Somethings wrong with my Strat

[theactor19]

Hey guys,

So I've been having issues with the tone of my strat. The problem is the output is very boomy and also ear piecing at the same time.. notes are not at all articulate.. and also the signal/sustain are quite weak. Something just doesn't seem right.

The guitar I bought used off ebay.. is a made in Japan Fenber Strat 1968 reissue.

I first thought there was an issue with the pots.. so purchased new pots and a cap from RS Guitarworks. This did not solve the issue.

So then I figured perhaps the issue are the pickups. Got a set of Slider '69s.. put them in... still didn't solve the issue.

I have just ordered a new Switchcraft input jack.. but if this doesn't solve the issue then I'm not sure what to do.. what do you guys think it could be?

thanks!

[parkhead]

can you hold it up to your computer so I can get a better look at it

p

[yladrd61]

Try lowering your pickups farther away from the strings

[JimiJames]

That's the "Crafted in Japan" version, right ? Much better IMHO than the later M.I.C.'s
It takes changing out the tuners, bridge & pickups
Upgrading to Fender "F" 's or Kluson tuners. Bridge - saddles, block, and springs or entire Tremolo
The pickups that brought out that guitar were some Abigail Ybarra's ,but a set of those Slider '69s
With these investments in changes, you have yourself a Top Notch guitar ! The new pots and a cap from RS Guitarworks and now that new Switchcraft input jack should help things, but with that boomyness you're describing, I would focus on the entire bridge assembly. I'm just assuming that if you had a SS block, SS springs & claw & Nickel saddles it would target that area giving you a "dense" characteristic and tightness to compensate for - Japanese Alder (-Basswood-Master Builder-John Page)

[Xplorer]

These sliders shouldn't be the problem, they're fantastic.
As jimijames said, yes, the bridge assembly, the cap, that's what i'd look at.

Also remove any lacquer or stickers, between the neck and the body : you need wood on wood. Perhaps sand a bit.
Unscrew a bit your trussrod also perhaps, to have a slight curve , and less tension in the neck.

Three springs on the tremolo block is enough.

The tuners, maybe, not so necessary.

How does this strat sounds, when unplugged ? Is it alive or dead ?

[theactor19]

Would the bridge not be the proper bridge if its a 1968 reissue?

Not sure if this will help, but here is a picture of it.


Unplugged, it sounds kind of alive.. not bad, not amazingly resonant or anything, but not bad either.

[yladrd61]

Would the bridge not be the proper bridge if its a 1968 reissue?

Not sure if this will help, but here is a picture of it.


Unplugged, it sounds kind of alive.. not bad, not amazingly resonant or anything, but not bad either.

There is nothing wrong with the stock bridge, I have the same one on my MIJ '67 RI

[yladrd61]

How are the tone controls wired ?

[neikeel]

Would the bridge not be the proper bridge if its a 1968 reissue?

Not sure if this will help, but here is a picture of it.


Unplugged, it sounds kind of alive.. not bad, not amazingly resonant or anything, but not bad either.

There is nothing wrong with the stock bridge, I have the same one on my MIJ '67 RI

I have a '62RI rosewood neck Jap strat from around 1990 and apart from Fender CS Fat 50 pups (came with it) and I did a similar rewire that you did it is an excellent strat, far better balanced than many I have played and a couple that I moved on! In fact probably nicest strat I have played. The stock block is still in, only three springs and I keep the bridge fully floating

[shakti]

It's hard to say from your description exactly what is "wrong" with your guitar...might just be the way it sounds. But IMHO, the three most important factors in a good Strat sound is...

1) The neck
2) the neck...and
3) the tremolo (including the whole assembly and the setup of it)

Pickups certainly influence what comes out of it plugged in, but that's more of an icing on the cake. Electronics matter, but not to the point where they will make a killer guitar sound horrible or vice versa (unless a part is really out of spec).

Contrary to what Xplorer said, I don't think you need to look at the neck pocket. Plenty of killer sounding Strats out there with paint and lacquer in the neck pocket, and many with shims. The Slider pickups you have should sound killer. Make sure your pots measure 250k or more. I like a 0.1uF ceramic tone cap for Hendrix sounds, and it's what his guitars would have had (except the '68 ones which had a green chicklet type, not sure if it was polyester or whatever).

If you're going to swap out anything, I would look at the tremolo block. Make sure it's a proper steel block. Take care to setup the tremolo nicely, plenty of tutorials out there. I tend to prefer it decked with more springs, but it depends what you want it to do. Saddle material matters, I don't know what your saddles are like, but Raw Vintage have some nice ones. Their tremolo springs are great as well. But that's minor tweaking...if it doesn't sound good with what you currently have and a good quality trem block, it may be time to move on...

[theactor19]

Well the electronics are the vintage strat upgrade kit from RS Guitarworks. They no longer sell it on their site so I can't see exactly what it was, but I remember the cap being a 'paper and oil' cap, supposed to have a woody tone, but sounds more machine-y to me if that makes sense.

So I'm seeing that the problem is only apparent sometimes, so I'm hoping the input jack solves this.

But even when the guitar is working right, it still feels like there is a blanket over it and its a bit muddy.

I hear that sanding the back of the neck helps with resonance. What do you guys think of this?

[Xplorer]

I hear that sanding the back of the neck helps with resonance. What do you guys think of this?

not the entire back of the neck , just the contact between the neck and the body. it can help a little sometimes, but as shakti said it's not so essential.

what amp do you use ? which speakers ?

i played all this afternoon in a studio, with my 45/100, not on my cab but on an EVH 4x12 cab. i was veeery disapointed. it sounded nothing like at home on my pre rola celestion. a whole different world.

maybe this strat doesn't sound good with your amp, but right with another one ?

it looks like everything is fine on your strat, so that's surprising.
can you measure the cap, replace it to do a test ?
can you measure the resistance of the pots ? ( lugs 1 and 3 )