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Guitar Discussions -> Squire Strat Question
There are 12 messages in this thread.
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Squire Strat Question - adam79 - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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My friend recently gave me his Squire Strat. I love how the guitar
plays, but it sound like shit. If I swapped out the crappy bridge pickup
and replaced it with on of those double rail pickups that are single
coil size, do you think there will be a marked improvement on the sound
of this guitar? Or is it a lost cause?
Thanks,
-Adam
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Rufus - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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adam79 wrote:
> My friend recently gave me his Squire Strat. I love how the guitar
> plays, but it sound like shit. If I swapped out the crappy bridge pickup
> and replaced it with on of those double rail pickups that are single
> coil size, do you think there will be a marked improvement on the sound
> of this guitar? Or is it a lost cause?
>
> Thanks,
> -Adam
Get a full set of Fender SCN pickups for it...does wonders.
--
- Rufus
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Von Face - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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On Jun 26, 4:11=A0pm, adam79 <ada...@toast.net> wrote:
> My friend recently gave me his Squire Strat. I love how the guitar
> plays, but it sound like shit. If I swapped out the crappy bridge pickup
> and replaced it with on of those double rail pickups that are single
> coil size, do you think there will be a marked improvement on the sound
> of this guitar? Or is it a lost cause?
>
> Thanks,
> -Adam
There will be a big improvement!
I have a Squire Tele & put American Fenders in it.
Huge difference....go for it.
http://www.soundclick.com/edvonface
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Les Cargill - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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adam79 wrote:
> My friend recently gave me his Squire Strat. I love how the guitar
> plays, but it sound like shit. If I swapped out the crappy bridge pickup
> and replaced it with on of those double rail pickups that are single
> coil size, do you think there will be a marked improvement on the sound
> of this guitar? Or is it a lost cause?
>
> Thanks,
> -Adam
I put a standard Vintage Strat replacement with staggered polepeices on
a frankenstrat I own, and I don't think it can be improved on. Those
"rails" pickups always seemed a bit off to me, but it depends on
what you are looking for.
--
Les
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Tony Done - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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"adam79" <adam79@toast.net> wrote in message
news:-v2dncPJS5vKttjXnZ2dnUVZ_q2dnZ2d@posted.toastnet...
> My friend recently gave me his Squire Strat. I love how the guitar plays,
> but it sound like shit. If I swapped out the crappy bridge pickup and
> replaced it with on of those double rail pickups that are single coil
> size, do you think there will be a marked improvement on the sound of this
> guitar? Or is it a lost cause?
>
> Thanks,
> -Adam
The main weakness in most inexpensive electrics these days is their pickups.
A change is almost sure to be for the better. I would likely go for SD L'il
59s or similar, rather than then either blades or traditional Fender style -
especially avoiding any with vintage stagger.
Tony D
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Re: Squire Strat Question - adam79 - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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Tony Done wrote:
>
> The main weakness in most inexpensive electrics these days is their
> pickups. A change is almost sure to be for the better. I would likely go
> for SD L'il 59s or similar, rather than then either blades or
> traditional Fender style - especially avoiding any with vintage stagger.
>
> Tony D
>
does "vintage stagger" mean that the pickup is slanted? this squire has
the neck and middle pickups r straight, and the bridge pickup is
slanted. i don't have the money to invest in 3 pickups, so since i'm a
rhythm player, i was just gonna replace the bridge pickup. i'm not that
familiar with single coil pickups, and don't know how to cut out space
for a humbucker. my pickup of choice is the sd jeff beck. any opinion on
which single-coil sized pickup i should get for this replacement?
thanks,
-adam
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Re: Squire Strat Question - RichL - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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adam79 <adam79@toast.net> wrote:
> Tony Done wrote:
>>
>> The main weakness in most inexpensive electrics these days is their
>> pickups. A change is almost sure to be for the better. I would
>> likely go for SD L'il 59s or similar, rather than then either blades
>> or traditional Fender style - especially avoiding any with vintage
>> stagger.
>>
>> Tony D
>>
>
> does "vintage stagger" mean that the pickup is slanted? this squire
> has the neck and middle pickups r straight, and the bridge pickup is
> slanted.
No, "vintage stagger" has to do with the heights of the pole pieces on
the pickups. The arrangement you describe is standard for Strats.
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Tony Done - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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"adam79" <adam79@toast.net> wrote in message
news:p5-dnay-uYjaxtjXnZ2dnUVZ_uednZ2d@posted.toastnet...
> Tony Done wrote:
>>
>> The main weakness in most inexpensive electrics these days is their
>> pickups. A change is almost sure to be for the better. I would likely go
>> for SD L'il 59s or similar, rather than then either blades or traditional
>> Fender style - especially avoiding any with vintage stagger.
>>
>> Tony D
>>
>
> does "vintage stagger" mean that the pickup is slanted? this squire has
> the neck and middle pickups r straight, and the bridge pickup is slanted.
> i don't have the money to invest in 3 pickups, so since i'm a rhythm
> player, i was just gonna replace the bridge pickup. i'm not that familiar
> with single coil pickups, and don't know how to cut out space for a
> humbucker. my pickup of choice is the sd jeff beck. any opinion on which
> single-coil sized pickup i should get for this replacement?
>
> thanks,
> -adam
No, vintage stagger means that the height of the pole pieces above the cover
varies, in approximately the pattern 123412 from bass to treble, where 1 is
low and 4 is high. They were designed in the days when guitars used a wound
3rd string, which wasn't as "hot" as the modern plain third - so the pole
piece height compensated for differences in the magnetic footprint of the
string and curvature of the fretboard. I will emphasise that some folks are
happy with them, eg Les and Mark B, I'm not. A more modern stagger would be
123123, or 123111, some are 112211, and flat poles are 111111. The pole
pieces in plastic bobbin (as opposed to fibre endplate) pickups can be moved
to alter their heights. I did this with a Blade tele, from 111111 to 123123,
and I liked it a lot better that way. However, I mostly go for guitars with
P90 or standard humbucker pickups where the screw poles are easily adjusted
to suit my tastes.
The Seymour Duncan Lil 59 is a strat sized humbucker with adjustable pole
pieces, and I think moderate output. It will be warmer sounding then a
normal strat pickup, and might therefore be well suited for a bridge pickup
for rhythm. There are several other strat-sized SD pickups with adjustable
pole pieces, have a look at their site:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/index.php?page=1Tony D
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Restless Fingers Syndrome - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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adam79 wrote:
> My friend recently gave me his Squire Strat. I love how the guitar
> plays, but it sound like shit. If I swapped out the crappy
>
> sound better ?
likely
anything is better than what came with it improve it.
gut it like a fish and get put in a set from
http://store.guitarfetish.com/singlecoil.html
it was free .. right ? dress it up .
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Re: Squire Strat Question - Mark Bedingfield - 6-:26 -0-09-20
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Tony Done wrote:
>
> "adam79" <adam79@toast.net> wrote in message
> news:p5-dnay-uYjaxtjXnZ2dnUVZ_uednZ2d@posted.toastnet...
>> Tony Done wrote:
>>>
>>> The main weakness in most inexpensive electrics these days is their
>>> pickups. A change is almost sure to be for the better. I would likely
>>> go for SD L'il 59s or similar, rather than then either blades or
>>> traditional Fender style - especially avoiding any with vintage stagger.
>>>
>>> Tony D
>>>
>>
>> does "vintage stagger" mean that the pickup is slanted? this squire
>> has the neck and middle pickups r straight, and the bridge pickup is
>> slanted. i don't have the money to invest in 3 pickups, so since i'm a
>> rhythm player, i was just gonna replace the bridge pickup. i'm not
>> that familiar with single coil pickups, and don't know how to cut out
>> space for a humbucker. my pickup of choice is the sd jeff beck. any
>> opinion on which single-coil sized pickup i should get for this
>> replacement?
>>
>> thanks,
>> -adam
>
> No, vintage stagger means that the height of the pole pieces above the
> cover varies, in approximately the pattern 123412 from bass to treble,
> where 1 is low and 4 is high. They were designed in the days when
> guitars used a wound 3rd string, which wasn't as "hot" as the modern
> plain third - so the pole piece height compensated for differences in
> the magnetic footprint of the string and curvature of the fretboard. I
> will emphasise that some folks are happy with them, eg Les and Mark B,
> I'm not. A more modern stagger would be 123123, or 123111, some are
> 112211, and flat poles are 111111. The pole pieces in plastic bobbin (as
> opposed to fibre endplate) pickups can be moved to alter their heights.
> I did this with a Blade tele, from 111111 to 123123, and I liked it a
> lot better that way. However, I mostly go for guitars with P90 or
> standard humbucker pickups where the screw poles are easily adjusted to
> suit my tastes.
>
> The Seymour Duncan Lil 59 is a strat sized humbucker with adjustable
> pole pieces, and I think moderate output. It will be warmer sounding
> then a normal strat pickup, and might therefore be well suited for a
> bridge pickup for rhythm. There are several other strat-sized SD pickups
> with adjustable pole pieces, have a look at their site:
>
> http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/index.php?page=1Tony
> D
Hmm, Optus dropped most of this thread. Lil 59's won't sound like a
traditional Strat pup. Its a good pickup imho, my rhythm guitarist uses
one in the bridge position and fralins in middle and neck. But not for
Strat tone. For getting more ballsy tones I use EMG's, DG20 with SPC
boost. Also the SC Fat 50's have a bigger bottom end than most Strats
but hol onto that Straty chime too. so there are plenty of answers to
getting more herb out of a Strat. If that's what's required.
personally for Dunc's, SSL's are the answer, staggers in particular ;-)
Tho you can get them in either modern stagger or flat iirc.
Other good singles I have are of course Fender CS and EMG. I've been
exercising all thru the new Traynor and the SSL's are by far the most
Straty to my ears.
One thing to consider is that all Standard model Squiers have alnico
pups, probably better than Mexi Fender Standards. So not all Squiers
have bum pups, even some of the cheaper models with ceramics can sound
good. I still think the current Squier Bullets are shit hot. One place
that Squiers can fall down (especially the cheaper end of the market) is
tuners, also bridge mass can be a little underweight.
All I'd say is buy a Squier thinking you will have to change out some
parts, play it for a while and see what you like about it. Usually I
find the current ilk to have nice necks and be quite resonant. Half way
to a good guitar, so you may not have to bother. Incidentally the tuners
on my BSB Affinity Tele are stock, and they don't slip. That's a hell of
a Tele for $260au too. The ceramics did sound quite good in it as well,
but I succumbed to EMG's.
HTH
Mark
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