I hope I have the right section. If not, I'll move it. I have a Squier HSS Affinity hardtail strat body lying around at home (far away at the moment) and I replaced the pickguard with a single H bridge pickguard and 1 volume pot, so had been using it as that setup for a while.
I had a strat years ago and mainly just used middle or neck only pickups. Never bothered much with the bridge pickup.
So I was thinking of getting another pickguard, but putting the middle pickup only there (maybe something hot).
Crazy idea? It would probably look weird. Went through the Warmoth mockup and it might not look so bad. Neck strat only might work too, but middle might be more neutral sounding. May combine with a baritone neck if I can find one used, so I'd have a neutral sounding baritone...
There's probably a reason this hasn't been done before though....
Crazy idea?
Comments
If you like the single H idea and you like the single S idea, it is possible to combine the two into a single pickguard assembly by having three DPDT switches rather than a lever/blade selector.
Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group etc.)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
https://images.app.goo.gl/bibuMoAc2UKhi3oJ7
Also the option to have a slanted middle pickup only might work too.
Or go with an Oil City Brass Knuckle, which could then be split for 2 different flavours. A Lace Dually would do that too.
Bandcamp
The Silver has a fair bit more midrange than a vintage style Stratocaster pickup - a bit like a Clapton Strat with its midrange boost always partially dialled in.
The sound of the Light Blue varies according to position. In the neck position, it is a halfway house between a humbucker and a single coil. In the bridge position, it is almost like a Telecaster.
IMO, the Emerald does a nicer Strat sound than the Gold Sensor. The Burgundy sensor is supposed to sound a bit like a P90 but doesn't. On the other hand, its output level and tone might fit the brief.
My choice would be a Red sensor and a high quality audio taper volume pot.
Hardtail bodies seem to be harder to come across in the parts market, and I'd just as easily use a trem strat body (though wouldn't use the trem much to be honest), but regular trem bodies are easier to come across.
Just thinking about that, as the affinity body would be "bottom of the line"...
Replica hardtail Stratocaster bodies seem to have been on the increase this year. Check the clearance section web pages of online sellers for bargains. Many of these will be unfinished. This gives you the option to alter the routed cavities and choose where some of the screw holes will be drilled.
The Affinity guitar body is "bottom of the line" in the sense that it is manufactured, in bulk quantities, in a factory with lower than average overheads. Personally, I would rather have a skinny Affinity STRAT body made from a mystery Asian wood than anything full thickness made from poplar.
In your position, I would stick with the Squier Affinity body but modify it for either through body stringing or some front-mounted vibrato. (Kahler, Washburn, Wigsby et cetera.)