Squier Fat Strat HSS Walnut Stain

[duhvoodooman***]

Which way on your lap? Guitar upside down and neck pointing how?

The 5-way should have 4 contacts on either side. Can you clarify which is which in your description? One set is oriented toward the outside of the guitar body and the other toward the pickup cavity.

Really need to know what the wires coming out of that 'bucker are; why can't you see them?

Wiring to the pots shouldn't be relevant to the problem you're describing.

[ShortBuSX]

Which way on your lap? Guitar upside down and neck pointing how?

Pointing to the left...also remember this doesnt have a pickguard, so Im going from behind through the acess panel.

The 5-way should have 4 contacts on either side. Can you clarify which is which in your description? One set is oriented toward the outside of the guitar body and the other toward the pickup cavity.

They are all in one row on one side/kinda on top.

Really need to know what the wires coming out of that 'bucker are; why can't you see them?

I think it was because of heat sink around all of the wires...but if you read my above post, I think I figured it out.

Wiring to the pots shouldn't be relevant to the problem you're describing.

But I think its one of the grounds on the back of the volume pot thats mixed up with the thin green wire on the first terminal post of the switch.

BTW thanks for the SD page!!! You turned out to be one the most helpful people online all MONTH!!! You sir, ROCK!!!

[duhvoodooman***]

OK, this is starting to make sense now. Looks like they've wired in the humbucker backwards. It will sound normal when played just by itself, but when you switch to the bridge/middle combo, the two pickups will be out of phase. This gives a squawky, hollow sound. If you just switch the green and black wires, as you've described, that should remedy the situation.

Good deal that you have a 4-conductor 'bucker there! Gives you a lot of options for different tones if you ever want to get into some wiring mods with it. You don't see 4-conductor HB's in many "stock" guitars, especially under $200!!

Yeah, kind of looks like they swapped the neck and middle p'ups when they installed them, based on the wire colors. But the neck and middle generally don't differ much, if at all, so I wouldn't bother switching them.

That's a different 5-way switch than the standard Fender version. Not exactly sure how it's wired up, but I could take a fair guess. I looked around on the web to see if I could find a wiring diagram for it, but no luck. Nothing on the Squier website other than what you pointed out....

[Spudman***]

That's what I said: out of phase. I just hadn't figured out how to correct it. Thank you Voodoo. It sure is nice having some smart folk around here. Now I can fix mine if I ever get time...and install a push/pull pot. It's a good sounding bucker too.

For taking care of the finish...wash it if it gets too dirty with a damp cloth or use some spray furniture polish like Pledge I guess.

[Ro3b]

I think the finish is likely to be satin polyurethane, like Squier uses on their necks. You can probably get away with just wiping it down occasionally.

According to the setup guide on the Fender website, Fender spec for tremolo setup is to have a gap of about 1/8" at the rear of the bridge. This lets you use the tremolo to bend notes up as well as down. On my Squier strat, I found I get that exact size of gap with two springs on and .010" strings. You can touch up the gap with small adjustments of the screws on the claw.

[duhvoodooman***]

That's what I said: out of phase. I just hadn't figured out how to correct it.

Yes, you did! I just didn't pay enough attention!

Thank you Voodoo. It sure is nice having some smart folk around here.

If I'm so freakin' smart, why did it take me all day & 20 questions to figure out what you had already correctly daignosed from his original description? Ah, well, I think we finally got to the bottom of the cause & how to fix it....

[tot_Ou_tard]

If I'm so freakin' smart, why did it take me all day & 20 questions to figure out what you had already correctly daignosed from his original description? Ah, well, I think we finally got to the bottom of the cause & how to fix it....

Well, Spud does have one of these & he knows his strats so he already knew that it sounded like those pups were out of phase.

So Vood you are still smart cause you figured it out without listening to it.

You still didn't pay enough attention, but what's a little ADD between friends?

[ShortBuSX]

Hey! What about me? The newb, Im new at modding...dont know squat about 'lectronics...and with the right resources, I figured this out too! And heck, Im the one whos gotta fix it

Ive been thinkin...I think Im gonna wire the bucker correctly and then order a new switch and then swap the front and mid pups...or just wait and do it all at the same time.

I think its kinda cool, this problem and all...I bought this Strat cause alot of people are buying the 51 to mod...but this just seemed like a better platform for similar dough...I think its cool that I kinda gotta mod it right out of the box.

Also at first I liked the idea of the Tele style knobs...but now, sittin besides my tele...the knobs look lame and out of place. I mean a Strat without a pickguard, has a bridge bucker and a CBS headstock looks strange enough...but I think I need knobs that are distinctly Strat, yet slightly different...Im thinking maybe Muddy Waters (tele)knobs?


Or just normal black?


Anybody suggest a good site for gettin Fender small parts like switches and knobs and such?

Thanks yall for all the help and suggestions.