So-Cal Modded with Strat Pickups?

[cvansickle]

Has anyone modded a Pro Mod So-Cal with a traditional, three single coil Strat pickup set?

If you have, please post pictures. Thanks.

[Grandturk]

I believe Newc did one with three single coils ("Strat pickups"). Probably about a year or a year and a half ago.

[6string40]

Yep, Newc did one awhile back. He had to take a Dremel to the bridge pickup rout to make it accommodate the slant single. You probably won't see too many 3-single coil mods due to the required body modification.

[Grandturk]

Here you go:

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/93870-State-of-the-Modded-Charvels-address?highlight=

Lotsa things I' didn't particularly like about Newc's mods, but you can't fault him for effort.

[Twitch]

Eww and ouch on that pick guard of his in the last pic, yikes.

[cvansickle]

I can't believe the doofus wouldn't remove the pickguards to do the wiring jobs! Sloppy work, idn't it?

In reading his descriptions though, it sounds like he removed wood downward to accommodate the larger stacked pickup, but did not have to make the space any wider. If the pickup routs are identical to Fender's, and I believe they are as I've opened up my So-Cal a few times, the bodies should take a bridge single without any modding.

[Newc]

Removed painted wood to fit the bridge pickup. It's a Warmoth pickguard, so it's Fender-spec for pickup location, which the SoCal is not routed to fit.

While the rear of the route only needed about 1/4" or less removed, the nub that extends around the route on the bottom had to be cut off almost completely to fit the single's baseplate.

And no, it's not a simple question of removing the pickguard to get to the wires. You have to remove the neck OR remove the strings, which is a pain in my ass. Cutting the control section out like a Jazz bass plate makes total sense, even if the execution was sloppy. Function above fashion.

[Grandturk]

I can't believe the doofus

That's uncalled for.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Plenty of wood left there.

[Grandturk]

Plenty of wood left there.

That's what she said...

[Twitch]

If were talking a 1/4 inch then could you have modified the p/u instead??

[Newc]

Not without resoldering the coil wires (the little bitty ones) and cutting off the flange.


Even then, the end of the pickup where the mounting screw goes in was still crashing on top of the nub, so as long as that had to go, may as well take some more.