I had a gig this weekend, and before the gig, I really needed to intonate my main axe, a custom shop First Act (laugh if you must, but the action, tone, and neck radius and thickness make it a joy to play). Anyway, I didn't have the time to do the intonation, so I grabbed my MIM strat. I always thought the high end sounded a bit thin and tinny, which is why I don't normally gig with it.

I remembered seeing some advice about pup hights, using nickles to measure the gap between the pup and the strings.
The height of the low E was 2 "nickles" above the pole pieces, and so was the high E. A quick adjustment, raising the pup to one "nickel" for the high E side made all the difference. The highs were fatter and sweet, not tinny at all, and for the first time I really love the sound of my strat.

Thanks for all of the information and advice given here. I'll be gigging with the strat and the first act, as they have very different tonal qualities, both of which work well with the music we play.

A "Custom Shop First Act"?

Would be cool to see a picture of that and give some more info.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

"Congratulations, Luke -- you've taken your first step into a larger universe."

Rawk on!



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

Look there ;

www.fender.com/support/articles/stratoc ... etup-guide

If you use your first act guitar instead of your Strat , this mean your Strat need a complete tune-up .After you'll put your First Act in the garbage ,....... oups ! sorry ; )

Sacre bleu, Stratele!



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

The Custom Shop First Act has a 22 fret C profile bolt on maple 2 piece neck, almost flat (large radius) rosewood fretboard with mother of pearl inlay. The body called "crop circle" is a double bound semi hollow body (similar to a tele thinline) with a fire maple top. Pickups are First Act humbuckers (2) with hand-wound AlNiCo magnets and custom chrome housing. The three way selector switch allows neck pup (pos. 1) both pups (pos 2) and bridge pup (pos 3). there are two volume pots and a master tone pot.

I never weighed it, but it's heavier than my strat, and lighter than my epi les paul. IMHO, the looks are drool-worthy, and it plays like a dream. I was able to purchase it at First Act's boutique shop in Boston (the shop is no longer there, unfortunately).

Here are some pics of it, and while I was at it, I took a "family pic" of my electric guitars. It's kind of a diverse family.

That's all that matters, and I agree, looks killer! Thanks digby!

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

It is unfortunate that most people think of First Act guitars as "beginner" guitars, made in China and sold in toys-r-us or best buy along side the starcasters. They actually make quality instruments right here in the USA, they're just hard to find. Lucky for me, I stumbled upon their boutique in Boston when I did.

I know that this is a strat forum, and not trying to sell First Act, but people should know that not all of their guitars are trash.

I may have been a bit harsh and unfair. I've never tried this guitar and I have a bias about First act.

It is always sound and musicality that should guide not look.

Sorry

No Problem Stratele, I'm used to it. When I gig with it, people ask me if it's really a First Act, because they associate the brand with department store beginner guitars. This one is as far from one of those as a starcaster is from a high end strat.

You'd be surprised how many bands out there use them...
Nine Inch Nails, Los Lonely Boys, Maroon 5, and several others, but those are just off the top of my head.

Congrats on finding the proper heights for your Fender.

BTW...I for one will not joke about those CS First Act Guitars. I watched a video on them, and these are not the POS First Acts you find at WalMart. Their Custom Shop guitars are more closely comparable to Fender MIA Deluxe guitars. It is like the Starcaster and Fender Deluxe Guitars.

_________________
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

Goes to show you that you learn something new every day