Conference napalm::guitar

    
    Well, you're into the dilemma of an inexpensive new guitar.  You don't
    want to put any money into it, because you'll never see any of that
    when you sell it.
    
    Economically speaking, the best thing you could do is play this guitar
    the way it is, save your pennies up, and then buy a used strat that's
    closer to what you really want.  You'll probably still be able to get
    $125 to $150 for it when you sell, but if it's modified in any
    significant fashion, it's going to be harder to sell.
    
    Frustrating, huh?  Well, if you really like the guitar, and you plan to
    keep it for a long time, why not go ahead and put a Floyd Rose on it? 
    Or even call Steinberger up and order a Trans-Trem???
    

     Well...I've got a guitar now that has a floyd , and I'm not saying
     I won't put *any* money into this one. It plays pretty well as it is ,
     This guitar is a spare ( for any one of my 4 other electrics ).I don't
     see this as a dilemma , but as a project guitar. I'm just looking for
     cost effective mods...
    
     Gonzo
    
      ( I'm not too concerned with resale value on this low-buck toy B*) )
    
     JT

    If it already had a Fender trem just add some Spretzel (SP?) locking
    tuners. Those will do wonders for the tremelo and their 75% cheaper
    than adding a Floyd Rose. Plus if you decide to sell the guitar you
    can always take them off.
    
    Brian
    

	Leave it be.  If you just gotta do something (I know how it is),
	check out some of the notes on noise suppression.  You can spend
	2 bucks on muffler tape and shield the cavity.  Also, $40 on a 
	professional set-up job would be a good thing.

	-pat

    I'd probably replace the pickups myself.  Just get a new pickguard and
    replace the whole assembly.  That way returning it to stock is fast and
    easy.  I might block up the trem too (or add a bunch of trem springs),
    another easy, reversable mod.
    
    I like the idea of the Sperzel tuners, the Squire tuners I've seen were 
    junk.  That way you don't need the string trees, because their height
    is compensated.
    
    Greg

     I'll probably install some kind of trem-block to install between
     the bottom of the stock trem unit and the body , to increase sustain
     ( thought I won't be able to raise the wammy anymore ) , maybe bolt a
     small piece of brass to the headstock ( ala-fathead ) and as luck
    would have it , I have a pickup assembly w/ 1 humbucker and 2 duncan
     1/4 pounder single coils. The tuners aren't to bad so the string 
     trees are in the near future also. I read in a Torres newsletter that
     by replacing the potentiometer with 100k pots. changes the tone.
     how about replacing the capacitor value ?
    
      Whats the best way to block a trem ? My idea is to get a piece of
     hardwood and cut it to size , then glue to the inner body between
     the trem. and body. I don't see how I'd be able to bolt it there.
     any other ideas ?
    
     Gonzo
                           aka        
                                                JT

    Oh yeah....I'll break out the Boss tu-12 tuner and set the intonation
     on it.
    
                   B*)      

Check out Victor Litz music if you can find a pointer. Last time I saw one of
their catalogs you could get kahler locking trems for $39.....made me sick
as I paid the $200 list for mine way back when.....

dbii

    Does that locking trem fit into a standard strat style opening or
     are we talking major surgery(sp?) here ?

kahler's require a different rout that a floyd. The one I bought came with a
template for the routing and it was quite easy to do...


dbii

     I called Victor Litz's # and got a strange tone. I don't know if they
     are out of business now or they have a new phone #. could someone
     post the latest # ?
    
    
     Jon Taylor

I have to echo an earlier sentiment.

Don't do anything that you can't reverse. Cheap guitars
don't hold their value, so if you make any mods, you'll
have to eat the cost, if you sell later. 

Of course some cheap guitars turn out to be great I
have a Squier (Japanese) P-bass and it's a great bass.

    In a recent copy of Fender's Fronline magazine in the Tech Tips column
    is a simple modification that the writer claims will cure the problem of
    high-end loss in single coil pickups when the volume control is set to
    less than full. In addition, he claims that this smooths out the
    potentiometer's taper.

    The mod consists of adding a .001 uf cap and 150k ohm resistor to the
    volume control.

    The writer is Larry Brooks who is Fender Custom Shop's Artist Builder.
    They say he builds guitars for most of the artists that Fender deals
    with. I've done this on my Tele and it does work.

    Install the cap and resistor as shown below:

     from PU >-----
                  |  150k 1/4W
                  *--/\/\/--+
                  |         |
                  *----||---*
                  |  .001u  |
                  \         |
                  /         |
          vol     \<--------*-------> to tone control
          control /
                  \
                  |
                 ---
                 ///  

    I'm sorry if I'm a bit dense (I've got an excuse, it's been a rotten
    day), but your schematic confuses me just a bit. Am I to infer that 
    you place the cap and resistor across the volume pot (from one side to
    the center wiper), or from the positive lead (not shield) to somewhere
    between the volume and tone pot? Enquiring minds NEED to know...
    
    

>    I'm sorry if I'm a bit dense (I've got an excuse, it's been a rotten
>    day), but your schematic confuses me just a bit. Am I to infer that 
>    you place the cap and resistor across the volume pot (from one side to
>    the center wiper), or from the positive lead (not shield) to somewhere
>    between the volume and tone pot? Enquiring minds NEED to know...

    Well, yes, errrr, no, umm, both. Physically speaking, for first choice
    would be correcty. Electrically speaking, there is no difference between
    the two.

    --Ron
    

    
    
    I have a guitar with one volume pot and one tone pot. There is a 
    switch on the guitar to split the humbucker's to 2 single coil
    pickup or leave the humbucker's as they are. My question is,
    Can the cap/res. modification by used for humbucking pickups
    as well? i.e. If I installed this mod. at the volume pot., would
    it only work when Iam switched to the single coil pickups?
    
    (the guitar has two humbucker's and 1 single coil pickup on it)
    
    Thanks

    
    I'm not sure why it specifically mentioned single-coil pickups, but my
    suspicion is that Humbucking types don't suffer from the same malady
    (probably becuse they don't have as much high end to begin with) as much
    single-coil types and so it doesn't make much of a difference. I don't
    think it would hurt except I'm not sure that that's the best cap value
    for a humbucker.

    
    I have a 83/84 American Strat that has one tone control one volume
    control and three stock single coil pickups.  The tone control only
    really works from 1-3 4-10 sounds exactly like full blown treble.  Is
    there an easy modification that would help even out the flow so that I
    could see changes from 1 all the way to 10 (because is doesn't go to
    il-lev-ven)?
    
    regards,
    Pat
    
    

    Is that the model that has the phone-jack located in the spot where the
    2nd tone control normally is?

    --Ron

    Yup

    That's one of the last guitars CBS-Fender put out and the variations
    were done strickly as a cost cutting measure. Given that atmosphere and
    your description of the symptoms, my guess that the tone pot has a bogus
    taper and should be replaced. Actually I'd replace both pots while I was
    at it.

    --Ron

    
    How about modifing an acoustic?
    
    I picked up a Yamaha FG-420.  Right now I'm using D'addario Bronze 
    Med-lites (about to switch it back to lites).  I was wondering if it 
    was beneficial to change the bridge saddle and/or nut to something 
    better than stock (which is plastic).  
    
    They make brass nuts, and bone bridge saddles, how about brass bridge 
    saddles (do they make brass saddles)?  I wouldn't mind a brighter tone.
    
    How about 'planeing' the bridge saddle down for better action? is this
    recommended, or not?
    
    Also (not sure if this is the place for this question but...) what are 
    some of the noters preferences on acoustic strings?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Ron.

>    How about modifing an acoustic?
    
    How about it?
    
>    I picked up a Yamaha FG-420.  Right now I'm using D'addario Bronze 
>    Med-lites (about to switch it back to lites).  I was wondering if it 
>    was beneficial to change the bridge saddle and/or nut to something 
>    better than stock (which is plastic).  
    
    Absolutely.  Plastic doesn't convey the string vibrations well, wears
    quickly causing the strings to bind, and is generally inferior in all
    respects to other materials.
    
>    They make brass nuts, and bone bridge saddles, how about brass bridge 
>    saddles (do they make brass saddles)?  I wouldn't mind a brighter tone.
    
    Personally, I don't care for brass, either for nuts or saddles.  It was
    trendy for awhile, but I think it gives the guitar a harsh, tinny,
    sound.  My preference for nuts and saddles, especially on acoustics is
    bone, but there are some synthetic materials which aren't too bad, like
    Corian.  Corian is softer and significantly easier to shape and work
    with then bone, but I like the bone better.  I've read that the Corian
    can give a more consistant response when using an under-the-saddle
    pickup.
    
    Bone should give you a somewhat brighter tone then your plastic and
    should increase your volume if it's properly fitted.  
    
>    How about 'planeing' the bridge saddle down for better action? is this
>    recommended, or not?
    
    You can basically do anything with the saddles that you want and not
    really hurt anything, since they're easily replaceable.  The great
    thing about saddles is that blanks are reasonably inexpensive and easy
    to replace, so you can experiment quite a lot with different heights
    and such without making any irreversable changes to the guitar.
    
    I'd recommend against planeing the bridge itself.  Be aware that you'll
    generally have more volume and tone with a taller saddle.  Many
    acoustic guitars come from the factory set up with a very high action,
    allowing plenty of adjustment to taste.  
    
    The easiest way to start is to use your current bridge as a template to
    cut the blank.  That'll give you a good place to begin working.  Get
    the thickness so that the saddle fits into the bridge slot snugly, but
    not so that you have to use a lot of force to get it in.  It can't be
    loose in the slot though, or it won't do it's job (and could damage the
    slot).
    
>    Also (not sure if this is the place for this question but...) what are 
>    some of the noters preferences on acoustic strings?
    
    I've been using Gibson phosphor bronze strings on my acoustic for the
    last year or so and I like the tone and the feel.  But, I'm not a
    conneseur of acoustic strings, so YMMV.
    
    Greg