Hi folks.

I'm putting some serious thought into upgrading and customizing my 1999 Am. Std. Strat.

I bought it when I was 22, and I'm not a huge fan of the colour anymore (aquamarine blue), to the point where it doesn't inspire me to pick it up and play it much these days.

I was thinking of doing a refinish on it, and re-routing the bridge cavity to accommodate a humbucker. I'm also planning on installing an EverTune bridge as well.

What I'm wondering about is, can you guys recommend any electronic upgrades, and help me figure out which humbuckers I should be looking at? I'm not too familiar with after market pups, or pots etc...

I have a recording studio and want this guitar to be as versatile as possible, and stay in constant tune, which is why I'm looking at the EverTune bridge. If you have any pup recommendations for the middle and neck, I'm all ears too.

It has potential to be used for music types ranging from folk, country, blues, pop, rock, and hard rock. So most or the standards.

I appreciate any help you can give. Just looking for a short list of things for me to research and decide what might best suit me. just don't know where to start. Thanks!

Edit: I've been looking at a potential config of a Lil 59 in the bridge, and a duckbucker in middle and neck. thoughts?

Any Fender offerings I should look at?

Keep the "99 as is. Get a good setup done on it by a pro.

Buy a different guitar for all the other stuff.

Someday you will understand why.

Enlighten me.

Evertune bridge is about $600 installed.

Properly refinishing a poly finished body is expensive.

Sell the guitar before you ruin it and buy something that better suits your needs.

_________________
Bill

Here again, the semantics of "upgrade" vs. "modification".

_________________
You dig?

By the time you finish your present guitar you will have spent enough money to buy a new guitar. So save your self the hassle and just get yourself a new one. You will want your 99 back to where it was one day.

Pack up your 99 for a year, then bring it back out. I'll bet you change your tune about it.

Yes. I know, it's not going to be inexpensive, but I don't understand your logic, when I already have an american built quality guitar. To get something that suits me more, would end up costing more in order to end up with an equal build quality instrument. I recoup maybe $500 in todays market if I sell the strat, and then what, buy a cheaper mexican lone star, just so I don't "blasphemize" an American Std? I'd still want a $600 EverTune regardless, and I'd have a lesser quality instrument to show for saving on the refinishing cost.

I guess it comes down to 2 schools of thought. I understand where people are coming from on both sides. I've never modified anything before, this would be a first for me. I always just buy something new that suits me more. However here, I think it's a different situation. I'm going to be in for about $1500 for the mods I'm discussing...I know this. A new guitar of equal quality, is going to be about the same. The problem is I end up with a stock instrument that may or may not need further tweaking to get exactly what I'm after, and would still need to retrofitted with the bridge I want for an additional cost. In my head, I know what I want it to be, I'm just not sure of the way to get there. I want versatility and I want the EverTune bridge, specifically for recording.

The issue is, people would rather see customization on a cheaper guitar and not an Am. Std.

No, that is not the issue. Questions like yours get asked all the time. You asked for advice. People are giving you well considered advice. Its just not the advise you want to hear. That is the issue.

_________________
Bill

No. That would only apply if I had asked "should I do this?" The advice I was seeking, was about how to get what I'm after. Like I said, I'm not opposed to this way of thinking, as far as the advice I've received goes. I get it. I'm just trying to see things from a different side for once and I think it would be more logical to end up with exactly what I want, rather than sell it and replace it with something that is close to what I want, as far as a stock instrument goes, and then add the bridge at that point. Not sure what the argument is, if it's not only to just preserve an Am. Std.

Good luck.

_________________
Bill

Thanks for taking the time to discuss it with me. I do appreciate your comments, and will take it into consideration for sure.

What about if I were to order a warmoth guitar body and electronics and do the mods to it, swap out the neck, thus keeping the fender body & value untouched? Then I would have a canvas to do what I'm after, for a fraction of the cost, as well not run the risk of regret as far as altering the '99 strat. This could be reversed with no detriment, no?

Additionally, by you asking what pickup, component, etc. does and doesn't do what, implies in the strongest terms that there is no clear cut chance for you to achieve your objective as you should have all sorts of first hand experience with this stuff first before even considering permanently disemboweling a premium instrument. Doing so based on what anyone may or may not have to say regarding contemplated replacement parts is positively not the way to go. This, coupled by the fact that you are prepared to blow $600 on a bridge replacement where the perfectly good OEM bridge stays in tune when properly set up, is illogical. Yes, we are trying to protect your guitar from you but believe it or not, it is for your sake. No, we are not trying to be adversarial, "ganging up" on you. This is NOT one of those forums. Rather, this is a classic example of, "Hear us now, thank us later".

_________________
You dig?

I don't feel like I'm being ganged up on. I'm not sensitive like that. We're having a discussion, and I'm happy about that. I think some good points have been raised for sure. Things I did not think of. Nothing to do with me not being happy with the advice I'm receiving.

True. I don't have ANY experience with after market electronics and pickups, as I have always kept each of my guitars with the OEM parts. But I do know what I like as far as tone goes. I would never upgrade any of my possessions, be it guitars or anything without doing lots of reading and info gathering to make sure I knew what I was getting into. I was looking for suggestions to cut down my research list, that's all.

I'm not going to try and justify my desire for an EverTune bridge, as I don't expect they're for everybody, nor do I want it because I think the OEM bridge isn't good enough. I'm after it for a specific reason that suits me, that's all.

I'm not intending on being defensive, I just know what I'm after and am looking for the best way to get there. Maybe it's not altering my '99, but I'm not sure how I can maintain the build quality of what I have, and still get the customizations I'm after. I'm hearing everybody loud and clear to keep it untouched.... Can I get some suggestions for a better path then?

That's great! See the problem with the internet is that there's always content but no context.

We'll agree to disagree on the whole bridge issue and move on.

Now, if I were you, I'd stick with the "Do no harm" principle. Meaning, don't do anything to the guitar that can't be undone.

The electronics in your guitar are "high end". There is no immediate need to replace them unless your pickup choice(s) require a higher resistance than what's in there now.

I've said this countless times before: You will get as many well meaning, personally successful opinions on a trio of pickups. Unfortunately, 20 people will sound totally different with any given identical trio. Your best bet is to stick with the popular after market pickup makers for not only have they stood the test of time but inevitably, they probably have the pickup(s) you are looking for.

You've mentioned the "Lil 59" of Duncan's. Well, that was designed to operate with a 250K pot but it will in no way sound like a Strat pickup. It sounds like a generic humbucker and because of its ceramic magnet, it will not sound 'sweet'. In other words, you will be losing any kind of Strat sound in the bridge position. The closest I can compare it to is, it will sound like an SG through a small, solid state amp.

The Duckbuckers are incredibly weak pickups and quite frankly, I think the OEM pickups sound better, hum notwithstanding.

What I would recommend (and this will save you megabucks) is to go to DiMarzio's website and look at some of their pickups. Specifically, their Area/Virtual Vintage series of Strat pickups. Yes, they are humbucking and super quiet. There's literally something for everyone among them. I speak too from extensive first hand experience. And FWIW, NO one bad mouths these pickups. Check them out for starters and 'report back'.

_________________
You dig?