A great Mod for Tele players switching to Strats

[straycat113]

I started out playing Teles and my #1 ax for 13 years was a 85 62 reissue that I had put Dimarzio Fast Track pups in which could run the classic rock alphabet from AC/DC to Zep.

 

When I bought my first Strat it took some time to get comfortable as I felt like everything was in the way. The first problem was the middle pup which my pick kept banging into when I picked. So years ago I read that Blackmore and Yngwie had the same problem and sunk them which is exactly what I did =problem solved. I play 90% on either the neck or bridge so it was no big deal.

 

This is the one that really changed it all for me and has made life beautiful.lol Anyone that is used to playing Teles is used to the volume/tone knobs being away from the bridge. Even Shred masters like Gilbert and Petrucci if you see there artist series models have there knobs away from the bridge. Now no matter how used you get to slipping your pinkie between knobs on a Strat it is still not as comfortable.

 

Well 2 months ago I saw a video of the late great Danny Gatton playing a Strat and to my surprise he had the volume knob and pot totally removed and the guitar rewired.I brought my #1 Strat to my tech and had him do the same thing and it has been the greatest mod for me in my life as I am not big on mods. Thanks Danny.

 

I would recommend this to anyone who has similar discomforts as you will have the best of both worlds. Danny just left a hole, I put a cool small decal over mine or you can just get a new pick guard.

[vintage clubber]

My preference as well...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[pvwolfgang5150]

My preference as well...

 

[straycat113]

Vintage Clubber, totally dig those axes. I have my specs exactly like the black one you have on the bottom and am just mind boggled that I never thought of doing this 20 years ago.lol

 

I see PVWolfgang digs it as your axes put a smile on his face.

[EJD]

My current work in progress

 

 

Two knobs, one master volume, one master tone. Not only is the knob out of the way, but I also have tone control over the bridge.

 

It's also gonna have home-made "blank" knobs/pup covers (basically, standard Strat knobs without any lettering, and Lace Sensor style covers), and a three-toggle switching arrangement (literally, just pickup on/off)

 

I never found a problem with the middle pup. Maybe it's because I've been playing Strat style guitars since I started, but my picking "engine room" is either in between the neck and middle, or bridge and middle.

 

Any excuse to show off my build

[vintage clubber]

 

Vintage Clubber, totally dig those axes. I have my specs exactly like the black one you have on the bottom and am just mind boggled that I never thought of doing this 20 years ago.lol I see PVWolfgang digs it as your axes put a smile on his face.

 

 

thank you!

 

that is a MIM Classic Series '50's strat with Duncan Lipstick Tube pickups and a Wilkinson trem, master volume/master tone.

[rusholmeruffian]

Funny--I'm about to order an S-x-S Strat pickguard from Warmoth right now. I have a pair of Carvin AP11s that I bought off another HCer and I'm going to have an independent tone control for each.

 

The pickguard I'm removing is loaded with a trio of Wilkinson Hot Vintage single-coils with non-staggered polepieces. I almost never use the middle pickup, and installed a neck-on switch so I could use my preferred neck+bridge pickup combination.

 

I had thought about just screwing the middle pickup all the way down into the body, since I'm another one of those guys for whom it gets in the way of picking, but since I never liked the guitar's plain black pickguard anyway I figured that I might as well replace it.