit the pickups, switch etc to the new guard if you unsolder the wires going to the jack and the trem claw, and re-solder when everything's fitted. Other than that, you may need to fill and re-drill the screw holes as sometimes a replacement guard is not an exact fit. You 100% DO NOT need a soldering iron within 100 miles of a Strat if you're only changing the pickguard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mid Life Crisis Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 You 100% DO NOT need a soldering iron within 100 miles of a Strat if you're only changing the pickguard. I agree it's not essential, I'm just saying that it makes life a lot easier if you can remove everything from the guitar to work with. Otherwise, the whole assembly is hanging from the guitar by the jack & trem claw wires and if they break off you may as well have unsoldered them in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 It's basically a bunch of screwdriver work -- rather more complex than switching guards on a trad Tele (on which not even the neck PU is attached by screws, so you can do it without even removing the strings), but the toughest part is managing not to lose any screws. Destring. CAREFULLY remove knobs and PU selector switch. Undo every screw you can find. Lift guard off. Fit new one. Repeat entire process in reverse order. (Ideally, you should have no screws left over, and no vacant screw-holes.) Restring. Tune up. Admire your handiwork. Plug guitar in. Play favourite licks. Reward yourself with beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 It's basically a bunch of screwdriver work -- rather more complex than switching guards on a trad Tele (on which not even the neck PU is attached by screws, so you can do it without even removing the strings), but the toughest part is managing not to lose any screws.Destring. CAREFULLY remove knobs and PU selector switch. Undo every screw you can find. Lift guard off. Fit new one. Repeat entire process in reverse order. (Ideally, you should have no screws left over, and no vacant screw-holes.) Restring. Tune up.Admire your handiwork. Plug guitar in. Play favourite licks. Reward yourself with beer. Not much more to say than this. Just be carefull and gentle, and you WILL NOT break anything. Piece o'cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Into Nation Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 If you really want to avoid using the soldering iron, I would do what CSM said, but with a couple twists. 1. Destring.2. Pull the pot knobs and switch cover.3. Remove the outer screws only (those that are holding the pickguard on the body)4. Pull the guard away, now remove the remaining screws holding in the pups and switch. Remove the nut and hardware holding in the pots.5. Reverse the order. You will have to keep track of the parts and such, and its going to be a little dicey because you will only have as much room as the ground wires to the jack and bridge block will allow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paul44 Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 I agree it's not essential, I'm just saying that it makes life a lot easier if you can remove everything from the guitar to work with. Otherwise, the whole assembly is hanging from the guitar by the jack & trem claw wires and if they break off you may as well have unsoldered them in the first place. I really don't understand where you are coming from here.Nothing is 'hanging' from anything during the whole process.Unsoldering anything is unnecessary and pointless.....but if it makes you happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Into Nation Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 I think it just makes for a somewhat easier workspace to get the hardware from one p/g to the other. If it weren't for the ground on the bridge, it would be a no brainer to desolder all three connections, but that connection on the bridge is a major heat sink and can be a pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuroyume Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 Nah. I've replaced the pickguard on several strats (among a myriad of other guitar work and modification) and not once did this involve using a soldering iron. Anyway, the thing is that a soldering iron needs electricity and creates lots of heat. If you've ever had the misfortune of grabbing a soldering iron incorrectly (not paying attention or something) or having it hit something accidentally, you realize why avoiding it when not even remotely necessary is well worth avoiding it. Besides replacing strings, knobs, or tuning machines, this is the second most simple thing to do on a strat. Keep track of which hardware (screws, nuts, washers) go where and it'll be a piece of cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Goofball Jones Posted June 22, 2008 Members Share Posted June 22, 2008 Easier method is to take the white pick-guard that's on it now and just use a black magic-marker and color in the pickguard. Easy as pie and it looks SO professional too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuroyume Posted June 23, 2008 Members Share Posted June 23, 2008 Or lots of masking tape and a can of enamel spray paint*! *extra points if you have an airbrush and knows howz to uze it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted June 23, 2008 Members Share Posted June 23, 2008 Getting ready to do this to my Strat. Just looks like a lot of screws to keep track of! Sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members samuraiBSD Posted June 23, 2008 Members Share Posted June 23, 2008 It's basically a bunch of screwdriver work -- rather more complex than switching guards on a trad Tele (on which not even the neck PU is attached by screws, so you can do it without even removing the strings), but the toughest part is managing not to lose any screws. Destring. CAREFULLY remove knobs and PU selector switch. Undo every screw you can find. Lift guard off. Fit new one. Repeat entire process in reverse order. (Ideally, you should have no screws left over, and no vacant screw-holes.) Restring. Tune up. Admire your handiwork. Plug guitar in. Play favourite licks. Reward yourself with beer. And there speaks a voice of experience... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hal71 Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 What about swapping out the pickup covers in addition to the pickguard...what's involved? I have a sunburst that I'd like to deck out in all black accessories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aschreiber2010 Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 1. buy a standard strat tort. PG 2. unscrew your electronics from your old PG 3. screw all of the old electronics into the new PG 4. lay the new PG on, pre-drill holes wherever there aren't holes in your body (guitar body that is) 5. screw the new PG onto your guitar simple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Portland1 Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 its kind of a pain, and will take a while on your first time, but it will be worth it. Seemed like it took forever when i changed out the SRV pickguard on my strat to a tortoise shell. Just make sure you get the pickup height right when you're done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members almightycrunch Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 What about swapping out the pickup covers in addition to the pickguard...what's involved? I have a sunburst that I'd like to deck out in all black accessories. the covers will basically just fall off of the pickups when they are not screwed into place. Although some may be a bit tight fitting and require some light jiggling to get them free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nighthawk15 Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 Very easy job, but if the ground wires are anything like my American they won't give you much to work with. IMO it would be easier to just clip the ground wires to the trem claw and output jack, strip them, and add some length to the wires for next time when you solder it back up. That's all opinion though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members captain_fantasy Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 can't really help w/ your situation, but I think the change of pickguard on my strat made a world of difference in the overall look of it: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 I've replaced pickguards on three different strats, two teles, and a jazzmaster. I've never had to unsolder anything. You just unscrew 15 screws, poke the pots, knob and pickups through the new guard, and fasten everything down. By the way, I love 1 ply, 8 screw pickguards. That's the way God made it. God doesn't make mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gigaboom Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 I've sort of wondered about this.. maybe a little differently. So, you unscrew the pickguard, and it's tethered to the guitar only by a ground wire and two wires leading to the jack, right? Is there some reason a couple of connectors wouldn't make life a lot more convenient, if you work on it much? If it's your test bed for mods, it seems like it would be well worthwhile to be able to easily detach the whole assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nighthawk15 Posted November 6, 2008 Members Share Posted November 6, 2008 I've sort of wondered about this.. maybe a little differently.So, you unscrew the pickguard, and it's tethered to the guitar only by a ground wire and two wires leading to the jack, right?Is there some reason a couple of connectors wouldn't make life a lot more convenient, if you work on it much? If it's your test bed for mods, it seems like it would be well worthwhile to be able to easily detach the whole assembly. I've actually wondered about this if there is some kind of quick disconnect that could be used on guitar components. Anybody have any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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