Basically all things being even I'd say the electronics and pickups are going to pretty much the same quality there. If you want the best of the best, something like an American elite with the Fender name proudly emblazoned across the headstock will easily set you back over $1,500. I see MIM strats on sale for between $225 - $250 on Craigslist. By changing the wiring scheme, we convert the first tone pot into a blender pot, blending the pickups. You don’t need to believe me either, just look at their ratings on any eCommerce site. V-Mod Strat Pickup Set. The Fralin quality and workmanship are as advertised! we will get a bridge+neck pickups option just like a telecaster(! Thanks for visiting. 12 Best Stratocaster Pickup Reviews and the Best Stratocaster Pickup Brands. The "7-way switch" or "Gilmour mod" is the easiest and most effective modification for your Stratocaster, giving you additional tones with minimal … The mods include installing locking tuners and a bone nut, filing fret ends (more a maintenance issue than a mod), installing a better output jack, and adding strap locks. A buddy bought a Strat from a Best Buy, obviously made in Mexico, but had a great fretboard and body to begin with. Plus, if you really want that American Strat sound without breaking the bank, you can always buy an MIM and mod it with new pickups, electronics and hardware. I don't know much about what years are good, but the last MIM strat I bought is a 50 anniversary and the guy who sold it to me said I'd want to replace the vintage tuners. I got a prewired strat pickguard with the blues hot pickups and the blender mod with master tone for my 2012 MIM strat! Compare prices on new and used Fender Standard Strats on Reverb. If your body is under 1 3/4", you will need a cut down block. The pickups look like Strat pickups until you turn then over to look at the back. The only real downside to the Fender strat is the price point. I recently had a friends MIM Strat to pces doing some work on it. Just google "Treble Bleed Mod" for a schematic. The Fender Stratocaster could very well be the most iconic electric guitar of all time. Musiclily 11 Hole Loaded Strat Pickguard SSS Prewired Scratch Plate with Single Coil Pickups Set for Fender USA/Mexican Stratocaster ST Style Guitar Parts, 4Ply Tortoise Shell 4.5 out of 5 … They are much more like P90's in construction than proper Strat pickups with 2 Bar magnets rather than the slug magnets. A blender pot allows you... 3. With these entry-level Fenders, you'll be able to find bodies made out of the tonewoods most associated with the iconic guitar, like ash and alder. In pursuit of the holy grail of Strat tone. Please Note: This guitar wiring diagram is property of GuitarElectronics.com Inc. Using a blender pot is another great use for that 2nd tone control on a Strat. It was my first time working with soldering, and I am very pleased with the results. Since it’s introduction in 1954, the Strat has been featured on countless recordings, and played by rock, punk, jazz, blues, soul, R&B, and country artists the … The MIM may be slightly better in that regard. I'd say a used MIM or Squier Classic Vibe are good choices. How many Stratocaster mods can one do to this wonderful instrument? I think a MIM strat for $250 is a good deal. To find out how, check out our articles on creating your DIY Stratocaster and selecting the best Strat pickups. I just got done with these mods on my MIM Strat. It's a great time to upgrade your home music studio gear with the largest selection at eBay.com. First: start with a Strat bought from ‘Best Buy’. We partnered with this groundbreaking player to create the Ed O’Brien Stratocaster — an instrument as unique as his sound. My 2003 American Series Stratocaster has gotten some upgrades within the last 10 years…Strat Mods. In the words of the owl, “The world may never know.” Here’s a list of the things that I’ve done to my current Strat over the past 11 years: Even the less glamorous deluxe models sit at around $800, and the American standard series that many players clamor for generally retails at around $1,000. For a Strat to sound its best, the strings must be able to ring cleanly and this is achieved through adjustments to the truss rod tension and saddle heights. Re: Best cheap strat to mod? This unbelievably simple mod will keep all of your Strat controls (switch and pots) in the very... 2. The Squier Bullet Strat seen above, while cheap, is the best low-cost traditional Strat you can buy.And like I said just recently, "traditional" means the old-style 6-screw bridge and no tone control wired to the rear (bridge) pickup. Reddit. Fender dealer and repairer Phillip McKnight demonstrates five simple mods anyone can make to a Strat. We have had countless customers tell us that they perform this simple mod on every single Strat they own, so it cannot go without mention in this area.9) Points of String Contact- this would include the tremolo saddles, nut, strings trees and tuner posts. ... Brass saddles were a popular mod in the 70s and 80s and are claimed to improve sustain and thicken up tone. Made life much easier for me, considering it was my first real venture into the electronics of a guitar. Great deals on Fender Stratocaster MIM Electric Guitars. (1) 1 product ratings - Fender Player Stratocaster, Maple Fingerboard, 3 Tone Sunburst Finish - MIM The neck on the MIM may be more to your liking or not. The Fender Standard Stratocaster (MIM) just might be the most popular guitar under $500. Here are the mods I did on my MiM strat: Loaded pickguard with Custom Shop '69 Strat pickups. If you have guitar related questions, use the "Search" field or ask the community. Though it arrived a few years after the original Broadcaster/Esquire Teles that made history as the world’s first mass-produced solidbody electric, the Stratocaster quickly became Fender’s best-selling instrument, a tradition which has lasted to this day. That’s right the Best Buy Electronics Store. That's a personal preference. Important Strat Dimensions For you to choose the correct Callaham bridge for your instrument, you must determine your body thickness, string spacing, and mounting spacing. Fast & Free shipping on many items! 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