Maybe its partscaster time?

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sidewinder
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Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by sidewinder »

Since you're all such a cool bunch, I thought I'd throw my ideas out there before putting them into practice and maybe someone would have something to add.

I have two problems:
1. Less cash than usual (Im moving into my own place for the first time in 2 years and need to buy every goddamn thing under the sun)
2. Serious Sunburst Strat with "texas hot" pickups GAS.

I have a black Squier SE (full thickness) that I've been doing bits and bobs on, but its getting boring, and overall, it is a bit shit and heavily lacking in mojo.

So I can either, but can't do both:
1. Just buy a mim strat and be done with it.
2. Build a partscaster, which is something I haven't done before.

Obvs the risk with a partscaster is that I buy a "great deal, such value, just like made in USA!" to quote the adverts, neck on the cheap and it turns out to be shit.

I've been doing a bit of soldering, so doing my own electronics is fine with me.

Should I grab a nice looking body off reverb? Or even one of the GFS ones? Or find a sunburst Squier gut it and use the body? Part of me feels like without a "real strat" to compare it to, I woulnd't know whether or not my partscaster was shit, but beggars can't be choosers.

Not asking anyone to decide for me, just wondering what comes to mind on your side?

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by JHorner »

3. Buy a squier standard tele off trademe cheap, spend about the same on a good setup and discover that the Strat you always wanted is actually a Tele

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by sidewinder »

JHorner wrote:3. Buy a squier standard tele off trademe cheap, spend about the same on a good setup and discover that the Strat you always wanted is actually a Tele
No problem with a '72 Deluxe, Strat headstocks are where its at.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by Aquila Rossa »

I built a partscaster before I went to Canada. Cost heaps (over $1.5K) and would never recover even half of that that money putting it on TM. I dismantled it and sold as parts and got more of my money back that way. Cheaper to wait for a good $1 reserve auction or good deal to come up, unless you can collect all the parts cheaply. A good neck and body alone will set you back a few hundred bucks. A replacement neck from Allparts etc can be okay as is, but to get the best from it they need fret work and that costs a hundred or two. Mixed reports about the Chinese necks available. NZ folk say they are okay, but Americans don't usually have a kind word to say for them. Could be bias. People here have used them I think. I have not.

Bottom line is that it is not such a money saver as it is more about that hobby thing of putting together your own gat.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by jeremyb »

^this

It's a great way to spend a ton of money on something with tiny resale value, personal experience here too....
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by Aquila Rossa »

What's more, the resulting gat was horribly bright and had zero of the "mojo" factor OP is after. In my experience a guitar gets mojo by being played and also the wood aging etc. A Squier with good frets, tremolo, pots, switches, nut, tuners, and pups would be fine. Take the polyurethane off perhaps too, if it has it. Upgrades do very little for resale value, but can improve the guitar a lot

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by JustMatt »

See if you can pickup a Jap Strat. I would rate them above a mexi any day.

If you are on a budget, pop in some new electronics and Tone Rider pickups when finances allow.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by sidewinder »

ToneLoungeMatt wrote:See if you can pickup a Jap Strat. I would rate them above a mexi any day.

If you are on a budget, pop in some new electronics and Tone Rider pickups when finances allow.
Yeah, I think they're pretty rad too. There's one on TM right now but with the System 1 Trem :bummed:

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by Bg »

dunno about the mij v mim thing, I've played disappointing examples of both...
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by sirvill »

Yeah on a budget doesn't lean to Partscaster TBH - both my Strat and Tele ended up as expensive as a second had Mexi easily.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by sidewinder »

Aquila Rossa wrote:I built a partscaster before I went to Canada. Cost heaps (over $1.5K)
Wow, I'd straight up buy a used MIA or even a Deluxe on a good deal. Pretty aware of the fact that partscasters never retain value, hell I'm even going to remove the SD pickup I added to my Squier before I sell that. Couldn't agree more, mojo does usually come with time.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by Zaulkin »

Also the advantage of a MIM strat would mean you can on-sell it for a similar price if you don't like it. Even if you choose good parts for a partscaster, there is a chance that it could come out average. I have had a few that turned out that way. A good mexi would be the way to go I think.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by Molly »

Aquila Rossa wrote:What's more, the resulting gat was horribly bright and had zero of the "mojo" factor OP is after. In my experience a guitar gets mojo by being played and also the wood aging etc. A Squier with good frets, tremolo, pots, switches, nut, tuners, and pups would be fine. Take the polyurethane off perhaps too, if it has it. Upgrades do very little for resale value, but can improve the guitar a lot
I have an AllParts Tele. Cost the previous owner a lot to build, paint etc. After it was done he didn't like the neck profile so paid to have it altered (more cost). The pickups aren't cheap (bridge is a Custom Shop) but the don't go well together and the bridge is too glassy and bright by far (maybe because the body is light). The bones of the guitar are good. Plays well, is incredibly resonant and the tuning is stable. But even after all the efforts it's still not there.

My advice? Buy a Mexi.

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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by Slowy »

There's one of the Squier range; can't remember which (anyone?) that is well regarded. The couple I played had resonant bodies and pretty good action. That's the base line IMHO.

They're probably outside your budget but the Mexi Roadworns are great.
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Re: Maybe its partscaster time?

Post by sidewinder »

Thanks guys! So much experience here steering me in the other direction, which is good!

I had no idea the end result could be so, variable.

The Classic Vibe and Pro Tone (discontinued) Squiers are the well regarded ones.

There was a Pro Tone on TM for $700 recently, don't think it sold, that's creeping into used MiM territory

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