Author Topic: Reverse Slant Strat Pickguard (Read 9890 times)

kevincurtis · « **on:** June 06, 2008, 09:16:58 AM »

I'm really happy with my Apache'd Tokai Strat...but, when I turn the wick up on the amp it does require dropping the tone control a bit to take the edge off. So it occured to me that if it's good enough for Hendrix to have the bridge pickup slanting in the 'reverse' direction then it may be worth a try, but a simple search last night proved fruitless.

Does anyone know if you can get them, or am I gonna have to self build? :(

Cheers

Twinfan · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2008, 09:45:38 AM »

I think you'll need a blank one and then cut it to suit :(

_tom_ · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2008, 09:51:35 AM »

I think WD might do custom 'guards, you just send in a template and they'll cut it. I may be wrong on that though. This place do custom stuff as well http://www.auroraproject.co.uk/

However they sent me the wrong one last time, I specifically asked for a hss guard with only 2 holes instead of 3 and they still sent a normal one. Eventually got the proper one in the end but at £15 for a custom pg there wasnt really too much to complain about.

Philly Q · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2008, 10:55:51 AM »

WD will definitely make you one, and they're excellent quality too - but expensive.

By coincidence, I was watching a DVD of an '80s show called Night of the Guitars the other day, and Robin Trower was playing a Strat with a reverse-slant bridge pickup. Most of his career he's used stock ones though.

Roobubba · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2008, 11:47:13 AM »

Am I just being naive in thinking that you could just turn the treble down a touch on the amp? Or is it the balance between the pickups that's the problem?

Alternatively, how about setting the treble side of the bridge pickup lower (further from strings)? Or does this miss the point woefully, too?

Roo

PhilKing · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2008, 01:44:53 PM »

I have a custom strat and a tele both with reverse slant bridge pickups, the Strat came form Chandlers and I fitted a left handed bridge on the Tele. Fender also made the VooDoo Strat with a left handed headstock and reverse slant bridge pickup. If you just slant the bridge pickup you won't get quite the same effect, as some of the tone comes from having a lot of the low E string behind the nut.

kevincurtis · « **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2008, 02:03:45 PM »

Quote from: PhilKing

I have a custom strat and a tele both with reverse slant bridge pickups, the Strat came form Chandlers and I fitted a left handed bridge on the Tele. Fender also made the VooDoo Strat with a left handed headstock and reverse slant bridge pickup. If you just slant the bridge pickup you won't get quite the same effect, as some of the tone comes from having a lot of the low E string behind the nut.

Funnliy enough i was also looking at left handed tele bridges, as if the strat experiment goes well I will do it to my el cheapo tele.

Thinking some more about it custom will probably be the way to go as I have a feeling that if I can find a way to experiment that I will actually want the bass end to stay put.

On the reverse slant headstock - how did you find that affected the tone? and presumably that also changed the feel a lot with different tension across the strings?

kevincurtis · « **Reply #7 on:** June 06, 2008, 02:05:07 PM »

Quote from: Roobubba

Am I just being naive in thinking that you could just turn the treble down a touch on the amp? Or is it the balance between the pickups that's the problem?

Alternatively, how about setting the treble side of the bridge pickup lower (further from strings)? Or does this miss the point woefully, too?

Roo

Hi Roo - even with treble down to zero I still need to roll off on the guitar...its ok if you want to take peoples heads off of course! :)

Woogie · « **Reply #8 on:** June 06, 2008, 02:09:43 PM »

pickguardian.com

PhilKing · « **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2008, 12:28:01 PM »

Quote from: kevincurtis

On the reverse slant headstock - how did you find that affected the tone? and presumably that also changed the feel a lot with different tension across the strings?

It does make the tension different, but not in a bad way, as it seems to even it up across the strings (though some of that would depend on the gauges that you are using). I only have a reverse headstock on a Firebird at the moment, not on any strats, however I have put together a few with reverse headstocks. It seems to open up the tone a bit, which wasn't what I was expecting at first.

kevincurtis · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2008, 01:45:54 PM »

Well - I had at the scratchplate with my trusty penknife (it was already 'customised' to fit my Tokai) and changed the angle to slightly inverse slant with bass side staying put...and have to say my initial impression is that it has made the tonal balance across the strings more suitable for me..so I will mark it up as a success :)

Next target will be the tele bridge!

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2008, 01:53:08 PM »

Make it yourself. You wont get a better template than the one you're going to take off (except for the new pup hole obviously)

Philly Q · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2008, 02:28:56 PM »

Quote from: kevincurtis

Next target will be the tele bridge!

You won't be doing that with your penknife!

WezV · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2008, 03:49:03 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

Quote from: kevincurtis
Next target will be the tele bridge!

You won't be doing that with your penknife!

should be easy to swap it for a left handed bridge - will need a little routing though

Philly Q · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2008, 04:21:56 PM »

Quote from: WezV

Quote from: Philly Q
Quote from: kevincurtis
Next target will be the tele bridge!

You won't be doing that with your penknife!

should be easy to swap it for a left handed bridge - will need a little routing though

Yeah of course, I was just mucking about. I spent all morning modifying a Tele scratchplate for a mini-humbucker, filing away at it in my tortoise-like, super-careful manner, so it made me laugh when I saw Kevin's more "direct" approach. :lol: