1960 Stratocaster
This guitar is my main instrument, number one. I bought it in the fall of 1976 at Marshall Music in East Lansing, Mi. for $300. It didn't play very good at the time, and I had a local guitar repairman do some fretwork and replace the nut, which was not original. That and a setup helped a lot.
The stock bridge pickup wasn't cutting it for pushing an amp hard, which is normal for that kind of Fender pickup. I replaced it with a DiMarzio SDS-1 to get a hotter output. Tuning issues led me to install new tuners and bridge pieces, and since I never used the trem bar I had a wood block installed to settle the tuning issues. This guitar stays in tune better than any guitar I've played.
The frets were already worn when I got it and eventually I had it refretted, then refretted again about 10 years later. When I had the first refret done the fretboard was planed to a graduated radius, that is, flatter near the body and more round near the nut. This allow better playability and facilitates easy bending in the higher registers without fretting out. This is the only guitar I owed for many many years, it has been played a lot.
I love this guitar. I'll never let it go.
Mods and changes:
The stock bridge pickup wasn't cutting it for pushing an amp hard, which is normal for that kind of Fender pickup. I replaced it with a DiMarzio SDS-1 to get a hotter output. Tuning issues led me to install new tuners and bridge pieces, and since I never used the trem bar I had a wood block installed to settle the tuning issues. This guitar stays in tune better than any guitar I've played.
The frets were already worn when I got it and eventually I had it refretted, then refretted again about 10 years later. When I had the first refret done the fretboard was planed to a graduated radius, that is, flatter near the body and more round near the nut. This allow better playability and facilitates easy bending in the higher registers without fretting out. This is the only guitar I owed for many many years, it has been played a lot.
I love this guitar. I'll never let it go.
Mods and changes:
- Replaced tuners with Shallers (No drilling)
- Installed DiMarzio SDS-1 in bridge position
- Replaced original bridge pieces with Schecters
- New nut
- Wood block to lock up tremolo (no gluing)
- 5 position switch (Original went bad)
- New volume pot (Original went bad)
- Removed tone controls (Don't use them)
- Installed 2nd string tree
- Installed Strap locks
- Installed trem spring cover (Never had one)