Author Topic: Stratocaster Scratch Plates. (Read 6806 times)

Flashheart · « **on:** June 28, 2008, 05:38:22 PM »

i just got my hands on an ESP Vintage Plus

http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_vintage.html

I'm assuming a BKP scratch plate wont fit onto one of these, but I just want to make sure, does anyone out there have any experience with it?

Thanks!

Mike

Philly Q · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2008, 07:00:03 PM »

It looks to me like a standard Strat scratchplate (or BKP one) probably would fit.

But it really depends whether ESP said to themselves "it's obviously a Strat copy, we might as well use a standard Strat scratchplate", or whether they said "let's move the screws around ever so slightly, just to prove it's NOT a Strat copy".

Welcome aboard, by the way :) . Very fine looking guitar, which colour/fingerboard is yours?

Fikealox · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2008, 09:33:03 PM »

It's the one on the right in this pic, Mr. Q:

Hey Mike, as you know, I've had a nightmarish time finding a non-SSS pickguard that'll fit. I can tell you the neck cavity in the pickguard is deeper than the strat pickguards that StewMac supplies (but maybe the standard Fender pickguards for Jap Strats would fit. I really wish I knew). http://pickguards.us/priceesp.html has a template for VP pickguards, and a huge number of colours available, and they're not too badly priced (with cheap shipping), so that's where I'm going to try to get mine.

Why do you want a new one? Are you thinking of routing it like I'm doing, or do you just want a different colour scratchplate?

Philly Q · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2008, 09:52:27 PM »

Quote from: Fikealox

It's the one on the right in this pic, Mr. Q

Hey Mike, as you know, I've had a nightmarish time finding a non-SSS pickguard that'll fit. I can tell you the neck cavity in the pickguard is deeper than the strat pickguards that StewMac supplies

I knew you had one, didn't realise it was three! :)

Does that mean SSS does fit (subject to modifying the neck cutout), or have you still got the stock scratchplates?

Fikealox · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2008, 10:10:37 PM »

I'm actually down to one Vintage Plus now :) I traded the sunburst to Flashheart for an ESP Viper, and the one in the middle for my friend's snow white ESP Eclipse full thickness (with nailbombs!) I'm routing the one I have to HSH and putting a Painkiller (or something?)/Trilogy Suite/Nailbomb combo in it :D

I visited about 10 music stores in Sydney, and one of them had scratchplates where the screwholes seemed to line up okay, but I was only looking for HSH pickguards at that stage so while the salesman was wasting his time trying to tell me an SSS or HSS pickguard would fit I didn't bother double-checking myelf. I doubt he looked at the neck pocket, either, and for some reason on the VPs the cutaway on the pickguard is deeper than usual (or deeper than the StewMac one). Plus, the salesman didn't immediately know what HSH meant, so I'm skeptical...

Still, there's a chance that an SSS pickguard could be sourced locally (if only in a few colours), but I think probably going to the website I listed would be the fastest, safest, easiest, and probably cheapest option ($41US shipped for basic 3-ply).

indysmith · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2008, 11:22:06 PM »

ohhh those are SO sexy.

Flashheart · « **Reply #6 on:** June 29, 2008, 02:04:25 AM »

ahh yeah that site looks fantastic, thanks Liam, i'll probably just go one from there, i'm liking the brown tortoise shell one, actually the inspiration came from the picture up the top of harmony central :)

i just did the actual trade then, and i might not even wanna change it though, the standard one looks real nice, i don't think pictures do this guitar justice at all!

Fikealox · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2008, 06:40:51 AM »

I'm glad you're pleased, man :) I'm happy with the Viper, too. And you're right, the VPs look heaps better in person, and the scratchplates themselves are unusually high quality. I've got big plans for the Viper... trying to choose a BKP for it at the moment, and I might put a sustainer in the neck, since it has a battery compartment already...

Flashheart · « **Reply #8 on:** June 29, 2008, 06:53:02 AM »

i actually raised the action on the viper when i set it up for you :p i had it stupidly low earlier, but i thought you might want buzz eliminated

i'm wondering if i really need to change the pickups in this, i'm having a lot of fun with them.. but really i do want some single coils :P

i'm actually finding this pretty nice with 10s on it, i have huge strings on my acoustic and i think they're paying off, i haven't been having trouble bending at all, the action is higher than i'm used to but i didn't buy this with the intention of playing fast, the neck and body are super comfortable too..

lucky i decided to get out of bed, you caught me just getting out of the shower :oops:

Fikealox · « **Reply #9 on:** June 29, 2008, 07:35:55 AM »

Yeah man, I had intentions to stick Apaches in it until I fell in love with that set of pickups. It's really a very versatile configuration, and each pickup has its own niche while blending nicely. I think the middle pickup has a nice single-coilish element to it as well.

Glad you don't mind the tens. I find 9s like spaghetti personally (maybe because I started off with 11s). I still think I'm going to change out the EMGs, but I am at a loss as to what to get. If I'm going to go with a sustainer in the neck I guess I might want something sorta versatile. Hmm!

Flashheart · « **Reply #10 on:** June 29, 2008, 09:03:32 AM »

i think it has a lot to do with my acoustic, i find the top strings way too sloppy even with 46 for the kinda stuff i was playing on the esp and still play on my horus, but i'm fond of lightness on the lower strings for some epic bend and vibrato :P although the 10s seem quite nice.

a lot of people say the miracle man isn't so versatile, so it's probably well and truly ruled out, and you're already getting some bombs for the eclipse, you could always venture into vintage hot pickups, i'm thinking about some myself, among other things.