Modding the Original 50's Strat...yes already!

paulnb57

The Original 50's Strat popped through the letterbox yesterday and a wonderful thing it is, however I found the pickups to be quite underwhelming, so this morning saw the bonnet up and some tinkering...
First I replaced the pressed tin string tree with a Fender round jobby, just cos I like the look, then scratchplate off and replaced the stock pickups with Mojo 60's while I was there I decked the floating trem......I'm happier than I was, there is an improcement, but I might steal the Fat 50’s from my Squier and give them a try, oh and also changed the plastics to cream, a huge improvement in the looks dept IMHO, the white looks so cheap!

Before

http://i.imgur.com/JCtMjJf.jpg

After

http://i.imgur.com/3blS35K.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7KiOFDL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/66tvNLP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cVjZzgJ.jpg

stickyfiddle

I gotta admit I don't "get" this look. Original ones tend to have slightly faded pickup covers, but nowhere near to the extent you see on so many reissues

mistercharlie

I would have given the pickups on a £1,500 guitar more than a day before I ditched them. The cream covers and knobs look way better though.

Not sure I condone sunburst. 

impmann

TBH, if I was changing the plastics it would be for more authentic 50s ones... proper Bakelite. These were bone white but had a different shape to the pickup covers (more rounded over) and the knobs. Age makes these go slightly yellow but not the prostheic limb colour of some guitars.

"Aged" cream/white looks more like the vintage Jap reissues - its a cool look but not quite authentic.

Not surprised you swapped out the pickups, though... sorry Fender but other people are making better, and more authentic sounding pickups right now. And most of them are on this side of the Atlantic.

paulnb57

The cream suits me, I hear what you are saying about changing pickups after a day, but they just had to go.......however the Fat 50's were great in neck and middle positions, but still not happy with the bridge, so it all came apart a third time and Ive installed a Bare Knuckle Sinner with backplate at the bridge. I'm happy now, although next string change will see a Treble bleed* installed as its a bit muddy with volume turned down......

* @WezV I know it's not treble bleed but I can't remember the correct term, please don't beat me!

munckee

I like the cream, my preference is a parchment guard with cream, less of a stark difference than white/cream.

mart

paulnb57 said:

......

* @WezV I know it's not treble bleed but I can't remember the correct term, please don't beat me!

Magnus Magnusson: What is the correct term for treble bleed?
paulnb57: Pass.
MM: Yes, that is correct.

WezV

I’m not the sort to pick up anyone on incorrect terminology, especially if it’s related to electronics 

mistercharlie

paulnb57 said:

I'm happy now, although next string change will see a Treble bleed* installed as its a bit muddy with volume turned down......

Best Strat mod I did was adding a bass cut in place of the useless 2nd tone control. Into a Tweed Champ, you can go from filthy flub to nasty bite. Maybe give it a go while you’ve got the bonnet up. 

Andyjr1515

Fast work, Paul!

And lovely strat

NPP

mistercharlie said:

paulnb57 said:

I'm happy now, although next string change will see a Treble bleed* installed as its a bit muddy with volume turned down......

Best Strat mod I did was adding a bass cut in place of the useless 2nd tone control. Into a Tweed Champ, you can go from filthy flub to nasty bite. Maybe give it a go while you’ve got the bonnet up. 

bass cut sounds like a good idea. How did you wire it? (Of course I could just google wiring diagrams but that wouldn't guarantee that I find the one that seemed to work for you on a Strat and Tweed Champ and thus would be likely to work for me with the same.)

AlexC

Looks terrific. Great job!

Lebarque

I read this thread aghast, believing you were referring to an 'original' 50's strat. 

BluesyDave

Much prefer cream parts over the white.  I did exactly the same thing to my Jimmy Vaughan Strat.  The only other mod I'm planning is replacing the trem block with a steel one.  One that has a better fit on the trem arm!

paulnb57

My biggest gripe is the string holes in the back cover make restringing difficult when the trem is decked, the cover holes partially cover the holes in the trem block.....

BluesyDave

paulnb57 said:

My biggest gripe is the string holes in the back cover make restringing difficult when the trem is decked, the cover holes partially cover the holes in the trem block.....

..So take off the cover mate   

paulnb57

Yes, but it leaves holes...can't cope!

Funkfingers

paulnb57 said:

First I replaced the pressed tin string tree

According to the Fender product description, the Original Series Fifties Stratocaster is mainly based on a '59. The "wave" string retainer/guide first appeared in 1956. The height spacer was added in 1959.

Nevertheless, I agree that the round item looks nicer.

paulnb57 said:

changed the plastics to cream

Fifties Fender plastic parts do not tend to discolour that much AND they all seem to discolour by the same amount. The colour that Fender calls Parchment is closer to the reality.  

paulnb57 said:

white looks so cheap!

A good many things about vintage Fender instruments ARE cheap!

paulnb57 said:

I found the pickups to be quite underwhelming.

This was normal on the pre-2012 Fender AVRI series. Things improved greatly on the 2013 - 2017 AVRI guitars. Strange that they should have gorn orf again.

paulnb57

Im possibly not finished yet and am looking into more period correct aged parts as the cream is a bit too cream, although it will never be "correct" perhaps a little more subtle. I bought it really for the neck, the burst and the Nitro finish.......It will end up how I would like it to be, I can't see how it would upset the purists as its a pastiche anyway.....only a nod to the era.....

Funkfingers

paulnb57 said:

the cream is a bit too cream, although it will never be "correct" perhaps a little more subtle.

It is difficult to say what is "correct" in any event. For example, the plastic cover of every Seymour Duncan Antiquity Stratocaster pickup that I have experienced first hand has been a different shade of snotty grey-green - à la vintage Kluson keystone tuner buttons.

The best fake vintage colour that I ever saw on Stratocaster pickup covers was achieved on late Nineties white ones by a guy who had corrosive sweat issues and - at that time - smoked at least sixty cigarettes a day. They were properly kippered.

paulnb57

"Kippered"......Excellent choice!