Hello, I just purchased a like new 2001-02 MIM Graffiti Yellow Strat. It has a pearl pick guard, and vintage tuners. It also has a little covered cavity next to the trem cover. What the hell is that, and how does it operate? I haven't opened it yet to explore. Thought I would ask you guys and gals first.

You have a Deluxe Powerhouse Strat. The rear compartment is a battery box that powers a 12 dB pre-amp concealed within the control cavity rout beneath the pickguard. The wiring includes a dummy coil for hum-cancelling and a boost pot to dial in the amount of pre-amp grunt. The guitar's other controls are a master volume and master tone, with standard 5-way switching.

HTH

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

Thank you very much for the quick reply. I do see it takes a 9V.

Graffiti Yellow was one of the rarer colors that instrument was available in over its production run. Other finishes included Candy Apple Red, Blizzard Pearl, Lake Placid Blue, Black, and Caramel Metallic (mine is in this latter color). The hardware is vintage-spec so it's possible to drop in a MIA vintage Fender bridge (with steel trem block) which will improve the sustain and make the tone a skosh "snappier".

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

Sounds really sweet. I have two MIM Standard Strats.
post pictures if you can.

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He who dies with the most Strats wins.

post us a few pics. love a yellow strat.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

The first control pot is not a conventional passive tone, it's a no-load circuit.

The no-load detent has absolutely nothing to do with the design of the tone control circuit, which is a passive type.

I have one of these guitars......DO YOU?

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

I don't think I am familiar with this particular finish. **Hint Hint**

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.