WARNING! - Guitar content!!!

pfschim · #1 09-05-2007, 10:37 PM

ok, so I have decided to repair a MIM Fender Strat that I picked up years ago to fool around on. It's actually a pretty nice guitar but recently the pots have started to be sort of funky and the volume pot definitely needs to be replaced. No amount of contact cleaner has cleared up the scratchiness and cut-outs.

So, I took it apart and saw that each pot has several solders, but they looked do-able. I was just going to buy a new volume pot and solder it in, but looking around the interwebs I saw that there are several places that sell full "pickguard assemblies" with pots, pups and everything all wired up and ready to go other than connecting to the input jack and the pup ground.

I saw a huge range of prices .. from $50 at StewMac for what appears to be a basic but workable replacement solution, to $475 at Torres Engineering for what seems like a hyper pro pup replacement/upgrade. My question is; for just fooling around on the instrument, will it make a great deal of difference if I go with the very affordable StewMac version, or is this one of those instances where you really do get what you pay for.

Any help here ??

Hawaii Islander · #2 09-05-2007, 10:50 PM

I recently replaced my pickup assembly on my strat (that I just sold to my sister-in-law). I think its a case of you get what you pay for. I would look for an upgrade in the pickups from the original. i.e, MIM >> American or American >> American Deluxe, etc.

I replaced the American HSS pickups and assembly with an EMG (David Gimour) DG120 Pro setup. Very nice but it cost me $295 new.

Here are before and after pics.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

It took me less than 1/2 hour to swap them out.

Good Luck!

pfschim · #3 09-05-2007, 10:54 PM

yeah, I like the idea of a quick and easy replacement, its just that this guitar is really just for fooling around on and I'd rather not spend $250 or more on a super pup upgrade deal.

Thanks for the reply.

kalipigeon · #4 09-05-2007, 11:00 PM

You might check out www.guitarfetish.com, I've used their pickups before as well as some of their other electronics. They're a marked step up from the standard Squier/MIM pickups, and I think for strats they sell prewired guards.

69nites · #5 09-06-2007, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfschim

yeah, I like the idea of a quick and easy replacement, its just that this guitar is really just for fooling around on and I'd rather not spend $250 or more on a super pup upgrade deal.

Thanks for the reply.

if it's just to screw around on and you don't want to buy anything too expensive why would you try upgrading at all?

If you're fine with how it sounds and it's just the scratchy POT that irritates you I'd just stick in the volume pot and call it a day.

bluestarbass · #6 09-06-2007, 09:33 AM

if your trying to save money id just do it yourself, your definately paying a premium for them to do it. If your not good at soldering heres your chance to practice. Worst case scenario you burn a pot real bad and your out $5. If all you have to do is replace 3 pots and in input jack those parts should not cost you anymore than $20. IF you want to change out the pickups and pickguard then maybe a preassembled part may be easier and better use of your time. Im a pretty big DIY guy, ive never had a tech work on my stuff. In fact the one time i did the guy told me he couldnt figure it out, and in an hour and some internet research i did it myself.

LeoFenderBender · #7 09-06-2007, 09:48 AM

It would be much cheaper to just remove and replace the pots - Acme Guitar Works has every part you would need. If you don't have that skill, then check out the Acme web page:

Acme Guitar Works

You can order a custom harness with or without pickups, with or without a blender pot, with or without a volume kit, etc. etc. If you call them, ask for Brian [Tone Dog]

pfschim · #8 09-06-2007, 01:57 PM

thanks to all for the replies.

The issue has been nailed, I am not so great at soldering

.. I can do it in a pinch but would rather not if I can avoid it. Thats why the discovery of full assemblies was a cool idea to me. OTOH, given the situation ... just a guitar to fool around with, I'm not really interested in dropping $200. So, the StewMac $50 full Strat assembly sounded good. I just wondered about the quality is all. The guitar sounds perfectly fine to me with the current pups, it's just the volume pot is shot.

I will probably just bite the solder (heh!) and replace the busted volume pot for $4 and brush up my hot iron skills. perhaps I should just buy two pots just in case of pot (sic) burnage ??

Thanks

202dy · #9 09-06-2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfschim

thanks to all for the replies.

I will probably just bite the solder (heh!) and replace the busted volume pot for $4 and brush up my hot iron skills. perhaps I should just buy two pots just in case of pot (sic) burnage ??

Thanks

This is the least expensive way to go. If soldering is not your one of your mechanical strengths, practice on scrap. Next to that, taking the guitar to a pro to have them swap out a pot is not going to break the bank. It will still be cheaper than purchasing a wired pickguard assembly.