Ultimate strat modifications | Guitar Tweakz #2 | Kris Barocsi

In this next guitar tweakz video I'm going through all the modifications on my strat. I hope you'll find it useful! I truly believe these are the ultimate vintage style strat mods.
You'll find timestamps here in the description and also links to the strat parts and all gear being used in the video. Enjoy!

- Seymour Duncan Antiquity strat pickup:

- Seymour Duncan Antiquity tele bridge pickup:

- Emerson Custom electronics (pre-wired kit | pots, cables, capacitor AND TREBLE BLEED):

- Göldo vintage bone nut:

- ABM vintage style strat tremolo (5050-V model):
_________________________________________________
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro and playing
0:50 - Mod 1 | Pickups
1:21 - Playing | pickup positions
2:32 - Mod 2 | Tele bridge pickup
2:41 - 1st SONG MIX
3:41 - Mod 3 | Electronics
4:54 - 2nd SONG MIX
6:24 Mod 4 | Tone knob for the bridge pickup
7:08 Mod 5 | Treble bleed mod
8:24 Mod 6 | Roasted maple neck
9:31 Mod 7 | Unfinished neck
10:15 Mod 8 | Thin finish
11:09 Mod 9 | Nut material
12:08 Mod 10 | steel tremolo block
14:04 Mod 11 | dampen the tremolo springs

Gear used in this video:

-Barocsi "Frankenstrat" (2000 Fender American Standard body + Warmoth neck)

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Cheers,
Kris Barocsi

[eduardsiger]

This is the best Strat upgrade video I’ve seen. Awesome!

[jakeritchie]

One of the best youtube guitarist. Doesn't play fast to play fast. Plays to please the ears

[leftymadrid]

Ok, that telecaster bridge pickup sounds like heaven!!!!
I totally agree :-)

[theguitarelectric]

Kris, Wow. Love the way that bridge pick up sounds. So many people complain about the brashness of the bridge pick up on a Strat but I really think you just come with a great idea. I have a spare telly pick up I think I’m gonna stick it on a Strat pick guard and see what happens. Great playing by the way. Thanks for the great video!

[rhythmofblues]

Really enjoyed this. Going through all my gear to review and improve for upcoming work and found this really usefull. I have antiquity 2's on one of mine but a Fralin bridge because of the metal base the other mods except treble bleed which I have on my Tele. One going on Strat no 1 now!! I resonate with your finger style, best mod you can do:)

[cmickish]

I am quite surprised as well about the Tele Bridge pickup on a Stratocaster. That was one of the first mods I ever did! I think it's because most people still don't realize the Tele bridge plate underneath the pickup itself is what makes it far more bad ass than it's Strat counterpart bridge pickup. That and the reputation of Tele twang overshadows so much of the Rock and Roll Blues kick assness that is naturally in a Tele just waiting for you the player to tap into it.

[impulseproman]

Am not a guitarist but that Tele pickup is the best thing I hear on a strat

[freeedb]

Kudos! Finally a Strat Setup-/Mod-Video that’s not only really useful but outstandingly cool!

[peterlevinson]

Tele pickup? Yep, I did this about a year ago by putting a SD Twangbanger in the bridge so no need to mod the pickguard or buy a new one. My wiring was done by Lindy Fralin: master volume, master tone and blend. This lets me use bridge and neck, Tele style as well as dial up a whole host of other great tones. And I didn’t forget the treble bleed. Love this setup!

[shorerocks]

I appreciate the time you put into those vids, so thx, Kris!

[andersrandom]

Great video and playing as always Kris. Electronic upgrades are sooo overlooked. I had a Emerson kit in a old strat with Chinese pickups and I suddenly sounded great 🤘

[nightwishlover]

2nd song mix - just Gorgeous!!!! Great video. That Tele pickup sounds mental!

[taokingkong]

Pretty much all the mods that matter and improve your guitars tone in less than 10 minutes, great video, thanks for sharing :D

[Mark-TX]

Hi Kris... one thing i like as a mod to both my Strat and Tele is changing the Volume Pot from the stock 250k to a 300k pot... Something I learned from the Eric Johnson wiring diagram... it removes some mud from the Neck pickup position... adds some chime and clarity without sacrificing warmth... and having done the tone knob mod for the bridge pickup, it affords you the ability to make sure that the bridge isn't overly bright from the additional 50k added to the Volume Pot... just overall makes the neck position more usable, enjoyable AND your drive tones are clearer in the neck too :-) Thank you for the great content !! Blessings, Mark :-)

[hieronymus]

You can put rubber tubing inside your springs as well, beats putting in that nasty pickup packaging foam that disintegrates over time.

[thamashu]

Great tips! And I've just learned the riff 👍you used to demonstrate the sound of the different pickup positions (1:21) because "I had to"! Thanks! 🙂

[lueysixty-six]

Definitely gonna take a closer look at that Tele bridge pickup for a Strat bridge "mod"! Cheers!

[Steven_SK]

Very interesting build. Sounds awesome Kris.

[smilevrsac]

Great mods, I tried most of them and some are more, some are less useful. I will add one, which is super cheap and super useful: If there is a gap on the sides between neck and body (even as narrow for the credit card thickness, or less), you can line the sides of the neck pocket very carefully and neatly with aluminum tape, (the one used for HVAC application), make sure it's not wrinkled, flatten it to be smooth and add layer by layer, very gradually, until you can fit the neck into the pocked to be very snug. You should not make it too narrow and use too much force to fit it in as you can crack the neck pocket. You should be able to lift the guitar gently holding the neck, without screws in place. You will see the tremendous increase in sustain and responsiveness and you can thank me later.

[Hradeck_]

Hey Kris, Thanks for sharing the tip on the Tele bridge pickup. Sounds great man, definitely more rockin than a standard strat bridge pup.