Members paulisme Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I just picked up a black Squier Affinity Strat on Craigslist for $40. I bought this mainly so I could mod it. I don't really want another Strat with 3 single coils, so I'm thinking about getting one of those cheap HH pre-wired pickguards to drop in. I'm not sure what to do about the finish. There's no way I could paint it properly; I was thinking about sanding it all the way down to the wood, but I'm not sure what to do after that. I was also thinking about a decoupage from old Playboy magazines. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members silverring233 Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I was thinking about sanding it all the way down to the wood, but I'm not sure what to do after that. I was also thinking about a decoupage from old Playboy magazines. Any suggestions? that is a viable option simply because the affinity may be several pieces of poorly matched wood. i have seen the affinity with as many as 8 pieces of wood. check GFS for the drop in HH pickgaurd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I'm curious to know why you wouldn't want to attempt to paint it. If you KNOW you're going to refinish it anyway, that's like an open invitation to try your hand at a rattle can finish. Rough up the existing finish, and hit it with two or thin layers and see how it looks. Matte finishes should be very easy and lighter color glossy finishes should be easy enough as well. Darker glossy finishes are the challenge. I say go for it man. If you're gonna strip it anyway, all you have to lose is a few hours. Maybe something like shell pink, sky blue or surf green, a white pickguard, a couple chrome covered HBs and a pin up girl or two... or three. A big one between the trem and the end strap pin, a smaller one between the pickups or below the neck pickup and a still smaller on on the head stock. Just thinking out loud here mostly because I have the hots to do that very type of finish with the pin up girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members weather.at.8 Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I'd steer clear of the GFS pre-wired pickguards, at least the HH and HSS models. I've tried each and was not impressed at all. The descriptions pretty much say "this is not GFS stuff, if you want GFS pickups, get the pickups separately". They're buying CHEAP pickups for these pickguards. I've been wishing for quite some time that they would offer the hand-wired pickguard options with their humbuckers/p90's, since they actually use real GFS pickups for the hand-wired units.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kellanium Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 The first thing i'd do would be take a router to it and deepen the cavities. Mine is about half to 3/4 of an inch deep and barely fits the pots in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roy Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 3xP90s (SC size) + 3xdual concentric pots for vol/tone on each pup and a superswitch with an all-on position Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Woody_in_MN Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 GFS should have some PUP's - Texas style, I think they are called. From the little refinishing I've done, re-paint is easier than complete sanding, and going natural. But I love naturals. - w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paulisme Posted December 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I'm curious to know why you wouldn't want to attempt to paint it. If you KNOW you're going to refinish it anyway, that's like an open invitation to try your hand at a rattle can finish. Rough up the existing finish, and hit it with two or thin layers and see how it looks. Matte finishes should be very easy and lighter color glossy finishes should be easy enough as well. Darker glossy finishes are the challenge. If it's as easy as that I might take a shot at it then. I always envisioned painting a guitar while wearing a biohazard suit using one of those spray nozzles attached to the coiled-up hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paulisme Posted December 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I'd steer clear of the GFS pre-wired pickguards, at least the HH and HSS models. I've tried each and was not impressed at all. The descriptions pretty much say "this is not GFS stuff, if you want GFS pickups, get the pickups separately". They're buying CHEAP pickups for these pickguards.I've been wishing for quite some time that they would offer the hand-wired pickguard options with their humbuckers/p90's, since they actually use real GFS pickups for the hand-wired units.. That's disappointing. I was actually thinking about buying this HH set from them. http://store.guitarfetish.com/wistpi2chpaf.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paulisme Posted December 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 Now I'm looking at these from Guitar Parts Online. I found another post here on HC raving about them. Anyone else have opinions on them? http://www.guitarpartsonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=116_28&products_id=73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I think one of those guards would be good enough for a beater, but I'd be tempted to keep an eye out for a couple good pickups, then order a pickguard, 2 pots and a switch from GFS. There are always deals out there, waiting to be had. I mean, it's easy for me to spend you rmoney, but I bought a Duncan Custom 5 for $30 shipped a couple years ago. And I bought a Tone Zone with relatively short leads for $25 shipped, but the leads were so short they could probably only be used in strat. Then throw something lower output in the neck like a PAF Pro or a 36th Anniversary if you can find one for $50-ish for great cleans and thicker lead tones. Hopefully you can get both pickups for under $100 shipped Add in $25 for the stuff from GFS and instead of having spent ~$50 on a barely decent pickguard, you now have pickups on par with those that come in $1,000+ guitars. If that $125 is stretching the budget, skip the neck pickup for now. That's what I'd do anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Daveydude Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I'd steer clear of the GFS pre-wired pickguards, at least the HH and HSS models. I've tried each and was not impressed at all. The descriptions pretty much say "this is not GFS stuff, if you want GFS pickups, get the pickups separately". They're buying CHEAP pickups for these pickguards.I've been wishing for quite some time that they would offer the hand-wired pickguard options with their humbuckers/p90's, since they actually use real GFS pickups for the hand-wired units.. Exactly.....how aboot some p-90s? Hum sized, with a pearloid pg. New bridge with a thick-ass sustain block, pots, caps......now your rockin:rawk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D34dBaWx Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 This was a affinity s/s/s that was electric blue. I stripped it down and painted it. I liked it much better after I worked on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members paulisme Posted December 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 This was a affinity s/s/s that was electric blue. I stripped it down and painted it. I liked it much better after I worked on it. What pickups are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D34dBaWx Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 They were unknown make. Someone gave them to me and I slapped them in. Sadly I dont have that guitar anymore. A buddy got it away from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FrankenTelly Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 Folks, it isn't that hard to assemble your own pickguard! A soldering iron is a one time investment that can be bought for $12. Buy the pickguard of your dreams. Then buy quality pots, switch, caps and pickups. Buy some hookup wire and go to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members golias Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 Folks, it isn't that hard to assemble your own pickguard! A soldering iron is a one time investment that can be bought for $12. Buy the pickguard of your dreams. Then buy quality pots, switch, caps and pickups. Buy some hookup wire and go to work. Hmm... I was eye-balling that pre-wired guard from GFS for an Affinity Strat project as well. $40 for a simple drop-in seemed like a heck of a deal... but it sounds like people are saying that the pups are the same crap that I've pulled OUT of a lot of cheap dual-HB guitars in the past. I think I'm going to take your advice. New guard, new 5-way switch... maybe new pots & caps, and just use one of the better pickup sets I already have lying around the shop. Thanks for the heads-up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members golias Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 Wait. Now that I look at it... If I buy one of the pre-wired guards from GFS, swap in pickups I like, and sell the ones it came with for $15 on Craigslist or something, I come out slightly ahead of if I was to buy all the pots, switches, and the pickguard separately, and it's way less hassle to just swap pups than to assemble and solder everything together from scratch. So I might go that route anyway. Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FrankenTelly Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 ... maybe new pots & caps, You really should buy some quality CTS pots (the large sized pots, not the mini pots) and orange drop caps. Get the best and you will only have to do this work one time. Quality CTS pots and orange drop caps are not that expensive and make a significant difference and will last. The expensive items are the pickups, followed by the pickguard. PS: I forgot to mention output jack earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members golias Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 You really should buy some quality CTS pots (the large sized pots, not the mini pots) and orange drop caps. Get the best and you will only have to do this work one time. Quality CTS pots and orange drop caps are not that expensive and make a significant difference and will last. The expensive items are the pickups, followed by the pickguard.PS: I forgot to mention output jack earlier. The GFS guards use pretty good parts, even if the pickups are nothing special. Maybe Jay will chime in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kid Klash Posted December 31, 2009 Members Share Posted December 31, 2009 I on the other hand would recommend a GFS prewired pickguard with the two chrome covered HBs. http://store.guitarfetish.com/duhuprstpich.htmlI put one on a Squier Bullet Strat modding project, and it turned out great. They sound very vintagey-PAFish to me, and the pickguard is well assembled. Hard to beat for the money IMHO.Also, you should give painting a try. Reranch has all the materials you'll need, plus step by step instructions. Here's a Reranch rattlecan Strat modding project, that started out as the so-called fiesta red (which is closer to toro red), and ended up as Reranch coral lacquer. The neck is tinted with Reranch Fender amber tint, then several coats of polished high gloss clear lacquer. Try it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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