I have been playing a starcaster and looking for a better guitar. I'm a retread that used to play in garage bands heavily after high school and I'm picking up my guitar more regularly again and want a good electric. The starcaster come from a rummage sale, just to see how it would play.

Actually in all honesty, it isn't the most horrible thing for just playing in your house. My Mom wanted to learn on something and it was a cheap investment with the SP10. It works. I lowered the action some (it was pretty high) threw some .11's on there in hopes that the bigger gauge would help it stay in tune better. I don't know if that's the right line of thinking but it actually stays in tune pretty well. It doesn't sound as good as a nicer guitar even if it is in tune, but it's something to play for now.

Couple of questions. I played a strat yesterday at a store and it was a squire. However, it was an American made squire. There was a guy in there playing some (customer) and he claimed he worked on guitars and claimed it was the best one in there. Even though there were about 4 or 5 mexicans in there. This squire was lighter too, which means it was probably basswood. In fact, it had a very similar feel to the starcaster. But played and sounded much better.

So the first question is:

#1. Can an american made squire be a decent guitar? They were asking about $399 for it. It was cream, they guy said it had american made pick ups in it. Had a white pick guard.

#2. Can I modify or buy a strat without that middle pick up? I remember one of the reasons I favored a tele was because that middle pick up bugs the heck out of me when I'm picking. My pick hits it. It's not like it ruins what I'm doing, it's just annoying.

#3. Is the starcaster even worth modifying. I'm thinking no, as I can see the quality difference, but in all honesty, it's not the most horrible guitar I've ever played. I doubt I'll be playing any gigs, but would like to have a set up for playing with some guys. I didn't know if changing out the pick ups might make it a better guitar.

Any Squires can be good guitars as well as any MIMs,finding a 2 pickup Strat you would have your work cut out for you.The best thing to do is adapt your strumming style-it can be done with little difficulty.I went from a 2 pickup Hagstrom and Mosrite copy to a Strat with no problem,it came almost naturally.The middle pup adds so much to the tonal textures of the Strat that it would be of great detriment to the sound to ditch the middle pup.The "out of Phase"sound in the 2 and 4 switch positions are desireable to most guitarists and were favourites of SRV and Jimi especially and we all know how great they sounded.If you are bound and determined to do without the mid pup it's just a matter of lowering it so it's almost flush with the pickguard but your tone will suffer greatly.BTW welcome to the forum.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Thank you for the welcome and the advice. It's not the strumming I have a problem with. But your point is taken. It's when I pick. Especially if I'm muting. My pick goes right where that pick up is.

I understand what you're saying a about the sound. I favor the neck pick up altogether, but that next position is pretty good too. I do more strumming than picking and for rhythm and strumming, it's great. But like I said, when I pick, it's right on top of tha thing. I'll have to see if there is a way I can alter it. But it's so natural, I don't know if I want to mess with it.

It is one of the reasons why in my band days I was a tele guy. It's funny though, there is something I like about each. I think I like the neck on a strat better.

I like Squier and Fenders. An American made Squier, hard to find but could be decent. MIM Fenders could be decent. It has been my experience that country of origin does not make a good guitar, just how well it was made in the shop itself. I have 2 American Stratocasters, 1 Chinese Squier CV 60 Stratocaster, and a Japanese made Fender Avalon acoustic. I bought these guitars because they felt and played good.

The one good think about Fender is you can do anything you want to them. You want humbuckers in them, throw them in.

If you are sticking your pick in so far that you are hitting the pickup you are either using too much pick or your pickup is too close to the strings.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Well, that does bring up a good question. How much room should there be inbetween the strings and the pick ups? Or at least the middle one.

Secondly, I don't like frets that are high and bend the string with pressure. What "type" are the lowest. Or I should say what are they called? Is that the "vintage" style? I was just looking at the specs on the new ones.

Good advice about what plays good and not the country of origin. I can see the wisdom in that.

If you prefer not to have a middle pickup, you should consider a Tele. Height of the pickups is mostly a matter of choice, but if you're hitting the middle pickup with your pick, lower the pickups a quarter inch and see if that fixes the problem.

When I used to play in bands and what not, the tele was the guitar I finally settled on. But they both have their upsides and I was just trying to venture out and see if a Strat could work also. Since I've been playing this "starcaster" I'm kind of fond of the shape and feel. I've never been completely crazy about the way some strats have sounded. But I'm sure it can vary widely. Certain ones I've been around seemed kind of "jangly" or too twangy. I like a more smooth and warm sound. But this could all be a function of the pick ups and all that. There seems to be a limitless combination of possibilities and I think either one could probably sound good.


One thing I like over a tele is almost any strat I've ever played, I believe I like the feel of the neck moreso than the teles I've played. Not that a teles is bad, it just seems to me the strat neck is better. I sort of wish I could combine the two guitars.

AB,
Welcome! I have a Squier and MIM Strat and an MIA Strat. As Rk stated earlier, don't worry where the guitar was made. If it feels good and plays good and sounds good to you then it is a keeper. I have a MIM Strat that is perfect. I honestly think Fender made a mistake and mislabeled it from the CS. It is an amazing guitar. So it all goes to show you that you need to just go with what feels and sounds good to you.
ABS

What do you mean about the mislabeling? Do you mean that it actually was an American and labeled it a mexican?

Yeah, this squire played pretty nice. I'm kind of interested in it. But I didn't like how it looked. So shallow, eh? It was that cream color with white white knobs and pick guard. Might look better if they were black. Plus, I don't have quite the money together yet. I'm thinking about selling a pistol to fund this. Because I'll want a halfway decent amp too. And I'm not rich and have to save up. That's what happens when you get married, have two kids, buy a house built in '67, don't make tons of money to begin with, etc etc etc.

But I'm getting an education in the process so that when I have the money I need, I'll pick the right one. And this thread has helped a lot.


I did lower the pick ups on the starcastor. It does help. But, it does change the sound. It makes the strings less potent in singularity. Especially the 4th through 6th strings. Gives it a little too much.... something. But it may not be the case with better pick ups on a better guitar. So this option could work, I think.

Hi ABPOS: Way back when, Robbie Robertson had the self same issue with the middle pickup getting in the way. So what he did was have the middle pickup moved backwards till it came up against the bridge pickup, like this:



We've discussed many times on this Forum whether he had the two wired in series or parallel: if the former then that would essentially turn the bridge+middle position on the selector switch into a humbucker (though of course a five way switch had yet to arrive on Strats when he first did this). Darned if I can remember what the answer is, though I have a feeling it has been given on the Mike Eldred and/or Custom Shop sections of this website.

Anyhow. Point is: you could do something like that if you wanted. Or you could just install a new pickguard with no middle pickup. I can't immediately find one of those ready-to-go for purchase on the internet, but I know for sure that WDMusic.com will make you to order either a Robbie Robertson pickguard or one with no middle pup position in the material of your choice for a not unreasonable price. Check what they have to say about custom pickguards on this page:

http://www.wdmusic.com/pickguards.html

Does that get you any further forward?

Cheers - C

AB,
What I was saying about the mislabeling is that the guitar plays and sounds so good I couldn't believe it was an MIM. Don't get me wrong I do have MIM Teles which are fantastic but this Strat is my first MIM and won't be my last one. That is how great the quality of this guitar is.
ABS

Yeah, after I posted this, the thought crossed my mind that I could possibly just move one of the single coils up with one of the others. However, I would do it the other way I think. I know, sounds crazy, but I play the bridge pick up much more. And yeah, having that 5 pos switch would give you some options of sounds that could be cool. Wouldn't even need to rewire, unless the wires aren't long enough. But yeah, the pickguard might be the kicker. I assumed they must be made somewhere. I might look into this.

This does help me a bunch. I'm still undecided between a strat or a tele. But this gives me something to think about.

Thanks a whole bunch for the input. I'll check into that link for pickguards if I go this route.

Well, your point is a very good and valid one and it gives me a reason to take my time and play them in the stores, instead of just seeing one that fits my specs and get it. Which I think I already kind of new this from past experience, but it was really good to be reminded of it.