The Ultimate BUDGET Guitar! - Low Cost Upgrades That Make a HUGE Difference!

Today I pick three Low cost / high return mods to vastly improve my $100 budget guitar!
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[@ZetroDrummer]

That stratocaster is now an EL STRATOCASTRO

[@tomasrecio5448]

calvometal underrated comment

[@Pedrotorres-pr8fw]

As a Mexican 🇲🇽 I approve

[@AzulDiciembre]

I'm pretty sure Mexicans would call it "la stratocaster" and pronounce it "estratocaster."

[@DP-ly3zx]

LA CREATURA

[@DP-ly3zx]

@Lakienphat La LA LUZ ESTINGUIDO

[@aceofspadesc991]

As a beginner i thought it might be helpful to share my experience with a similar build. I've been learning to play via online instruction since the pandemic shutdown my normal pastimes. After playing a cheap acoustic I bought in highschool I read in multiple places that an electric was easier to play and better for beginners. Without being able to go to music stores to try electric guitars, I wanted a cheap example to decide if that was better for me. This video inspired me to buy this very guitar with midset that I would either decide I preferred acoustic, or I could upgrade it if I liked electrics. I bought the guitar and was surprised by how much easier it was to play, but didn't care for the sound. Fast forward a few weeks and I felt I was sticking with and enjoying the guitar enough to upgrade it. Since I didn't have spare parts laying around I bought genuine fender tuners (used), fender Tex pickups (new), and new set of cts pots, an upgraded capacitor, and an upgraded input jack. At the same time I replaced the strings with ernie ball's. I thought I might not notice the difference as a beginner with issues in my technique but the guitar sounds so much better, to the point where I can hear my mistakes (and correct them) much easier than before. I thought the poor sound might be my fault (and it certainly is at times) but the upgrades made a huge difference, even as a novice. Thanks for the advice Darrel, It was nice to be able to try a cheap guitar, and have a fun project when I decided I liked playing enough to spend the extra money.

[@SoSme]

hope u progress through with it man wishing u luck

[@erikboesephoto]

Nicely done. Just decided to try to pick up guitar again myself a couple months ago. Had a Peavey strat from 06 I bought for $100. Bought an Emerson 250k pot and switch kit, new shielded pick guard, guitar madness single coil pickups (seymour-duncan influenced sound), sanded and painted body. There's something about learning on a guitar that you built yourself. Sounds SOOOOOO much better than the stock Peavey now. went from a $100 sound guitar to a $300-$500 guitar sound. Scored a Peavey Vypyr VIP 3 for $150 from guitar center.

[@dixingxu]

I am also a beginner and I totally agree with what you said. Thanks for the tip

[@williamritchie5462]

I’m thinking of upgrading my glarry

[@shouldireviewguitars7908]

Its amazing how doing these builds really makes you appreciate and learn the guitar.

[@iamthewalrus3264]

- 0:52 - Replace the tremolo, springs, claw - 5:51 - Upgrade the pickups and electronics (potentiometers) - 11:31 - Upgrade tuning heads Thanks Darrell! I just might become a guitar luthier all b/c of you, lol!

[@foxduckduckfox9601]

I love how polite Darrell is. It’s a pleasant experience every time I see his videos.

[@daemonspudguy]

He is Canadian, so not unexpected.

[@joeking433]

LOL!

[@Arfshesaid457]

Whether the world ends in fire or ice, it will be survived only by cockroaches and Daphne blue budget Stratocasters.

[@russianbot2397]

And Keith Richards

[@loganochs2609]

And Ozzy

[@EpicStuffMan1000]

and boss pedals lol

[@Axess-sv8nq]

All the picks that disappeared when dropped will come out of the pick dimension and join with the Daphne Blue budget Strats.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

And the pieces of broken string, at the site of the break, that seem to disappear.

[@perihelion7798]

I have modded scores of guitars, and I paid close attention to the neck and body on that blue Indio. The body is full Fender depth, nicely finished, and cleanly routed. It is excellent, IMO. The neck appears to be straight, well finished also, and is a very nice piece of maple wood. If you only got the bare body and bare neck, that guitar is a bargain at $100.00. That kind of guitar is a modders dream. Great job on keeping the cost down, and quality up.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

I completely agree. Shocking really. I just ordered a Firefly ES 335 on Amazon for US $140, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it to be at least as good as this guitar.

[@perihelion7798]

@bookmarkthis I buy complete guitars from reputable sources, like Rondo music. I then strip out virtually everything and replace that stuff with better stuff. Many vendors offer loaded pick guards, for example, and there are tons of tuning machines available. Do a Google search, but be warned---buy NOTHING directly from Chinese vendors.

[@perihelion7798]

@bookmarkthis If I strip a part, it's because I consider it inferior, so I usually just junk most of those parts. I few I keep to repair low end guitars for people that ask me to repair on a budget, etc.

[@purplegill10]

@@perihelion7798 Not even pickguards? My friend got a chinese pickguard and he said it worked great

[@twichy4life1]

@bookmarkthis maybe make a cigar box strat? Or do a shovel guitar?

[@kestocycling]

Great mod, but i was impressed by how similar the stock sounded to the final product. I’m sure the playing experience was much better, but I hardly heard a difference in the tone.

[@joeking433]

Yeah, it's really hard to hear the difference. Changing pickups usually makes a good change but the tuners, bridge, and electronics don't affect the sound much.

[@zaka9862]

@@joeking433 The stock was slightly tingier but other than that, yeah not much difference.

[@csehszlovakze]

@@zaka9862 I prefer the stock actually, and it sure as hell sounds a lot better than my low end Cort!

[@RandomDuude]

It makes me happy to see such a humble guitar getting so much love :)

[@keep-it-real-1389]

its a quality piece, it deserves every bit of it

[@megan_alnico]

If you don't want to take the finish off the headstock and just want to remove the raised black letters common on cheaper guitars like this one or the Squire Bullet series just use acetone. Try the pure stuff and not nail polish remover. It will come right off and not harm the finish.

[@ClearAdventure]

Great tip, thanks Megan! 🤘😁

[@IlNeige]

Oh man, thank you!

[@miguelhdezubeldiadelcastil8738]

Excellent tip! Thank you very much! Have a nice day!

[@jimvandamme]

Acetone = lacquer thinner. I don't have any nail polish remover for some reason.

[@miguelhdezubeldiadelcastil8738]

Megan A Hi, I just did what you recommended, with pure acetone and nothing happened. I used a clean rag dampened with the acetone and scrubbed vigorously but, nothing came off (maybe I am missing something).

[@anthonyshannon3969]

I ordered an Indigo Classic for $109.00 this past Saturday. I was delivered 3 days later and straight out of the box it was cosmetically perfect, tuned up easy and most of all plays, feels and sounds almost like a real Stratocaster. You won't have to do all the things that are being done in this video. It's an awesome value!!

[@highpineapple]

Thank you for that, Anthony. I'll be keeping an eye out for that guitar most definitely

[@absolutscheisse4483]

Instructions Unclear drilled the new bridge on the headstock

[@the72u7h4]

"I hope you are having a great day today" I actually feel he means that, every time.

[@austinmiller6000]

Darrell was my guitar teacher this guy is a legend! One of the nicest dudes I've ever met!

[@rajdeepbharali2279]

Darrel's the Man!! He inspires me so much He keeps on experimenting with his guitar and proves to us that we donot require a 1000$ guitar to become a good guitarist. Just a couple of mods can make the guitar sound and feel like Heaven! Lots of Love From India!! Keep inspiring Sir

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@dnantis]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Yes, indeed ....thank you for being such a cool guy ! Keep posting these type of videos !!!

[@rajdeepbharali2279]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar💝 You Deserve It

[@RevGary]

@@rajdeepbharali2279 He's the best Guitar channel on YT

[@BradAngove]

Awesome work as always Darrell.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks Brad!

[@viatheheathen9087]

Does anyone else smell a soldering iron when they see a video of someone using one?

[@foxjerseycol4433]

Lol

[@countblue]

Who does not? ;-) I´ve been soldering since the 70s. I miss the old solder smell.

[@viatheheathen9087]

@@countblue glad to know in not crazy. There's something addictive about the fumes.

[@padawan9127]

Yes, if there’s one nearby 😄

[@fivefingerfullprice3403]

That is very true, it's this weird eye to nose brain thing. I think smells are very closely associated to memories.

[@walterraponi]

We must say that cheap guitars are much better than 20 years ago. You can actually play and learn on them, and easy upgrade them. Good shot! Cheers from Italy!

[@chrishenderson9130]

Change those string trees to rollers. 99 cents on ebay...

[@SaxJockey]

Yep, the stock bent steel ones can be pretty dire and snag the strings on some guitars.

[@74dartman13]

Did that on a couple of mine and it made a big difference!👍😎🎸🎶

[@CaneSugarHD]

I tried to tell him on the original vid :P

[@k1sfd1974]

Or $3.99 for Fender style trees with the 'locating' pin that helps stop lateral rotation of the tree.

[@blacksnow150]

or graphtec tusq ones a bit more expensive but worth it

[@dougselsam5393]

From what I can see, the holes in the Mexico pick guard were lining up before the material was removed from the neck cutout. I think he should have removed material from the bridge end of the pick-guard, since he had just changed the bridge and so that was the source of the non-fit problem, and he would not have needed to drill new holes in the body for the screws. He said he had decided to swap the Mexico parts to the Monoprice pick-guard for that exact reason, but instead he uses the Mexico pick-guard and drills new holes in the body. Crazy. Should have checked to see how the holes lined up before he dremeled away the neck end of the Mexico pick-guard. I was like "No, don't do it that way!" But he just wouldn't listen. I would have thrown something at the screen but he still probably wouldn't have listened. I think the Mexico pick-guard did look to be better-quality though, laminated with a black layer sandwiched in the middle. OK now back to the video... :)

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

The Wilkinson locking tuners from STRATosphere on eBay for US $25 will drop in on this guitar with no modification needed. 19:1 ratio and work great.

[@minutesagoedited9761]

thx, bro!

[@dennislane100]

Used a lot of Wilkinson stuff for mods.The pups and bridges are good also,and not too pricey,Even on Amazon,the value is great.

[@miguelhdezubeldiadelcastil8738]

Thank you very much for the Tip!

[@miguelhdezubeldiadelcastil8738]

Are these the ones? *NEW Wilkinson 6 In Line EZ-LOK Locking TUNERS 19:1 Chrome WJN07-CR (EZ POST). Thank you for your help. Have a nice Sunday!

[@MalcolmO]

Yes! I just bought the Wilkinson EZ-LOK tuners from Guitarheads in NY and I'm really looking forward to swapping them in. Sad to say, I've been unable to find a Wilkinson vibrato system that's the right spacing for the Indio (which wants string and screw spacing of 2 1/16"). Gonna have to spend the extra bucks; unless I can get a used MIM part locally. I'm not optimistic on that score.

[@leandhernandez5260]

3:43 original trem: lame skinny boi. Mexico made trem: E X T R A T H I C C

[@Mr.Goldbar]

I don't think skinny blocks are lame

[@koffieverslaafde627]

Bar Goldstein but e x t r a t h i c c

[@leandhernandez5260]

@@koffieverslaafde627 this guy gets it

[@titobungo01]

@@leandhernandez5260 if he can't install it in 10 minutes ITS FREE!

[@josephmears3537]

Absolute *chad* trem

[@ederst9759]

I made the same exact mods to my 2005 Squier Affinity 'STRAT' (Indonesian), except I put Fender Chrome 'F' Staggered locking tuners ($41), and Fender American string guides ($9) and with the slim body, I had to file the MIM sustain block down to 38mm to clear the back cover. I put in a recessed 6 hole stainless steel shim ($5) under the bridge fulcrum point, with PC7 slow cure epoxy, on bare wood, to prevent tuning problems and wear. I have the identical pickups in it, just had to replace the crappy mini pots with standard 250K and chuck the green ceramic cap for an Illinois IC .022uf 250V (which now makes it part American/Midwest too..). I also obtained a used pearl pickguard already drilled with a 7 -way push switch. It sounds amazing, I saved it ten years ago from a pawn shop from a fate worse than death, complete with rusty strings, a thick layer of dust, for only ($90). I have played many regular Mexican Strats in my searches, and this 'Indy' blows any of them (from the same year at least) away, in tone and sustain. (The Indonesians made a better "Fender" Strat than most people realize, and only now is it getting it's due... or perhaps they get better with age... I now have the Strat I have always wanted, without having to go broke.

[@keep-it-real-1389]

that sounds amazing... you got a demo?

[@KKMDStyle]

The sky blue burst is gorgeous.

[@benasslick67]

"let's see of this MIM trem will line up with the Indios six screws" *cuts off to ad* OMG THE SUSPENSE!

[@chrisgagnon146]

Haha I thought the same AND was on your comment RIGHT as this happened🤣

[@whatcher8151]

What add? Don't get them for some reason.

[@odfkjdhgovj]

Anyone else just really like the way he talks? So smooth and soothing and positive!

[@oldguysguitarvlog183]

Awesome vid!! My OCD goes nuts whenever you do any soldering. Folks, please put a rag under whatever you are soldering if you solder over the guitar like that. The last thing you want is hot solder dripping on your finish! One other thing is be SUPER careful with that tightening the tuning pegs trick with Fender tuners. If there are no holes there, that is a good method to know where the holes need to go to drill out, BUT there have been people online who have cracked their headstock doing it that way if not careful. Go slowly and make sure you don't over tighten.

[@satamique]

i listened the comparison test starting at 17:17 with my great headphone and surprisingly i found that the original sound better!

[@Krabadaque]

Apparently a matter of taste, but I think I agree :)

[@mrBDeye]

Agreed

[@alextimo]

The lesson is to upgrade the boring parts that actually improve the guitar - the tuners, trem, nut, and electronics - and don't worry about the flashy parts like pickups since those are a matter of personal preference.

[@karpik2588]

confirmed

[@willman-sc8qv]

Alexander Timofeyev I agree but upgrading the pickups can be one of the best upgrades for your guitar maybe his choice of pickups wasn’t the best but I would have made the same choice to upgrade to new pickups

[@DavidRFIT]

Damn. Where I live I could never get a mexican trem, loaded pickguard and tuners for 100$...

[@lucaszembrzuski]

Yeah, getting used parts for this kind of video is unrealistic, it's impossible where i live too, used mexican strat are ~650$ here and no loaded pickguards on second hand market.

[@dreibel]

a number of companies offer loaded pick guards - GFS and Dragonfire are two that immediately come to mind.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Best place for me is local online classifieds (and facebook groups). If you're patient, there are guys with tons of old parts they are willing to get rid of for cheap :)

[@lucaszembrzuski]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Yeah, this actually is a good point, local fb groups and forums.

[@thomasdickson6030]

Here in the UK I'd be better getting all New Wilkinson stuff off eBay. Could get tuners, pickups and solid block bridge for around £90. Most folk are looking for £80 + for a mim loaded plate. Though tuners and bridge often come up for sub £30 each

[@OldGriz708]

I am a brand new old guy getting into guitars 🎸 and I'm quickly seeing how it becomes an addiction 😂.

[@naturalriseofme]

Its never too late 😂🤘🏽

[@jordanfender3085]

I just started playing last year and I own 6 guitars 😂 definitely worse things you can be addicted tho is how I look at it

[@Fotosaurus56]

My son wanted a guitar, so I found a Squier mini strat on Craigslist. I didn't like the pickups and pots so I got to work. I used some Lace Sensor California pickups that I had, Fender USA pots and changed the saddles to Fender bent ones. I had to cut one spring for intonation and installed heavier strings. Good thing my son lost interest..heh heh.

[@nehemiahzo_]

More guitars for you! 😂😂😂

[@BarcaPatrick9]

Change the nut to a graphtech nut and change the stock trees to roller string trees

[@goddessintriptych7046]

And for a higher budget - get staggered post locking tuners to kill two birds with one stone.

[@TheLadsBandLive]

Yeah. I’m surprised the nut was ignored. (That’s what he said)

[@mal2ksc]

Bone nut. I tried graphite first, and it was just too bright. I didn't want my open strings way twangier than the fretted notes, and switched to bone.

[@BarcaPatrick9]

@@mal2ksc i might have to try bone then...i get a small twang out of the graphteq nut.

[@BarcaPatrick9]

@surfitlive you are excused...for now.

[@beatletrainfan129]

Go with Gotoh tuners. Cheap and they are good quality. They will fit that screw location.

[@mal2ksc]

That's basically what the unbranded ones are knockoffs of.

[@GaleForcePhilippines]

Hey Darrell, I watched both of your videos on this Indio guitar and really appreciate you putting these up. I am in the Philippines and working with church worship teams to help bring them up to their full potential. With open air buildings (no air conditioning) their instruments are in bad condition, so this is a great way to get them into good instruments on an extreme limited budget. Watching your video, I feel like I could do these upgrade modifications myself with little to no experience. Thanks again!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Now I need a custom logo or graphic on the headstock. Any Suggestions? Too bad I'm not a Seahawks fan; their logo would be perfect on the headstock! Trem mod - 0:52 Pickups - 5:51 Tuning Machines - 11:45 Tone comparison - 17:17 To find quality used parts check your local online classifieds. Also, join local facebook guitar groups, and local forums. There are always great deals to be found, and they are not always on ebay :) If you want to buy new affordable parts, Ive had good luck with Guitar Fetish, and Solo Music Gear: www.solomusicgear.com?ref=1931 Gotoh or Wilkinson both make tuning machines that should attach without modifications Enjoy :)

[@amirkhalid5449]

You should have a Darrell Braun Guitar logo you can put on the headstock. Design a nice one, print it up on waterslide decal paper, and there you go. And you'll be able to use the logo wherever else you want.

[@MjVanCamping]

Haha, I was trying to think of what the heck it reminded me of! Seahawks! It does. Lol Great video

[@gregt4202]

FrankenCaster

[@xtbirdboxtx2039]

My Suggestion is To sign it. Maybe a stylized logo with initials. Whenever I have a blank canvas of a headstock on my builds, I like to sign it. "Approved"

[@doubleeyeseven6477]

Darrell, fantastic follow up! Thank you! Logo thoughts: Brauncaster. Or Braunder. Or even Bender? Lol. On mine I use Fikester, since last name is Fike. Take care! Al

[@SeanFication]

Surprisingly little difference in the pickups. The MIM's were louder/higher output, but you could just turn the amp up to get the same result.

[@jltrem]

Now take the Dremel and get rid of that pointy thing on the headstock.

[@linkinpark9281]

But i like pointy....

[@jltrem]

@@linkinpark9281 After he's through he can give you the pointy parts.

[@linkinpark9281]

Lmao love it

[@DavidRFIT]

This.

[@dainiusvysniauskas2049]

What pointy thing?

[@barbmelle3136]

Thanks for the video. I believe the 19-1 Wilkinson tuners will be a drop in and line up with the side screw holes. They are about $25 a set if a man does not have used Fender parts laying around.

[@RedBeard721]

Maybe it's just me and my inexperience with working on guitars speaking, but wouldn't it have been better for the holes to line up on the new pick guard to dremel out a bit around the bottom where the trem was hitting? Taking off some around the neck and then sliding it up shifts all the holes and that's just to get something on the bottom to fit, but it seems like, in theory, grinding a bit around where the trem was hitting would've done the same for fitment and not shifted the screw holes. Either way, I'm digging this build and considering eventually doing one myself. Keep up the good work!

[@MrApmech]

Uh yea, exactly

[@Twinkyboy]

Amazing video, your quality just keeps getting better.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks man!

[@rob8030]

I bought this same guitar and a couple others that you show on your channel and did the same mods plus put on locking tuners and these guitars are great!!! I really enjoy your channel and learn a lot and look forward to more! As an old guy in my 60's, I am really enjoying this part of my life, so thank you.

[@cheryllakin3077]

That's a pretty color. It looks like a slice of sky pie😘

[@AS34N]

This was the most perfect way to describe the body color. Well done cheryl. Well done

[@MalcolmO]

Good call on the differing trem mounting screws! The smooth ones are a better idea, for sure. I note that they're notably longer than the originals. Whoever made the design decisions on this guitar did customers a favour (actually 2) by specifying full body thickness and the swimming pool routing. Leaves us with plenty of options.

[@kingrein5780]

You inspired me to finally do a guitar upgrade so I purchased a Wine Red Cali Classic. Wanted Blue Burst, but not available for several months. I believe my guitar was built in Aug, 2019 and they updated the 6 screws on the tremolo - they now have the smooth top on the screws instead of threading all the way up to the head. I essentially did the same upgrade you did, except I installed a used 2016 American Standard HH loaded pick guard. Was a fun project with my son and we will be posting our upgrade soon. Thanks for the inspirational videos!

[@Elektronijaenis]

One idea for making it more reliable in the long run would probably be raplacing the output jack for a higher quality one.

[@scottyvalero3691]

Thanks for doing these mods! It has really inspired me to do my own mods to my guitars, for example, Ive modded out my mim strat with custom shop pickups, and done the same with a squier classic vibe tele. Got another tele that is gonna be next. Keep up the motivating content! 😁👍🏼

[@jpcrafton69]

I prefer the solid block saddles over the bent-steel saddles - both in look and feel.

[@rowlandstraylight]

Decent milled steel, brass (or graphtech but they're darker sounding) are better than bent steel. Cheap cast zinc blocks are awful. I like the Wilkinson stainless saddles. Their bridges are decent upgrades to cheap strats and I use their two-point ones on my builds.

[@rowlandstraylight]

@@detroitfunk313 they sound better than cheap cast parts. And milled steel looks enough like cheap cast zinc for them to put people off. Particularly as a magnet doesn't stick to most stainless steel saddles so they get confused for cast zinc by people that don't know enough metallurgy.

[@kimthompson5871]

Update . Just received this guitar . Your review is spot on . An amazing deal for $99 bucks shipped . Now time to order some parts .

[@jtshannon]

I watched the video last week and had a ton of questions. I am so glad you made these mods. Thanks a bunch and I finally subscribed after watching for months. Not sure how I never did before. This was a great video!

[@assnut1000]

good move using mexican fender pick guard looks way better than the stock one.

[@jesseyrabjones2088]

Taking from the front of the pickguard misaligns the screw holes, better off trimming the back where you had clearance issues

[@brianschwartz5673]

Great video Darryl, it's a pleasure to watch your stuff

[@Malum09]

I like the shape of the headstock, and as always I learned something new while watching Darren

[@jonathanguzmandrums1861]

I'm a drummer, and I'm enjoying watching this...

[@DavidRFIT]

you are literally everywhere saying the same exact thing. we get it, buddy.

[@that209gamepicker]

Same

[@aaronadams6935]

Tbh I wish I was a drummer first before going to guitar. That rythm instinct is something I am jealous of.

[@That4LeafClover]

Oh I did have another question... any good videos on how to properly set up a guitar? Going over tools and how to do each task.

[@malegirlboss]

This video was super fun to watch and informative, relaxing too. Thank you for making it!

[@DBSG1976]

I've always liked the six screw trems on both my MIM Strats. You made that Daphne Blue Burst beauty even better, Darrell!

[@ryangiesbers]

I did a complete budget build on a starcaster strat and I love that guitar.

[@shauncarter924]

Good work, as always DB. These are my favorite types of videos. I gotta say I kinda dig the headstock. It’s like a cross between a strat and a Washburn.

[@ChickenThug55]

Shaun carter I’m diggin that headstock too! Looks pretty sweet! Only if Fender first made it lol

[@Mr.Korzack]

Really enjoyed these 2 vids, most I've done of modding is swapping out tuners & strap buttons, so it's been cool to see what big changes can be done for ground-level budgets, especially if I ever buy a kit guitar just for the learning experience...

[@ArrumeSuaCama]

Those new pickups are so rocky! Perfect upgrades, good as always darrel.

[@QoraxAudio]

Of course, everyone has some random Fender tuners lying around the house! 👌

[@GabrielNardinMusic]

I saw the previous video and was probably expecting the mods to be mostly the tuning machines and the nut; both to ensure tuning ease and stability. If I have to be honest the sound of the older pick ups didn´t seem bad compared with the new ones Darrel put.

[@ofreeky1]

Darrell I really enjoy your vids. Never fails to make me smile and always really informative. Keep up the great work.

[@mozilla2576]

Nice work Bro. Very fun experiment to watch.

[@joeltowle2737]

OMG! So, happy you didn't cut the headstock! Very nice! Great video!!!

[@ChickenThug55]

The headstock looks pretty sweet! I like it better then fenders

[@jayceandjeremysadventures.4441]

I just picked up a 70’s white with cream binding Aria Les Paul copy. I just ordered the $13 fleor pickups and 4 push pull pots for the Jimmy Page wiring. Should be a cool one when I’m done.

[@stephenbunton2159]

Fleor pickups are pretty awesome. I have gotten a few different sets, humbuckers and p90's. I had a gold top les Paul copy and they sounded way better than the original ceramic p90's. The humbuckers sounded pretty good too. I only used the neck pickup on a micawber style tele I made but it was too dark for my taste.

[@EpicStuffMan1000]

i really like warman pickups, they do pretty much every style of pickup and they compete with duncan or dimarzio for a third of the price

[@BradColemanisHere]

Dude, this is just fantastic. I mean, you put together a $200 guitar that I want and would not be embarrassed to show to people! Your notes about how good an entry-level guitar is these days is spot on too.

[@psyolent.]

love this. awesome work mate.

[@jpcrafton69]

Nice job! Kind of surprised you didn't replace the nut while you were at it, though.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

Thanks! Nut will be next week :)

[@ayylmao5121]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar tusq xl is your friend!!

[@miguelhdezubeldiadelcastil8738]

@@DarrellBraunGuitar Hi, what NUT would you recommend (as an Upgrade) for the Indio Cali classic ? Thank you for all the great advice.

[@djaizerais]

Try SX stratocaster this close to MIM fender!

[@TheAnujtrivedi]

I agree.. was skeptical but tried one out at my local guitar shop.... man are they awesome.. have better paint job than my much expensive guitars.. fret ends are smoother than a 400 $ epiphone.. Tuning heads need a replacement thought.. but thats done for 30 bucks.. so in all great value guitar.

[@goddessintriptych7046]

Glad to see the higher budget upgrade recommendations mentioned. No other channels do this

[@joekoonziii2840]

Absolutely love your channel- so much info and the way you present it is awesome!! I've learned so much and have an even greater love for guitar, from watching- thanks so much💀🎸🎼✌💕

[@Honezjr]

Do a Tele version! Great vid as always Darrell. \w/

[@IlNeige]

I've been looking at buying one of their Tele copies as a project guitar, so this is perfect timing. EDIT: Okay, to everyone insisting I go with a Squier instead, I appreciate it, but if I have my reasons for wanting to go the Monoprice route.

[@byronofcalgary6985]

please forgive me for obsessing - get any Squier with a Rear Striped Neck - gain a Fender headstock + Fender pin-type tuners [ newer "affinty series " are striped ] - any Squier with a full name "Telecaster" decal gets a 1-3/4" THICK body like Fender Mex + USA [ Strat + "Tele" decal gtrs don't - if you got a Squier Standard or Deluxe Series you would be way ahead - thrilled even...

[@davidkastin4240]

Some of their Telecasters have very nice colors and finishes 👍 Quilt and Flame tops look very nice. Wish they had lefties like that. Dam it 💩

[@TheKillerMasterPain]

i bought an harley benton for 100 and put fender tuners, toneride alnico 3 pickup and potentiometers and she is a beast

[@goddessintriptych7046]

I gotta agree with the first reply guy. Going with Squier as a mod base opens you up to all kinds of aftermarket parts and suppliers who cater to people upgrading their Squiers. You're less likely to run into situations like 'screws not lining up/different size', 'tuner routs different', etc. Plus you'[re at the mercy of an lesser-known's quality control. You might chuckle at that considering I'm recommending Squier, but I've upgraded a lot of lesser-known brand guitars, and some of them have absolutely no QC: guitars can have miscut pickup routs, mis-alignments, corkscrew necks, etc. Just a can of worms that I don't have time for anymore; I find it's much easier to drop into my local music shop and just try a bunch of inexpensive Epi's and Squier's until I find one that feels good.

[@ChickenThug55]

GoddessIn Triptych that’s so true. I’ve played some really crappy squires and some really nice squires, just gotta find a good one.

[@tirrr8873]

Wow,that mod make huge difference especially the sound and tunning stability to that strat.Thank for great video and i have fun watching it.

[@zzzdee1980]

This is much more entertaining than other build video I've watched.

[@patrickthunnus]

Is it just me or did the original pickups sound better? Agree that the original trem + tuners looked flimsy.

[@dougselsam5393]

Yeah I was thinking the old pickups sounded very clear, and the new ones seemed like they may have captured or added more overtones and volume(?) but overall sounded more muddy, or so it seemed...

[@_fabio1978]

@@dougselsam5393 Samd here

[@EeshLikhith]

same

[@artiefischel2579]

No shielding paint? In the last video you were getting a lot of hum.

[@mick851998]

Artie Fischel the newer MIM pickguard itself was already shielded

[@Markle2k]

@@mick851998 The body isn't shielded. A one-sided Faraday cage isn't.

[@mick851998]

Markle2k so what I’m saying is won’t it somehow help having just the pickguard shielded? Because IF that in itself solves hum issues, then I guess that’s why he didn’t apply more grounding tape

[@Markle2k]

@@mick851998 It will do _something_ That something won't always necessarily be positive. If the source is behind you it could act as a reflector. Even in front of you, it doesn't prevent diffracted waves from getting to the pickups. The best option is to tape or paint while you have everything out of the guitar.

[@mick851998]

Markle2k hey I learned something new. Thanks!

[@briansimpson8116]

Thank you so much for NOT angling the outer trem springs, rendering the center spring useless. Because physics. I appreciate people that know what they're doing. 👍🤘

[@anghell1823]

I enjoyed this video so much, like watching all the process and everything is just relaxing and enjoyable.

[@bassmanjura]

for custom logo try woodburning, you can find cheap soldering/woodburning tools on amazon or aliexpress and you do it easily by yourself

[@steveredenbaugh9058]

actually the original pickups sounded better

[@tomdrouhard3781]

Glad I'm not the only one that who likes the original pickups

[@erickw86]

Yups me too

[@brianschwartz5673]

I think so too, but was too scared to post it first 😊

[@icychill105]

I also like the sound of the original pickups but everyones ears are different

[@Arkoudeides.]

I agree.

[@kimthompson5871]

So I just ordered this and I can’t wait to mod it ! Love that paint job !

[@russellesimonetta3835]

Very nice ! Different direction from what i expected but ready for the bar gig!!!

[@coyote-8627]

50% amp 30% string 20% guitar body & electronics

[@judabuda2069]

Upgrade it to max!!!

[@emmabrewer2283]

I always feel so cozy and happy when I watch your videos lol

[@michaelholloway3018]

Thanks for video, good job. This is a very complete curriculum on the topic. You speak well, clearly and sounds like you really like this gig. I'm going to watch as many as I can M.E.H.

[@onefatstratcat]

This may sound weird but I actually liked the stock crap pickups a bit better.. The mexi's sounded a bit to round and flat to me.. Then again it could just be the recording. I have some parts here at the house and may have to pick one up for shits and giggles.. but I think I'll get the red one :)

[@ChickenThug55]

onefatstratcat i know what you mean, but trust me, when you play live, you don’t want bright and thin sounding pickups. U need full/round and a bit flatter sound coming through the mix in a live setting. It’s sounds much more pleasant when your in the auditorium

[@altairtodescatto]

pro tip for beginers: invest more on your first amp than on your first guitar

[@MauricioMartinez0707]

It matters way more for the sound, but the guitar matters more when it comes to comfort of playing

[@aym8719]

Very informative video, not just showing how to modify your guitar but also showing how to fix problem on your guitar specially if it's cheap guitar. Thank you Darrell

[@gregorycooper9103]

Thank you for taking the time sir. Great teach. (:

[@lucaschibler2631]

You should do this with different price ranges. Like 200$ guitar w/ 200$ mods and so on

[@Grooove_e]

I have a 600 dollar guitar with about 500 dollars worth of parts you can see it directly to the right of this comment. Shall I make a video?

[@lucaschibler2631]

Josh Besson for shure

[@Grooove_e]

@@lucaschibler2631 Will do, I'll try to have it up by the end of next week! (Out of town for work currently)

[@cardgamecoffin1087]

@@Grooove_e is that vid still coming? I was kinda excited

[@Grooove_e]

@@cardgamecoffin1087 Yeah I'll make it soon. Started a new job this year so I've been fairly busy. I'll try to get it up in the next couple of weeks or so

[@erix777]

WHY did you take off the "Indio" brand man? It was the coolest part!

[@ConwayBob]

It sounds SO much better with those MIM pickups! I've got a beautiful green Indio Tele that I like very much, but now I'm thinking it might benefit from a similar upgrade. Thank you for this video. Keep up the great work, Darrell. Love your channel!

[@RedCarRecords]

Great video! I’m working on some of this stuff myself now!

[@Rollermanfromspace]

you should do a guitar fetish build with their pickups and kwikplug system. It would be interesting to see where it would fit in your collection

[@stankfanger1366]

I was going to suggest for this upgrade that he do one of their $50 loaded strat pickguards. I put one on my Squier and it sounds amazing! For $50 I got a white pearl pickguard, Alnico pickups, a mechanical selector switch, and full-sized pots. The damn thing sings, seriously.

[@RevGary]

@@stankfanger1366 Frau Bleucher neighhh lol Frunkenschtein What great knockers lol

[@joegriffin3623]

Young Frankenstein That's what I'm doing with my Squier. I'm getting a set Lil Killer humbucker single coils and the super strat pickguard. All for alittle under $100

[@kurtshervinski836]

Proper title: Turning cheap strat into a MIM Strat

[@jeffro.]

Great, Darrell! Another fine video. Your know yer stuff, man. That upgrade was an awesome good idea! I can hear the difference in everything 'cept the arpeggios, but I bet it feels & plays way better! And I'm sure it'll stay in tune better, too! Atta boy!

[@tomholton235]

So glad you put the laminated fender pickguard on, it looks so much more premium!