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Post subject: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 3:43 am
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Hi Guys,

I have a 97 deluxe powerhouse strat.
Just wanted to know what's the deal with the boost control? At 0 the guitar sounds a bit flat when I turn it up 10 it's nice and bright, I know know that's it's meant to do, but... At around 4-5-6 the guitar gets really quite and pretty much looses all tone. Then at 8-9-10 it suddenly gets ultra loud and sounds great.
Is this normal or do I have a issue??

Cheers Guys. :D


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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 7:44 am
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SuperDan wrote:
Hi Guys, I have a 97 deluxe powerhouse strat.
Just wanted to know what's the deal with the boost control? At 0 the guitar sounds a bit flat when I turn it up 10 it's nice and bright, I know know that's it's meant to do, but... At around 4-5-6 the guitar gets really quite and pretty much looses all tone. Then at 8-9-10 it suddenly gets ultra loud and sounds great. Is this normal or do I have a issue?? Cheers Guys. :D

Welcome to the forum. I owned one of those a few years back, a MIM, and clipped the resistor to go up to 25db boost. Then changed the pups, eliminated the dummy pup, in short had some modding fun. I do think the stock pickups are pretty poor.

I'm not sure if you've got a problem with the guitar. It might be that it's your ears! :lol:

I'm not joking. Same thing happens when I get an opportunity to crank my amp. Unless some time passes anything but "cranked" sounds dull in comparison.

I'd set up to get a pleasing tone without the mid-boost on and then gradually turn it up to find another point(s) you like.

Lets see some pics! :D

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 9:29 am
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I have an '06 PH Strat in Caramel Metallic and it periodically manifests some of the same symptoms your guitar seems to exhibit. A fresh battery usually cures it.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 2:04 am
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Cheers guys,
I'll grab a new battery and see if that does the trick.

Danagos, what pups you put in there? Was think about upgrading them.
Does clipping the resisters make that much difference?

Oh and I have no idea how to post a pic from my iPad....


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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 5:06 am
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SuperDan wrote:
Cheers guys,
I'll grab a new battery and see if that does the trick.

Danagos, what pups you put in there? Was think about upgrading them.
Does clipping the resisters make that much difference?

Oh and I have no idea how to post a pic from my iPad....

I put a set of Amalfitano scatter wound pups in and they were great. Use the Pups you like best. I'd recommend keeping the dummy coil in there unless you're using Noiseless, SCN, Lace Sensor or the like.

Clipping the resistors on the Mid boost pot (lower tone control) raises the boost from 12db to 25db, big difference. Read about it here: http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/guitar-owners-clubs/73924-deluxe-powerhouse-strat-owners-club.html

The pic posting: Join a (free) service like Photobucket. Upload your pictures there. Then using their "Direct" link, copy the url for the picture.

In your Forum Reply, copy the url inside the brackets created when you click the "Img" button on the header.

Use the "Preview" button at the bottom, to check it before you submit post.

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 9:40 pm
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Allrighty...
lets give this a bash :)

I recently sent a email to Fender asking about the guitar with the serial number.. they came back and told me that the serial number does not show up on their database, i have sent them these pics at their request hoping that they could identify it as it is a little diffrent from other Powerhouse strats I have seen.... I brought this guitar second hand from a fender dealership.
If you guys can shed any light on it it would be great.

Image

Image

Image

Image

and my collection so far....

Image


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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 10:47 pm
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Aside from the color and the battery-box configuration, it looks just like mine. My battery box has a hinged, integrated lid that opens by pushing down at one end. It's also positioned differently, being parallel to the trem cover. I think your fretboard radius may be tighter than mine -- I believe it changed from 9.5" to 12.0" just after the turn of the century.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 11:19 pm
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okay cool, the only other ones I have seen all had pearl pickguards and maple fretboards.


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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 11:52 pm
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The pearloid pickguard was part of the Powerhouse Strat package. Mine had one (in aged white) but I swapped it out for a standard white 3-ply......

Image

I also replaced the entire bridge with a MIA vintage-spec model (with steel trem block).

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 5:25 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Aside from the color and the battery-box configuration, it looks just like mine.Arjay

Seems to me we had an extended thread on this guitar within the past six months wherein someone used a CAR Powerhouse Strat body to build a Gilmour Red Strat copy, taking advantage of the fact that there was a place for the battery in the back of the guitar body. Suggest the OP do a search. If memory serves, the repositioning and installation of a serious battery box was an improvement to the later models. Modifying the circuit to provide the range of the Clapton midboost has also been discussed often. The OP should take advantage of the discussion.

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 6:34 pm
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Indeed there was, Doc.

IIRC that red Gilmore thingie turned out real sweet too.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 6:45 pm
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I think this is the post y'all are referring to:

http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91590

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 7:06 pm
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danagos wrote:
I think this is the post y'all are referring to:

http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91590


+1

That's a great illustration of how to do such a conversion the right way!

Very professional.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Powerhouse Strat, boost control
Posted: Sun May 11, 2014 9:18 pm
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danagos wrote:
I think this is the post y'all are referring to:
http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91590


SuperDan, take note. This is the reason why you came here. To learn how things work on a starship. :wink:

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