The Stratocaster: The guitar of Ultimate Versatility?

[AnnunakiMassacr]

I've been thinking about this for a while now: My taste's of music are constantly changing; as is the tone I'm looking for, more times than I can recall. But I sometimes like going back to certain tones.

The point I'm making is, seeing that Strat's have removable Pick-guards, I was thinking of maybe getting 2 of them - One with Alder Body/Maple Neck/Maple Fingerboard & another with Mahogany Body/Maple Neck/Rosewood Fingerboard.

I was thinking of just using both guitars and buying various loaded Pick-guards so I'll always have certain tones available depending on my current needs, without the hassle of soldering.

What do you think?

[itamar101]

You'd still need to solder the ground connection....

[tekbow]

and also, if your tastes are changing all the time and want different combinations of different PU types, then you basically have to have a big hole milled out under the pickups to allow you to accomodate anything. think it's a shame to lose that much wood

[WezV]

i believe mr feline has something like this



















other than some grain not matching on a small portion of the bottom edge i think its a great idea

obviously you can just swap pickguards - but you have to take of all the strings to do it and invariably you end up just not being bothered to do it


the old john birch version

[WezV]

You'd still need to solder the ground connection....

loads of quick connect systems available. for the ground and jack socket wires

[Dmoney]

fender strat plus has a swimming pool route. Doesn't mean the guitar sounds bad. does mean you can use all kinds of pickup configs on interchangeable plates.

[AnnunakiMassacr]

Well I was looking at the Swimming Pool route from Warmoth. And by the ground, do you mean from the Tremelo?

[Telerocker]

When versality is your toppriority is not a bad idea at all. I have two HSS-stratocasters for my coverband. You can play nearly anything with them. If you have a second loaded pickguard it's just a matter of soldering.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

It's certainly not something I'd do in the middle of a gig, but it should work fine.

[AnnunakiMassacr]

I don't mean in the middle of a gig I'd change, haha. I just want something for a home studio. Although I guess I could just buy various mid-priced guitars like Epiphone/PRS/Mexican Strat/etc/etc and do it that way. I just want to invest in something worthwhile.

[Afghan Dave]

Buy two Squire Classic Vibes... Yeah, I'm being serious.  :)

[gordiji]

I think it's a pretty good idea. I have a irish tour loaded pick guard and often think about buying a sultans. It would take very little time at string change time to swap them over, like wes ses, you could have connecters for the jack & ground, even soldering them would only take 5 mins.   

[AnnunakiMassacr]

What is it exactly I'd have to solder? Just ground the bridge?

[Kiichi]

What is it exactly I'd have to solder? Just ground the bridge?

Yeah, and the wires to the output jack, so 3 solder points in total.

[WezV]

What is it exactly I'd have to solder? Just ground the bridge?

just the quick connect system so you never have to solder again

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JST-2-5-SM-3-Pin-Battery-Connector-Plug-with-Wire-x-10-sets-/120996238527?pt=Radio_Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c2bf014bf&_uhb=1