Improving Squire

[RuiSalvador]

First of all sorry, i know that there´s allready lots of topics, but i'm so exciting with finding this forum that i wanted to open a new thread.

Here's the thing, i have a Strat Squire Affinity, which i want to improve, but i don't have lots of money, so i thought changing the pickups , the Nut and the Bridge/tremolo.

I'm in the mood to buy the GFS lil' killer rail for my bridge position , and a new bridge\trem from GFS , but someone told me that the bridge would outsize the guitar , forcing me to remove my backplate . Any sugestions for the bridge ?

And the lil killer , anyone played it ? and another pickups to get along , Tonerider, Wilkinson, GFS , etc , any sugestions ? money is short, help would be great =$
Guitar Nut, a new one is needed ? abou pots and caps and electronics i don't know what to change either

I play everything, Clapton, Gilmour, pearl jam , mars volta , metallica, QOtsa,...


Thanks Guys

[birv2]

I've got the same guitar. The main thing I've done is change the pickups. In order, I've had:

1. Stock
2. Mighty mite Tex-Mex pickups
3. Custom Shop 54's
4. GFS Premium Alnico Vintage
5. Pickups from a 70's Japanese strat copy, called a Lori

I like #5 the best, and I'll probably keep them in for a long time. I finally decided to try something different and started looking for something off the beaten path. I think they cost me $35US. They sound great -- juicy and hot.

The only other thing I've changed is to make the bridge a hard-tail. Nut, tuners, bridge, etc., are all stock. I always get nice comments on my sound when I play out.

I'm at the point now where I've decided to stop tinkering and start practicing.

YMMV. It's a pretty good guitar to start with!

[Commodore 64***]

Every time I go into GC, there's this white Squier Affinity strat for $119. It's been there for months, getting beat up more and more every week, but I always use it to test amps and stuff. I like it quite a bit. If I didn't have a MiM Strat at home, I'd be tempted to offer them 90 bucks and see what they said.

I've been looking at upgrading the trem block on my MiM strat with a GFS block, just because it looks simple and I'm a busybody. Regarding the nut...I dunno if I buy all the hype about nuts. Now, I have filed a nut to accommodate strings that were binding but as for replacing one for beter tone? That seems kinda snakeoily to me.. If the strings don't bind, and it stays in tune, I really can't imagine there being much use to upgrading the nut.

If you Squier doesn't fret out, or buzz, at an action height that you are comfortable with, I say play on! Unless you like to tinker. Best not to tinker with your only axe tho...look for an el cheapo used (I got a 45 dollar Epi Strat copy to try nut filing and PuP swapping).

[Bloozcat]

The Affinity Strat bodies are thinner than a standard Strat body be it a Squier, MIM, MIC, or American. That does cause a problem with the trem block protruding from the back of the guitar.

I put a std. steel block trem in one of these bodies for someone once, but I had to take down the block about 1/8" or so to make it fit with the trem cover on. That left the string ends flush with the bottom of the trem block, but it worked!

If you're on a strict budget here, this humbucker gets great reviews from everyone who tries it. As I've been told by the happy users, don't let the cheap price fool you.

http://pickersparts.auctivacommerce....er-P95880.aspx

OOPS!- just noticed, you need a single coil size pickup...never mind....

[tunghaichuan***]

http://pickersparts.auctivacommerce....er-P95880.aspx

OOPS!- just noticed, you need a single coil size pickup...never mind....

Just as well. I was all set to buy a couple of bodies from them, except the guy who responded to my email was a total dick. They are located near where I live and I offered to drive over to pick them up, but all I got was static. All I wanted to do was make sure the Fender bridges I have would fit the bodies, and this douche got all bent out of shape and wanted me to pay a "service charge" and made like I was really putting him out. Way to blow an easy $500 sale. Idiot.

[Ch0jin]

I've been looking at upgrading the trem block on my MiM strat with a GFS block, just because it looks simple and I'm a busybody.

It IS simple, as long as you make sure you get the string spacings correct. It'll also make a difference to your sustain and tone, with one big fat caveat...

I had the same thought some time ago and ordered a Wilkinson bridge and trem block from GFS expecting a big improvement in my MiK Squier. This was based on a bunch of talk about the steel trem blocks sounding much better than the pot metal Squier ones.

When I came to remove the old one though, low and behold, someone had -already- replaced the bridge and trem block with (I can only assume) a unit from a Fender USA Strat. The new Wilkinson trem block and the "old" one were the same weight and sounded to me like the same kind of metal. Tone wise they sound identical.

The important discovery for me though was the bridge that had been fitted before I got the guitar was the wrong spacing for a Squier and left the high e perilously close the the edge of the fretboard. The new Wilkinson is the correct spacing so I'm less prone to pushing the e off the fretboard.

[Tig***]

It IS simple, as long as you make sure you get the string spacings correct.

GFS on tremolo block replacement sizes:
"We stock blocks for the three commonly available six-screw fulcrum tremolos.
Asian- 10.5mm string and screw spacing with a center-mounted trem arm....
"Made in Mexico- which is 10.5mm spacing with a trem arm set towards the back of the block.....
and USA which is 11.3mm spacing and the trem arm towards the back of the block and angled."

I'll soon order the brass block for my Squier CV Strat. I thought about replacing the complete tremolo and block assy., but what it came with is exactly like the GFS kit offers, minus the larger block.

I've also read that GFS supplied Squier the Alnico 3 and 5 pickups for the CV 50's and 60's Strats and Tele's, so I'll leave mine stock.

//OP:
RuiSalvador,
You can't go wrong with the pickups from GFS for the most part. If you go with the LilKiller, stick with either the Vintage 6K or maybe the Modern 10K wound pickup if you are leaving the middle and neck pickups stock. Otherwise, maybe the Calibrated Set of 3 Lil Killers would be fun and will match the hotter bridge pickup! Don't rule out a single Neovin bridge pickup, either.

[RuiSalvador]

GFS on tremolo block replacement sizes:
"We stock blocks for the three commonly available six-screw fulcrum tremolos.
Asian- 10.5mm string and screw spacing with a center-mounted trem arm....
"Made in Mexico- which is 10.5mm spacing with a trem arm set towards the back of the block.....
and USA which is 11.3mm spacing and the trem arm towards the back of the block and angled."

I'll soon order the brass block for my Squier CV Strat. I thought about replacing the complete tremolo and block assy., but what it came with is exactly like the GFS kit offers, minus the larger block.

I've also read that GFS supplied Squier the Alnico 3 and 5 pickups for the CV 50's and 60's Strats and Tele's, so I'll leave mine stock.

//OP:
RuiSalvador,
You can't go wrong with the pickups from GFS for the most part. If you go with the LilKiller, stick with either the Vintage 6K or maybe the Modern 10K wound pickup if you are leaving the middle and neck pickups stock. Otherwise, maybe the Calibrated Set of 3 Lil Killers would be fun and will match the hotter bridge pickup! Don't rule out a single Neovin bridge pickup, either.

Yes was thinking of buying the 10 k bridge lil killer, just assuming that the 15k would be too much agressive, (dispite that i want the rail to give me a bit more of strenght in my sound ), wrong Thinking ?
I just don't know what to buy for middle and neck ... the set o killer wouldn't be to much "modern sound "
About the trem, maybe i'll stick with mine, about electronicss, not sure, maybe i'll buy the pickups, get help to install, and send the guitar to a setup =)

[t_ross33]

I have a Lil killer in my MIM Strat and really like it. I ordered the 10K, but the box it came in said 6K. It seems a bit "hotter" than the stock p'ups so maybe it's a 10K after all?? The other mod I did was to rewire the tone controls so the front tone controls the neck and the back tone controls the bridge - a nice feature with the humbuckin' rails. I did not elect to split the coils [EDIT: but in position 2 - middle/bridge - only the front coil is used of the bridge p'up], and used the Fat Strat wiring diagram from the Fender site except with the addition of the tone mod.

[Duff]

If you get the hot 16 kOhm little killer you might be able to screw it down away from the strings if it's too hot.

I put one in a strat hard tail and it was a great bridge pickup with a lot of tone and a real strong output hitting the input of the amp. Great hot pickup. It didn't cause trouble with the other pickups. It was great for bridge hot leads.

[RuiSalvador]

Thanks for the answers.
I decided that the new trem for now, it's out of the budget.
I'm just trying to decide if a buy the 10 k or 15 lil killer .
Well if someone could suggest a set of 3 nice pickups, i woul use two of them , and sell the bridge pickup to someone, or let it stay around here, could be usefull .
next it's just figure out if i'll buy new pots and caps, and why, and what jobs they do exactly, and find someone that can help me install all, then, setup, new strings, and buy a new amp in a cpuple of months =D

[RuiSalvador]

neck pickups ?