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Post subject: Strat & Tele Upgrades
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 3:38 pm
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Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2016 3:28 pm
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Hello,

I just bought 2 Guitars, a 1999 MIM Stratocaster and a 2008 MIM Telecaster that are both in mint condition, the previous owner did a few upgrades on each but I would also like to add some extra upgrades to each guitar and need some advise.

The Stratocaster has 1 mod, a
Brass Tremola block for more sustain (I also have the original), is this a good upgrade or is there another block that would be good for the Strat & Tele?
What block could I upgrade the Tele to?

The Telecaster has 2 mods, it has Fender Locking Tuners and a USA Fender Hot neck pickup and a USA Fender Vintage pickup in the bridge, should I keep these or is there a better option to upgrade to?

I would like the same upgrades for both guitars if possible, I would like to add Fender locking tuners to the Stratocaster.

Would upgrading the nut really make that big of a difference?
If so could/should I upgrade to the Vintage Style Strat/Tele pre slotted genuine bone nut?

I would also like to upgrade the stock pickups in the Stratocaster, I have been considering either the Custom Shop Fat 50's, the Custom Shop 69's, the Texas Specials or the Eric Johnson pickups, I have read about the the Lindy Fralin Blues Special and Vintage Hot pickups but have not heard them in a Strat.

I have just begun playing and am still learning which I know will be a great lifelong journey, I am interested in playing a variety of music styles from Country to Rock to Blues, Robin Trower, Jimi Hendrix, the Eagles, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, Dwight Yoakam.
What pups would give me the best option to play the widest variety of musical styles?

I also just bought a used Fender Mustang IV V2 Amp in excellent condition.

Thank you
Michael


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Post subject: Re: Strat & Tele Upgrades
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 5:14 pm
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Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:18 am
Posts: 1530
Location: The Frozen Tundra of MN
Telecasters don't have a strat like tremolo so no up grade there. As to pickups, that is rather subjective like asking someone what your favorite color is. I would leave the tele as as. The brass block is a huge improvement over the stock mim block. some people like a steel block, again a matter of personal choice. I have strats with the fat fifties, custom shop Texas specials and custom shop '69's. A lot of people love the fat fifties pups. My fav are the 69's. Not that crazy for the Texas specials, but that's me. Get a tube amp.


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Post subject: Re: Strat & Tele Upgrades
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 2:26 am
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Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Archangelmm wrote:
Hello,

I just bought 2 Guitars, a 1999 MIM Stratocaster and a 2008 MIM Telecaster that are both in mint condition, the previous owner did a few upgrades on each but I would also like to add some extra upgrades to each guitar and need some advise.

The Stratocaster has 1 mod, a
Brass Tremola block for more sustain (I also have the original), is this a good upgrade or is there another block that would be good for the Strat & Tele?
What block could I upgrade the Tele to? No tremolo on Tele, did you see one ? a upgrade from original owner ?

The Telecaster has 2 mods, it has Fender Locking Tuners and a USA Fender Hot neck pickup and a USA Fender Vintage pickup in the bridge, should I keep these or is there a better option to upgrade to?
Keep those, it is a mater of taste too


I would like the same upgrades for both guitars if possible, I would like to add Fender locking tuners to the Stratocaster.

Would upgrading the nut really make that big of a difference? No, small difference, you may hear it or not
If so could/should I upgrade to the Vintage Style Strat/Tele pre slotted genuine bone nut?
No, unless you can do by yourself , I won't pay for

I would also like to upgrade the stock pickups in the Stratocaster, I have been considering either the Custom Shop Fat 50's, the Custom Shop 69's, the Texas Specials or the Eric Johnson pickups, I have read about the the Lindy Fralin Blues Special and Vintage Hot pickups but have not heard them in a Strat.
Sky is the limit about pickups, I would live and play guitar few months before

I have just begun playing and am still learning which I know will be a great lifelong journey, I am interested in playing a variety of music styles from Country to Rock to Blues, Robin Trower, Jimi Hendrix, the Eagles, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, Dwight Yoakam.
What pups would give me the best option to play the widest variety of musical styles?

I also just bought a used Fender Mustang IV V2 Amp in excellent condition.

Thank you
Michael


Better to invest in a better amp with less power and better tone than mod your guitars wich are good. Like a Deluxe Reverb all tube amp.

The tone is more in the amp than in a guitar.


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Post subject: Re: Strat & Tele Upgrades
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 12:25 am
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Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:05 am
Posts: 1400
Location: Australia
[/quote]

Better to invest in a better amp with less power and better tone than mod your guitars wich are good. Like a Deluxe Reverb all tube amp.

The tone is more in the amp than in a guitar.[/quote]

Yeah what he said.
Another question to ask yourself before modding (or upgrading) the guitars is "what don't I like about them?"

Are the guitars not staying in tune? I've thought about fitting locking tuners to mine but then remember that I never actually have any tuning issues.

A lot of people seem to mod for sake of it before they even have a chance to play their new instruments.


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Post subject: Re: Strat & Tele Upgrades
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:23 am
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Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:57 am
Posts: 2238
Location: UK
Ditto above

An awesome guitar through a rubbish amp is going to sound rubbish.

You can get great low wattage tube amps for the same cost as a reasonable set of pickups. Do that first.

First consideration in actual modding is playability. Does the guitar feel good to play, stay in tune etc.

After that it is all down to personal taste insofar as "I want more x" or "I think it is too y" Until you have established that it is just modding for the sake of it and you wont hear those subtleties (or hear them correctly) without a reasonable amp. You might think your PUPs a too treble orientated, for example. You change them, and then play through another amp and find the opposite; it was the amp which was too tinny all along.

_________________
John

After all this time I should be better.


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Post subject: Re: Strat & Tele Upgrades
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:13 am
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Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 8:13 am
Posts: 147
Location: Charm City
Welcome to the forum.
As you said yourself, this is a lifelong journey, and getting there is a lot of the fun of it-but you'll never actually get "there." Even the greatest players still look for something else to tweak, in hopes that this time everything will be just right. Until next time, that is.
My recommendations are similar to the other responses you have gotten-first go out and get yourself a quality tube amp-you can still find them somewhat reasonably priced (check local C/L's, and Mom 'n' Pop music shops, garage sales. talk to friends, etc.) they were the dominant technology for decades, and quality new ones are still being made.
Once you have a decent amp, play your guitars with the p/u's and hardware they already have before deciding you just have to "upgrade" for the sake of upgrading. Many players (Keith Richards as an example) like their guitars bone stock out of the box. If you don't have tuning issues, why change tuners? If the nut isn't sticky, slippy, or grooved out, why change it? Wait and play with the pup's in the axes before changing them out, you may find you like them just fine-later you have literally hundreds of choices, all subjective to your ear, if you find you want something different.


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