Hi forumites,

I am planning on modding my 2010 FSR Olympic White Highway1 to a more vintage correct 69 era strat. Whilst I don't intend to change tone pot values or any wiring, I want do wish to:

Replace the pickups to custom shop 69s.
Change the plain neckplate to a 70's Fstyle.
Replace the tuners to Fender/Schaller F type.

My questions for you knowledgeable folks are:

Will I need to drill new holes and get different size bushes for the tuners?
Will the tuners actually fit (I have read that they can be offline)?
Are there any other specific mods you can think of, or alternative products that may be more suitable?

Many thanks!
Jim

Original '69 Stratocasters came stock with a 3-way switch. Some CS '69 reissues came with a 5-way pickup selector as a standard equipment feature while others boast a Duncan Trembucker pickup in the bridge and an original Floyd Rose tremolo.

Sorry, I don't know the answers to your questions. But are you unhappy with the guitar as it is? If not, why bother.

Whatever you do to it, it will still be a Highway 1 Strat but with extra bits. The neck radius will still be wrong, it will still have a more modern tone circuit and no-one will be able to see the neckplate.

Sorry to sound negative, but when I think of the money I've wasted in the past, allegedly improving already perfectly good instruments..

_________________
Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

I did put a "F" neckplate on my Highway One. (That and giving it a good glossing up were the only mods I've made on it.)

It really does have that 1969-1971 (pre-bullet truss rod) vibe.

I do like the old Fender/Schaller F tuners, so let us know how the installation goes.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Then they aren't "re-issue" anythings, merely a bastardized and mutilated Stratocaster.

Arjay

_________________
"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

Having re-read my original post, I've actually misrepresented what I am actually trying to do with this 'project', so sorry for any confusion and thank you for your replies so far.

I am certainly aware of the blatant differences between a real 69 and a Highway1 (fingerboard radius, tone circuit, neck construction, fret size, ploy vs. nitro finish etc.), so what I am really trying to achieve is to make the vibe of the Highway1 a little more like a 69 spec. Such as, changing the pickups to a more vintage sounding set (less hot) and some subtle cosmetic differences like the tuners and neck plate.

@adey You're quite right, the Highway1s are already excellent instruments for the money and I do really enjoy it's playability. However, I am lucky enough to own some other pro-level gear (FCS masterbuilt 58 strat, FCS 64 Vibroverb, Gibson CS VOS Block 335) and I would simply like to bring the tone of the Highway1 more in line with those instruments by installing some new pickups. I would also like to improve tuning stability (machine head replacement) whilst retaining a late 60's aesthetic. The neckplate change is just a simple litte addition really.

Essentially, I was just wondering if anyone had any alternatives to any of the products I mentioned - specifically the FCS 69 pickups and the F style Fender/Schaller tuners, as well as if anyone had encountered any major hassle with the tuner installation.

Apologies for the confusion of the original post and thanks again for your time.

J

Actually Salmon, I have to admit to being a hypocrite on this.

My Highway 1 has been modified since I bought it. It now sports 3 SD Alnico II Pro pickups, Graph Tech tusque nut and saddles, lockable tuners and it has been nicely shined up.

In my defence, It wasn't mods for mods sake (of which I've been very guilty of in the past). I didn't like the spiky sound of the pickups and the polishing was an attempt to stabilise the extremely fragile nitro finish. The other works were to stabilise the damn trem system. This guitar has been particularly awkward to get it coming back into tune after big bends and moderate whammy action..

_________________
Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Are you sure?

And how do you think about this Custom Exclusive Jason Smith Masterbuilt ‘69 Stratocaster Relic, which has been hot-rodded with those modifications, retrofake?

The humbucker and the locking tremolo are offered as optional features on the instrument. They cannot bastardize and mutilate the guitar, you fool!

That is possibly the worst guitar I've ever seen. I'd take an incomplete project over that. That's just horrible.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

"Fool"?

I'm not the fool who posts photos of everybody else's guitars except his own.

I'm not the fool who learned everything I know about Fender gear from reading it in a book.

I'm not the fool who parrots what he reads on other websites because he has no original thoughts to offer.

I'm not the fool who hasn't got a clue about keeping the older Fender gear road-worthy because he's never owned any.

But if I'm to be a fool, so be it......

IT'S BETTER THAN BEING A POSEUR!

Arjay

_________________
"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

Dayyyyyuuuummmmm! Yo, Retro, I met a different kind of troll the other day, one worse than IMSRV. Also, is he B&'d?

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Arjay, I'm very sorry for the incident. I can honestly assure you that I never considered a Fender expert like you as a fool. I feel embarrassed from the Greek credit crash and its consequences these days, that's why you've found me so nervous. I hope you'll understand my situation.

On the other side I promise you to post a couple of shots from my brother's black Squier Stratocaster with Gold FLS when my time permits. But with all these nasty computer crashes, I had no much time to use my Kodak camera in order to take a shot from my brother's gear.

After all, a "real" '69 Strat does have three singles and a vintage bridge, I totally agree with you.

Over the years many guitarists had customized their Stratocasters with humbucking pickups, especially in the bridge position, to create what became known as a Fat Strat. This was intended to provide a thicker tone preferred in the heavier styles of hard rock and heavy metal. The popularity of this modification grew and eventually Fender began manufacturing models with a bridge humbucker option (HSS), denoted and separated from the original triple single coil by the term "Fat Strat", as a reference to the humbucker's distinct sound, as well as models with dual humbuckers (HH), better known as "Double Fat Strats".

It's important to note, however, that the Custom Shop produced hot-rodded versions of the original '69 Strat with such after-market mods like the bridge humbucker and the FR locking trem. Jason has also added the S-1 switch to split the humbucker for further tonal variety; the black pickguard and matching hardware add a more classy feel to the guitar.