Light - I Need Your Opinion:

R

Robert Herndon

New member
I have this 1986 Squire Strat with a Rosewood Fingerboard and the tiny frets. I have had this guitar since new and it is stock except for a HS-3 in the bridge.

There are a series of cracks in the wood of the body between the top contour of the body and the bridge. They have opened up in the wood over the years, but don't seem to have any effect on the instrument structurally.

I have 5 springs on the stock tremolo (I don't use it) and it is resting on the body. The inntonation was reset accordingly. I prefer this for heavy, palm-muted rhythm parts.

I hate to admit it, but this guitar plays so well. It probably plays better than any of my other guitars.

I love the sound of the middle and neck pickups when played through a 'clean' channel, but the bridge pickup is just too thin and bright for what I am doing.

I have been considering adding a humbucker in the bridge and using noiseless single coils in the middle and neck positions, probably via one of Carvin's pre-wired pickguard assemblies.

My question is, how does a light body (like my Strat) with a humbucker, compare to a bigger, heavier guitar like my Hamer Standard or Gibson Explorer???

I was thinking about the M22SD, but since I use a solid state amp, I don't think I need all the output. As a result, I am thinking about something like the Seymoure-Duncan JB series or the Carvin equal of an exposed coil PAF.

My Hamer Standard has Duncan Covered PAFs and the sound is great, except the bottom end is a little thin when overdriven. I'm just not quite getting the crunch, almost, but not quite. I'm all out of amp adjustment.

I have thought about just going with a new guitar, but I haven't been too pleased with what I have seen lately. The best one I have played recently was the Schecter C-1 Blackjack. It has the 25.5" scale I prefer, Strat-Styling and a nice flat profile to the frets.

The thing I didn't like was the huge volume difference when switching from dual to single coil. It was really pronounced. You really had to crank up the volume to get the single coils to come through, then roll it off when switching back to double coils. Is this normal??? I like the instrument in all other respects, but my old Strat really would be ideal if it had a humbucker in the bridge and for hundreds of $$$ less.

What insight could you give me to help me get as close as possible to the sound I am looking for on the first try???

Thanks to all for your time...Robert (Zcode400@sbcglobal.net)
 
Just Try It...

Good Morning, Robert.

It sounds like you really like that Squire, so why not slap in the Carvin pre-wired? If you don't like it, you can return it! It's only $130 which ain't bad for 3 pickups.

http://www.carvin.com/products/part.php?ItemNumber=AG1W

My Carvin does not have any volume issues wehen switching p/u's on and off.

Best regards,

apl
 
Robert Herndon said:
What insight could you give me to help me get as close as possible to the sound I am looking for on the first try???
Click to expand...

I thought about this while shaving this morning, and the mathematician in me says, "Indeterminate".

First, there is no way to know exactly what sound you're looking for, and second, there is no way to know exactly what the Squire will sound like with the changes.

But take heart, Robert! Getting as close as possible on the first try is nice, but not vital.

IMHO, there are two distinct and almost independent aspects to electric guitars: how they play and how they sound. You've got one you love to play, and that makes you a fortunate son. Getting it to sound the way you want it to ain't that hard, and a little experimentation will be fun.

my .02
 
I appreciate your input and you are indeed wise when it comes to guitars and equipment.

This Strat was bought for me by a band I auditioned with when my borrowed guitar shorted during practice. I always considered it korean made junk and never played it that often, quickly switching to a Gibson Explorer as sson as I could afford too.

I never analyzed my playing style or sound very much back then, I just played and played loud. Now, I am starting to appreciate those subtle differences in the instrument.

I use .010" strings and they have a nice, full sound on my Strat, but they are too heavy on my Hamer and Gibson due to the different scale length. When I put .009"s on the Gibson, the sound changes to a thinner, brighter tone.

The other thing I noticed on the Strat is I don't have any tendency to 'touch' the other strings when bending a note, but I have to be consciously aware of this on both the Hamer and Gibson. It really can be a problem with very radical bends.

I can't tell you why this is, unless the string spacing is wider on the Fender. but I have yet to measure it. It certainly seems like they are spaced wider at the bridge, but both the Hamer and Gibson are noticeably wider at the nut.

Honestly, I am almost embarrased when some of my friends come over to jam and I pull out this cheap Squire, with the finish worn off in spots and most of the pickguard screws rusty.

I love my Hamer Standard. It sounds great, but it's not as comfortable for me to play. I realize this when I throw on my Strat after a long set. It's almost a shame the Hamer and Gibson spend more and more time in the case!!!

I have this 4" wide black leather guitar strap I made back in 1984. It is cut to fit a Strat and has no adjustment. It fits only me and it is so comfortable to play. I can't beleive the cheapest guitar with a homemade strap works so damn well!!!

Sorry to ramble on, but I really enjoy this forum and all the input I receive.

I think I'm going to give the Carvin pre-wired pickguard a try with a M22 and two single coils.

I will keep you posted...Robert
 
whoa..did someone hack that site? when I click the link..for a second i see the words "DIE" in the upper left hand corner, then it loads to the website..weird...anyway, i have a seymour duncan SH4 JB humbucker in my squier strat from '96 with 2 mighty might single coils in it..she sounds great...and yeah i hate to admit it, but my squier sounds good too
 
Sorry I haven't responded yet, but I have been very busy since yesterday. I will try to post something tonight, but it may not be untill tomorrow.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Re: Just Try It...

apl said:
My Carvin does not have any volume issues wehen switching p/u's on and off.

Best regards,

apl
Click to expand...

I was referring to a volume drop when 'coil tapping' between double and single coil.

Is that what you mean???...Robert
 
I took some measurements tonight. What I found was surprising and helped me to understand why the Stratocaster feels so much more 'roomy' than my Hamer or Gibson.

The Strat fingerboard is approximately 1.620" wide at the nut and the Hamer (not including binding) is about 1.560" overall.

The string spacing at the nut is 1.372" on the Strat and 1.400" on the Hamer.

The fingerboard width at the 21st fret is 2.185" on the Strat and 2.125" on the Hamer. (If I include the binding, the Hamer measures 2.215" at the 21st fret.)

The real eye opener is the string spacing at the bridge. The Strat measures a generous 2.185" compared to the Hamer's conservative 2.031".

Quite honestly, the Hamer looks like it could easily adapt the Fender's wider 2.185" string spacing, though it probably wouldn't be worth the custom bridge and tailpiece.

With my huge hands and large tipped fingers, I can really get some nice, clear vibratos on my Strat, but I am hitting the neighboring strings on the Hamer when I employ the same technique.

I also attack the strings very hard (.010"s with a 1.0mm Dunlop) which gives an almost 'wah' sound on some songs. With the tiny Fender frets, I can really clamp down hard on the rythym parts and never pull any of my notes sharp.

I am sure the guitar is 'covering' for my aggressive technique, but when I tame down my playing, I lose the expression in my tone.

I remember watching Stevie Ray Vaughan once at Buddy Guy's Club in Chicago and he literally exploded onto the fretboard. I mean he bent and plucked those strings so hard, you were sure they would break...He blasted his emotions through that guitar. He was one of the most impressive guitarists I have ever seen.

I find the Strat allows me to play aggressively and still sound 'in control' of what I am doing, but with a Gibson, I sound very sloppy, especially when bending strings.

I'm seriously considering a 1.875" neck in the future, but until then, I am going to add the humbucker to the bridge position of this old Squire and see how it works out.

When I look at the chart on the Carvin Pickups, they show the M22SD having the greatest amount of 'low' output. I am not sure such a high output pickup is necessary with a soild state amp, but I need as much 'low end' as possible, yet still have a nice sound when playing on a 'clean' channel.

I guess its time to get out the Monster-Card and start experimenting!!!...Robert
 
I just noticed that Stewart-MacDonald has a Schaller Roller Tune-O-Matic Bridge with Adjustable String Spacing.

I'm thinking of adding them to both my Hamer and Gibson and stretching the string spacing out to the 2.185" (at the bridge) like my Stratocaster.

If it allows me some more 'room' for lead playing, maybe these fine guitars won't spend quite so much time in the case!!!

Has anyone ever actually installed one of these bridges??? Do they require a special tailpiece???

Thanks for your time...Robert
 
Putting a humbucker in your Strat will involve routing out the body to accept the humbucker. This should really be done by a professional, as it is quite possible for the router to catch, in which case either you guitar or you hand will be ruined, maybe both.

The wider pickup area of a humbucker is probably the biggest difference in the sound of the two pickups. Any frequency smaller than the width of the pickup will have some degree of phase cancellation, which is why Fender sized single coils are, generally speaking, brighter than full sized humbucker (And why stacked humbucker are dissatisfying for those of use who love humbuckers). The humbucker in the lighter woods is a fine combination (in fact, the two older electrics I still have are Warmoth neck and alder bodies with humbuckers). I think it is a great combination, but then I always used to like Eddie Van Halen's tone (usually alder or basswood bodies, always with humbuckers). Actually, my favorite combination right now is an alder body, mahogany neck through, and humbuckers. At any rate, I like humbuckers in Strats.

Now, as to your measurements, why would you not include the binding when measuring the Hamer neck? The binding is part of the neck, so include it, and you will probably get almost the exact same width as the Strat, maybe a little more.

Gibson’s are generally 1 11/16" at the nut, Fenders are usually 1 5/8" at the nut. However, Fenders necks taper more, so they are wider at the bridge, and they are wider than a Gibson neck anywhere above about the fifth fret because of this.

I would advise you against using a roller bridge, as I really think they rob a lot of the sound from the guitar. The connection is just not as solid as I would like it to be, and I believe that to be a very very bad thing.

Spacing of the strings above pickups is very important, so I would advise that if you get a humbucker for your Strat, you get a Fender spaced humbucker, as it will help with the consistency of the strings volume. Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan both make "F" spaced humbuckers, though not necessarily in all models. Duncan certainly does in both the JB and '59 models.

I think that was everything.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Thanks, Light....

The Carvin has 22 pole pieces, so it should be adjustable, regardless of string spacing. I'm going to try the Carvin because I can send them back if I don't like them and I can get three pickups pre-wired in a pickguard for about $130.00 and everyone else wants about $50.00 to $70.00 for a humbucker by themselves.

What do you think of the very high output 'Super Distortion' pickups with a solid-state amplifier???

I used DiMarzio Super Distortions in my Ibanez Destroyer back in the 80s and they sounded great on a clean channel. I don't want to lose my clean sound, but the 'SD' pickup has more low output and that is where my tone is currently lacking.

Too bad about the roller bridges. My Hamer has wider string spacing at the nut and if it had Fender string spacing, it would be much more playable.

I have done a lot of routing on bodies in the past. The best way is with a vertical mill, but I have obtained great results with a 90° die grinder and a wood burr. This also allows me to leave the tremolo in place while working.

I am planning on later switching to a Warmoth or USA Hardtail Body and a wider (1-7/8") neck. I figure I can later restore my Squire to original and buy the conversion parts a piece at a time and have two Strats.

I should have done this in the first place. Oh well...Live and Learn...Robert
 
Apl, you are probably correct......

But I don't like the shape of the Carvin headstocks, even though I beleive they are top quality items.

Having the Squire allows me to build a little at a time and eventually restore it once I have a new body.

I am also restoring my first guitar.... a 1961 Danelectro with the beaverboard body....Fun!!!...Robert
 
I just went crazy today....

I ordered a Carvin Pre-Wired Pickguard with a M22SD in the Bridge Position and AP11-2 Single Coils in the Middle and Neck Positions.

I was able to special order all the pickups in the cream color that I like so well. Most of them are black, but I think that just looks so plain. I prefer the rich color of the cream pickups.

I also decided to try the Schaller Adjustable Roller Bridge in the Hamer since it was only $30.00. Now I can set the string spacing out to 2.190" like the Stratocaster and I already have a full 1.400" string spacing at the nut.

I will still have to contend with the short 24-3/4" scale length, but this Hamer has such a great 'jazzy' sound when played on a clean channel. It would be nice to have a little more 'room' on the fretboard.

If I replaced my 'covered' Duncan PAF's with an 'exposed coil' version of the same pickup, what influence would this have on my sound???

Thanks for putting up with all my questions...Robert
 
My amp is a solid state amp (a Paul Reed Smith Harmonic Generator). It really needs high output pickups to sound it's best. But that is my amp, and my opinion, so I don't have any idea how that would compare with your amp and your ear.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light,

Hopefully, my solid-state Marshal will also respond favorably to the high-output Carvin M22SD.

I don't know what kind of ourput my Duncan Chrome Covered PAF's have, but I wouldn't think they are really high output units.

What's your opinion on that???...Robert
 
Hey, Robert.

When I got my Carvin, I had a Music Man tube amp, and I could never get it to sound right. But through my friend's Marshall, it was just outstanding. Then I talked to somebody who said the Carvin pickups are too hot, and it seems they were correct.

So I bought a Digitech RP50 as an amp modeler, ebayed the amp, used the proceeds to buy recording equipment.

To sum up, I think you'll be please with the Carvin pickups through the Marshall.
 
Been gone for quite some time....work...mortgage....kids....trying to get back into recording and wanted to pop up and say hello....Robert
 
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