Well, I got this classice series 50s strat from ebay about a month ago. It's 2001 I think...or maybe 02...either way. I took it out of the box and it looked nice for a a nearly decade old guitar. I checked it out and looked it over...a few minor dings and such...otherwise in pretty nice cosmetic condition.

I played it acoustically for a bit...sounded decent..the neck is awesome. Wish I would have tried one of these v necks sooner...It feels great and plays beautifully.

Then I plugged it in that that's where the disappointment happened. It sounded like a cheap, bottom of the barrel entry level strat. The pickups were muddy and dull on the bass side and thin and weak and ice picky on the treble side. The pup switch was loose and floppy and the pots were all scratchy sounding...although, that's probably an age issue more than a quality issue...but the guitar hasn't had much play time judging by the frets, so I'm kinda thinkin' it's a quality thing...

Soooo...the mods began...I ordered a set of 57/62 pups...which I believe to be "THE" strat sound...new pots, new pup switch and a new mint green pickguard. I wired it up with that vintage cloth covered wire (mainly becuase that's what I had). I wired it with the mid pup wide open and the tone control on the bridge..because I hate that trebbly strat bridge pup set up.

The end result was flat out amazing. I knew that it would sound good, because the 57/62 pups are great pups...but I wasn't prepared for it to sound as good as it does...a buddy of mine has one of the American Vintage 57 Reissues that he spent upwards of $1200 bucks for...and this little MIM strat that I got off ebay ($550 total cost after mods) is extremely comparible with that high end MIA strat of his. Super clean tone...chimey, bell like..yadda yadda..you know that typical great strat sound that everyone loves...It overdrives nicely...from smooth and creamy to flat out Texas style raunch.....On the bridge, with the tone rolled all the way off, and little bit of tube screamer joy, it gets almost a clapton woman tone type sound that you'd normally get out of a humbucker. My other strats get real bassy and muted sounding when you roll the tone all the way off...but this one just gets sweet and warm.

I'm going to evenutally swap out the trem for a Callaham...and maybe have a bone nut put on it...but for now, it's a sweet playin' strat that I will not soon be parting with. And the mint green guard on the Oly white body with the vintage tint maple neck looks uber sweet...

MJ

Cool! That's what I did to a Classic '60s. I put Custom '54s and a Stewmac vintage trem, vintage bone nut, and Gotoh vintage tuners. I bet the Callaham will sound alot better.