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Post subject: Questions about upgrading my Stratocaster to a Superstrat.
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:55 am
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First off, I know nothing about guitar electronics so please bare with me. I'm about to upgrade my stock 2013 American Standard HSS strat to higher output DiMarzio pickups. I'm trying to emulate Andy Timmons Signature Ibanez but with my Fender. I believe my strat has 250k pots (is that right?) so I'm under the impression I want to jump up to 500k pots, right? I like high output. Does that mean I need to change out all 3 pots? (Volume, Tone, Tone)

If so... what's some of the higher-quality pots available? My Fender Blacktop came upgraded with CTS pots. Is that a good brand? The knobs feel more snug and there's more resistance when turning them (which I like) compared to the stock knobs on my USA strat. They feel more solid.

Will a DiMarzio humbucker fit through the pickguard (ignoring the 3-hole mount issue for now)? The pickup slots cut into Fender pickguards fit really snug against the pickups. I just want to make sure DiMarzio pickups aren't physically larger than Fender pickups and therefor not fit through the pickguard.

I really don't want to switch to an after-market pickgaurd as I really like the official Fender mint-green one. It seems like 3rd party equivalents are way too green.


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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Stratocaster to a Superstra
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 10:32 am
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Hi levelwave: if memory serves the Am Std HSS comes with 250k pots under both volume and tone knobs. I see no immediate reason to change that: 500k pots would probably make your single-coil pickups sound unbearably shrill and glassy.

However, if you find the new humbucker just too woolly sounding then you could swap in a 500k pot to see if that removes the mud. But try it first.

If you do need to change a pot or two CTS are as good as any and better than some. And easily available.

I think the pickguard will fit, so far as the outer edge of the humbucker is concerned. Again, it's a case of trying it to see. If not, or if you find the screw arrangement annoying, I'm told that Warmoth.com's custom pickguard service is an especially good one. Myself, I used to use WDMusic.co.uk or .com's custom pickguard cutting service, though they usually require an accurate full-size line drawing to scan into their computer guided machine. Nowadays I tend to make my own pickguards, so I might be out of date on the above.

By the way, are you sure your Am Std pickguard is Mint Green? Might it instead be Parchment - which looks more creamy than green? Lotta Parchment plastic parts on modern Fenders these days: nice colour!

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Stratocaster to a Superstra
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:00 am
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Ceri wrote:
I see no immediate reason to change that: 500k pots would probably make your single-coil pickups sound unbearably shrill and glassy.



I'll be replacing all 3 pickups, not just the humbucker. The neck and middle will be swapped out for min-humbuckers (The Cruisers).

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Ceri wrote:
By the way, are you sure your Am Std pickguard is Mint Green?


No, it definitely came stock with white but I purchased an official mint green pickguard from Fender and swapped it out. Looks much better now :)

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Stratocaster to a Superstra
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:12 am
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levelwave wrote:
I'll be replacing all 3 pickups, not just the humbucker. The neck and middle will be swapped out for min-humbuckers.

Oh well, if it's to be all humbuckers then you might well find you want 500k pots.

But I'd still wait and see how they sound with the 250k ones first. 500k pots with humbuckers is the norm, but there's no law about it. And if you see how it sounds with the old pots first then at any rate you'll know what difference the higher value ones make if you put them in there. Which is a learning experience that does no harm.

Regarding the pickguard, you just have to wait and see if it fits, and if you can live with the screw hole issue. If not, well it's true, not all Mint Greens are created equal. That's just something we sometimes have to put up with.

Good luck - C

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Stratocaster to a Superstra
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:15 am
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I haven't contacted DiMarzio yet, but Seymour Duncan will install the 3 screw base plate onto their pickups if you send them the original humbucker. They charge $20 for this service.


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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Stratocaster to a Superstra
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:27 am
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levelwave wrote:
I haven't contacted DiMarzio yet, but Seymour Duncan will install the 3 screw base plate onto their pickups if you send them the original humbucker. They charge $20 for this service.

Cheaper than a new pickguard!

Cheers - C

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