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Post subject: My first strat + a bunch of questions
Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:18 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Location: Scotland
Hello all,

Well, my guitar arrived today. She's foxy. Heres the eye candy, first of all:


Image

Image

Image

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I bought it over ebay, which I know, can be risky. Luckily for me she seems to be a beaut, as soon as I tuned her up to try her out I knew I was happy with the buy. The neck has a great feel! Unfortunately for me my amp is STILL away being repaired (6 weeks now) so I've not been able to try her out properly.. yet ;) Shes got a Dimarzio HS-3 in the neck, a fender noiseless in the middle, and a Dimarzio tone zone in the bridge. The neck is a 22 fret soft V MIA, and she came with a gator hardshell case too. All in all a great deal for what I paid (remember that fender products are marked up considerably over here in the UK)

Now some of my questions:

Shes a MIM strat, supposedly a 60th anniversey model. Is there anyway to confirm that that's what she is rather than a normal MIM?

The seller also listed it as having a MIA soft V neck. I've played soft V necks before so I know what they feel like (I'm no expert tho!) and this one has a great neck, very similar to the Clapton sig model I tried out a few weeks ago. However! There is no serial number on the front or the back of the headstock. I've not taken the neck off yet to check the heel but as far as I can tell it is a MIA neck. Assuming it is a MIA neck what guitar could it be off? Are there any necks other than the HW1 that don't have serial number on the headstock?

Tbh I don't really care, she plays awsome, and I bought this guitar with the intention of keeping it for the rest of my playing career. I don't care about resale value.

I quite like the look of her, shes a lot prettier in person than on the pics. I didn't originally like the black pickguard/accessories, but in person it looks pretty sweet. But I still want to change it out for parchment..

Thing is I can only find parchment pickguards routed for S/S/S. I was wondering how easy it is to route the plastic? Has anyone done this? I have all the tools but I don't want to buy a pickguard only to damage it. Is a clean cut possible? Anyone have any advice for me on how to go about this? If I clamped the H/S/S pickguard over the S/S/S using it as a guide?

Whats the purpose of a tilted bridge pickup? Is it true by reversing the angle, ei \ rather than / (having the pickup closer to the bridge on the bass side), like on the reverse headstock ('Jimi') strat it brightens up the low notes. Is it noticeable? I'm considering routing the humbucker spot tilted. Even if it doesn't do anything it'll atleast give it a unique look I guess heh.

Also.. What colour are the knobs on the Eric Johnson sig model? Are they parchment or aged white?

Now my final question: Has anyone used a fishman TSV powerbridge? http://www.fishman.com/products/details.asp?id=62 It's so going to be my next purchase!


Kinda long post :shock:

Cheers for any help,

Stu.

/e: Forgot to mention, when I tried to intonate the guitar I couldn't get the 12th frets bang on for my low E. The saddle is all the way back, what could be the matter? I don't really know how to set up a strat (first time for everything I guess) so I'm sure I've just made an obvious mistake. I think the best thing to do is take her into my local shop at some point and get her set up professionally.


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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:49 am
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Congrats on getting your Fender....if you prefer to do your own set-up and intonation.Check this LINK out especially on page 16 is all on Intonation i think.....


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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:11 am
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I wish I could hepl you more identifying your guitar. If it had the original neck you could date it by serial number & also on the back of the headstock would have been a little medal glued on saying 60th anniversary.

As for the pick guard, I bought a single, single, single and traced out the humbucker from the current pickguard to the new pickguard. I than took a dremmel with a quarter inch wide ( sorry don't know what a quarter inch converts to metrically ) sanding bit and on a slower speed sanded out the slot to the humbucker size. Use slow speed setting. High speed setting will discolor the pickguard.


Last edited by dkals on Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:43 am
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The 60th Anniversary Standards were "Blizzard Pearl"; sort of a pearl white. They had white pickguards not black and a 60th anniversary neck plate. They were SSS with the Tex-Mex pickups so that part has been modifed too. I'm pretty sure that at one time the MIM necks were MIA and tossed over the fence to the MIM plant (shipped across the border actually), I'm not sure if that's still the process or not. With no serial number I doubt that it's even a Fender neck unless someone has refinished it and removed the serial number in the process. If you like the way it plays and sounds enjoy it, and I don't want to rain on your parade, but I'll bet if you go too far trying to identify it you'll be disappointed.

To be completely off topic, what happened to the 12th string on the Alvarez?


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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:16 pm
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You are correct about the necks. All Fender necks are MIA.

I'm suprised you can't find a parchment pickguard... have you checked guitar center or musician's friend?


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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:28 pm
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Congrats on the new strat! I think the 60h anniversary mark was also applied to the back of the headstock.

Looks line a really nice piece!


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Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:24 pm
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belphedeus, cheers for the link, I'll definately check it out. I found a couple of youtube videos showing how it was done but I wasn't 100% sure.

dkals, cheers for the info. Theres a dremel outside that I can use :)

flyingarmadillo, the seller basicly sold it as a MIM with a MIA neck/pickup upgrade/accessory change. And like I said in my original post, it plays really well and I couldn't honestly give a toss if its 'real' or 'fake', because it plays, y'know? Infact I took it over to a friends yesterday, a much more experienced guitarist, and I practically had to pry him off it with a crowbar. He was drooling over it, and thats saying something considering he's an SG-fanboy.

As for the 12th string on the acoustic.. Its a combination of repeated breakage, not liking the highest and thinnest string in the middle of the fretboard, and the tonal characteristics of removing that octave string.

yitty, its not that I can't find a parchment pickguard, its that I can't find any routed H/S/S. I'm not sure if my local shop does em either, I might just ebay my parts.

Strataholic, its not the original neck but I did expect a mark of some kind on the body. I suppose it just having a norm neck plate means its just a regular MIM.


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Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:52 pm
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Right... if the neck was changed, the neck will be from the MIM, no markings.


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Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 5:16 pm
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Yes but all MIM necks are marked with a Mex serial and have 'made in mexico' written. The decal/logo on the front of the headstock matchs a MIA strat perfectly, it just doesn't have the serial on the back of the headstock.

And anyway, AFAIK there aren't any MIM soft v necks?


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Post subject: Parchment pickguard
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:33 pm
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Regarding the parchment pickguard: WD Music in the UK (that's www.wdmusic.co.uk , not .com) sell a standard Fender sized HSS pickguard in parchment.

If you are not certain that your pickguard has an absolutely standard screw hole layout (ie, if it is a cheapish MIM one, which are sometimes not compatible with MIA, for obvious reasons), you can send WD Music a very accurate outline drawing of your pickguard and they will custom make you a new one in the material of your choice on their CNC router.

I have used this service and the results are perfect. See their website for details.

You could also try Regent Sounds (now part of Rhodes Music) in Denmark Street, London and ask for a genuine Fender one. I have a parchment HSS 'guard on my US Strat, so we know they exist!

Ta-ta.


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Post subject: routing or cutting plastic
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:05 pm
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I have cut pick up holes in pickguards before; it's really easy so long as you have the proper tools; like any job is I suppose!
You need a router; a carpenter's (large one) will work and will do a good job as it's heavy and won't move around easily like a dremel or motor tool might. That's not to say you can't use a dremel type tool with a router attachment to keep it perpendicular to the pickguard; it's just less stable than a heavier tool so requires a very steady hand.
Using another pickguard as a template is a great idea; but your hole MAYBE somewhat undersized due to the cut line you draw will be INSIDE the actual dimension you need. If you can find a download-able template (it should allow for this offset) I think you would be better off.
I have used spray paint to get my cut line very close to the outter edge but it wasn't on a pickguard....
If you want to make your own get plastic sheet from local commercial outlets; if you can't find one outright try calling a glass shop and if they don't carry it; if they don't they might know who does. It's also available on line I'm sure.
The toughest part about making your own from sheet stock is cutting the bevelled edge you see on laminates like black/white/black or what ever variation you choose.
You need the proper cutting bit for your router/motor tool or an adjustable router attachment on your dremel or router that allows the bit to be set at an angle I reccomend using a good sharp cutter in the router/motor tool; a file leaves a messy cut on softer plastics.
Good Luck!


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Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:10 pm
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The Stringtrees look like one of them was attached by the previous user and not from the fender factory.

The Strintree for the B and high E string should be mounted just like here:

Image

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Post subject: Powerbridge
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:24 pm
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'Nother quick post: right with you on the Fishman TSV. But have you looked at the VS-50P, right next to it on their site? That's essentially the same thing, but mounted in a Gotoh Wilkinson VS100 bridge. I have a regular VS100 on a much modded Strat - it really is a tasty trem with a lot of nice little details. Very comfortable saddles under the hand; really well thought out intonation and action adjustments; an arm you can set fixed, or to hang loose, or anything in between; and a good block.

Unless you are really set on that TSV for some reason I'd have a look at the VS-50P. You might be very pleased with it.

On the Eric Johnson sig: Fender don't mention the knobs etc in their specs, do they? In the close-up pic they certainly look a bit darker than the parchment pickguard, though, wouldn't you say? So presumably aged white...?

Cheers.


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Post subject: Re: Powerbridge
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:45 am
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Ahh forgot about this thread :shock:

Ceri wrote:
Regarding the parchment pickguard: WD Music in the UK (that's www.wdmusic.co.uk , not .com) sell a standard Fender sized HSS pickguard in parchment.

If you are not certain that your pickguard has an absolutely standard screw hole layout (ie, if it is a cheapish MIM one, which are sometimes not compatible with MIA, for obvious reasons), you can send WD Music a very accurate outline drawing of your pickguard and they will custom make you a new one in the material of your choice on their CNC router.

I have used this service and the results are perfect. See their website for details.

You could also try Regent Sounds (now part of Rhodes Music) in Denmark Street, London and ask for a genuine Fender one. I have a parchment HSS 'guard on my US Strat, so we know they exist!

Ta-ta.


Cheers mate, I'll check out those links!


MarkusGermany wrote:
The Stringtrees look like one of them was attached by the previous user and not from the fender factory.

The Strintree for the B and high E string should be mounted just like here:

Image


Hmm, well as far as I can tell they're doing their job so beyond an esthetic concern for my guitar I'm not too fussed :)

Ceri wrote:
'Nother quick post: right with you on the Fishman TSV. But have you looked at the VS-50P, right next to it on their site? That's essentially the same thing, but mounted in a Gotoh Wilkinson VS100 bridge. I have a regular VS100 on a much modded Strat - it really is a tasty trem with a lot of nice little details. Very comfortable saddles under the hand; really well thought out intonation and action adjustments; an arm you can set fixed, or to hang loose, or anything in between; and a good block.

Unless you are really set on that TSV for some reason I'd have a look at the VS-50P. You might be very pleased with it.

On the Eric Johnson sig: Fender don't mention the knobs etc in their specs, do they? In the close-up pic they certainly look a bit darker than the parchment pickguard, though, wouldn't you say? So presumably aged white...?

Cheers.


I have no experience with fishman products (beyond trying an electroacoustic with a fishman pickup system), so I'm really open to advice. I'll definately check out all the available replacements before dropping ~£250+labour on it.

As for the EJ strat, aye thats what I was thinking but I wasn't 100% sure.

Rather than making a new thread I have another 2 questions if you guys would humour me..

- How do the pu covers on the humbuckers work? Can they be switched out like a single coil cover? Inspecting the bucker on my guitar I can see that there appears to be tape around the two coils and the tops seem different to the single coils

- My action is quite high - compared to my acoustic and my previous electric - but I can't seem to gett any lower without substantial string buzz. What am I doing wrong? I'm adjusting from the saddles.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:34 am
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String buzz. Oh, man: so many possibilities with different solutions. More information required.

Unplug, get your ear down low to the strings and try to find out exactly where the buzz is occuring. The nut? The saddles? Probably the frets; if so, where? Is it only when you fret a particular string on a particular note?

Have you sighted down the neck to check it is straight, or very slightly concave, from the front? (Always sight down the neck from the peghead end.)

Don't touch that truss rod till you are sure what you're trying to do...


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