I posted a question some time ago about issues that I was having with my trem arm, and the fact that it was getting hung up on the bottom tone knob every time I tried to use it. I got some really helpful suggestions and was going to take them when I noticed something that I hadn't before -- all of my control knobs seem to sit awfully high above the body. When compared to my other strat, there was a 3/8 inch or better difference in height. I removed the caps and noticed that the shafts of the pots were longer than on my MIM -- there was no room for adjustment. I recently replaced the pickups (put in Texas Specials) on the guitar in question, and did so by buying a preloaded pickguard. Is there a chance that they used non-fender stock parts on the pots? what kind of pots should I replace the current ones with -- I know that they need to be 250k audio pots, but is there a difference between 10%taper, no load, and most importantly, is there a difference in shaft length? My MIM is a '91 and all original, and the control knobs hover just above the body -- leaving plenty of room for the trem arm to swing freely. Can you good folks help?

Bud

Keep on pickin' -- what else is there?

The pots should have come with two nuts. What you need to do is take the pot away from the pickguard then put one of the nuts onto the shaft, about halfway down. Then put the pot back onto the pickguard. In effect the pickguard will be sandwiched between the two nuts. Lowering your control knob height.

_________________
No no and no

Oh, come on, Niki .... don't show folks how to do it right. Just tell 'em to break out the Dremel and cut the excess off.

_________________

Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.