Advice for Pointless Strat Mods?

[FoonkySteve]

Howdy! So, i found out that my us 2004 strat is not a 50th anniversary special edition, with the custom 54 pickups and some other cool features. It is in fact a standard us strat. With this in mind i have decided to trick it out a bit, in terms of sound and versatility.

 

Here is the pointless bit; I dont even have the cash for the mods yet, and i dont really 'need' the mods, and its a perfectly good guitar, but ive had it for about 6 years now and fancy a wee change, the missus wouldnt be happy if i got any more guitars so im settling for the mods, i am also saving for when fender decide to reissue the starcaster:lol: Also i am happier to mod this knowing that i wouldnt be ruining a special run see?

 

Here's some of my ideas:

 

I have the american standard single coils, but fancy something a bit more authentic, i like the SRV, John Mayer sound as apposed to the Clapton sound, does that mean im prb looking at Texas specials? If so, im cool with that.

 

LR Baggs X bridge - ive been toying with the idea for a while, should give me more tonal options!

 

What nut? I think i have a bone nut, what would give me the best twang with the same tuning stability? I hear good things about these graphite TUSQ ones? I played a danelectro with a brass nut and it sounded great, but i dont know if it would be suited to a strat.

 

Then there is the Villex Jack booster, i quite fancy that 1!!!

http://www.villex.com/stratocaster_jack_replacement_booster.html

 

Im happy enough with the fender machine heads and love the neck. I would love to get stainless steel frets although i doubt that would be a worthwhile job if i plan to keep the neck i have.

 

I changed the Pickguard to black in January for a different look and im happy with that.

 

The current set up has the delta tone switching system, so i get tone control on the bridge pick up, although it is not independant.

 

Here's ma bitch:

 

 

 

So what say you? Yeah? No? Go away Foonky Steve You Fecking knob!?

[jelloman]

Here's what I would do...

 

...go with the Texas Special pickup set, with Bournes pots and Orange drop caps...treble bleed mod...super strat 7-way switch...

 

...Villex boost jack...

 

...Graphtech TUSQ nut...

 

...Sperzel Staggered locking tuners...

 

The LR Baggs bridge is something I wouldn't want but if that's your thing, be my guest...

[badhabit]

The American Standards are a fine instrument, unless you got a dog. I'm from the camp "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." You need to get personal about what you want from the guitar. Action and neck good? Are you comfortable with the neck shape as action can be adjusted. Fret size? Is it working for you? Too tall? too Low? Too wide ? Frets can be changed but for a good chunk of change. Perhaps better to have them leveled, crowned and polished by THE BEST GUY AROUND! Tone. Well, it's very subjective, isn't it. There's no specific SRV pickup ( except in the model Fender sells, but is it really SRV sound? I don't think so ). Do you want a more "vintage" sound, or more modern, higher output sound? Or a mix between the two? Working with a custom winder could save you lots of money instead of buying numerous pickups trying them out. But anyone will tell you, tone is mostly in the hands. Your gear just helps you get there.

[FoonkySteve]

..super strat 7-way switch..

 

Cool thanks! Im checkin out the 7way switch kit just now!

[FoonkySteve]

The American Standards are a fine instrument, unless you got a dog. I'm from the camp "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." You need to get personal about what you want from the guitar. Action and neck good? Are you comfortable with the neck shape as action can be adjusted. Fret size? Is it working for you? Too tall? too Low? Too wide ? Frets can be changed but for a good chunk of change. Perhaps better to have them leveled, crowned and polished by THE BEST GUY AROUND! Tone. Well, it's very subjective, isn't it. There's no specific SRV pickup ( except in the model Fender sells, but is it really SRV sound? I don't think so ). Do you want a more "vintage" sound, or more modern, higher output sound? Or a mix between the two? Working with a custom winder could save you lots of money instead of buying numerous pickups trying them out. But anyone will tell you, tone is mostly in the hands. Your gear just helps you get there.

 

Your right badhabit, it really aint broke at all, i just fancy a change after 6 years of having it. I am more than happy with the neck, feel and action, fret size is fine although there is quite a bit of wear on the 1st 6 frets could do with a leveling, only reason i fancy the stainless steel ones is that they dont wear at all.

[EADGBE]

What nut? I think i have a bone nut, what would give me the best twang with the same tuning stability? I hear good things about these graphite TUSQ ones? I played a danelectro with a brass nut and it sounded great, but i dont know if it would be suited to a strat.

Bone is probably best for a strat. The only thing I'd replace a bone nut with would be a brass one. Brass may boost the treble. So if you have enough treble as is you may want to pass on that mod.

[Dr_Kuh]

Maybe reflectors from the truck stop? They could reflect the...nah forget that one...

 

A TBX kit kaybe?

[WRGKMC]

If it aint broke, leave it alone and just play the hell out of it. Every guitar has its limitations for tone and playability so you arent going to get everything you want. If you need a change of pace, just get another guitar that has what you want. Modding can often make things worse vs better and devalue the instrument in the process.

 

I can say I Have TX specials in one of my strats and I consider them overrated and too pricy for what you get. On the other hand, I have an old squier strat that has the noisless pickups in it. Its always sounded fine and I've never found a need to replace them.

 

For the nut, I use brass on all my instruments for the extra sustain. Since I build and refret them Its a matter of neccesity in replacing them. I made a mistake of putting a roller nut on one of my guitars and consider it to have a crappiest tone out of them all. All steel and no warmth, plus you have to damage the fretboard to install, so its a one way mod.

 

As far as other materials, Bone would be my second choice. Anything else has littel or no sonic benifits. The graphite is supposed to be better for whammy bars, but its a fast wearing material that doesnt last very long. You can take any nut and put graphite grease in the slots like you're supposed to and eliminate the friction.

 

Anything else just so long as its not a soft plastic works fine if its properly cut and is the correct height.

Unless you're having fretwork done, or the nut is worn out, replacing the nut is an act of futility. If anything, if the frets are worn and you're having them leveled and recrowned, then taking the old nut down a tad to match the lower frets is all that I'd do till its time for refreting. You do need the proper fret files and feeler gauges to do this right. Slot hight is a critical thing and should not be taken lightly or you may wind up with all kinds of tuning, intonation, fret buzzing, and playability issues.

[scott944]

Whatever you decide, keep the stock parts - helps with resale later.

[A_Gitarman]

If you add the X-bridge, you'll wan't to either a) also get the CTRL-X on-board preamp or b) add a stereo jack with the piezo running to a dedicated preamp (or direct to the board/ mixer).

 

The X-bridge by itself just sounds OK... IMO, it really needs a proper preamp to live up to it's potential. Plus, the CTRL-X also gives you the ability to mix the piezo & magnetic pups

[wagdog]

I like texas special pickups in my srv strat. That and a treble bypass. For the nut, graphtec is my favorite.

 

As far as that passive booster, it seems awful expensive for what is probably a resistor and capacitor on a switch.

 

Nice looking ax, I like it... but then again, I like strats!

[DaleH]

CS 69 pickups mint guard aged white knobs and call it a day.

[Bro Blue]

The easiest mods to do and, I have found, the ones that make the most difference for the money spent are wiring tone for the bridge pickup (this is free, you just solder a jumper wire on the switch), and the treble bleed mod (which costs you a few cents for the cap and resistor). They are also the easiest mods to do.

 

If you are not having tuning problems then I don't think you'll get much by changing the nut, unless you just want a new nut. The easiest and best mod for the bridge is changing the trem block to a full-size steel or brass trem block.

 

As far as pickups go, Texas Specials are good pickups and will deliver the SRV sound, but not so much Mayer. You might be able to get close through cutting the mids on your amp, though. BG pickups would also be a viable option, as well a Bill Lawrence - and they'll be just as good (if not better) than the Specials for the same or less money.

 

I like locking tuners because they make string changes so much quicker. There's no magic to helping you stay in tune with trem usage (as long as you have put the string on the peg correctly), but they do cut out the winding and measuring strings.

[FoonkySteve]

Thanks a lot for all the helpful advice guys, gave me plenty to think about.

 

I would more than likely pay to get the mods done by a tech, and buy the parts myself, simply because i would too easily make an arse of it and couldnt live with stress if i f*cked up my main axe.

 

IF i go for the Xbridge, ill defo be hooking up the CTRL-X too.

 

I am not too worried about resale value as this ones a keeper

[fulcrumpoint]

I always do the bridge treble mod. Its cheap and easy. You can put a jumper in there or put a cap for more control.

 

Possibly a Push/Pull to turn the neck pup on with the bridge for some Gilmour fun!

 

Locking Tuners are another must. The quick string changes are great.

 

Put a bone nut in there if you are really, looking for tuning stability.

 

I personally like the SCN pups...No one here seems to be a big fan but for stage use you cant beat them. Especially when you put the gain to it.

 

Call it a day....If you are searching for the sounds....Its all going to be in the amp you have/choose past those mods. Really with the above mods you are not changing the overall tonal characteristics of the strat.

[Roy]

3 x dual concentric pots for vol/tone each pickup and a super switch with position 3 wired all-on

[Roy]

Cool thanks! Im checkin out the 7way switch kit just now!

 

7 way super switch!?!?!

 

link please

[Orange Jackson]

Bone is probably best for a strat. The only thing I'd replace a bone nut with would be a brass one. Brass may boost the treble. So if you have enough treble as is you may want to pass on that mod.

 

 

HMmm. I'm guessing you mean for a hardtail strat?

 

I just don't see that a bone nut is a good nut for a guitar with a trem.

 

To the OP, a black graph tech nut is your best bet if you use the trem. This whole idea that the nut has some big impact on the tone of a guitar is misguided. Most all of the notes played on a guitar are fretted with your finger, that is where the tone is, not back at the nut. For notes played on open stings, the nut will make difference. But there is no way I would hamstring myself by putting a bone nut on a Strat.