Opinions / Help me find parts to customize my mim strat

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jirojan

Active member
Hi guys!

I have an old black mim strat with a rosewood neck laying around that plays like a dream, but sounds and stays in tune like a nightmare. I need to change that after all these years of playing it more unplugged than actually plugged in

I just purchased a loaded pickguard with fender cs fat 50s

Now I need tuners, tuning trees (is that what they are called?), tremolo, trem arm, jack and screws

I'm going for the black/gold hardware with cream plastics look, like the picture attached

What brand would you reccomend? Also I'd like to purchase parts that match in gold, because I'm having a hard time finding parts that are the same shade of gold (ideally a darker antique gold)

What brand tuners? Tremolo?

Thoughts? Ideas?

Thank you so much for your help!
 

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Having done the 6-Screw Trem thing, you would be hard pressed to beat the smoothness and tuning stability / return to pitch of the Wudtone Tremolo. Hardened Steel baseplate with knife edges for each screw plus recessed bevels above and below the screw holes so the plate pivots in a single plane against the screws, rather than sliding up and down the screws like the original Fender design. I have 2 of these and they absolutely work like a dream. I used them on a pair of Frank builds that I slapped together years ago for a short lived VH tribute (before the King passed and everybody and their babysitter was in a VH tribute band...) My Wudtone equipped Frank builds held tune as well as any Floyd equipped guitar I have ever owned.

The only issue is that Wudtone trems are all built in the UK and the last one I ordered took FOREVER to get here (!) If I ever build another guitar, I am tempted to try the Super-Vee. The design makes a lot of sense to me and a few folks on this forum that have them absolutely swear by them. They even come in Gold to match the hardware on your guitar. If you go that route, I'd love to get your feedback!

For tuners, I cannot say enough about Planet Waves Locking Tuners. I have had good enough luck with the 'staggered height' ones that I have not needed string trees. These do come in Gold and have a unique backing plate that prevents them from rotating if you don't want to drill mounting holes in the back of your headstock. Get a Graph Tech nut properly grooved with the slots gently ramped off the back of the nut to the tuning posts, stretch your strings, and the guitar will be rock solid.

For an input jack, I really like the ones Stew Mac sells with 4 contact points rather than just 2. Really solid.
 
I've been really happy with a Gotoh 510 6pt trem on my Warmoth build.

I also got the Hipshot GripLock tuners that can install into any size tuner reams. I've been very happy with my overall tuning stability. No string tree necessary.

I'd also look into replacing the nut.
 
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I replaced the no-name tuners on one of my old partscasters with grovers, and have been quite happy with them.

I did have to drill it out to make them fit though, if that's an issue for you, make sure your replacements are the same size.
 
jirojan said:
That was done a while back, but I'm open to suggestions if you have a specific nut type you'd reccomend. Currently I have a bone nut in there
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Nope. I usually go with bone. As long as it’s cut properly you’re good to go. Throw some lubricant in it every string change.
 
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