Improvements for an Squier Affinity HSS Strat

Gru

I have managed to pick up a 2nd hand Affinity Strat, Black with Rosewood board for a good price.

The body has a few paint chips but the neck is sound (nice pattern in the maple), fret board ok (lemon oil will sort) and frets seem good, just need a polish).

From my first impressions, it definately needs new strings (corroded), the scratch plate has a couple of cracks (pearl replacement, not sure what colour though), the rear cover is cracked (again easy to replace)

In the longer term, I will look at new tuners.

Would is be easy to convert a HSS to a SSS? Buy the required scratch plate, 3 new pickups and just connect?

Regarding the wiring, are things like this worth upgrading, are they really that bad compared to the standard wiring on a USA strat, looking at some new pickups I purchased, the wires don't look any better/worse than the stock stuff?

Any thoughts or advice/recommendations for getting this strat up to tip top sound/shape?

ThePrettyDamned

Wiring is definitely worth upgrading. It won't necessarily make it sound 'better', but the pots will be less likely to break and the jack socket won't give up on you.

You can get some excellent pickups stupid cheap these days that'll stand up against duncans irongears, warmans etc.

Might be worth putting a steel block in, if it'll fit.

Gru

Thanks for the reply. I have seen a good price for a Fender USA upgrade kit (wires, switches, pots) so I will definately consider that.

Hardware wise, I may looks at Wilkinson, decent tuners, new bridge with steel block and hot pickups. Should be a good project to get into.

I had completely forgotten how different it would feel in the hands compared to my Shine 510, but I like it. If I really gel with it I might even think about investing into a USA standard, but that is a long way off yet, at least next year ;-)

OilCityPickups

A Wilkinson bridge is an excellent mod ... but remember you will have to ditch the trem back plate if you do that. As the Huffy-Nutty Strat body is about 5mm thinner than a US Strat about 2mm of trem spring will stand proud of the cavity with a full depth block. I never caused me any real problems with this Strat that I modded from a Huffy-Nutty some years ago.