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Author Topic: Squier Strat upgade project  (Read 14716 times)

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rnolan

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Re: Squier Strat upgade project
« Reply #30 on: Time Format »

Sorry if my response seemed a bit too serious, I got the jokes  :thumb-up: and was chuckling as I typed  :wave: . The caps were purely opportunistic, it was midnight, I'd wrecked the 0.022uF cap  :facepalm: , so I went looking on the 2 old compressors I'd been pulling apart to practice desoldering, then had to research what the writing on the caps means... found 2 that were ballpark (2A682J), and went from there.  I already knew I wanted lower value = more subtle tone roll and it's worked out well  :whoohoo!:

Mike asked me last night how much it had cost so I did the maths:
Squire Bullet strat ~$200, PUs (Hot Rails and Little59) ~$130 each, Wilkinson Trem $40 (great value BTW), graphtec nut $15, switchcraft jack $10, blackgrome gotohs $60, 2 dimarzio push pull pots $50, dimarzio super switch $60 so all up ~$595 then add labor (fun) ?? So quite a decent guitar for $600 ish, add hard case $700

It's one way to go and these style projects are much easier these days, 40 years ago nothing fitted coz copywrite laws and mms vs inches etc, so much is licensed now that things "tend" to fit (eg the nut was a straight swap, no filing required (as Dante said about the graphtecs)).
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tomy

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Re: Squier Strat upgade project
« Reply #31 on: Time Format »

Hey Richard, sounds like you are really happy with graphite nut : wich model is it ?
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tomy

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Re: Squier Strat upgade project
« Reply #32 on: Time Format »

Anyway, I' ve heard so many People talking baddly about wilkinson trem. I know it doesn't have the same performances than a FR, but it's still Ok to me !
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rnolan

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Re: Squier Strat upgade project
« Reply #33 on: Time Format »

Hey Tomy, the graphtec nut was their standard (black) replacement for a strat (can't remember the model/no). They do one that is curved on the bottom but has a block in the centre so you can remove (file) the centre block for a curved nut installation (ie US and Mexican strats) or not for Squire etc which has a flat nut slot. Obviously you have to get one with the right string spacing/width. So it's made of tusc and seems pretty good so far. I was pretty impressed that it just needed the old nut tapped out, dob of super glue and in it went. I thought I'd need to file the string slots but it's just fine... $15 well spent  :thumb-up:

Of all the bits I bought for this project the Wilkinson trem is not only great value ($40) but an excellent bridge. I wouldn't compare it to a FR as it's not a locking bridge setup, just a straight strat replacement. It has a nice really solid steel sustain block, stainless steel everything else (including saddles). And the screw holes are overloid/widened so it fits easily for a variety of guitars.  Trem action is good, the bar doesn't screw in, but has a small grub screw to tighten it so it doesn't fall out.  I have it set to come back flush with the top, this will allow easy dropped D. If I float it I'd consider a HipShot tremsetter (which I have on both FRs (Anderson and Tele). But so far it's going well and I would definitely recommend them as a high qual replacement bridge. Very well made, adds lots of sustain, fitted easily, nice and shiny LoL
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rnolan

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Re: Squier Strat upgade project
« Reply #34 on: Time Format »

Ok would I change anything from where it's got to ? There's some aesthetic changes that Mike suggested as currently the super switch has a black knob and the trem, vol and tone knobs are white, maybe they should all be black, would look better although easiest right now is make the s-switch knob white (it came with the alternative).

From a playing perspective, push push pots would be better (or 3 x 3 pos switches but then I'd need a blank scratch plate or it will look a bit dodgy). Next change of strings I'll move the neck vol pot to the lower tone position and bring the tone knob to the middle of the 3, just easier to get at and pull up when desired (push push pots would fix this problem better...).  At some stage I may look at floating the trem, currently I have returning to flush (which will allow dropped D if desired), then I'd need to add a Hipshot tremestter..

Other than that, this is all a good idea for anyone with a Squire strat (that their kid they bought it for didn't get into... which is where it started for me LoL). But pick your squire carefully, they do vary, pick one that plays well  :thumb-up: , the hardware will suck, but you can change that...
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