I have 5 Strart. The only modifications I've made to two of them are the pick guards and plastic parts

'06 HWY1 black body w/ maple neck: Added black pick guard and black plastic parts.
'04 50th Anniversary American Series Strat: Added pearloid pick guard and plastic white parts.

I haven't swapped out any of the electronics.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

I have five Strats, too. All but one have been modified by having different pre-wired pickguards installed, replacing the originals, though I kept them all, of course. The one Strat that is not modified is a sunburst Japanese reissue '62 - that's one's still just the way it was when I bought it back in the '90s.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

In my guitar collection only 2 guitars are completely stock. My Victor Bailey Jazz Bass and my Taylor 214 acoustic. Some guitars are modded only for appearance and some are modded out the wazoo.

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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.

None of my guitars are totally stock.

My HWY 1's modifications are:
Dimarzio SD Humbucker in the bridge position
Dimarzio 500K volume pot
White Pearloid pickguard
black plastic pieces
"F" neck plate
Fender/Schaller "F" locking tuners
Dunlop Strap locks

My American Special's mods are:
Schaller locking tuners
Black plastic pieces
Dunlop Strap locks

My Blacktop's mods:
Fender/Schaller "F" locking tuners
Chrome Tele knobs
Dunlop Strap locks

Sorry folks...I will always take off the stock strap buttons and I have become spoiled with the locking tuners. These will always be modifications to all my future Stratocasters.

As far as electronics...I only hot-rodded my HWY 1 out because I always wanted a beefy, bad $@! Stratocaster.

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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

Those are cool looking guitars.

Very rarely does an 'off the shelf' guitar meet ALL of my needs. Modification is a necessity!!
My Highway One's for example, are all wonderful, toneful, good looking , well crafted guitars. I just COULDN'T STAND the stock pickups, tuners, and saddles.
Once I changed them ALL to premium stuff.....I couldn't ask for a better bunch of guitars!

Even my newest American Special HSS had to get 'the treatment'.

I'd put any one of these up against a Custom Shop instrument with confidence!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

These are my guitars and they are all stock:

With all of the changes you make you might want to consider making some homemade guitars. I would put my '62 Strat copy against most others. Even non-Fender fans love this guitar.

By the way I really like the pups that came in my '06 Hwy 1. They aren't like regular Srat pups, but they do round out my sound a bit.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

With the exception of my gretsch which the only mod was a Compton Stainless Steel Compensated Bridge, all my Fenders are stock. No need to mess with perfection!! same goes for all my amps! All Fenders and my Marshall are stock!
ABS

When you love your tone, and feel, that's all that really matters.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Something I had read once just came to mind. Leo's intention the entire time was that his guitars were built with the idea that parts could swapped out if needed. The guitar’s neck is broken? Get a new one.

I can't think of any other guitar company that makes such versatile guitars.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

I'm Still Learning The Guitar Terms. Ok I Did Put Straplocks On And I May Replace The Pickguard But That Would Be It.

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Vintage Hotrod '57 Strat, 81 G&L L2000 Series E Bass, Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp.

+1

I've never seen a Stratocaster from the "modern era" that had specs I could live with -- there's always a deal-killer somewhere within.

I'll never buy an off-the-rack guitar again.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Colleagues
This has been an very interesting read;

My first strat was a1988 Tanqueray Green Strat. I replaced the stock pickups with a set of Custom Shop Texas Specials...I now love the sound that comes out of it.

My amazing wife picked out a 2009 American Deluxe Tobacco Burst with the SCN pickups and I love the sound(s) that this one makes as well. It will stay stock.

When it came time for a Tele, I picked up a 2006 Am Deluxe (Butterscotch). Thought I liked it but the SCN's on this one even after numerous adjustments and set up sounded too "ice pick like" could not warm up to them. So after long bout of research I changed those out to a Twisted tele neck and a Nocaster Bridge...I just love it.

Such a subjective thing though... I envy those that can hear right off the bat what they like and stick to it. Me I had to waffle a couple of times but I think I'm there now and enjoying my new found hobby in retirement.

I love reading on this site and it has been a thoroughly enjoyable journey I have learned much here. thankyou all

ginop
port dover

Stay tuned palermog, it gets even better than this sometimes.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!