We Tried To 'Custom Shop' The Cheapest Fender Strat

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We tried to upgrade Fender's cheapest Mexican Stratocaster to see how close we could get to a real custom shop level of quality, thanks to @righteousguitars2548 for helping us out with today's video.

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[guythetechguy]

So basically most of the initial issue (the high action) was just a truss rod adjustment. You liked the initial tones so you tossed away all the pickups and all the electronics. I'd love to see what it looks like with a 5 minute truss rod adjustment, setting the intonation, adjusting the saddles, adjusting the nut if needed, adjusting the pickup heights to optimize the tone. I'd bet it would be a really nice guitar right then and there.

[PapawCulberson]

I did that with a $65 pawn shop - a Chinese Squire - I changed all of the electronics, Switchcraft jack, Fender Fat 50's pickups, a new switch and improved the grounds and shielding. I played it professionally for 10 years. Still have it - it plays well and sounds awesome!

[ci]

The better comparison would be to which Fender Strat can you buy off the shelf new for $1900 and how does it compare to the upgraded Squier. I'd love to see this dollar to dollar. Keep up the great work, Rhett!

[sidestyle]

What I heard is that this is a pretty darn good Strat that just needed a thorough setup. If your biggest beef is that the truss rod needs adjusted and the fret ends need attention, you're doing pretty well

[nirvilchigs]

I liked the sound of the original pickups. I think it would have been a fairer examination if they did a full setup before modding to see how it could have sounded. Then change it all out and see what is gained.

[eriktaylor]

I literally do this with every guitar I buy. Not only do you save money, it’s really a great way to feel connected to your instrument. The more time and effort you put in, the more you really feel connected to your guitar, and for me, that’s been really important in making me want to play

[kevinoconnor]

I did this with a 1985 MIJ Fender Squire Strat. Over 37 years it's had every pickup made except a "filtertron" installed in it. Now it has Fender CS "TX. Spcl's". I rolled the fretboard edges on the 2nd re-fret with Jumbo fretwire. It's a nice touch. Always a "Bone" nut, upgraded pots, switches, & Jack's. Everyone has to remember I bought this guitar from a highschool friend, who owned it for 3 months, for $100.00 Yes, a $100.00. I will never get rid of this guitar, because now, after 37 years & all of the work done to it, it finally plays & sounds like a dream! Especially in the 4th pickup switch position! SPANKY!!!

[cliftongardner]

Scotchbrite pad (pack of 3) = $3
Emory boards (pack of 25) = $2
Took an Epiphone Les Paul and buffed the neck to a dull satin using the scotchbright bads and sanded the finger board edge slightly and rolled the fret edges using a few emory boards. Set it up and with $5 and a couple of hours, had it playing as well as my Gibson SG.

[ksjohnson]

Some food for thought. About 7 months ago I purchased an Indonesian made PRS SE Custom 24 for $850. I was blown away by how great this guitar looked, played and sounded right out of the box. Fret work was good except it needed a little leveling at the high end. Board edges was actually rolled nicely and IMHO there is something special going on with these pick ups. Very open and nice clarity. Took it to my local guru, he leveled the frets and did a setup for $100. I added some locking tuners for another $100. So now I have a fantastic guitar that plays and sound great for under $1100. I rarely pick up my 2 Gibby Les Pauls or Fender Tele Elite. You can get the S2 version for $1800 or the USA Core version for around 4K. Now I'm sure both those guitars are better than my cheaper model, but I can't imagine being 2 or 3 times the price better. Very happy with my $1100 guitar.

[Gearhart_Music]

I have a player strat I bought a few years ago and it still sounds and plays great! I upgraded the saddles, the nut, and the tuners, and did a level and crown and it feels great! I kept the stock pickups because they sound good to me. Player Strats are an excellent deal no matter what level you're at.

[Jakfilm]

Ben is the greatest. He talked me out of a guitar that they sell as not suitable for my use, and told me to look elsewhere for what he thought was a better idea. In the end, I believe he was correct. I am a fan for life.

[mbo]

From the start, the guitar they upgraded is a professional level instrument. The hardware on the MIM guitars is excellent. As for the neck setup, fret polishing, etc, most of that can be done at home with a few basic tools. Replacing the pickups is a matter of taste: the original pickups on these guitar sound great already. The final price of can be a lot lower depending how much (or little) work you're willing to do yourself.
Great video again. Keep them coming! Thanks.

[HoJSimpson]

I "custom shopped" my Epiphone Les Paul. New Pickups, Duesenberg Les trem, Roller bridge, Locking tuners etc. Yes the investment was way higher than the guitar, but in the End, after playing it for some time, I think i've build myself a real player here. Stays in tune like a champ, and sounds just great. Even if I went for a more expensive Base guitar, I would have to make at least some of these Upgrades too. Maybe not the pickups, but the rest feels mandatory. And in the End it's also a Style thing. That's now My Guitar, und not something off shelf.

[kristfur]

I really do like the way they set up the guitar. The wiring was clean AF, and I liked the neck treatment. The mint green looks sleek too.

[kevinvandenberg]

That's how I did it with my Epi Les Paul Custom. Bought it when I was 15 for 550 euros. Couple of years later put some seymour duncan SH18s in them. Then later redid the frets (stainless steel) and nut. I was never going to sell it. Now it plays and sounds great. It's no Gibson, but it's well played in and still reliable after many sweaty gigs.

[ImYourOverlord]

Those prices are outrageous! When did guitars start costing twice what they should? Or am I just way behind the times?

[frenchblacksmithedits]

Keep in mind that in the 1919$ is included the hours of work. With basic knowledge and practice you can do that too, I did the same on a Mexican strat, I basically replaced everything, neck included, and it plays like a dream, and it feels like a more personal guitar, I've put some sweat into it and it only cost me 400 to upgrade it fully. I think at least a good setup and footwork is a need for a guitar and it's not very hard to do well

[flatroc]

I recently did a blind Strat test before buying the winner at a large guitar store. They set 4 similar guitars up in a sound room with the same amp. I played them all without know any makes. I walked away with a Godin Session HT in matt black. Love it. The competitors were an American Strat, a Squier Strat, a PRS Silver Sky and a Godin Session. A True unbiased choice.

[toms]

Many of Rhett's comments in the "after" review are simple things that should be taken care of by a good set-up. No guitar can be blamed for not being set-up properly straight out of the shipping box. Temperature variations, humidity, and other environmental factors during shipping from factory to store can take a factory set-up guitar to an unplayable state. A good guitar store should perform a proper set-up before they ever place it in a customers hands.

[Thinkforwardnow]

I’m a lefty and my main guitar is a telecaster. Bought all of the parts individually. MIM black body, Gotoh modern bridge and saddles. MIM Maple neck and added fender locking tuners. Pre-wired control panel from Wainwright Custom Guitars. Fender custom shop Texas special pickups. Took the PU cover off the neck PU and used an open faced cover. Wanted a copper colored pickguard, but being left handed that was impossible to find. Settled for a nice aluminum one.
Put it all together when the last part came in and had it professionally set up.
$987 total. The guitar is perfect in every way. The pickguard and open face bridge PU cover makes it look badass.
A lefty can’t walk into a guitar store and play a telecaster that nice for under $1, 600 if there are any lefty guitars to play. I stopped going to music stores because of the lack of options when I go.