Howdy All,
I'm a newbee here on the Forum - and also the new owner of a 2004 Clapton "Blackie" Strat. While I like the versatility that the TBX and mid-boost provide I'm a guy that typically plugs straight in to an amp. Thus I am used to as pure a tone as possible...

Bought the Clapton strat cheap and on a whim... I like the guitar's tonal variety but if I could only install a switch to bypass all the fancy tone sapping circuitry and shoot a straight signal out of this guitar then FOR ME it would have everything I could possibly expect from one guitar.

So I guess I have 2 questions:
1. HAS ANYONE EVER DONE A MOD TO THEIR CLAPTON STRAT TO MAKE IT A REGULAR Volume/Tone/Tone set-up when desired?
2. If no-one out there has done such a mod or heard of such, do you at least know enough about the TBX & mid-boost connectivity to know if such a bypass idea is achieveable? (i.e.- can the two tone pots even be expected to function "normal" as-is? Would mod fit routing? etc...)

The only problem i can think of in doing this mod would be the 50k volume pot. It could yield unexpected results to the tone.

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No no and no

[quote="stratfish"]


IMHO...It would be wiser for you to purchase one of the many prewired pickguards which are available aftermarket and have it installed in the guitar, or create one to your likeing, removing the existing electronics and setting it aside. In this fashion, if you choose to divest yourself of the guitar in the future, you can reinstall the original powerplant without doing too much damage to the stock electronics.

I did so with a '97 American Standard in which I had installed an EMG DG-20. It was a simple matter to replace the original Fender electronics and then trade up both. (for a '93 'Blackie" by the way)

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"Another day in paradise!"

Doc's got a good point - It's an easy change, there are tons of different prewires on Ebay, and you can always go back.

On the other hand, it looks like a loaded EC pickguard is going for around 400 bucks, so if you really don't like it, and aren't worried about keeping it stock, I'm sure you could find someone that would love to snap it up.

Then grab a set of Custom Shop 54s or 69s, load 'um up and go to town, old school...

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'95 Custom Warmoth Soloist Solid Flame Koa Body/Neck, Duncan Classic Livewire SSH, Sperzel locking tuners, Wilkinson VS100 bridge, all black chrome.
2008 MIM Lonestar Strat Black/White Pearl
2008 Taylor 114 CE

Thanks Nikininja & ZZDOC,
I found you both to be the resident experts on the Clapton mod's when I queried the subject this morning and was hoping to get your opinions.

Based on your input I'm leaving the guitar as is and will play it for awhile.
If I like it enough to keep it I will likely yank the loaded pickguard per DOC's recommend and install something less circuit-laden.

Thanks again!

stratfish