Meximod: My superpowered strat is complete!

[Guitarer]

I finally bit the bullet and bought all new parts to mod my MIM stratocaster. Everything is changed but the body, neck, bridge (for now), and nut (for now). I have a Black Tusq nut I wanted to put on, but only to find out the nut slot was routed at an angle, and the stock nut sanded to fit. I don't have that kind of patience at the moment...so here it is, back together. Sounds and looks absolutely gorgeous Future mods include (...the only things left ) a steel trem block, new saddles (suggestions?), and getting that new nut on there.

Stock strat:

Why did they paint over a sticker? Silly foreigners.

Tremol-No installed:

Cavity, shielded with copper tape:

Gotoh Locking "Kluson" style tuners (And GFS conversion bushings), Graph Tech Black Tusq string tree (Surprisingly, I have noticed a difference!):

Proline Black Pearlloid pickguard loaded with Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots, wired with stewmac electronics, and topped off with stewmac chrome dome knobs:

Note: Bridge pickup has bassplate installed, and bottom tone control is wired to the bridge instead of middle.

The finished (for now) product:

Clips up tomorrow!

 

[kojdogg]

sweet-- nice work! i had a sweet partscaster made for my wife for last christmas as she's been getting into guitar and i have a usa g&l legacy strat that's completely stock (unusual for me-- i like to pimp out my guitars) that i love. i impulse bought used a ssh pickguard with a p-rails pup in the bridge and a three way switch really cheap a couple of days ago because i thought it was too good a deal to pass up. now i'm determined to build a guitar around it

 

[Guitarer]

Ouch, one reply?

Thanks Koj, appreciate it!

 

[kuhniget]

Yum. I'm in the semi long-term process of renovating my MIM tele. Starting with Seymour Duncan vintage stacks which will be in Monday, put in a four-way selector, then probably switch to three saddle bridge. Debating between black or gold hardware to complement the midnight wine body and maple neck before moving into cosmetic changes. And again, very nice job on yours. Great choice on the pickguard IMO

EDIT: I'm curious, is there a noticeable difference with the copper shielding?

 

[Guitarer]

EDIT: I'm curious, is there a noticeable difference with the copper shielding?

Well, I have never tried these particular pickups without the shielding, so I can't tell you how MUCH of a difference it made, but it definitely made a difference and was worth the couple minutes of effort.

there's still some 60 cycle hum, but I can sit in front of my computer in the bridge position without a jump in noise, and playing through my ISP Decimator it's absolutely silent when not playing and when playing.

 

[Anfontan]

Yeah man, those MIM guitars are great to modify-a friend gave me a Fender Splattercaster a few years back and I replaced the Mex single coils and the pickguard. I went with some GFS single coils and one of the GFS Filtertron clones in the bridge.
Greatly improved sound IMO!!

Before..............

After...............

 

[Anfontan]

Yum. I'm in the semi long-term process of renovating my MIM tele. Starting with Seymour Duncan vintage stacks which will be in Monday, put in a four-way selector, then probably switch to three saddle bridge. Debating between black or gold hardware to complement the midnight wine body and maple neck before moving into cosmetic changes. And again, very nice job on yours. Great choice on the pickguard IMO

EDIT: I'm curious, is there a noticeable difference with the copper shielding?

Don't know about the hardware, but I just refinished a Tele kit this Spring and a black pickguard looks great with a wine colored body!

 

[kuhniget]

Indeed it does look great. Mine is a maple neck though so I'm trying to imagine how that would look

 

[darrin_h2000]

I have an old 70s strat neck with the big lettering...Ive been waiting to find a body with a broke neck to go with it...Ive only seen like 100 les pauls with broken headstocks...but those maple necks are pretty tough I guess.

 

[Guitarer]

I have an old 70s strat neck with the big lettering...Ive been waiting to find a body with a broke neck to go with it...Ive only seen like 100 les pauls with broken headstocks...but those maple necks are pretty tough I guess.

There's loads of parted strats on ebay. You can get an American made body for about $250 if I recall correctly.