Hey guys, I just picked up a Squier Stagemaster Deluxe HSH (neck thru) via trade throw in. It has a licensed Floyd with a brass sustain block and a nice thick neck (for a shredder anyway). But I am definitely going for an electronics upgrade. What pickup combo would you guys install in the Squier of you had it? Note: I don't use actives with the exception of a Carvin DC200 style setup.
Also: body construction is maple neck thru with alder wings.
hi Kawai
I have about 4-5 of these guitars, I'm a big Squier fan, the ultimate hot rodder guitar.
Anyways I have a few stagemasters and showmasters. I have the stagemaster you have with the thru neck and the brass block. Personnally with this particular guitar I kept the stock pickup
I really like it. However in every other stagemaster and showmaster I own I have something no one has mentioned (perhaps because they all hate it
and think it's shit). The Dimarzio Super distortion DP100. That pickup in those guitars is awesome. A pure rock machine. The legacy of the DP100 speaks for itself. Never mind what the trendy's are playing these days, DP100 all the way!!! Best thing I ever did was buy one. I got them all for £50 or less of ebay in more or less new conditon second hand.
Here I am with a pink, 20th anniversary, maple necked showmaster with a dp100 in the bridge!!! see attached
It cleans up well, splits well, pushes amps or pedals well, doesn't cause too much string pull with it's magnets.
As for the electronics, what are you thinking of doing? The cap in everyone of those guitars is a nylon cap and definately not the standard crap ceramic disk you get in other squiers, also the pots and wiring in them are spot on. People feel they need to upgrade them because they are squiers right and generally that is true, but the stagemasters and showmasters were considered to be higher end so they didn't come with the bog standard stuff.
I sheilded mine and made them real quiet, and stuck in a DP100 in all of them bar the thru neck deluxe.