mods

Three Must-Try Guitar Wiring Mods

Tell us about your coolest guitar, bass, amp, or pedal mods! We’ll be featuring the results of some of our readers’ DIY mod projects in an upcoming issue, and there’s no time like the present for you to tell us your mod story and send pictures!

Read MoreShow less

Replacing key components—such as the pickups, string nut, and tuners—can turn a workhorse guitar into a killer axe!

Rather than spending a cool grand or two on a new Custom Shop or topline American Stratocaster, many guitarists opt to find a solid Mexican or Japanese Fender Strat and trick it out. Often my clients ask me how they can upgrade one of these instruments to make it gig-worthy. There are several ways to customize a budget Strat without spending a fortune. Replacing key components—such as the pickups, string nut, and tuners—can turn a workhorse guitar into a killer axe!

Read MoreShow less

I admit that the Fender Esquire is one of my favorite guitars ever, and I find its sound and simplicity very appealing.

I admit that the Fender Esquire is one of my favorite guitars ever, and I find its sound and simplicity very appealing. Most people think of it as a poor man's Telecaster or a forerunner to the Tele, but this is simply wrong. Yes, the Esquire sports only a single bridge pickup, while the Telecaster has two pickups, but the Esquire is not a Telecaster with a missing neck pickup, but rather a distinct model with its own sound. This is because of its unique wiring and also because the lack of a neck pickup causes less magnetic pull on the strings. This reduced pull gives the Esquire a more percussive attack, more harmonic overtones, and makes it more responsive than a Telecaster.

Read MoreShow less