Strat question

npminard · Post by **npminard** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:12 pm

Has anyone ever taken a newer Made in Korea or Made in Mexico strat, the not so great ones, and changed the the pickups, bridge, or pots and had a great beater guitar? Was thinking about buying a $100 Made in Korea Strat and doing some modifications, but maybe it's not worth it seeing as I would spend the same in the end for an already decent guitar.

Has anyone ever had good luck taking a cheap Strat and doing an EVH type clone on it w/the single bridge humbucker?

JD · Post by JD » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:08 pm

Yep, if you can pick up electronics cheap I say go for it.

marshman · Post by **marshman** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:10 pm

I bought and still own a Mexi-strat that I've rodded into a reeeal nice instrument. I paid $150 for it slightly used. Upgraded the machines($25, I didn't go too crazy), levelled and dressed frets (did it myself, it's not rocket science), a set of graphtek saddles(which are on ALL my strats) and installed a set of Rio Grande Tallboys. Now it's my main guitar.

The saddles, tuners and set-up made the difference in keeping it. The upgraded p'ups made it giggable, as does a good amp. I'd get the set-up first, then the tuners and saddles. Then ask around for tips on p'ups to suit your style.

I've never played a non-Japanese Asian ELECTRIC guitar that I really liked. Korean, Chinese, Indonesian, the necks all feel off to me, but I know neck preference is almost as varied as p'up preference.

A cheap instrument also makes a great test-bed for learning to do basic set-up & maintenance, knowing that you're not gonna screw up your first-line ax before the gig, because you get to practice on the third-string.

marshman · Post by **marshman** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:13 pm

Oh, yeah, now that I've got a single channel amp and am actually using the knobs, I am seeing the value in investing in quality electronics. Right now, I just have the tone pots bypassed. New wiring harness coming soon.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:58 pm

That in itself is a unique sound. Even full up the tone pots roll off some highs. There was a discussion here a while back about how some guys scratch the end of the pots resistance track off so when full up the tone really is on full.

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:03 pm

actually they scratch the end of the sweep to make it like the pot isnt in the circuit cause even when its all the way up its still adding some resistence - scratching the end of the track makes it on 10 act as if it werent wired in the circuit at all - ala evh

Mark

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:26 pm

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:27 pm

marshman · Post by **marshman** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:21 pm

The shame of it was that after I pulled the tone pots out of the circuit, I didn't get to play it for a few days, so I lacked the ability to compare while the old 'sound' was still fresh in my mind.

I'd heard of that pot mutilation before, but still don't quite understand well enough to try it myself. Is that what Fenders' new "Greasbucket" pots are supposed to do?

Both my strats need a fresh set-up. The p'up heights look off and the action seems kinda low--the slide buzzes a bit more than I recall it doing. Soon as I get my bench set back up, I'll see to that, and then it becomes an amplifier operating theater. Soon, I hope!

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:26 pm

marshman wrote:The shame of it was that after I pulled the tone pots out of the circuit, I didn't get to play it for a few days, so I lacked the ability to compare while the old 'sound' was still fresh in my mind.

I'd heard of that pot mutilation before, but still don't quite understand well enough to try it myself. Is that what Fenders' new "Greasbucket" pots are supposed to do?

Both my strats need a fresh set-up. The p'up heights look off and the action seems kinda low--the slide buzzes a bit more than I recall it doing. Soon as I get my bench set back up, I'll see to that, and then it becomes an amplifier operating theater. Soon, I hope!

oh you would notice. a pickup connected straight the volume knob has a very bright sound compared to the very same setup with a tone control added - its easier than you may think to notice.
Mark

videocat23 · Post by **videocat23** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:44 pm

a friend of mine bought a Squire strat with the fat head stock recently. He then bought a SD invader, and a new pick guard, pot, resistor and cap. He took out all of the old electronics, and wired it up to make a tom delonge strat. He had to file down some frets and replace the nut on the neck. So after about 3 hours of work, an extra 100$, and some patience, he turned a $100 guitar into a $600 dollar guitar. So it can be done, just have to figure out what needs the work.

npminard · Post by **npminard** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:33 pm

Thanks for all the info guys. That's a really good point about getting a somewhat invaluable guitar to experiment/work on before tearing into a Custom Shop Gibson or Fender.