Overhauling a Squier Strat

[hutkahn]

Hey guys, I'm currently in the process of overhauling my squier strat. I know, not exactly top-of-the-line but its a decent-playing guitar and aged in quite nicely, so what the heck, right?

Here are my planned upgrades:
Stock tuners to Gotoh tuners (bought on soft)
Stock bridge to Tone Drive replacement unit (was considering a wilkinson but its almost 2x the price at SV..)
Graphtech nut

I opened up the pickguard and something puzzled me initially. The pots installed are 500k ones (tone AND volume) and a 473 cap. I intend to switch to 250k pots and possibly switch to a 473 orange drop, however I would like to know if that would make any difference (orange drop vs non-orange @ same capacitance)

Right now am waiting to enlarge my tuner holes to fit the gotoh tuners that I bought, since my tuner holes are only 9mm (vintage?) vs the 10mm the gotoh needs. So, pending that there's not much I can do short of the pickguard changes but I wouldn't want to string it up only to be told a few days later by my dad to take them off so that he can drill the tuner holes =/

Would like to hear from you guys views on the cap question, although, of course, views are subjective! But it never hurts to shed some light on the subject! Also if there are enough arguments for the wilkinson trem over the tone drive I might consider that too heh

Pickups will stay stock for now, no use upgrading them when I'm playing through a 15-watter now anyway, waiting for the eoy sales to open up some nice amp options!

 

[jejari7]

hey i'm going to mod my squire too.. it's a telecaster custom with 2 humbuckers. currently waiting for the seller's shipment to arrive. these are what i bought:
*GraphTech Supercharger kit
*roller style string retainers
*a pair of General Industries USA Made pio caps 0.022 200v
*Gotoh tuners
*custom engraved neckplate
*black hardwares (3way switch,electrosocket,pickguard screws)

will gonna upgrade the pups too and coil split.. i dunno much about caps but the seller recommend me the caps that i bought. 0.022uf is the standard caps.. higher the value will give you darker tone. i couldnt say much about caps.. its based on personal taste because its very hard to find more and valid info about specific caps that can get specific tone..
and yeah you have to enlarge the tuner hole to fit Gotoh 10.4mm bushings and i dont think you need to take out the pickguard. just the strings and the old tuners of course..

 

[hutkahn]

yep i know, was referring to having to take off the strings when its time to enlarge the tuner holes i know this sounds cheapo but why waste a pack of new strings? Haha

Black hardware is cool man, would have gone for it but don't really feel it matches my sunburst with aged white pickguard, so gonna stick to chrome. I have gold hardware on my black beauty 3 already so decided to stick with chrome.

Graphtech supercharger eh? Well since I've already got the nut the next possible upgrade would perhaps be graphtech saddles should I get tuning problems to do with tremolo use then! Good luck with your upgrades man, hope to see some pics haha

 

[backpacker]

Good to see this thread.

I'm also toying with the idea of modding my squier. It's a '97 made in Korea strat. My biggest concern is whether the quality of my guitar's body/neck would justify the mod. I do not know what type of wood my squier's body is made of and if it's solid or plywood (is there such a construction for squier?)

 

[9000]

agathis,alder or basswood. shld be one of these 3.