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The Getting my guitar customized thread

jucas

jucas

Dec 14, 2003
2,048
8
42
Alberta
#1
Well, its time for my strat to hit the shop for some very minor modifications... It goes from a stock MIM strat (thats actually REALLY playable...)

Picture010.gif


To this (well, they're cutting the pickguard, I'm doing the rest)

Picture009.gif


A "custom" telebucker in the neck, and a tapped bridge pickup to do standard tele twang, and some higher output when I want it. Series/parallel on the selector switch, and vol/tone with a push/pull for the tap!

I can't wait... I know it won't actually be a tele, but I think it should look and sound pretty unique...
 
#8
trog said:
Nice. I ordered a black MIM Tele the other day - gonna plonk a black pickguard on when it arrives. Was thinking about changing the bridge and sticking a humbucker in there down the line, too. Almost the opposite of what you're doing :)
Click to expand...

Nice! I love a black on black tele, but for me it's gotta have that bridge pickup twang. Should be cool though, I never met a telecaster I didn't like.
 
#9
It arrived tonight, and after a couple of hours playing... that pickup change is definitely being reconsidered :p

You're right, the tele bridge pickup is fantastic. I was expecting the stock pickups to be a bit rubbish, and the neck one is a little plain, but good lord - the bridge. Ooooh, the bridge.

Your strat should be one hell of a player :bassist:
 
#10
It's here! Got the pickguard yesterday, soldered it together, plugged it in and.... nothing. :( CHecked everysolder joint (Idid the wiring) and still nothing. Finally looked at the diagram I was using off the seymour duncan website and it was horribly wrong. Found the one that came with the 4 way switch and it sounds amazing!

Picture066.gif


The pickups are phenomenal. I got them from a guy at the seymour duncan forums, and I can see why they raved about his work. Way less than any aftermarket pickup I've seen, wound exactly to your specs, with a coiltap on the bridge for vintage/overwound settings. I seriously have trouble putting it down now.
 
#13
So whose pickups are they? You mention the SD forums, but are they SD's, or are they from 'some guy'?


I'm considering getting a new set of pickups for my Hamer. Actually I was considering swapping all the electronics on it. I love having cheapish guitars made of good wood, so I can mod with a clear conscience and always have something better than what I paid for.
 
#14
It was "some guy". His name at the SD forums is Zhangliqun if you want to look up his stuff. Everyone there gave him great reviews, and his [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] were right so I thought I'd give them a shot.

His service was great, really helpful explaining wiring after I got the pickups (which were very well put together) and anything that wasn't right he was instantly on top of (I was indecisive in ordering and forgot which model I asked for. I asked after they arrived and he offered to take them back to rewind them immediately... even though it was totally my fault) He'll tweak and rewind them after you've tried them out as long as you pay shipping back.

The guy discussed all the options, and what I was looking for and wound them to the specs I wanted. After finally installing them, they sound amazing. I'm not affiliated with the guy at all, just a happy customer.
 

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