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#275708 - 30/04/10 11:44 AM upgrade squier strat picups
fedlad fedlad Be Nice (I'm New!) Registered: 30/04/10 Posts: 9 Loc: uk	I play a black squier fat strat - nothing great but have a limited budget. Was looking to get the pickups changed (professionally) as its still got the original squier ones. Can anyone recommend good pickups that would beef up the guitar sound? I play punk/hardcore/grunge/metal with a dancelectra pedal.
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#275709 - 30/04/10 11:52 AM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: fedlad]
Pete Buchan Pete Buchan Professional Forumite! Registered: 22/03/02 Posts: 378 Loc: Aberdeen	A possible way of doing this would be to get one good pickup (Humbucker) in the bridge position. Most punk/hardcore/grunge/metal is played with that pickup. I'm not up to date with the best metal pickups as all my guitars are set up with quite vintagey pickups. The likes of a seymour duncan JB might be a good place to start. Perhaps something a little hotter. If you do go for a humbucker, remember that you're best to get a 'trembucker' or a 52mm spaced one as they are designed to on a guitar with a fun-stick. A gibson spaced one will fit, but the poles on the pickup won't line up with the strings. Also note that you will need to buy a new scratchplate, or cut out a hole in your old one. Pete
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#275710 - 30/04/10 11:59 AM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: Pete Buchan]
fedlad fedlad Be Nice (I'm New!) Registered: 30/04/10 Posts: 9 Loc: uk	Cheers. Would you change the other pickups as well?
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#275711 - 30/04/10 12:00 PM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: fedlad]
Pete Buchan Pete Buchan Professional Forumite! Registered: 22/03/02 Posts: 378 Loc: Aberdeen	If you use them it wouldn't hurt to change them. If you just change the one pickup, you might be disappointed by the standard pickups when you change the selector switch position! It all depends on your budget really.
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#275719 - 30/04/10 02:54 PM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: Pete Buchan]
stickyfiddle stickyfiddle Spam Commander (Forum Council Member) Old Timer Registered: 22/04/04 Posts: 5874 Loc: London, UK	I would imagine on a squier the spacing is probably the narrower, modern fender standard- so any humbucker should work. As for pickups, Iron Gear are the usual best value for money recommendation. _________________________ PSN: stickyfiddle
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#275725 - 30/04/10 05:00 PM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: fedlad]
Scrooge Scrooge Old Timer Registered: 30/11/02 Posts: 1259 Loc: Aberdeen	Originally Posted By: fedlad I play a black squier fat strat Originally Posted By: Pete Also note that you will need to buy a new scratchplate, or cut out a hole in your old one. Sorry Mr Pete, am I missing something? To the OP: I was a bit of a metalhead in my younger days...ahem...I did a fair bit of research into the pickups available, there are so many you could go for. What kind of sound are you looking for? I mean, can you name a band, or song, that could give me a better idea? I might be able to suggest something ballpark. Also, whats yer budget? Steve. _________________________ I've always prefered natural sounds to the synthetic...and valves grow on trees, dammit!
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#275726 - 30/04/10 05:09 PM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: Pete Buchan]
Scrooge Scrooge Old Timer Registered: 30/11/02 Posts: 1259 Loc: Aberdeen	Originally Posted By: Pete Buchan If you just change the one pickup, you might be disappointed by the standard pickups when you change the selector switch position! So true. If you replace one pickup, before you even decide if you like it, as soon as you touch the selector switch you cant stand the sound of the stock squier ones anymore lol! You also mention getting this installed professionally. Unless you can get it installed on the cheap, I can see it costing as much as a middle of the road pickup. If you're going to pay for this to be done, you might as well get your moneys worth and replace the lot. The upgrade will probably cost what your squier did. Better that than replacing the one pickup professionally, deciding you cant stand the stock pickups and paying someone AGAIN to install the rest $\:o$ ...do you know anyone with basic soldering skills? Steve. _________________________ I've always prefered natural sounds to the synthetic...and valves grow on trees, dammit!
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#275735 - 01/05/10 03:33 AM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: Scrooge]
fedlad fedlad Be Nice (I'm New!) Registered: 30/04/10 Posts: 9 Loc: uk	Cheers mate, good advice. I'm an old punk at heart really - the main stuff I play is Ramones, Clash, Sex Pistols, old American punk like Social Distortion, Bad Religion. I like 70s AC/DC, Motorhead as well. The sound I'm after is more the vintage punk stuff. What pickups would you recommend - humbucker and single coils? My budget would be say up to £70 for the humbucker and £120 all in. Someone recommended irongear though I found a seymour duncan jb sh4 as cheap as £58 by shopping around online. What do you think?
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#275736 - 01/05/10 04:30 AM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: fedlad]
Lurcher Lurcher Professional Forumite! Registered: 09/02/09 Posts: 899 Loc: Tipperary, Ireland	Irongear make good pickups. For what you are looking at, in a Strat, I'd be thinking along the lines of a Hot Slag humbucker and either Jailhouse Rails (SC size 'buckers) or Pig Iron singles if you want to retain the Strattiness of it as well. That would come to about £90 or £70 respectively for the set. Brian _________________________ I pick up my guitar and play Just like yesterday Guitarist with The Silver Hoarde. Geriatric Metal for your weddings and wakes.
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#275744 - 01/05/10 08:00 AM Re: upgrade squier strat picups [Re: fedlad]
Scrooge Scrooge Old Timer Registered: 30/11/02 Posts: 1259 Loc: Aberdeen	Originally Posted By: fedlad the main stuff I play is Ramones, Clash, Sex Pistols, old American punk like Social Distortion, Bad Religion. I like 70s AC/DC, Motorhead as well. The sound I'm after is more the vintage punk stuff. What pickups would you recommend Ah, sorry mate, I dont listen to any punk at all. If you add details like this to your topic in the main guitar forum you might get some good suggestions $\:\)$ Steve. _________________________ I've always prefered natural sounds to the synthetic...and valves grow on trees, dammit!
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