Found This Strat Tossed In The Trash! Bringing An Old Guitar New Life

Really odd and fun story. I was walking by our building recycling/trash room and saw this guitar, a Squier SE Stratocaster in the pile of tossed out junk. Although it wasn't in good shape, I got to work on it and bring it back to life and couldn't be happier with the results. There's nothing more rewarding than taking a guitar that was headed for the dump and turning it into a full rock machine.
Apologies ahead of time, the guitar may have gotten slightly out of tune while playing in the video. It still has some tuning stability issues with harder playing and bends.
00:00 How I found and fixed up this strat
04:40 Overdrive Tones
06:40 Clean Tones
07:57 Final Thoughts

[@catzdollz9810]

I found a STAGG SW201N-VT acoustic electric in PERFECT working order! A week later at the same location...a Peavey Rage 158 amp (looks brand new!) And a LAUREN acoustic guitar. I never touched a guitar in my life! I'm now watching youtube videos to learn!!

[@brodyh2895]

i bought one of these used on reverb for $100, I decked the trem, got an HS pickguard made, and put a tele neck pickup and a humbucker in it. I've used it on tours and lots of shows and it plays great

[@rocktorrocks]

That’s awesome to hear! It says a lot about a guitar if it can hold its own through the rigors of touring. I got the tuning stability worked out even better now and this guitar plays as well as my Fender tele. These are some nice hidden gems, especially with a few mods.

[@danielgriffith3633]

Nice find. I recently picked up the same gtr for $50- being that it's the Sunburst I am making a '65 out of it. Fender Pure Vintage '65 pickups, Kluson tuners, Fender bridge saddles, CTS pots, Fender switch, white pickguard...we'll see how she turns out, good platform for

[@rocktorrocks]

Wow! Those are some kickass mods. I’m sure it’ll come together well. Def agree, I love that the body is full thickness and you get a nice full neck, so it’s a good base to build on. Upgrade the hardware and electronics and you’re rocking.

[@denboe2894]

I just finished a Squire Strat. I gave it a stripe and semi Van Halen paint with polka dots [Buddy Guy] in the dark blue section, citrus green, and mid green in 2 others and let the white finish show through a lot. I put a Seymour Duncan Single in the neck, a Strat PU in the mid position, and a hotrail @ the Bridge. Could not be happier with the sounds and looks on this guitar.

[@rocktorrocks]

That sounds awesome! Love the unique paint scheme idea. I bet it looks as good as it sounds. I have another old Squier I’d love to get repainted but I’ve never refinished a guitar, but I’d love to learn and give it a try some day. I’m thinking of putting a hot rail and locking tuners on this one but the classic strat features are growing on me haha.

[@NM4E]

Nice find, and good job on saving that guitar.

[@rocktorrocks]

Thanks! :)

[@ericolsen67vw]

Nice work. . .

[@rocktorrocks]

Thanks! :)

[@ernestschultz5065]

I found a made in mexico fender duo sonic in the trash a few years ago in perfect playing condition. still have it and play it all the time.

[@rocktorrocks]

Wow! Nice find! I’ve always wanted to try a duo sonic. Among all the strats and teles, it’s such cool and unique looking guitar. I don’t know why anyone would give that up, but glad to hear it’s got a new life with you and getting played again. I’m still amazed someone would throw that out, especially in playing condition.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

My friend gave me a really cool Maya sg that he found in the trash. Needed new machine heads but was a great guitar

[@rocktorrocks]

Nice find! SG’s are awesome. Glad to hear you were able to give it a second life. Im still surprised people throw whole guitars away.

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

@@rocktorrocks I,ve just been given 8 guitars that were to be trown away. Nothing too fancy but I'm gonna fix them up, sell a couple, give some away and keep a really nice PRS guitar kit. Neck is already glued in just need the hardware. The mahogany back even has a heavy flame to it. Its gonna be my summer project !

[@Exxits]

You know what they say another mans trash is another mans treasure

[@gerritburgel3048]

It's a Dustbin special now!

[@rocktorrocks]

Lol indeed it is!

[@tigerstripe8049]

Awezone find, yo! __ it’s insane how much overproduction and daily thrashin’ happens. Like w guitars, it’s also possible for food- or other electronical areas to just slow down production and smart up usage and re-use chains. 👍🏽

[@rocktorrocks]

Thank you! We go through so many woods and supplies to make these. I think Fender actually ran out of ash recently. I just hope there aren’t too many guitars being dumped in the trash and not even getting used or played like this one was about to me, that’s truly a waste.

[@denboe2894]

Some Lady tossing the X's guit. The action is so easy to fix. The dude was trying to get the whammy to go both up and down. I can tell you are a Rocker. There is real wood on that guitar.

[@rocktorrocks]

That I am haha, I’m usually rocking out with humbuckers, but this strat and the single coils sounded great with some drive in front of it. Lol that’s very possible, I could see a non-guitarist or someone who doesn’t care for or know this stuff tossing it out.

[@leeholzmann1023]

good score, with the body thickness you have lot of opportunity to mod...

[@doniotte681]

Wow that’s what my Stratocaster looks like now when I bought it from Amazon so now I have to find a good Guitar store that can Fix it, I thought it was strange when I got it that something wasn’t right with it so Thanks 🙏 for this video, it was just the Bridge that was messed up

[@rocktorrocks]

Thanks for watching! Glad to hear my video was helpful. For sure, it’s hard to play when the bridge is off but fortunately a fixable issue in most cases. A solid set up from an experienced tech will make the guitar a dream to play. Cheers!

[@doniotte681]

@@rocktorrocks Thanks 🙏 So Much ShaddyMD

[@phililpb]

My guitar looked just like that but it went missing. I only put it down for a couple of minutes whilst I put the trash out

[@rocktorrocks]

Anyone who can play with the action as high as it was is a true virtuoso. You truly are the GOAT. It would be way too easy for you to play it now, the fretboard would catch fire. The world isn’t quite ready for that speed yet, I’ll have to keep the guitar secured for now.

[@phililpb]

@@rocktorrocks it was set up for slide😀

[@dankmazzi2376]

High action was normal back in the 1970s...ouch 😂

[@rocktorrocks]

I don’t think I’d have liked that era of Fenders then lol.

[@lordovwitchcraft1665]

Have you tried putting WD 40 on the tremolo arm threading to help lubricate the threading to make it easier to come out?

[@rocktorrocks]

I haven’t actually! Thanks for the advice. That’s a really good idea, much better than forcing it. I didn’t try applying anything around it.

[@rocktorrocks]

@Joseph Lentz If I can get it out, I likely will. It’s unusable as it is. Would be nice to replace with a more stable trem system or make into a hard tail too.

[@DeadmanRides]

imagine the poor dude that just hid his guitar in there 😂😂😂, good video dude

[@rocktorrocks]

Thanks! Haha I can’t even imagine, instant regret in choice of hiding place I’m sure. 😅The condition it was in when I got it, I could see why they would hide it away. Turned out to be a player now.

[@denboe2894]

He might have been sleeping in there with the guitar.

[@drivenmad7676]

I need an electric and that would never happen to me. Nice score d#*k lol

[@timmurphy5137]

i found aa squier bullet 1984 in trash

[@rocktorrocks]

Nice find, I think those were made in Japan too.

[@Jay-wo8du]

.....I had to sell mine as I am unemployed and someone decided to trash one ?........ I am very concerned about the world we are leaving

[@rocktorrocks]

Indeed, I was surprised the original owner didn't at least donate it. There's enough local stores and places that I know would have happily taken it and been able to fix it up at no cost. Sorry you had to sell yours, even under better circumstances it's hard to let go of a good guitar. I hope things turn around and you can get something just as good or better to take it's place. Take care.

[@b.rodclark7349]

All Squier Strats don't have thinner bodies... only Affinity and Bullet models from 1998 or '99 to 2020.

[@rocktorrocks]

Good to know, I’ve mostly played Bullets and Affinity’s from that era, started playing after 2000.

[@b.rodclark7349]

@@rocktorrocks i have a CIC sunburst '00 Affinity lefty that's my Hendrix homage (I only swapped out the cheap 500k volume pot for an Alpha 250K)and a CII '02 Bullet Strat hardtail that was painted by the previous owner disguised as a Fender Stratocaster by way of the waterslide decal so I call it my 1965 transitional tribute and it's been upgraded and I play it is much as I play my Fender Strat Special!

[@rocktorrocks]

That’s awesome! I really want to do some mod projects with this and my affinity. Even as is, I play this Squier as much or more than my Fender tele, they def have a lot of potential.

[@b.rodclark7349]

@@rocktorrocks I'm in a FB group called Squier Owners And Modders; check em out!

[@richardfinney8617]

Seems awfully clean no scratches or chips? Not sure I'm believing it was a throw away? Nice strat though

[@rocktorrocks]

Thanks, It might have some small dents in the body but yeah it was in pretty good shape cosmetically. I was surprised to find someone would throw it away too, but it def had some issues. It was completely unplayable when I found it, you couldn’t even tune it or play a chord, and not producing any sound either. Being an entry level Squier, I’m guessing the original owner prob wasn’t too familiar with guitar set up/repair or didn’t want to put the time or money to work on it and just felt it was easier to get rid of it.

[@timhallas4275]

So, this is my story, and I'm sticking to it. Bullshit.

[@mishame156]

Like someone tried very hard to make this guitar bad.

[@mrjudge3385]

sorry beginner ok