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Post subject: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 1:49 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I want a new Strat. My 1991 Strat Plus Deluxe has served me well and continues to sound and play great, but I want something different, and I want a Strat with more traditional sounding single coils compared to the Lace sensors in my Strat Plus.

So, I've been looking at what Fender offers and they don't make the Strat I want. There are options on different Strat models, but the combination of the things I want on one guitar, Fender doesn't make it.

Here is my dream Strat:
- Seafoam/surf green body
- aged white pearloid pickguard and knobs
- Rosewood neck with JUMBO frets, compound radius
- LSR nut or something really smooth
- Locking tuners
- Modern 2-point pivot bridge with 5 springs + block (for the tone)
- Vintage Noiseless pups
- Tweed case

Looks like could be a Jeff Beck spec with an American Elite neck loaded with jumbo frets, and different pups of course. I don't really like "signature" guitars.
Wrap that up together with a case for about $1600 and I'll take it!

Fender, can you do that for me? :mrgreen:
Please.

What about you guys?
What would be your dream Strat?


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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 5:52 pm
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Have you tried the "Mod Shop"? Seems you can get a good amount of what you're looking for.

T2

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:13 pm
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Rverb wrote:
I want a Strat with more traditional sounding single coils...

...Vintage Noiseless pups


NOT POSSIBLE.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:29 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Rverb wrote:
I want a Strat with more traditional sounding single coils...

...Vintage Noiseless pups


NOT POSSIBLE.

Arjay


+1...better off going with the 57/62's of Fat 50's for a more traditional sound and tone.

T2

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:46 am
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Over here, Anderton's are selling the Fender American Deluxe Strat, V Neck, in Surf Green. Other than the case and fret job, it looks to be what you want? Fret replacement isn't that expensive, neither is the case. Plus, I assume you're in the US, which means the basic guitar will be a lot cheaper than the UK!

Only thing I don't know is whether it's the N3's you want, but if not, they're easily replaced and you can recover some of the cost by selling the N3's.

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:57 am
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Oh, hang on, the Andertons one hasn't got the LSR! But I'm sure I've seen a Deluxe in another London shop previously which did. I recall it because about 6 months ago I was looking for a surf or seafoam green Strat myself, but didn't really want the features you do! (I eventually bought a Special and had it refretted).

Sorry!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 10:37 am
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Speaking of the LSR nut, I noticed yesterday that Amazon carries Genuine Fender replacement parts, including the LSR nut and surprisingly, necks as well.
It got me wondering how difficult it would be to mod the nut slot should a guy want to install an LSR, realizing of course that it would be irreversible.
A quick measurement with a tape indicates the slot would have to be widened on the fret side of the slot rather than the headstock side.
I'm not entirely sure I would want to tackle a job like that myself even though I'm pretty handy and a quick study.

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:53 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I'm not entirely sure I would want to tackle a job like that myself even though I'm pretty handy and a quick study.


Keep those cheeks squeezed tight if you decide to give it a go......there's no do-overs for a scenario like that.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:36 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
It got me wondering how difficult it would be to mod the nut slot should a guy want to install an LSR, realizing of course that it would be irreversible.
A quick measurement with a tape indicates the slot would have to be widened on the fret side of the slot rather than the headstock side.
I'm not entirely sure I would want to tackle a job like that myself even though I'm pretty handy and a quick study.


To be honest, it's kind of a pain in the $@! and in my opinion, it just was not worth the effort. I put an LSR on my '96 MIM...I suspect for someone experienced with this kind of work, it's not as much of a big deal (regarding the effort), but for myself using a Dremel and a couple of needle files, it was pretty tedious (and as you say, irreversible, short of cutting a custom replacement nut). If there really had of been some significant/substantial difference in performance or even sound, it might have been worth it, but for me and the way I play etc....a well filed bone nut or even traditional plastic works just as well. One of those live and learn experiences I guess...knowing what I know now, I'd never have done it. Big disappointment for me.

I do plan to try making one (a nut) out of stainless or even aircraft aluminum some day...something that doesn't require that kind of mod to the neck, but personally - I'll never do another LSR. I wouldn't turn my nose up at a guitar that already had one, but they're just not worth the extra effort for an aftermarket install.

Just my own .02¢ worth.


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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 1:45 pm
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T2Stratman wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
Rverb wrote:
I want a Strat with more traditional sounding single coils...

...Vintage Noiseless pups


NOT POSSIBLE.

Arjay


+1...better off going with the 57/62's of Fat 50's for a more traditional sound and tone.

T2



I think I can forego the roller-nut. I like the rollers mostly because of tuning stability, but then a properly cut standard nut is good to go with a locked trem.

As for the noiseless pup that has that old single coil tone, I heard some Kinman zero-hum pups, and man they sound awesome.
I'm considering a set, either the Mayer or Gilmore set, to make a loaded pickguard and try it out in my '91.

As for my new Strat, it's down to between a green Jeff Beck, or a turquoise Eric Johnson.
But, I really need to try out that "V" neck shape of the EJ model. I love the C necks, and I hope the V isn't too deep for my hands.


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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 3:53 pm
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Rverb wrote:
As for the noiseless pup that has that old single coil tone, I heard some Kinman zero-hum pups, and man they sound awesome.


+1

Indeed they do. A bit pricey but they're the most authentic-sounding noiseless Strat pickups IMO, even more so than the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage models that I favor.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:34 pm
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It's not often I disagree with Arjay but I do this time.
I tried two kinds of Kinmans in my Korean Koa-Top Strat.

The Koa Strat is the one pictured in my tagline pic.
I bought the guitar for the sole purpose of being a test bed for experimenting with new things without hacking up my MIA guitars.

I tried the Woodstock set and the Mark III set with the K9 solderless harness.
The harness has been a huge hit with me and I have since purchased two more.
One resides in my Partsocaster and I have another waiting in the wings.
The Kinman pups were better than any noiseless pups I had tried up to that time but I hadn't tried the Dimarzio Area pups yet.
On the advise of board members here, Arjay included, I got a mixed set of Areas and I found them to be more Stratty than the Kinmans.
They stayed in that guitar for several years, far longer than any other pups had ever survived.
Currently running a full set of Fat 50s.

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2016 4:26 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
It got me wondering how difficult it would be to mod the nut slot should a guy want to install an LSR, realizing of course that it would be irreversible.

Not hard to do at all. A razor saw and a very small chisel. The hardest part about it is flattening the floor of the slot. Most Strats/Tele's I've seen have a camber/curve to the floor of the slot. The LSR is flat bottomed.
And it is reversible, though you'd have to glue a wood fill into the slot, then cut a new one. You'd have to be delicate to say the least.

BMW-KTM wrote:
A quick measurement with a tape indicates the slot would have to be widened on the fret side of the slot rather than the headstock side.
I'm not entirely sure I would want to tackle a job like that myself even though I'm pretty handy and a quick study.


If I remember right you need to widen the slot both towards the headstock and the first fret to keep the break point of the LSR in the same position that the break point would be on a normal nut. And having the LSR fit. So distance from the first fret to the break point of the LSR determines where the fret side cut of the slot needs to be. The width of the LSR determines where the headstock side cut needs to be.
Not something I'd undertake. I think you can get comparable results much easier. Just be being attentive to the string slots of a standard nut.
Alternatively, try a wilkinson nut. I remember something about a conversion system being available. I can't remember the details though, it's been a long time. The Wilkinson is a far better nut than the LSR in my opinion. If you've settled on a .009 to .011 set of strings.

Friends don't let friends buy Vintage Toneless pickups. Get some BK Apache's or Mothers Milk and forget the hum as you stare at your amps speaker in amazement at the sound that just came out of it.

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Post subject: Re: My Strat desires
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 11:39 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
It's not often I disagree with Arjay but I do this time.
I tried two kinds of Kinmans in my Korean Koa-Top Strat.

The Koa Strat is the one pictured in my tagline pic.
I bought the guitar for the sole purpose of being a test bed for experimenting with new things without hacking up my MIA guitars.

I tried the Woodstock set and the Mark III set with the K9 solderless harness.
The harness has been a huge hit with me and I have since purchased two more.
One resides in my Partsocaster and I have another waiting in the wings.
The Kinman pups were better than any noiseless pups I had tried up to that time but I hadn't tried the Dimarzio Area pups yet.
On the advise of board members here, Arjay included, I got a mixed set of Areas and I found them to be more Stratty than the Kinmans.
They stayed in that guitar for several years, far longer than any other pups had ever survived.
Currently running a full set of Fat 50s.


I played the Fender Fat 50's in a Limited Edition 1 piece rosewood neck Strat, and man I really LOVE the tone of those pups. I know they are not "noiseless" as they are standard single coil, but the tone from that Strat is fantastic to my ears. I was going to get that Strat as the sales guy said it is available in daphne blue, PERFECT!, but no, the blue models are sold out and only 3 color burst is available, and I'm not a fan of the brown 3 color burst.
ARGH!!!

So, still shopping, but I have a better idea of what I want.
I'm really tempted to get a low cost MIM Strat and then get all the higher end parts and create the Strat I want.


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