I started playing last April on a mexican strat and bought an american standard not long after that. What is the best first upgrade? I've been told the bridge block is the best place to start but I just don't know. What do you guy's think?

It depends on which one you are upgrading the Amer. Standard has a different block then the MIM The Amer. has a high mass block the MIM does not. A block can make a difference and also the nut. So much of your sound comes from what the strings are doing as they vibrate along the neck that a good nut makes a difference as well as helps with tuning stability.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

My first upgrade on my Amer. Std. was the Schaller Strap locks. Easy to install, and will prevent your strap from slipping off the strap button and dropping your guitar to the ground. I highly recommend. Makes it real easy to put on and remove the strap, cheap too.

I agree and then Schaller/Fender locking tuners!!

Callaham Guitars sells a variety of premium quality hardware for American Stratocasters and other guitars. They specifically sell replacement blocks for American Stratocasters. I bought one and it improved the sound.

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James Burton Upgrade Telecaster
Hot Rodded Am Fat Strat Texas Special (now featuring Kinman Traditional II pickups)
Fender Blues Jr.
SWR California Blonde
Pedals Pedals Pedals

I noticed you own a James Burton Tele! Tell me how much you love it, please! You like it better than your strat?

I'm changing to .011 strings and I'll also do whatever calibration changes will be needed as a result. Those 9's are for girly men.

I was wondering about strings too. The E/B/G strings feel pretty light, like they could break any time.

They're great as is - to me. You certainly don't "need" anything at all to them.

But I'm a tweaker. I usually end up....

- new pickguard
- thicker strings (10)
- locking tuners (sperzel)

- sometimes I'll swap the pickups. not to sound more les paul-like, but to get a thicker strat tone, less noise, or something like that.

01twincam,
Here's a girl that plays better than alot of men I know including me... check it out : Nori Bucci
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcDqz-yVKEo

and I play nines... If I played like that you could call me names all you want.

Do the thicker strings sound any better? Or are they just thicker strings and how do they effect the neck? I would think there would be more tension on the neck the thicker the string.

I put Callaham Saddles and Trem Block fairly quickly on my '08 Ash AmSt after buying it last April. A few weeks ago I built and installed a new pickguard assembly with SD Phat Cats. Wow, what a great difference from the HSS to the P-90 sound.

I wish I learned years ago how the body wood of a guitar affects tone. If I could do it over I would have gotten an Alder body model to start with. I've tried at least 5 pup combinations to warm-up the sound of dense wood body Strats I owned, including the '08 I have now.

Having said that, the CS 54s and Fat 50s were my favorites before the Fat Cats I just put in.

the MIM Strat bridge blocks were upgraded in 2006
along with a few other things.the quality and craftmanship
of the MIMS from 2006 to present are fantastic. and yes i
would compare the MIM craftmanship to most of the MIA
craftmanship. and i have no problem doing so.

I would have to say that my MIM strat does seem to be of a high quality but I did notice a difference in tone and sound when I got the American Standard. I was told it is due to better pickups.