Hello there Strat fans!
I am kinda new to the setting my guitar so I would like to ask a question cause noone could help me...
I owe an American Standard Strat but it is left-handed.
Can I replace the two-point bridge with a vintage one, and can I use vintage tuners? I am not sure that they fit -both- my guitar and here in Greece nobody knows about how to set something on a left guitar... And somethnig more how can I raise the action, I am trying to play with slide but it's too low specially at the first 6-7 positions of my fretboard...
Hope I get an answer... Keep on rockin'!!!

Welcome.

Replacing the two point bridge with a vintage one would involve doweling the two point's post holes and then, measuring and drilling out six new holes for the vintage bridge.

You can use vintage tuners but you'd have to get adapter bushings for the vintage set's shafts as the existing holes will be too large.

Raising the two point bridge bolts which will raise your overall action.

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You dig?

Hi dimkov, welcome to the Forum.

Yes, you can replace the two-point trem with a six-screw one. But it involves removing the metal bushings for the two pivot posts without damaging the lacquer (possible but not easy), filling the holes they came out of with wooden dowel carved to exactly the right size, and then drilling new holes.

I just can't see a good reason to do all of that, and it would cost more than just selling your American Standard and buying a Vintage Reissue instead.

Likewise, you can repace the tuners - but why? Vintage ones look nice but they don't work any better or worse than the ones that came on your Am Std. Still, if you must do it for some reason you will find left-handed 6-in-line vintage style tuners on this page:

http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/category/Hardw ... ?limit=200

Be aware that those fit a smaller 11/32" peg hole than the 13/32" / 10mm hole that you will find on the headstock of your Am Std Strat. So you will also need to buy "conversion bushings" to fit those tuners:

http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/category/Hardw ... nes,b.html

Check with Ben Green at WDMusic.co.uk that you buy the correct bushings to fit the tuners of your choice.

Complicated, isn't it? I think your American Standard is an excellent guitar as it is and personally I would not make any of these modifications. Still, it sounds to me like what you really want is a vintage style Strat. So perhaps you should just buy one of those instead. Much better.

As far as raising the action down around the lower frets is concerned: well that is much easier. You need this little gizmo,the extension nut, which temporarily raises the strings at the nut for slide work without any permanent modification to your guitar:

http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/GR1019-p ... t-page.htm

All the parts I've pointed you towards are very likely available in Greece, but I don't know suppliers there. The ones I've linked to are in the UK, so at least you don't need to import things from outside the EU. I have checked and both those suppliers will ship internationally.

Good luck! - C

EDIT: I was typing this at the same time as Martian, above, and did not intend it as in any way a rival to his post. He knows much more than me, for starters...!

No rivalry presumed. It was merely a simultaneous coincidence.

As to knowing much more than you, well, that's debatable!

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You dig?

Well, it isn't. But thank you kindly for even pretending!

Cheers - C

I thank you but don't sell yourself short by any means!

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You dig?

Five foot ten; 152 pounds - none of it for sale.

Cheers - C