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Post subject: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:12 am
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Looking forward to cleaning this used MIM strat, perhaps repainting the body.

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The volume knob is off a squier - everything else is stock

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:48 am
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Looks pretty good, how much did it set you back?

Am wondering about this though:

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What's the gooey looking stuff between the bridge and the pickguard? Something isn't right there.

Also, the saddles are all fairly low - the E string saddles are really low. That makes me wonder whether the neck angle is off. If it's that, a little shim in the neck pocket when you rebuild it (just between neck and body where the screws nearest the pickups are) might allow you to raise the saddles a little and get a better string break angle over them - that will give more downward pressure on the saddles and hopefully help tone/sustain.

It could also be that the neck has too much relief (I've sometimes seen guitars where the saddles have been dropped to try to compensate, where a half turn on the truss rod would have sorted it).

The intonation settings on all the saddles looks a little iffy, but the low E intonation looks particularly short to me. I reckon that's just an adjustment thing and if you're stripping it right down anyway, probably no biggy.

Let us know what you find under the bridge? I want to know what the goop is...

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:38 am
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I agree with that.. also the E strings, don't look quite right.. notice how close they both rides to the set screws? maybe camera angle, or probably nothing a bit of tweaking and a setup can't fix tho.

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 8:12 am
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It just looks really, really dirty as if it was bought ten years ago and never cleaned.... Its possible the person also used a replacement tremolo block on the tremolo system, but a squier block will not fit a MIM bridge. Too narrow on the three screws mounted to the bridge and block.. Its also possible its a squier body, but I doubt it.

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:10 pm
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$250. Picking it up tomorrow. The guy gigged alot with it, and I'm betting that's corrosion in there. I restore old cars (72 el camino for now) as a hobby. and have seen metal corroded like that. So, I'm thinking it's probably from sweat. It will be interesting to see what the wood underneath looks like if this is the case. Will replace the tremolo after I get it in my hands.

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:58 am
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that "goop" isn't corrosion, looks like a bead of silicone or something. Definitely in need of some TLC. good luck with it. post pics as you go, and plenty of good people here to help.

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:40 am
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I'm more interested in seeing the El Camino.

SS454 with an LS5 I presume......?

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:03 am
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..... since you asked (LOL)

It's actually the GMC version made back in 70's and 80's, called GMC Sprint. The only differences between this and an el camino are the badges (GMC sprint instead of El Camino). It turns out the car is super-rare (one of 83). It's equipped similarly to a chevy SS396, IF it was original. But when I bought it, the original engine had been replaced and much body work had been done (most of the body work was very poorly done - lots of filler), and ugly paint (the car was originally blue). Photo's below show the current status - driver's side quarter panel being replaced. I've got the new one already welded on, got the tail-light installed, gas door installed. Have alot of weld grinding to do, then off to the repair front fenders. This has been a decade long project for me. While it's not laid up, I use it as a small truck,hauling all kinds of stuff in it. Thus far, I've removed the engine I got with the car, installed the correct engine (402 ci), replaced the passenger quarter panel, rebuilt the front suspension, replaced bench seat with buckets, replaced the hood and moved transmission shifter from the column to a period correct floor console.
So, this guitar gives me a smaller, simpler but fun project to work on, and provides a better guitar for me to play (been playing for about 18 months, as a hobby) My current guitar is a Jackson Dinky standard Shirken GC special (Only 243 of these made), with a digitech RP255 modeler into fender frontman 25r. But, it's their low end guitar.

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This is the other side, completed several years ago.

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These are the badges the would be on the car instead of El Camino

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and the Jackson guitar

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:30 am
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OK, got it home yesterday and started to clean it up. Arnold was correct about the bridge; there is a grey silicon-like gasket installed in the the slanted/beveled part of the bridge under the 6 screws that install it in the body. Cleaned and polished the bridge and saddles, and all that ugly rust color is gone (it came from two of the saddle screws).
Question - How tight to I make those bridge to body screws? If I tighten them all the way, the bridge lifts off the body at the bottom, which I understand is correct, and can be controlled with the screws holding the claw that holds the springs. Since I'm a hobbyist at this point, I may or may not use the tremolo in the future.

Guitar history.
Built in 95-96, bought in 97 by the owner I purchased from. He was 11 or 12 when he got it. He gigged with it alot when he got older, but hasn't used it in quite a while. He also wasn't knowledgeable at all about the mechanics of the guitar. For example, the strap posts were loose and he thought they needed to be replaced - the screws just needed to be tightened.
Considering that the guitar went through a male teenagers' adolescence and some on-stage use, I think that it was in very good, but dirty, shape.

Frets have some flat spots, and the finish between the frets is has some dull strips (under the strings) on the lower frets. Also, the middle and neck pups seem rather dull, while the bridge pup has great sound. Haven't played with the tone pots, so that may be the reason for what I'm hearing. Also, the 5-way switch is a bit staticy when switching between pups.

That's the status for now. Any suggestions/answers for what I've noticed are appreciated. Happy St. Pat's day to all.

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:21 am
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OK, for setup I'll use these instructions. Quite informative.

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... tup-guide/

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:05 pm
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As far as the frets go, being a 15 year old guitar, it could use a fret dress, $100 at your local guitar tech to take care of for you. As far as set ups go, I wouldn't tighten the screws on the tremolo too tight as you want it to float and rock back and fourth when using it. If the tremolo raises too far above the body, add another tremolo spring to the claw and block in the back..

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Post subject: Re: Picking up my first stratocaster tomorrow
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 6:56 am
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There are several frets that have flat spots. I'm going to string 'er up now that I've cleaned 'er up and see how playable it is. If I have fret problems, then a fret dressing will be in order.

Thanks DetroitBlues.

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