Reworking A Korean Stratocaster
Darfuria
Nov 25 2008, 08:11 PM
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As you may have seen in my forum signature, I have a Korean Stratocaster. It is my first guitar, and I have unlimited amounts of love for it. I think guitarists always become attached to their first guitars.

My plans to get my hands on a PRS are still in the mix, and I'm hoping to find one I really like at the beginning of next year. However, my Christmas bonus is on its way in, and I've elected to give something back to the Strat that has given me so much.

It's just a stock setup right now, as far as I'm aware (I bought it preowned). It has the typical pickup noise that most poorly made Squiers have, it goes out of tune relatively quickly and the intonation is horrible. I'm thinking of getting some new pickups on there, perhaps a new nut, and obviously give it a setup so that it plays properly.

I was quite tempted to get a true-temperament neck on it, but thought that might be a little bit over the top.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You can see a small (old) picture of it here, with my other guitars (two of them are my girlfriend's, and the Guitar Hero guitar was just there whilst my bass was being used, honest).

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This post has been edited by Darfuria: Nov 25 2008, 08:12 PM


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fatb0t
Nov 25 2008, 08:42 PM
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Yeah, buy a new guitar wink.gif
Don't blow through cash on an old guitar when you can put it towards something substantial. Just my opinion though...

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Jose Mena
Nov 25 2008, 08:48 PM
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I like doing projects like this, you can end up with a nice and unique guitar, from fabot's point of view it makes sense to simply buy a new one, as you will probably spend more money on making this guitar play nice and look nice, but I'd do it for the sake of learning new stuff, I've already done it a few times and it is fun, but you need time and patience, many would rather use this time to practicing.

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Marc_Maiden
Nov 25 2008, 09:42 PM
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QUOTE (Darfuria @ Nov 25 2008, 11:11 AM) *
I think guitarists always become attached to their first guitars.




my first guitar is in pieces sitting in my garage, painted with some random colors, unfinished, and the body is all messed up because i, being my extremely smart self at the time, decided to take an industrial belt sander to my guitar.



R.I.P

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Darfuria
Nov 25 2008, 10:00 PM
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QUOTE (fatb0t @ Nov 25 2008, 07:42 PM) *
Yeah, buy a new guitar wink.gif
Don't blow through cash on an old guitar when you can put it towards something substantial. Just my opinion though...



QUOTE (Jose Mena @ Nov 25 2008, 07:48 PM) *
I like doing projects like this, you can end up with a nice and unique guitar, from fabot's point of view it makes sense to simply buy a new one, as you will probably spend more money on making this guitar play nice and look nice, but I'd do it for the sake of learning new stuff, I've already done it a few times and it is fun, but you need time and patience, many would rather use this time to practicing.


As I said - I still intend on getting a new guitar. However, as I also said, I wanted to give something back, as this guitar has taken me from struggling to switch between E major and A major, right up to jamming along to Comfortably Numb, and beyond. It's a beautiful guitar, and I'll cherish it for many, many years, which is why I feel I owe it to my guitar to give something back.

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Ivan Milenkovic
Nov 25 2008, 10:57 PM
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wow, you seem to love your acoustics mate, nice collection smile.gif

about that strat, replacing pickups, tremolo and nut are good, relatively cheap and easy ways to improve it.

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Darfuria
Nov 25 2008, 11:10 PM
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The acoustic collection kind of built up by itself really. As I mentioned, two of those guitars are my girlfriend's, but about two years after I got my Strat I bought the 12-string. Somebody gave me the semi-acoustic (which needs a lot of TLC) as a gift, because they saw it in a charity shop, and I bought the 6-string just to carry around with me as I was travelling a lot at the time and didn't want to run the risk of losing/breaking a more important guitar.

Any suggestions on pickups?

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This post has been edited by Darfuria: Nov 25 2008, 11:10 PM


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jdriver
Nov 26 2008, 06:00 AM
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How about a new vintage bridge with or without tremolo upgrade?

Check out my review with pictures of the Callaham Guitars Strat upgrade parts. I'm not sure if he makes a kit specifially for the Korean, but check his string spacing guidelines, and I bet he has one that fits.

BTW, the vintage saddles fixed an intonation problem on my low E string that even a professional setup did not fix.

It's in the Gear Review section.

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Darfuria
Nov 26 2008, 01:46 PM
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Yeah I was thinking of a new bridge, though not hugely bothered about the tremolo upgrade as I don't use the arm that frequently.

I'll definitely get some new pickups in it, because Squier pickups have a reputation of being unbranded and mostly useless. Not really sure what to go for though...

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Jesse
Nov 29 2008, 04:18 PM
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My first guitar will always be mine, I dont understand guitarists selling their guitars to buy new ones, sorry, I just dont. As my tombstone I awnt a big stone fender stratocaster xD And I want my guitar in my grave.... or not, in case of heaven being heavenly, I guess they got all guitars there up above biggrin.gif

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tommyboy
Nov 29 2008, 05:08 PM
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I wouldn't go overboard unless you really want to change the guitars character.

If I we're in you shoes, knowing I'll be getting a new guitar down the road here's my list in order of priority.

#1 New pickups and electronics (pots switches etc.) Here you have the option of everything from vintage strat tone to high gain blistering strat tone depending on your choices.

#2 New bridge/tremolo. The Squire bridge isn't terrible but getting great intonation can be a shot in the dark at best. You'll have a guitar that will stay in tune better and transmit more tone from the body of the guitar.

#3 New nut, the inexpensive plastic nut can be replaced with a high quality bone nut for not a lot of money. If done correctly can make a very big difference on tone and playability.

#4 New tuners, just makes life much more enjoyable when you don't have to fight that one string that doesn't seem to ever what to find the exact mark.

Keep us posted what you decide. I'm currently doing something similar to my old 1983 Charvel.

tommyboy




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Darfuria
Dec 2 2008, 01:34 PM
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I completely agree with you Tommy, I don't want to turn it into a new guitar, just a better guitar.

I'm not sure on what pickups to get though. I want a sort of high gain Gilmour sound.

I pretty much wanted to do everything you detailed, pickups, bridge, nut and tuners. Perhaps a little bit of body work as there is a slightly disturbing creek when any pressure is applied to the top of the body and from behind the neck at the same time.

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tommyboy
Dec 2 2008, 02:09 PM
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QUOTE (Darfuria @ Dec 2 2008, 06:34 AM) *
I completely agree with you Tommy, I don't want to turn it into a new guitar, just a better guitar.

I'm not sure on what pickups to get though. I want a sort of high gain Gilmour sound.

I pretty much wanted to do everything you detailed, pickups, bridge, nut and tuners. Perhaps a little bit of body work as there is a slightly disturbing creek when any pressure is applied to the top of the body and from behind the neck at the same time.


Sounds like the neck joint as a very slight movement happening. I seen this on other guitars I've owned in the past. Sometimes you can get rid of it by tightening the screws a 1/4 turn or so. Squires were never made to the same tolerances as Fenders better guitars.

tommyboy

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Darfuria
Dec 2 2008, 02:15 PM
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Yeah, I thought it'd be something like that. I'll take a looksie when I get to work on it.

Any suggestions for the pickups? They're one thing I really know nothing about...

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Trond Vold
Dec 2 2008, 09:17 PM
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QUOTE (Darfuria @ Dec 2 2008, 02:15 PM) *
Yeah, I thought it'd be something like that. I'll take a looksie when I get to work on it.

Any suggestions for the pickups? They're one thing I really know nothing about...


Depends on the sound your after. I dont have any experience with them first hand, but i've heard nothing but good sounds and praise from Bare Knuckles pickups. They got some Fender sets, but keep in mind.. BK arent the cheapest.

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/i...03a4b409910f6d2

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tommyboy
Dec 3 2008, 02:23 AM
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QUOTE (Darfuria @ Dec 2 2008, 07:15 AM) *
Yeah, I thought it'd be something like that. I'll take a looksie when I get to work on it.

Any suggestions for the pickups? They're one thing I really know nothing about...


Nope, I'm in the same boat you are. I'm looking for new pickups for my middle and neck position on my Charvel.

Let me know what your leaning towards and I'll do the same.

tommyboy

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Darfuria
Dec 3 2008, 10:47 AM
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I think after this Christmas madness has disappeared I'll look further into it then. Girlfriends are expensive.

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Darfuria
Dec 3 2008, 12:01 PM
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Actually, the pickups Ivan has in his strat sound awesome...

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