I modded my Squier 51

[elavd]

Today I modded my Squier 51!!

I bought some stuff from GuitarFetish and I did the following mods:

1) Changed the white pickguard to a tortoise shell one:

2) I put the Dream 90 bridge pickup and the Fatbody Oversized Polepiece Tele Neck Pickup:

3) I've changed the tuners with the Wilkinson Vintage style ones:

(I had replaced the decal to a "Fender Fiftyone" some time ago...)

4) I put a concentric pot. Now I have have both volume and tone controls


5) I replaced the rotary switch to a cheap 3-way switch. In a few days I will put a Les Paul type one because this one is very bad...


My first impressions from the Pickups are VERY GOOD. I liked very much the neck pickup because it sounds like a tele but with its own personality (it has also some strat-ish sound in it). The Dream 90 sounds like a dark single coil pup, or a bright humbucker one (I have no experience up to now with p90s, but I guess that's how they are supposed to sound...)

The tone control is very useful! You can achieve a very good jazzy tone from both pups, by cutting it.
I experimented with the capacitor value and found that a .033 one was the best for my taste...

The volume pot works now much better than the cheap stock one and has a longer usefull range.

The tuners feel more stable, but I was dissapointed by the fact that although they are vintage styled, the strings is not coming in the tuner from above, but from the side...

The pickguard is not 100% the same as the stock one is shape, but it fits the body perfectly. 3 of the pickguard holes didn't line up with the ones on the body, so I had to make 3 new holes (very easy...I didn't have to drill the body, as the basswood is very soft wood).

One of these days I'll record some clips to hear my modded beauty

 

[elavd]

2 more photos:

The photos were taken before I put the screws on the pickguard...

 

[t_ross33]

BOO YEAH! That looks suh-weet Elavd! Nice work.

 

[Big K]

agreed! nice job on the mod's to make it your own....

 

[M29]

Looks great elavd! I like the mods you made, I added a tone control on mine and am happy with it too. tortoise always looks great with black. I have a SB and was thinking about trying tortoise. I like the white line laminated with the tortoise it really brings it all together. Very nice indeed.

M29

 

[oldguy]

Very nice! I have yet to finish mine, but I think tortiseshell is cool on the black. That is what I used, and I love it! I think the tone control is a good idea, I've yet to change mine.
Congrats on the mods, you have a very great looking axe there, Elavd!
Question... is the concentric pot difficult to wire? This may sound simple, but I've never done one before.

 

[elavd]

Thanks guys!!! I am glad that you liked it!!!

I wish I could get the neck tinted, and also a bit glossy...

Question... is the concentric pot difficult to wire? This may sound simple, but I've never done one before.

No it was not difficult at all!

I used this wiring diagram:
http://www.instituteofnoise.com/squier51/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17

from the Squier 51 Modders Forum

You can also find 2 more wiring diagrams here

 

[oldguy]

Elavd,
To tint the neck you can use Bullseye Amber Shellac, and to coat it you have many options (poly, etc.) This will make it shiny and not sticky if you use another topcoat. This is what I did w/ mine, I've just not had time to finish it yet. Check out my pics on the '51 Squier mods thread if you want to see how it came out.
http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=2556

 

[elavd]

Elavd,
To tint the neck you can use Bullseye Amber Shellac, and to coat it you have many options (poly, etc.) This will make it shiny and not sticky if you use another topcoat.

Did you you sand the neck first before applying the Shellac?
Can you give me some details on the procedure of tinting?

I am afraid that neither I can find this product in Greece nor I can buy it online...

 

[oldguy]

I wiped mine down with acetone, but the "Squire" and "crafted in Indonesia" ink began to fade, so I ended up lightly sanding those out. That is the light spot you see in my pics of the neck.
Shellac is a fairly univeral finish for wood, perhaps you could find something similar in Greece?
I mixed the amber shellac 50/50 w/ denatured alcohol and wiped it on thinly until I had the tint I wanted.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Very cool mods elavd. I especially like the new vintage tuners...they came out good you did a good job. Did you have to make any adjustments to the holes for the tuners? Where did you get that Fender Fiftyone decal?

 

[elavd]

Did you have to make any adjustments to the holes for the tuners?

I bought these conversion bushins:

I've just learned that GFS used to sell CORRECT vintage style keys:

Where did you get that Fender Fiftyone decal?

I made it by myself on Corel Draw

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I bought these conversion bushins:

I made it by myself on Corel Draw

Hey I have Corel Draw! So you printed the decal on water slide paper and applied it to the headstock? Did you coat the headstock over with some coating? Can those bushings be used on the Kluson vintage tuners?

 

[marnold]

Excellent work. I've been toying with the idea of getting the GFS Deluxe B/W/B pickguard, installing a volume and tone pot, and drilling a hole in the pickguard for a Gibson-style switch. Of course, with my desire to get my Tele project underway, my wife would impale me on a pike if I talked about modding my '51 too.

 

[elavd]

Hey I have Corel Draw! So you printed the decal on water slide paper and applied it to the headstock? Did you coat the headstock over with some coating?

Actually I used self adhensive glossy transparent film. I printed the logo on the transparecy, and I used a gold marker to paint it VERY carefuly from the sticky side of the transparency.

I paid great attention not to touch the sticky side because I would leave my fingerprint's grease on it, and I cut it very close to the letters.

If you pay attention to the last step, then the margins of the transparency won't be easily visible from a relatively close distance.

For best results you can coat the headstock

I took the idea from this site:

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/logo.htm

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Actually I used self adhensive glossy transparent film. I printed the logo on the transparecy, and I used a gold marker to paint it VERY carefuly from the sticky side of the transparency.

I paid great attention not to touch the sticky side because I would leave my fingerprint's grease on it, and I cut it very close to the letters.

I you pay attention to the last step, then the margins of the transparency won't be easily visible from a relatively close distance.

For best results you can coat the headstock

I took the idea from this site:

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/logo.htm

It looks pretty good on your photo. Thanks for the information. R

 

[Robert]

Looks great. I would like to upgrade my tuners too. Do you notice if your '51 stays in tune better with the Wilkinson vintage ones?

 

[Sblack]

I love the mods and the look of your guitar.

I modded my blonde '51 by installing a GFS string-through bridge and ferrules and a set of GFS Gotoh-style tuners. The guitar never goes out of tune, and I play it everyday.

I am thinking about that pickguard now -- thanks.

 

[Robert]

So GFS has a string through bridge for the '51? Hmm, maybe I should try that. I replaced my '51 bridge with a GFS one, but it wasn't string through. It sounded slightly better but not a huge difference.

I don't know much about tuners - why Wilkinson or why Gotoh?

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Really cool, Elavd. If I do get a 51 sometime, I would like to get a blonde and tortoise it. Those other mods look great too.

 

[Sblack]

So GFS has a string through bridge for the '51? Hmm, maybe I should try that. I replaced my '51 bridge with a GFS one, but it wasn't string through. It sounded slightly better but not a huge difference.

I don't know much about tuners - why Wilkinson or why Gotoh?

Yes, GFS sells a hardtail for strats and teles that is a perfect fit for the '51(I used this one); I also bought the ferrules from GFS. I had to drill holes in the body for string passing and counter bore the back of the body for the ferrules, but it was not that big a deal. The string through bridge, for me, makes a huge improvement in sustain and overall tone.

I bought the Gotoh-style GFS tuners because I have liked the solid performance of Gotoh SG tuners in the past. The tuners sold by GFS are identical to Gotoh SGs, right down to the washers used. They are solid tuners with no problems for five months of everyday play.

I have a pair of GFS's Wilkinson locking tuners on my Kramer Strat. They work superbly as well and hold tune as effectively as my GFS Gotoh-style tuners. They are staggered and allowed me to remove the string trees on that guitar.

I hope this helps, Robert.

 

[elavd]

Looks great. I would like to upgrade my tuners too. Do you notice if your '51 stays in tune better with the Wilkinson vintage ones?

Although I didn't have the chance to play a lot with my modded 51 (I was out of town for some days), I think that they are better than the stock ones. I will post my opinion again in some days

Yes, GFS sells a hardtail for strats and teles that is a perfect fit for the '51(I used this one); I also bought the ferrules from GFS. I had to drill holes in the body for string passing and counter bore the back of the body for the ferrules, but it was not that big a deal. The string through bridge, for me, makes a huge improvement in sustain and overall tone.

Can you give as some extra information about the body routing???

 

[elavd]

Ok, here is a clip that I've promised!

I used my Fender Pro JR amp, and a Shure SM57 mic and recorded over a backing track.

I've later added some software reverb and a subbtle delay on SONAR.

On the clip you hear:
1) (playing on the key of Bm): the GFS Dream 90 Bridge pickup with full treble on the tone pot
2) (playing on the key of Cm): the GFS Dream 90 Bridge pickup with 3/4 of treble cut off with the tone pot ==>wannabe-jazzy playing...
3) (playing on the key of C#m): the GFS Fatbody Oversized Polepiece Tele Neck pickup with full treble on the tone pot
4) (playing on the key of Dm): the GFS Fatbody Oversized Polepiece Tele Neck pickup with 3/4 of treble cut off with the tone pot ==>another one wannabe-jazzy playing...

Unfortunately, I didn't record the combination of the two pups because the crappy switch had some troubles (I must change it ASAP)...

You can find the clip here:
http://www.box.net/shared/uqc2ycg5y7


PS: I will record a clip using some overdrive the next days

 

[Big K]

very nice selection on the pickups, creamy smooth clean tones......

 

[elavd]

Thanks Big_K for your compliments