MiM Strat - to mod or sell and start again?

munckee

I'm happy to change them/show you how to change them some time if you want so you can make a decision without parting with any moolah.  I do not pretend to be any type of guitar tech, I just copy youtube videos!

gavin_axecaster

Fuengi said:

There is something niggling me that if I sell it I'll regret not trying to get the best from it. If I do keep the Strat the poly will have to go at some point. 

Maybe the thing to do would be change out the pickups to see if I can get the tone I want from it. if I can then I'll keep it and strip the Poly finish.

If I can't then I can sell it and the pickups separately at a minimal loss - provided I can switch the pickups in an out myself (which I've never done and don't own a soldering iron) and don't have to pay somebody to do it.

This sounds like the most practical option to me. You said you like the feel of the guitar and that counts for a lot. Listen to some soundclips and choose a pickup set you like the sound of and if putting those in doesn't get you where you want to be, sell it and start afresh.
Don't go mad and try out half a dozen pickup sets!

Fuengi

munckee said:

I'm happy to change them/show you how to change them some time if you want so you can make a decision without parting with any moolah.  I do not pretend to be any type of guitar tech, I just copy youtube videos!

That would be great to meet up, thanks @munckee much appreciated..

victorludorum

I think the MIM pickups are ceramic, and therefore louder than alnico ones. If by 'bite' you mean more volume and treble, they may well do it for you. Personally I have no experience with MIM pickups, but I'm sure there are plenty of chaps on here who have had them at some stage.

Alegree

Can I dispel the notion that ceramic single coils are brighter and louder than alnico here?

It's correct when it's humbuckers because ceramic is stronger, but not true in single coils. Single coils use alnico rods, or ceramic magnets with steel rods. Alnico rods are stronger than the ceramic/steel combination and therefore you don't see the same effect as in humbuckers. Ceramic in single coils is weaker and darker than alnico, and vice versa in humbuckers.

Neil

Sell it and get something you actually like rather than try to make your current guitar more lovable by mucking around with it.

The "pie in the sky" dream may not come off and you will have invested more money in something you dislike.

WezV

munckee said:

Have you considered stripping it and nitroing yourself?  Look at @poopot s thread where he did that recently.  Then it will only cost a set of pickups.  Most important thing is you like the feel and the neck, if not flog and change.

Where do we get this free nitro ???  

munckee

WezV said:

munckee said:

Have you considered stripping it and nitroing yourself?  Look at @poopot s thread where he did that recently.  Then it will only cost a set of pickups.  Most important thing is you like the feel and the neck, if not flog and change.

Where do we get this free nitro ???  

Poopot sends him the rest of his butterscotch : )

poopot

munckee said:

WezV said:

munckee said:

Have you considered stripping it and nitroing yourself?  Look at @poopot s thread where he did that recently.  Then it will only cost a set of pickups.  Most important thing is you like the feel and the neck, if not flog and change.

Where do we get this free nitro ???  

Poopot sends him the rest of his butterscotch : )

Wish it was free!... that body used 1.5 cans of white blonde (have to buy 2 tho as Steve doesn't sell halves ) 1 can of Tinted clear and 1 can of clear... So 4 cans + postage... And thats if you don't cock it up!

munckee

poopot said:

munckee said:

WezV said:

munckee said:

Have you considered stripping it and nitroing yourself?  Look at @poopot s thread where he did that recently.  Then it will only cost a set of pickups.  Most important thing is you like the feel and the neck, if not flog and change.

Where do we get this free nitro ???  

Poopot sends him the rest of his butterscotch : )

Wish it was free!... that body used 1.5 cans of white blonde (have to buy 2 tho as Steve doesn't sell halves ) 1 can of Tinted clear and 1 can of clear... So 4 cans + postage... And thats if you don't cock it up!

What's that £100 all in? That's a significant cost to factor in. 

poopot

munckee said:

What's that £100 all in? That's a significant cost to factor in. 

£70ish providing you get it right first time... and that doesn’t include grain filling and sealer either!!!!

The white blonde strat I did took more as I got a run in the blonde at the very last minute, you can’t really fix that in a semi opaque finish. Had to strip it off and start again!...

If you are doing a solid colour, grain filler, 1can of sanding sealer, 1 can of primer, 2 cans of colour, 1 can of clear... it does add up... and then you have to consider your own ability to actually spray the damn thing!... 

munckee

Theres a lot to be said for the oil on a natural route!

SNAKEBITE

Ok, first you have to decide if it is something you want to do, then once you have decided the rest is easy.

Strip the body and neck, then paint it yourself with rattle cans from Halfords.

I went this way on a guitar kit I bought years ago and had very reasonable results in a colour I really liked. If the finish is perfect then game on, if not then perhaps a little bit of relicing might be in order. Your choice.

The neck was done in a cellulose lacquer, satin finish and worked a treat. (Note: The fretboard was rosewood so I cannot comment on how to respray the front if in maple).

With the scratchplate off you can fit the pick ups of your choice.

Reassemble with any other new parts you buy and I guarantee you'll love it because it was your own work that "made" it. Others may not, but fuck 'em it's down to you what you like.

This guitar can then be the platform for any other work you wish to try out based on the fact you've done it once and can only improve on it.