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Post subject: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:54 am
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Hello all,

So in the next month or so, I am considering giving my '93 Fender MIJ '72RI Strat (Natural Ash) a major overhaul. My idea is to make it as vintage-accurate as possible using mostly current-production Fender products. I know it may seem odd to try and recreate a Strat from an era most people view as "dark times," but I am absolutely enamored with the sound of Ritchie Blackmore and Uli Jon Roth. Here is what I am thinking:

Fender CS '69 pickups (the obvious choice here)
Fender "F" Tuners (the 90's MIJ RI guitars came with Gotoh tuners)
Fender 3-Way Selector switch (I more or less never use the in-between positions)
Fender Pure Vintage 250K Pots
Fender .05uf 100v 20% Tone Cap(s) (I believe this is what was used in a stock '72/'73 Strat)
Plus shielded pickguard and gold-lettered knobs

So my main question here is whether I'm missing anything or if there are better options for any of these items? If so, what would they be?

Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:18 am
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The bushings furnished with the current-issue Fender "F" tuners *may* not directly fit the existing holes in your headstock -- be prepared for that eventuality.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:33 am
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Did the original pickgard have the "right " screws hole to receive the American made 3 way selector switch ?
Is it metric in MIJ guitar ?

You should put 5 way selector if you pay for the job. Who know how you'll use your guitar next year ?


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 5:23 am
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Thanks for your replies guys. These are things I hadn't even considered.

First, I am planning on taking this to a tech who should be able to take care of some of these things (at the very least just the tuners). Second, I am planning on getting a new pickguard, would that help the switch situation? Thanks


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 5:50 am
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A new pickgard ? American made pg will fit with American made switch.
American switch may fit in hole with little work you may not see after, I'm not sure.

I don't know about other mesurements with your guitar body; body / pickgard screw, pickups holes, bridge ....


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:50 am
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The US-spec switch will fit the MIJ pickguard without need for alteration. And a US-spec pickguard should fit your body likewise -- for authenticity, the contemporary American Standard type should be ordered. If your pickups and switch are mounted with oval-head screws, you'll need to counter-sink the new pickguard's screw holes for these. IIRC, during this era there were only two pickguard colors available -- white and black, both of them 3-ply. So forget about the mint green. Letters and numerals for the white knobs was still the dark blue/green as used in the '50s and '60s and the rear trem cover was single-ply white (a black one might be used if you decide on a black pickguard).

Have you given any thought to upgrading the bridge?

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:00 pm
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That's good to know. Thanks for the info.

I am planning on getting a standard 3-ply white pickguard. Most '70s era pickguards seem to only be shielded around the controls, whereas most current ones I've seen are all shielded. I was planning on leaving the back plate and the bridge alone, though do you think the bridge needs and upgrade? I can certainly get a new Fender bridge as well. Wasn't the knob lettering that gold color that eventually faded into green, or did they originally come in green? I am torn between grabbing a set of standard gold-lettered knobs or hunting down custom green-lettered ones.


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:13 pm
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One IMHO thought: the Gotoh tuning machines most likely don't need to be changed for functional reasons. Furthermore, the "70s F Style Stratocaster-Telecaster Tuning Machines", part number #0990822100, would not be an upgrade.


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:26 pm
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Gold knob lettering is a relatively recent ('80s IIRC) development.

This is an all-original 1954 Stratocaster......

Image

Note that where the blue/green color is missing, there is absolutely NO TRACE of any gold pigment visible. That's because it didn't exist. So it was with my '63 Strat, my '66 Strat, and every vintage Strat I've ever examined.

To my knowledge, there are no correct-for-1972 reproduction knobs on the market. However, if you're handy with hobby paints and a 000 brush, you can easily create them yourself. That's how I do it.

Image

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 6:17 pm
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Sorry for the delay in response. Thank you all for your help so far, you guys rock! Okay so a couple of things. I am definitely going forward with this in the next month or so. However, I have some questions:

1) Does anyone have a wiring diagram for a '70s Strat? I just want to make sure everything is going in the right place. I am having this done professionally but I'd rather have it written down just in case.

2) Re: Tone Cap. Is the Ceramic Disc that Fender sells/sold my best bet for the .05uf 100v -20+80% tolerance tone cap? Or is there a better option? I also found ones from Sprague which seem more vintage-accurate. See here: http://www.tedss.com/C023E101L503ZA16/? ... AnD78P8HAQ

Thanks a bunch!


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:07 pm
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Any "professional" guitar tech or luthier will know the standard wiring configuration for a S/S/S Stratocaster by heart. And if he doesn't, find a new professional. A schematic should not be necessary.

As for tone caps, if the current example yields the tone you want why not leave it in situ? Fender has used a number of different values over the years, from .01 mfd to the current .047 mfd (the latter close to what you currently have). Personally I prefer a lower value such as .022 or .033 mfd for its superior roll-off characteristics and decreased loss of gain when the pot is backed down. But you may have to experiment with different values until you find your personal nirvana.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 5:05 am
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Thanks for the info. The wiring schematic is more for my peace of mind than anything else. I would just like to have it written down in some fashion. Furthermore, there are a bunch of configurations for an S/S/S guitar, I would like to make sure I'm doing a vintage-accurate setup.

Ultimately, my goal here is to recreate a stock 1972/1973 Fender Stratocaster as accurately as possible. Many of my heroes played these guitars with the electronics completely stock (Blackmore and Uli Jon Roth come to mind). While I may never come close to doing what they did, I would like to have all the elements there, hence the .05uf tone cap and wondering if the Fender one or the Sprague one would be closer to the Cornell-Dubilier original (or if there's a way to get my hands on a NOS one).

Thanks a ton Arjay (and everyone else) you have been very helpful so far and I really appreciate it!


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 11:10 am
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IIRC Blackmore removed the middle pickup from some of his Strats so I wouldn't regard that as "completely stock" electronics.

Just something to keep in mind.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 12:29 pm
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Jammer4492 wrote:
Thanks for the info. The wiring schematic is more for my peace of mind than anything else. I would just like to have it written down in some fashion.

This should be close enough for comfort: 70s Strat wiring diagram

Jammer4492 wrote:
Ultimately, my goal here is to recreate a stock 1972/1973 Fender Stratocaster as accurately as possible. Many of my heroes played these guitars with the electronics completely stock (Blackmore and Uli Jon Roth come to mind). While I may never come close to doing what they did, I would like to have all the elements there, hence the .05uf tone cap and wondering if the Fender one or the Sprague one would be closer to the Cornell-Dubilier original (or if there's a way to get my hands on a NOS one

To be honest, I seriously doubt anyone could hear a difference between different brand .05uf caps...
Vintagecorrectness (or, as I call it when I notice myself doing it, OCD) is a whole different thing. Cornell-Dubiliers are still available; you just have do dome ebay (&such) digging.


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Post subject: Re: Fender MIJ '72 RI Overhaul
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:58 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
IIRC Blackmore removed the middle pickup from some of his Strats so I wouldn't regard that as "completely stock" electronics.

Just something to keep in mind.


Not only that, but Ritchie Blackmore's strats are equipped with an MTC (Master Tone Circuit) made by Ritchie's tech, John "Dawk" Stillwell. The MTC is sort of like a treble bleed that tightens up the tone depending on how hard you pick. Unfortunately, Dawk passed away in December, so you can no longer order the MTC from him. :(

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