Dos MIM Strats and minor mod day w/pics

[ShortBuSX]

As Ive stated in previous posts, I love used MIM's!
I scored this '99 Midnight Blue Standard last year at a guitar expo for $225 and Ive been thoroughly pleased with it ever since.
I was looking for a used Fender Blues Jr on Craigslist bout 3 weeks ago and found this '00 MIM Sunburst Standard for $225...even though I already had a MIM Standard represented I thought itd be an excellent opportunity to compare the maple fingerboard to rosewood, as Id always grown up with rosewood my maple neck was still a lil foreign...I cant put this rosewood neck down though, maybe Im still in the honeymoon phase with this one *shrug*



To me it appears to be capped cause I cant see any seams(front or back)



For some reason I just like my back covers off. Ive also got a paint stir stick(that Ive cut down to bout 3") in between the block and the body to block the trem, works very well(and keeps the bridge off the paint) Ive done this with both.(maybe you can see it in this pic)


Although very classic looking, I really couldnt warm up to that white pickguard on a burst. So I ordered a Fender black 3 ply replacement from WorldMusicSupply and today I set out to replace it. I figured once I had it opened up Id shield it like I have my other Strats in the past.
Looked so nice under the pickguard its almost a shame to shield it or even put a pickguard over it(although I was thinkin clear prior to my purchase).


I was pleased to find my Fender replacement pickguard had a nice full sheild on it, unlike the tiny triangle the factory pickguards have.


Also Ive found the bridge pups on these to be too harsh without a tone pot, so I did some research and decided to move the mid tone pot to the bridge, ala Jimmy Vaughn.

I buttoned it back up, wiped it down with polish, lemon oiled the fretboard and restrung it...


And I think it looks alot better!:


With the wiring mod the bridge is sooooo much more useful, even with the tone pot maxed out its still better than before. The middle pup doesnt even need a tone pot, it was normally near maxed out anyways. The bridge/middle selection(I believe its refered to as the 2nd possition?) is so much nicer too, I think I will be spending more time in that vacenity.
Im gonna play around with this for a lil bit before I go doing this to my other, I may use a jumper and have the bridge share a tone pot, but for the time being this is pretty damn sweet!


Oh yeah, and the sheilding did quite down almost all of the noise, its only when I get close to my amp and turn just the right dirrection that any noise is heard.

[duhvoodooman***]

Nicely done! I really like the black pickguard with the 3TB finish. :

[warren0728]

very nice...i think it looks better with the new pickguard too! :

ww

[ShortBuSX]

Makes you wonder why they ever put a white one on a burst.
Thanks yall:

[Spudman***]

That burst looks great. Nice subtle wood grain and a lovely dark rosewood fingerboard. Score! I'm envious...I don't know why but I just am.

[ShortBuSX]

That burst looks great. Nice subtle wood grain and a lovely dark rosewood fingerboard. Score! I'm envious...I don't know why but I just am.

I dont know if Im totally sold on the white covers and knobs yet...Id like opinions if any.



Today I got to thinking bout how much mileage Ive got out of those three rolls of copper tape I purchased over a year and a half ago.

I didnt do the pickguard or jack cavity(yet) on this one, but it did help a lil on this one I did last year.


I did the Guitarnuts Lonestar mod to this HSS Squier Strat(that got stolen)...worked great, but now Im thinking all that extra effort wasnt needed, stock wiring with added shielding seems to work great.(but the Squier needed to be modded, it was beggin for it!)


So that makes 3 Strats and Ive still got more than enough to shield another guitar(or 2)...well worth the initial $18, Id highly recommend it to any Strat owner.

[bigoldron]

Man, you do some NICE work! The sunburst baby looks really good. I bet she sounds really great! The others look really good too!

[peachhead***]

Nicely done! I really like the black pickguard with the 3TB finish. :

+1... that looks great!

[ShortBuSX]

Man, you do some NICE work!

That aint work, thats just tinkerin...sometimes its just as fun and rewarding as playing. But its easy, anybody could do what I do...thanks to places like this and the helpful members.

+1... that looks great!

You gonna pull the trigger on that pearl or tortoise shell now?
Just stick with the Fender product.

I bet she sounds really great!

Its pretty darn quiet now, no hum even in the 1, 3, 5 possitions...unless I get close to my amp an turn a certain way.

And Im really diggin that UBER simple JV tone pot mod though...the bridge sounds really good in comparison...even the middle pup without a tone pot sounds great. But Im in the process of adjusting the pickups heights again to accommodate this new set up.

[M29]

Very nice: That cavity on the sunburst is sweet, I have never seen a cavity that nice, usually all the rubbing and polishing compound grunge is caked into it and is a pain to get out. Someone took good care in finishing that baby.

Nice couple ya got there and beautiful work

M29

[Bloozcat]

Good lookin' guitars there, ShortBusX...or maybe we should start calling you MIM Man....:

[ShortBuSX]

Very nice: That cavity on the sunburst is sweet, I have never seen a cavity that nice, usually all the rubbing and polishing compound grunge is caked into it and is a pain to get out. Someone took good care in finishing that baby.

Nice couple ya got there and beautiful work

M29

Yeah, it was caked in there just like all the others...I just used a dry paint brush to get most of it out and then finished with a paper towel and rubbing alcohol to prep the surface.

After looking at that pic for a couple days now, its obvious the body is capped front and back, you can see the cutting board construction in that cavity shot.
So if its capped then what would they use to cap it with??? Maple? Alder??
Im just tryin to learn more about this guitar and its construction, it isnt really all that obvious to me...although I suspected it was capped when I didnt see matched ends, and you can vaguely make out the cutting board seams under the veneer(which makes me wonder about the lack of humidity in my room).

[duhvoodooman***]

I dont know if Im totally sold on the white covers and knobs yet...Id like opinions if any.

Well, since ya asked, I'm more partial to black p'up covers and knobs. On the other hand, though yours doesn't have the rosewood fretboard, the current color scheme is very SRV:



Here's a Kisekae mockup w/ black-on-black:

[ShortBuSX]

For some reason I thought the JMayer Strat had a black pickguard too...but his is tortoise with white covers and knobs.



I dunno if I like the idea of having an SRVaughan-a-be strat...are there any other models that look similar to mine now? Dont get me wrong, I like SRV, its just my lack of talent doesnt compare...who needs that kinda pressure?

Looking at my pics, the knobs and covers kinda stand out...but for some reason its different in your hands, it just looks right...maybe it shows more white in the 3 ply and less of the covers while playing it...I dunno, but I went home last night from work and was seriously thinkin about makin em black, but once I picked it up...Im thinkin "no way!"...thanks for the mock up DVM, I think that just re-enforces the white decision, thanks!

[marnold***]

FWIW, I like the white-on-black look. Of course, I just did the reverse on my Floyd: black pups and controls on a white pearloid pickguard.

[Duff]

On my affinity strat that I just did over, I replaced the cracked and faded old white pickguard with a cool black pearl one; along with the spring cover. I put in black pups and knobs, etc.

Picture soon to follow. Crashed tonight or would have done some. I know my pictures are long overdue.

As according to the simulation, if you were to put on all black controls, etc., your strat might look too overwhelmingly black against the burst.

Maybe chrome or aluminum knobs would look good.

Then again, the white knobs look good as well. That SRV look is cool. Had to be one of the best all time blues players, in my opinion right in the Clapton category.

I really like the black pickguard as compared to the white one.

Duffy

[ShortBuSX]

As according to the simulation, if you were to put on all black controls, etc., your strat might look too overwhelmingly black against the burst.

Maybe chrome or aluminum knobs would look good.

I really like the black pickguard as compared to the white one.

Thanks for the compliment, Im really diggin it now, the look just feels right if that makes any sense...like I was tryin to tell M29 about his '51, something about starring at pics, its entirely different than holdin it or playin it, it just feels right, I couldnt change it if I tried...this is my number 1 now.

Then again, the white knobs look good as well. That SRV look is cool. Had to be one of the best all time blues players, in my opinion right in the Clapton category.

I just recently scored a MIJ that kinda loos like Blackie, I got another MIM thats midnight-blue that reminds me of Clapton in the late 80s(Miami vice lookin Clapton)...and an SRV lookin one. And I think I finally found names for em...Blackie, Hoodoo and Voodoo.

I really dig seein modded Affinities...you should post em, Im kinda anxious now.:

[ShortBuSX]

And Im really diggin that UBER simple JV tone pot mod though...the bridge sounds really good in comparison...even the middle pup without a tone pot sounds great. But Im in the process of adjusting the pickups heights again to accommodate this new set up.

FWIW, Im over the middle pup without a tone pot/knob...yesterday I installed a jumper between the lugs on one of my MIM's, so now Ive got the bridge and the middle on the same tone knob/pot...this feels kinda goofy, but all 3 pups are tamed now...although Im beginning to think a blender pot is in my near future.(1 master tone and a 250k no-load for the blender)