Hello all, been a while.

I currently have a Squier Tom Delonge Strat on loan, curious if anyone has experience with them.
Especially seeking set-up suggestions, best probable string guage (I am actually a bass player seeking to make this guitar crunch ), I think it may have 10s on it now, but the strings are really old.

Anyone?

Thanks.

wraub

Tried to see if there was any info on the Fender site, but that model has been discontinued, so you may have to look on wikipedia for specs. There are also a few sites & forums devoted to Squier guitars, where you can get help. Give it a good cleaning, and lay an 18-inch metal rule along the neck, to see that it's nearly straight, with just a little relief. It's a hardtail bridge/tailpiece, a lot like a Fender bass, so you adjust your intonation and string height like you would on a bass.

Rule of thumb is that bolt-on necks, like Strat necks, are much more forgiving when it comes to heavy-ing up your string gauges, so you should easily be able to work with a standard .010-.046 string set, although you might go heavier, like an .011-.049 set. I had a nice MIJ Squier some years back that really came alive with an .011-.049 set with a wrapped 'G' (.021). BTW, that was a D'Addario EXL 115w set, if you want to try them out. Lately, I've been using DR Pure Blues nickel strings, but they don't seem to offer a roundwound set with a wrapped 'G'.

Thanks for responding, Mr. Smith.

Looks like this one was indeed discontinued in 2003 or so. So far, it's set-up pretty well, but holding off 'til I get new strings on it later today.
The PU is like a Duncan Invader, apparently fairly high output from what I've been reading.
That D'Addario set sounds like just the ticket. Probably be using this more for loud, chunky rythym stuff, no one really needs to hear me solo on guitar, at least not until I can actually do that. Chunky rythym stuff I got in spades.

It actually specs ok, alder body, RW board, one piece maple neck.
The PU is a Duncan Design Invader copy, but sounds OK.

And the hardtail is so much easier to set-up than the regular Fender style trem.
Again, I have this on loan, but will probably try to acquire it for keeps.

Anyone else have sometthing?

wraub

Fender advertised it as a Blink-182 fans "down-strokers dream! You don't have to be a shredding virtuoso to rock, write songs and be cool...A simple and powerful design with huge harmonics"

I love the volume knob position set down from the pickup so you don't accidently bump it while playing with your palm on the bridge like all other Stats. Most Strat players love the normal close up knob for volume swells, but I prefer it set back a little more from the bridge pickup as shown in my avatar...

I wish Fender would make a reverse one with a single neck pickup and add a tone control for the jazzers...the Delonge is one cool Strat and will be a collector! It came in Daphne Blue, Black, Surf Green and Graffiti Yellow. Alder body, maple neck with a rosewood fretboard.

My standard answer here for fat, full, warm, robust tones would be D R Pure Blues .011" - .050" strings, set- up with as little relief as you can get away with and a medium-lowish action. After the relief and action are set, adjust the intonation, and then the balance of the pickup, from treble to bass side and then individual string-to-string via the pole-pieces.

It's actually set up pretty well, a little low perhaps, but I have yet to change strings and adjust for them.

Picked up some XLs yesterday, a 10-46 set, and an 11-49.

Played it as is last night through my 8 track w. built in fx, really impressed how much tone variance the vol knob displays.
Turn it down it's pretty mellow, turn it up and it's pretty hot and just begging for crushing distortion.
It's also easier to play than my last Strat, but that was another oddball, Gibson scale, s/s/h, and each PU having it's own on/off switch and the humbucker using a coil tap.

Seems like a pretty versatile guitar, considering. Kinda like a LP Jr., simple but open to almost everything.

wraub

So, put the 11-49 set on and the guitar seems to really like them, really just roaring along.

One issue, though: One of the tuners is broken. The part of the tuner that goes through the peghead, that the nut threads on to from the front, is completely broken off from the tuner body.

Any suggestions for a replacement (or anyone have one or a set laying around..?)

wraub

Resolved it anyway.

wraub

So, after a trial period, a good cleaning, and some play time I really like this guitar. Which is probably a good thing, as I ended up buying it at a decent price.

Anyone know how to fix a warped pickguard?
Might just get a new one if I can find one cheaply, but curious about fixing this one (even though it's really not my style.)

wraub

New ones run about $35 to $39 bucks...they bid on them on ebay too, so maybe you can find them cheaper. I'm not sure how well trying to unwarp one would work with some kind of hot iron or hair dryer? I think I would just buy a new one and maybe get a custom color with some graphics...

You have to be careful applying any kind of heat to the PG - you don't want to warp it even more.

I'd try clamping it between two pieces of plywood over the weekend, maybe in a warm, dry place. It also wouldn't kill the guitar if you added a screw hole, to hold down the warped section.

You can order custom-made PG's - do a search on "Pickguards" and you could waste the rest of your day - or buy a sheet of PG plastic and cut your own. Really, any good 2mm plastic should do, maybe something fun from a local crafts store. BTW, it looks like a simple job, but I'd do a few practice cuts on material you can afford to trash.

Final advice, check out some of the Forums dedicated to Squier guitars, and see if you can find a source for a replacement PG. Good place to ask about replacement tuners, also. The Squier tuners overall aren't great, and if you have those cheap trapezoid box tuners, get rid of them as soon as you can. Good luck, and have fun.

Thanks again.
I have indeed spent too much time looking at pickguard options, far too many choices available (or maybe just enough... )

The tuner I actually sorted out by getting a lone Squier tuner from a local shop. Lucky break, there. Only had to drill one hole.

One tip I found re: warped pickguard is to place it between 2 sheets of glass and leave it in the sun for a while, then put in it in shade, still between the glass, to cool. Yet to try it though. Have also read about using 2 glass baking pans/sheets, and an oven at ~170 for anything up to an hour. I'd think this might induce shrinkage and be really bad for anything made with celluloid.

I'll probably just get a different 'guard anyway, and experiment with this one. It's white perloid/mother of shower curtain vibe ain't doin it for me.
At the price I paid for the guitar, I figure I can be a little adventurous with a pickguard, although I am still broke as hell.

Suggestions to accompany a surf green guitar?

wraub

Caev says "and then individual string-to-string via the pole-pieces". I give - how the heck do you adjust the pole pieces? Grab 'em mitt derr needle nose pliers and tug? This is news to the old left hander. Oh wait, is this a bumhucker pup by any chance?

I like the white pearl and the stock look...but if you're going to have some fun, I would think plain white with a seafoam green ocean wave...

Like so, to wit, and all that:

Duncan Invader

No need here though, nicely balanced, even, and loud.
And yes, humbucker.

wraub

I have white pearloid on a black guitar and I like the look - on a Surf Green guitar, maybe not. I'd look at Vintage Mint Green (more subtle than it sounds).

Re: the warped pickguard mentioned above-

Well, here's what I did. I placed the pickguard in sunlight (temp in the 90s) on a flat piece of plywood, next to another piece of ply also in the sun. Waited around an hour. turned the guard upside down and placed the heated board on top. Left this in the sun for another 2 hours, then moved the whole thing into the shade for another hour.
Removed about 90% of the warp.

And Winston, probably just gonna get a black guard, but using the one I have for now. I tried a mint one and the guitar looked very Miami Vice, surf green pastel. Not really for me.
White perloid on black sounds cool. Maybe I'll repaint this one...

wraub

A black guard with a white pup should look cool...

Yeah, I keep thinking that too...


wraub

http://www.wdmusic.com/fender_strat_tom_delonge_pickguard_sttd_201.html <--- this picture might give an idea of black with white if you squint a little. Glad to hear you got 90% of the warp out with the plywood solar method...

ps. from reading the order info, it looks like you have to be careful as the guards don't always fit depending on the guitar and you may have to send in a sketch. Have fun with it!

Says right in the copy that it won't fit the Squier model? Not sure why Fender does that to themselves.

There were a couple of places where you could send them the PG, as a template - not sure how much confidence I would have in a paper tracing, personally, but that's more about my drawing ability.

Once again, if you have some decent tools, and don't mind experimenting, just about any 2mm plastic will work for a PG, and it'll be a lot cheaper than having one made. I've seen PG's that cost as much as I'd spent on a used Squier Strat!?!?

'Cause they're not doing it to themselves- just to Fender OWNERS.

Good one, Caevan!

I remember when the first MIM Strats & Teles came out, I was working in a music store. We got a newsletter from Allparts, warning us that NONE of their after-market Fender parts would retro-fit ANY of the MIM guitars. That's no longer the case with current Fender models, although Squier Strats have different specs, even among the various Squier Strat models - nut width, body thickness, trem systems and sustain blocks, PG's, even the size of the pup covers!?!? Somehow, I don't think this is what Leo had in mind.

No, it is decidedly NOT what Leo had in mind, is it?! He wanted simplicity, efficiency, lots of interchangeable and retrofit-table parts, and just so many models with options. That was largely one man's vision, albeit with value placed on the input of others; this is Fender by committee...

Leo sold Fender to CBS in 1965, so I don't think he had that much to do with the Japan run of Squires in 1982 nor the later Chinese versions...

It was also originally intended to stop someone from taking a Squier II body and putting an old Am Fender neck and selling it as an original. I think the only way some of the Asian copies were allowed into the country was if they had measurement differences to prevent that kind of stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squier <--- here's a brief history on the Squire. I think Fender was more concerned in 1982 with marketing their own cheap version of the Strat to compete with the Japanese clones being sold in Japan or in the US and not that worried about people swapping parts to be sold by US counterfeiters. I don't think Leo would have been interested in the Squire concept at all and would have kept making the Strat in America to his specs as long as possible.

ps. I have played my buddies original Japanese Squire and it plays and sounds as good as any other Strat (probably has the American pickups). I can see why Fender made their business decision (sans Leo) with regard to the import/export competition at the time and moved the Squire production to Japan in 82. We still have an unfair trade imbalance today where US products have a tariff going to countries where we do not charge tariffs on their imports on the same products. Check out Infinity Surfboards for an example that involves the import/export of Chinese production of the same product and brand name to the US and other countries. I think it's more involved than the number of holes and their location in the pick guards of foreign modals of Fender made guitars.

OK, good point!

True, up to a point, but some of the Squier models will retro-fit MIM and MIA Fender parts. I have two of them, and I can easily see how some unscrupulous folks could make faux-Fenders out of them. Interestingly, they're sought after by folks who want to make their own parts-casters, because they're incredibly cheap, and so easy to upgrade. What that suggests to me is that Fender is less concerned with maintaining the brand, than with market share. The Modern Player series proved that - Chinese-made guitars with Fender on the headstock.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Strat-Nec...=item2ec7090f3c <---- yeah, that should put a stop to it alright...got news for you guys, even American pick guards don't always fit American guitars...I bought a new 57 pick guard for my custom shop Clapton and the holes lined up perfectly...but the Clapton's cheap single ply pick guard was thinner than the old classic and I had to find thinner pot washers to get the pots through the new guard with enough threads up top...