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Post subject: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 4:23 am
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My '04 Squier Affinity Strat is totally stock. I've decided that I have a budget of $200 to upgrade it (on the reasoning that if my budget goes any higher than that I may as well budget the extra money and get a Vintage Modified Strat).

What would be the best optimization within that budget, to make sure that I'm giving myself the best Strat for my money? I think I'm going to be eating up half of that budget with Tex-Mex pickups, and I might also treat myself to better tuning heads (though the heads that came with my guitar hold in tune pretty admirably) and an aftermarket trem block for better reverb than the pot metal block that came with my ax.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 9:58 am
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New set pickups great idea or sell the guitar ($125) and with the $200 buy second hand Squier Classic Vibe


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 11:25 am
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All below are just personal opinions:

First of all, after you upgrade the guitar with 200$ parts (plus the cost of work?), you still have an Affinity. I don't mean that as badmouthing the model, but you won't get the upgrade price back, should you ever want to get a new guitar and sell this (which will happen at some point, if you keep playing).
So, if you feel a need to upgrade, I would agree with st52; invest in another guitar.
One suggestion there: you live in Minneapolis, so check the MIM prices in your 'hood - US prices for them seem ridiculously low for us Europeans.

On the upgrade way, if you choose that:
Tex-Mex™ pickups, just like their US version Texas Specials™ are a bit dividing; some love, some hate. If you can, borrow and test a guitar with the TM's with your own gear.
The Affinity tuning machines do their job, and I see no reason to change them - replacing them inside your budget is just a change for a change.
And the trem block... Well, the trems as a whole aren't a strong point of Affinitys. Maybe spend the money you save on not upgrading the tuners to upgrading the whole trem - GFS or second hand would fit the budget quite nicely.

One more possibility: put a hundred aside in your 'new guitar fund', and spend the other in a setup by a good pro. That's usually money well spent. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 7:05 pm
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Seriously...
You are wise to set the $200 limit... but you have a $200 guitar that is worth $150 or less and it will never be worth more than it is worth now.

On the positive side, you can spend a little extra for a pickguard and pots/switch and build out a nice loaded PG that can be swapped into another Strat in the future. Tuners? If they stay in tune and aren't "notchy", there's nothing wrong with them.

Of course, when you eventually upgrade, you'll probably be happy with the new axe and won't bother swapping.

No... I've been there and done that many times, and every time I've been sorry... after dumping hundreds into an upgrade, still not being happy with it.
I actually ended up with a VERY nice Partscaster by way of upgrading my Korean plywood Squier... I had literally "upgraded" everything until I had a box of Squier parts and everything, including the body and neck, had been replaced. I then rebuilt the Squier and gave it to my buddy's son.
But that Partscaster probably cost me more than an American Standard.

So seriously... Texas Specials will make a huge difference in tone, but honestly, a MIM standard starts at only $600.
A Classic Vibe Squier is only $400.
As Stratele said... Sell the Affinity for $125, put another $275 with it and get the Squier, or save a bit longer and go for the Standard.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 8:09 pm
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In related news, I'm thinking of grabbing an inexpensive guitar at one of my local Music-Go-Rounds this week to have some different sounds to play with (as my username indicates, I live in the Twin Cities, so there are copious options for Music-Go-Round near me).

I'm thinking there might be benefits to getting either an acoustic or an electric guitar with HH pickups. Right now the Minnetonka MGR has a Bullet Mustang for $120 and a Danelectro Hodad for $180, and the Roseville store has an Affinity Jazzmaster for $170. Both stores have LOADS of used acoustics for between $100 and $250.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 1:40 am
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Not trying to limit your decisions in any way, but one thing to at least consider...

It might be better to have one good guitar (I'm talking Squier CV/MIM/MIJ/above those level here) than several cheap ones. [A campfire (in all meanings of the word) acoustic is always good to have, though.]
If you already feel the Affinity is limited, you probably feel the same with the Mustang and JM in a short while.
Note that those guitars cost less than their higher class versions for a reason...

For different sounds, a standard SSS is way versatile, and a HSS would cover just about anything - and anyways, entering the actual sounds universe these days means processing the sound with pedals, amps and software.

On that, one more thing: what amp do you have now, and would upgrading that be the wisest option?


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 1:49 am
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jmattis wrote:

On that, one more thing: what amp do you have now, and would upgrading that be the wisest option?



+1

We must put more money on the amp than the guitar . Or at least same amount.
A $300 guitar will sound better on a $500 25 watts amps than a $500 guitar on a $300 , 100 watts amp.

What is your amp ?


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 3:52 am
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jmattis wrote:
Not trying to limit your decisions in any way, but one thing to at least consider...

It might be better to have one good guitar (I'm talking Squier CV/MIM/MIJ/above those level here) than several cheap ones. [A campfire (in all meanings of the word) acoustic is always good to have, though.]
If you already feel the Affinity is limited, you probably feel the same with the Mustang and JM in a short while.
Note that those guitars cost less than their higher class versions for a reason...

For different sounds, a standard SSS is way versatile, and a HSS would cover just about anything - and anyways, entering the actual sounds universe these days means processing the sound with pedals, amps and software.

On that, one more thing: what amp do you have now, and would upgrading that be the wisest option?

My guitar came from its previous owner with a Vox Mini 5 (the older version with no rhythm emulation, just the amplifier). I also have a Vox headphone amp for not waking up the neighbors with midnight noodling. ;)

(regardless, my amplifier options are going to be limited by the fact that I live in an apartment; there's nowhere in my home that I can sound-insulate enough to keep from sonically annoying the neighbors if I crank the volume up)

(I'm going to need to check out that Danelectro, though - that's a guitar that normally retails in the same price range as a CV or a MIM, going for under 200 bucks. There might be something wrong with it, or it MIGHT be the retail equivalent of a garage-sale wonder find)

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Last edited by kate-mpls on Wed May 16, 2018 4:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 4:09 am
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A upgrade to a good amp is a must before upgrading guitar.
Sorry these amps are not good amp .

You'll waiste your money upgrading your guitar before amp


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 5:07 am
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Amp restrictions are, I live in a third-floor apartment in a 4 story building, right in the middle of the floor, so for the moment, anything high-powered is right out the window. I can't sonically insulate any of my rooms so anything that's going to blast into a neighbor's apartment will very likely violate the terms of my lease.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 5:18 am
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kate-mpls wrote:
Amp restrictions are, I live in a third-floor apartment in a 4 story building, right in the middle of the floor, so for the moment, anything high-powered is right out the window. I can't sonically insulate any of my rooms so anything that's going to blast into a neighbor's apartment will very likely violate the terms of my lease.


You need a low volume amp !

I'll give you my secret ; use the volume control. :lol:
A good 25 watts amp at low volume will sound better than a low cost low power amp.
Beacause ; quality of electronic and desing and good speaker


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 5:36 am
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stratele52 wrote:
A good 25 watts amp at low volume will sound better than a low cost low power amp.
Beacause ; quality of electronic and desing and good speaker

This.
It's not about the power, it's about the tone circuit and the amp design.
My old first generation Blues Junior is one of the best sounding amps I've ever owned, which include a 100w Fender, 120w Peavey, and 100w Carvin. It's only a 15w amp, and can be dialed down to apartment levels, while still potent enough to play a small club.

The little mini-amps are junk. They are better than nothing when you want a headphone amp, but you;d really be better off with something like a Line6 Pocket POD.
A $2,000 Strat is going to sound like crap through a typical "practice amp" or headphone amp.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 5:43 am
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CB91710 wrote:
stratele52 wrote:
A good 25 watts amp at low volume will sound better than a low cost low power amp.
Beacause ; quality of electronic and desing and good speaker

This.
It's not about the power, it's about the tone circuit and the amp design.
My old first generation Blues Junior is one of the best sounding amps I've ever owned, which include a 100w Fender, 120w Peavey, and 100w Carvin. .


Blues junior is a very good amps.

100w Fender, 120w Peavey, and 100w Carvin ; I agree they where not as good as BJ


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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:01 am
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So: I can't break the bank on this. I have to replace some of my derby gear in the next couple of weeks, which is not inexpensive. $200 is the ceiling of my current budget - anything over that will be relegated to "my next amp." And it needs to be a combo amp unless the head + cab can come in under that $200 mark.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Upgrade Project
Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:20 pm
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For $120, you can get into the Fender Mustang.
It's a 20w amp with an 8" speaker, that also includes amp modeling, as well as a headphone out and an aux input so you can play with MP3s.

It's not the best thing available, but I think it's the best thing in the sub-$200 price range. That range includes the Marshall MG series, which are not nearly as versatile as the Mustang.
https://shop.fender.com/en-US/guitar-am ... ml#start=1

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