Gilmourizing the Squier

DannyP

Last week, as documented in my GAS thread, I bought this Squier for £69 on eBay:

Couldn't stand that pickguard so this was the interim arrangement:

which is fine, but I fancied follwing @lloyd 's advice and trying a black guard.

DannyP

So I ordered a guard from Dangleberry, and some pots and caps from Axesrus, all of which arrived yesterday:

And, in Gilmour style, I had an inch off the arm!

DannyP

I wanted a recessed mini-toggle to switch the neck pickup in like Gilmour has, so I set about some crude micro-carpentry to create a little box for the switch:

Frankieabbot

What's this? Modding by numbers? I like it.

DannyP

Wired it all up:

I didn't make the neatest job of the hole in the plate for the recessed toggle, but it's very small and it's all black, so it's not very visible at all.

DannyP

So there you have it, a Gilmour strat for about 1/35th of the price of the Fender version.

That's right, you could have 35 of these for the price of the custom shop one!

DannyP

Frankieabbot said:

What's this? Modding by numbers? I like it.

Sorry, I've finished now. Carry on!

stickyfiddle

Looks good, but you need to junk the ceramic pickups, dude!

lloyd

Looks nice, good job.

DannyP

stickyfiddle;606939" said:

Looks good, but you need to junk the ceramic pickups, dude!

Yep ceramic pickups and plywood - what a piece of sh*t, eh?

Actually, it sounds really good, so I'm not rushing into any upgrades. It's made my reassess some of my snobbery and prejudices.

mart

Where did you find the recess switch? I was looking for something like is, but could only find a much clunkier switch.

But it has made neck+bridge my favourite pickup combination on the Strat! That made up for the unpleasant surprise that having all three pickups on just sounded meh.

Fuzzdog

DannyP said:

Yep ceramic pickups and plywood - what a piece of sh*t, eh?

Actually, it sounds really good, so I'm not rushing into any upgrades. It's made my reassess some of my snobbery and prejudices.

I gigged with a stock Korean Squier Strat for a few years when I started out - sounded great.  I thought it was just rose-tinted (and probably beer-tinted) memories until I played another one recently, and found it to also sound really good - no idea why, as they really shouldn't when you consider the construction, but for some reason they just do.  I've certainly played US Fenders which sounded a lot worse.

DannyP

mart said:

Where did you find the recess switch? I was looking for something like is, but could only find a much clunkier switch.

But it has made neck+bridge my favourite pickup combination on the Strat! That made up for the unpleasant surprise that having all three pickups on just sounded meh.

@mart - it's a bog standard 2 throw mini toggle, but I built a little box around it so that it was recessed back from the pickguard. the 'box' is glued to a wooden plate through which 2 of the pots are mounted to keep it in place. 

You can buy this switch and bracket from the States, http://www.stratcat.biz/4031p.shtml  but I am WAY too tight for that!

@fuzzdog - Yeah, I think you mentioned that you liked these Samicks, I'm certainly enjoying it so far. I might do a little video if I get time tomorrow.

mart

DannyP said:

@mart - it's a bog standard 2 throw mini toggle, but I built a little box around it so that it was recessed back from the pickguard. the 'box' is glued to a wooden plate through which 2 of the pots are mounted to keep it in place. 

...

Wow! So simple, and yet it looks so good! 

OilCityPickups

That looks brilliant ... Love those Squier necks.

DannyP

TheGuitarWeasel said:

That looks brilliant ... Love those Squier necks.

stickyfiddle said:

Looks good, but you need to junk the ceramic pickups, dude!

Well I finally gave in and decided to upgrade those ceramics @stickyfiddle !

Just bought some pickups from @MatthewShreddery in the classifieds.

@TheGuitarWeasel - they are a set called Oil City Stone Tones or something? I'll see how I get on with them

Rhoadhouse_Music

At least you'll be able to enjoy playing it, rather than sit around all day polishing it!