Mystery Strat

[@jts3339]

I love that you never verbally abuse these instruments like some individuals on KZbin. So many of us learned on an inexpensive guitar that was what we could afford at the time, and we loved our guitars in spite of their shortcomings. It’s always a pleasure to see a humble guitar leave your hands as a born-again good playing instrument.

[@JoeCubicle]

That was well put. I felt the same way watching his videos. He's a good guy.

[@Riverdeepnwide]

🎩 Hats off to a Canadian gentleman. 🎩

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

I never loved my first guitar for it's shortcomings. I just fought it.

[@jts3339]

whynottalklikeapirat: My first electric guitar was a new 1964 Conrad 1245 in a cherry sunburst finish. It cost $49 at a Zayre’s Discount store in Cincinnati. I quickly learned to shim the neck, replace the nut and install a new bridge that would allow intonation adjustment, level and crown the frets, and adjust the truss rod in order to correct the many shortcomings and make it a guitar that was easily playable instead of the guitar with cheese grater action that I originally purchased. I was able to purchase a brand new Gibson SG 3 years later on payments of $25/month, but I really learned to play on the cheap Conrad that was my most prized possession.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

@@jts3339 I did all kinds of jobs on mine. I still do from time to time. It's still mainly annoying and I played it for years before getting another. By comparison, I found a good deal on a 2000 CS strat some 7-8 years ago. It was instantly great, and still is. It has quirks but I leave them there, because it works where it counts. I loved my first guitar for being my first guitar. I had played on borrowed shit for 2 years before I got my own. The sound and to some extent the basic feel of it however was always just a challenge, that no adjusting or modding would seem to do much about.

[@joelonsdale]

I absolutely love a mongrel - much more interesting than a "factory standard" that anyone can own! This little mystery Strat is great and all the better for your "service"... I still use my slightly customised Squier Strat I bought when I was 14 (30+ years ago) in the studio on a daily basis (either that or my Tokai Love Rock "Les Paul")... Long live the mongrels!

[@mikaschwarzer1977]

"The customer said the intonation was sadly lacking....... And I can believe it" You, Sir, just made my day.

[@marshall9733]

Min?

[@mikaschwarzer1977]

@@marshall9733 2:12 onwards

[@marshall9733]

Lol thx

[@ashleywilson5312]

I love how you treat every guitar you do anything with, as if it’s priceless to the owner and set it up to the absolute best that it can be! Great job, keep it up!

[@faunaflage]

Those were probably the crustiest frets I've ever heard. Wow.

[@JC-11111]

I dunno. Mine get pretty cruddy if I don't keep them polished frequently. As soon as you start fretting and bending notes, they leave visual marks on the strings. Almost like oxidation. Because it doesn't come off. So it's not junk on the frets.

[@JC-11111]

And it's still doing it. Checking the strings, they're actually bent at every fret. Yea. It was time for new ones lol.

[@bananaclipper9343]

Then you've never seen a punk bands guitars

[@chrism.6371]

“It ain’t a Floyd, boys.”

[@stinkingfishguitars1362]

Thank you so much for talking in both imperial and metric measurements..

[@copperaudio9664]

You did Jimi proud Ted -and- gave a funky old Strat another 30 years of life. Nice.

[@jaynardiomarrosario6272]

Well im a 17 yr old boy who watched every video in his channel. His works are great keep it up.

[@vadenk4433]

That happens when you’re 17, damn near anything will “keep it up” Guitar repair videos though? You’re a weird kid. :)

[@jackbarlow4104]

These videos from this gentleman are so satisfying! It's great to learn what they actually do for a setup, and how it's done. Also, thank you for not making fun of the guitar, or the owner. A class act!

[@stevesoldwedel]

Your "Ahhh" sounded like Orson Welles in the Paul Masson champagne ad. 😂

[@zacharykim295]

Ahhhh the frenchhh

[@wl357]

Your attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile is impressive!! I wished I lived closer to your shop :) Thanks for the entertainment Sir.

[@lyndamcardle4123]

I concur....and a nice subtle nit of playing at the end ....Well done sir!

[@Colhogan06]

I tend to agree with your logic with why not to use an electric screwdriver. A long time ago when I was first learning how to repair and build guitars someone told me to never use an electric screwdriver. I wish I could remember who it was because that was advice I took to heart. Anytime I am unscrewing a screw near the guitar body or headstock I use a manual screwdriver. The only time I use an electric one is if I'm screwing on a neck. Even then I stop short of it being tight. I always finish by tightening by hand. That way I dont run the risk of going too tight or stripping the screw head. I always enjoy watching your videos, its refreshing to watch someone who obviously knows their craft. Now that I'm 60 yrs old I figure I've seen a few and you definitely know what you are doing. Thanks for the videos!!

[@vidarragnarsson4020]

I sure wish I had instruction like this when I started out playing guitar back in the 70s

[@qua7771]

We all wish that. There was very little information available in those days, and limited access to tools. Probably why we see so many early botched repair attempts.

[@Energerix]

One small tip from electro-guy: On those things it would be better to use more flat solder tip. You'll have more distribution of heat so it will be faster and more even :) Man I love your videos, greetings from Czech Republic :)

[@murfbass]

Tom, you are very generous with both your repair knowledge and your teaching ability. Thank you.

[@100amps]

“”Nourish”” the wood. Love it!

[@michaelmace924]

Your work ethic is excellent. You go the extra mile for a job well done 👍.

[@scholaire]

I’m not a physicist, but I am studying physics. If you have the springs converging to the center, they’ll only relieve tension at the center. Parallel is superior, as it gives relief to the entire trem.

[@axeman2638]

putting the springs at an angle increases the distance between the ends of the spring , making for greater tension. sometimes it's the only way to get the bridge to sit down flat on the top of the body.

[@axeman2638]

@Golden Knight try it, you can see clearly the difference it makes

[@axeman2638]

@Golden Knight the longer you stretch the spring the greater it pulls back, angling the spring stretches it more.

[@axeman2638]

@Golden Knight not always, and it depends on what strings you are using and how you like the tremolo arm setup.

[@axeman2638]

@Golden Knight argument from authority. Saying it just makes you look needy and insecure.

[@JC-11111]

Thank you for that fret polishing tip with the 3 sets of double-layered tape. That makes it so much easier than taping up all of em at once.

[@henryhunter5026]

Another very interesting and entertaining video. It looks like a partscaster assembled from both American and Far Eastern components. You carried out quite a lot of work to get it to play nicely but the end result was well worth the effort. Good job!

[@brucejoseph8367]

Very thorough job, its good to see someone who cares about the instrument no matter how much of a mongrel it is.

[@johnsalaman503]

Another great tutorial,love the way you work,and how you care for other people's instruments regardless of what they are,,you're an inspiration to me, I'm setting up a shop now, next couple days will be complete..thank you,,looking forward for more precise straight forward videos..

[@FloridaManMatty]

I’d be proud to say I knew just the things that you have forgotten about guitar set ups. Good Lord are you ever thorough!

[@rogerlawson4516]

That was set up for a 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo bridge and they used a vintage 6 screw bridge. Sounds good after all your work. Thanks for all your videos.

[@Wizardofgosz]

My tech, now retired, always did the little things to make things better. He fixed a case hinge for me once. When I was modding this 77 Les Paul I bought cheap, and the place I ordered a new pickguard from didn't have the round plate to cover the switch hole, my tech just cut me a custom one out of a pickguard scrap he had laying around. Perfectly round. Looks like a factory made it. He never charged me for those things. He first set up a guitar of mine in 1982, and the last setup he did for me was probably 2017 or 2018, and he barely even raised his prices for customers like me who had been with him for decades. I ALWAYS went to him, and brought dozens of friends and acquaintances to him. He is missed.

[@thosewhowish2b693]

Omg, it's a Hentor Sportscaster!

[@stefanion5921]

I would put some sponge in those springs. Great work.

[@guitarhero6584]

Loved the Red House at the end

[@ercolepaulcolella58]

These are superb videos! I compliment you on your great craftsmanship whether it’s a parts Tele or a preWar Martin on the bench. Love the sense of humor too.

[@TheCheeksMiller]

You sir are a wizard :) I have a frankenstrat I pulled out of a pawn shop. Honestly both myself and the pawn guy thought it might be fake but turns out its a parts caster made from parts of three or four different strat models hahaha. All actual parts just not factory built. Fun stuff. The upside is I am not afraid to work on it :)

[@jugheadjones5458]

I’m about to do a setup on an upgraded Squier and you gave me the exact steps I was looking for. I will, of course, look up the factory dimensions.

[@marinedalek]

My 2018 Player Strat came from factory with angled trem springs and floating bridge, essentially the same as this one. I believe Fender spec is for the rear of the bridge to be floating around 1/8" above the surface of the body.

[@Medal71]

Finishing the video with the intro of Jimi HEndrix's "Red House" was the icing on the cake :)

[@74dartman13]

Nice work! Like a difference of night and day!👍😎🎸🎶

[@misinformationwithrandy]

This was a great, thorough, setup and repair on electrics. Thanks!

[@harpethguitar]

My 1994 Squier Series MIM Strat had those exact same saddles. They shredded my hand!😂. The frets were horrible too. My bet is that the body is a Squier Series Strat.

[@iamelvisman68]

I doubt it being routed s-s-s

[@finaljesus]

that is a very cool guitar i love the way it looks i’m glad you do what you do

[@DonaldVanHall]

Smart use of tape on the fingerboard.

[@tjmacin70]

Enjoy watching your repair videos.. I'm also from Southern Ontario. That guitar reminds me a an introductory Charvel from the early to mid 80's.

[@srt8speed]

Love your videos! I've learned many things about guitars that I never knew before. You have a great way of explaining things without all the gimmicks and pitches that are on most channels these days. Just wanted to thank you for that!

[@docdoc]

Lovely video! I'm always happy when I see you uploaded something

[@josephpedroza632]

I have learned so much watching your videos. Great job. Great information.

[@mhaight]

It's always very zenchill watching you work. Thank man.

[@whansandceros]

Aspiring guy here. Love your channel it's my favorite!!! Many thanks for these videos

[@MrKrokodilDundee]

Definitely a franken based off Squier parts. I'd guess Korean, but my Korean Squier from the 90s had a much nicer looking neck. The curved butt end of the neck looks like a definite giveaway. Korean Strats also had those type of weird looking pickups but so did the MIM strats. Sounds better now than when it was cobbled together!

[@gregtoolson1606]

I have a early ‘80s JB Player made (at least in part) in Korea. After replacing everything but the wood, strap buttons, and neck plate(it was an odd non-Fender spacing) on it it’s become one of my best guitars. Before the overhaul it looked an awful lot like this one.

[@joelonsdale]

0:46 - There's that classic Stratocaster tone!

[@ralphbyers6136]

Your videos are really excellent! I love your honesty. I learn a ton from you and your approach, consistency and unwavering excellence in practicing your craft is really uplifting and inspiring!!! Thank you, Sir!!!

[@corneliuscrewe677]

I’ve got a ‘94 Made In Mexico Strat with a similar intonation issue, i.e. the saddles ride towards the back of the bridge plate. It intonates fine, but right at the edge of no more adjustment on the high E. I’ve had problems fitting pickguards around the bridge,too. Never occurred to me the bridge may be in the wrong place.

[@garystevens6831]

When you were scraping those corroded frets with those strings, the last time I pulled a face grimmacing like that was when I watched Jaws and Robert shaw was scratching his nails on a chalkboard.

[@michaelurban2152]

I love red house at the end fitting for the strat!

[@oldtimefolkie]

Thanks! Most of my experience on setups is with acoustics. This was very helpful and fun to watch!

[@J8D2]

A good alternative to the Stew mac fret erasers are the track corrosion abrasives they sell at model train stores. Probably cost a lot less too.

[@MrTommy4000]

With experience comes knowledge and with that you have power. Very impressive. Nice job.

[@nineislandshuffle6599]

Those saddles look a lot like the ones on my old El Degas strat. The body on mine is made of ply wood and the headstock is different. I'm binging your videos at the moment and thoroughly enjoying them.

[@andrewreynolds2647]

Great job, you sure are a patient man.

[@Peasmouldia]

Installed new tuners with my recently purchased flashy high end mini power driver. Did pilot holes as required. Yup, screw head popped right off...... Thanks and blessings.

[@Jakfilm]

Love the Mastercraft logo sneaking in here and there.

[@duskhunter3803]

Man I love your vids! I’ve learned so much. You seem to think about things I would never have thought about. If I do x then y happens...you are a master. Lovin’ it from the UK!!

[@thefilthygringo9228]

As a multiple strat owner and player I love strat videos!

[@KaosII1968]

That rear trem rout is the cleanest I have ever seen ..... This is most definitely an early 80's Fender, the trem block the saddles the "Bob" body rout. The neck appears to be a Mighty Mite.

[@jamesflack8624]

Eddie Van Halen said that he sets it up that way in his GP cover interview back in the early 80's...

[@jonathanroyce9692]

Thanks, Ted. Always above and beyond 🙏🏻🙌🏻

[@eltallerdelchasca4405]

In my lack of experience, and for i was told by my teacher., the springs are placed that way so they add more tension to counteract the tension of the strings (also done with a heavy gauge string). Ussually donde with a bad set of springs

[@vanshankguitars]

I agree, but in this case that effort was countered by the loose claw screws....

[@bills6093]

With the middle spring attached over a shorter distance than the outer two, it isn't doing much pulling, so you have less tension than you'd get with 3 straight springs.

[@GlennJimenez]

“What are you going to do see something like that and just leave it? “ God bless you Please always treat customers this way

[@jipes]

Oh My never saw such a rusty fretboard ! Great work !

[@marvinmitt4575]

I think the strat bridge angle is a matter of who's gonna play with it. I think it definitely needs to be floating, as if it just rests against the body there's no way to pull the string tension back even across the nut. But also I find it more useful if it can pull up certain intervals - mine is set up to do minor 3rd on the 3rd string. So the "I don't care who you are..." statement is a bit too much. But thanks for all the great videos, I'm digging your work on sharing your expertise on repairing all the guitars.

[@joen3992]

Of all the strats I owned...the 1982 Squire Japanese made Stat was the best! Big headstock, vintage pickups. Japanese ash body with U neck 7.25 radius. It was well built. Stayed in tune beyond that awful 3 bolt neck. And did it shake my house through a black twin ha ha

[@Strumbum01]

Just stumbled upon your channel sir. Outstanding work, very detailed! Subscribed!

[@patrickfouhy9102]

Jeff Beck may argue about the float level of a strat style bridge. haha. Love ya!!!

[@aceraspire7456]

I've been doing the "V" springs forever. That is; only TWO (2) springs in an exaggerated "V" pattern. It's the first thing I did when I got a new guitar home. It has to do with the "feel" of the movement of the vibrato system. Springs become harder to stretch as you stretch them more giving more resistance to increased movement. The more you stretch them, the harder it is to stretch them more. By angling the springs, they are under more stress already when the balance of tension with the strings is achieved. So it makes the bar feel a little bit stiffer to move. If the bar is "softer" to move, it is less controllable, and I've even seen it (usually when they used tiny strings) where just moving around could wiggle the bar and cause the notes to warble. I never had either of those problems on my guitars with bars. So I always did it that way. That certainly doesn't make it science. But that is my own observation. Maybe there's science to it. Maybe it's just psychosomatic. Either way, it always "feels" right to me.

[@madjimbo4176]

The Canadian Tire Brake cleaner is hilarious.

[@milonso650]

Very well done! This video makes appreciate the meter...

[@jerryshine5759]

Love your videos.

[@donald-parker]

One step you may have done, but did not mention ... after adjusting the trem angle, your strings would most assuredly be sharp, and returning them to pitch will also assuredly make the bridge rise up again. So the technique I use is a) screw the spring retainer in to pull the bridge down to the body, b) use shims either under the bridge on the top or behind the trem block in the back to get the bridge angel where you want it, c) tune your strings to pitch, d) gradually loosen the trem springs (evenly on both screws) until that trem block is just barely lose and finally e) remove the lose shim. You will be in pitch and your bridge will be at the desired angle. I use the same approach when changing strings on a floating trem. It allows you to take all the strings off at once, vs one at a time, which makes doing a good neck clean much easier. TL;DR version - the key to happiness with a trem is to treat it as a hard-tail during maintenance.

[@johnsalaman503]

Right on...

[@63stratoman]

The MIM Strat I bought in new 2003 had the springs arranged in the same manner. Most others I have seen have been the same way so for whatever reason, I think this is how they are done from the factory.

[@willford8475]

I'm always up for a touch of Red House!

[@dustmundo]

People do the tremelo springs like that typically to get a little extra tension without adding another spring. The scenario you would do this is if you go up in string gauge and your tremelo starts flying. Doesn’t really kinda sort of work.

[@joelfildes5544]

Loving the apron...that’s a proper bit of kit...

[@paultwiselton1996]

Nice work and more useful education for us amateurs.

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Always parallel springs say I....but I do have an angled claw for specifically 1, 2 and 3 semitone uplift on strings 1, 2 and 3 with a floating bridge. Carl Verheyen has a great video on youtube on this subject specifically and his method works really well, for me at least. I enjoy your videos very much indeed. If I lived near you I get the feeling you'd have had a fair bit of my money..Hahahahaha

[@sohamchavan6342]

Diagonal springs apply more tension than when installed parallel , since they are streched more ... Helps retain the bridge better against note bends ig

[@mikecollins8241]

It doesn't matter how many times people repeat this BS, it is still wrong :) Angled springs mean the middle one isn't doing much, and can rattle around causing buzz. The only reason to angle springs is to make up for the fact you don't know how to adjust the claw ;)

[@IwoIwanov]

I find these videos to be deeply relaxing and informative at the same time. Thanks for this content. Just FYI, in Germany the parts manufacturer "Schaller" would be pronounced "shuller". Best greetings to Canada.

[@EdwardT9]

One reason for the strings angled in like that is that you can get your fingers in there when putting the springs on. Right up against the edges you need a set of pliers or something to put the spring back in.

[@mauricerogerson5825]

I'm 100% with you on the "manual" screwdriver.

[@mathewburns4450]

When you started sliding that string over the corroded fret. ooooof. Made my toes curl. Hahaha amazing videos though.

[@richardmethot1317]

You are an artist ...

[@p_mouse8676]

Putting spring on an angle just makes the tension stronger (stiffer), but obviously you can do exactly the same thing by putting more tension on it. So, no that does not make any sense. You only get a tiny it more perpendicular stability. Doubt if that is much at all and not doing more harm than good. All of this pure theoretical of course.

[@rowlandstraylight]

The two angles of springs mean they are at different tensions, so have different resonant frequencies. It's a way of avoiding dead notes. Also it increases the tension slightly so it's a step between 3 and 4 parallel strings.

[@bruno9343]

Great job as always!

[@dukenukembubblegum7311]

My strat came from the factory with the springs set that way. Along with extreme fret sprout, 5 high frets and overspray on the fretboard. So moral to the story but else where

[@Metalcop5150]

Eddie Van Halen famously set up his trem springs that way! I have an original Floyd Rose Manual, showing the springs set up this way, for what it's worth.

[@professorbooty0311]

i could be wrong but i do believe that is a 70s strat with an after market neck. If that is in fact the original bridge and neck plate then it is very likely since those were what was used in the 70s and i can tell by the saddles because they are block instead of bent steel. Then again it could be a squier since they use those saddles too, But i doubt it since those saddles are on the same guitar with a big f stamped neck plate. Also the round over job is a lot more round which is usually present with early fenders.

[@chrisraatz6672]

Hi. I really appreciated the set-up demonstration of this ubiquitous type of electric guitar. Good on you for checking the scale length issues and for the tremolo bridge spring alignment comment. After using a "coarse" wet/dry paper (the grade dictated by the fret condition) I do recommend the 'Crimson Guitars' fret polishers. The set of four grades I have - Coarse, Medium, Fine and Superfine - have smoothed out and polished 4 necks to date and are only 10% used-up. Are they messy? Yep, but I own a vacuum cleaner :) Having only used Tone 'finger-ease' as a fretboard "conditioner," I am interested in your next set-up video to hear your personal views on what products really "condition" a dark-timber fretboard. As a viewer over the past 12 months I highly appreciate your expertise.

[@brent4uc]

Another informative video. Thanks!

[@simonhawker9277]

a bit of tension on those outside springs stops spring rattle it keeps the coils apart

[@vanshankguitars]

Great video again!

[@EivindRomcke]

From a physics point of view I guess diagonal springs are able to absorb energy going in both x and y directions. I'm no guitar player though so I'm not sure what effect that has on a guitar. Maybe a better balanced bending of the strings when using the trem arm?

[@G60syncro]

This looks a lot like a better version of the one I have dubbed the Crapocaster... This one has an extra fret vs mine, although the one I have has a bullet truss rod. The neck on mine has the same black face and no markings. The electronics in yours were clearly better with the proper top mounted jack, mine has a cheezy side mounted jack. But yeah, like yours once properly setup it played and felt great even if the pickups are nothing to rave about!!

[@jonathanstodden6029]

100% with you on springs. If anything putting them in like that causes the bridge to catch.