Fender Stratocaster Setup Part 1 of 9: Introduction

[hetfield2x4]

You seriously are the man Jeff. I always watch your videos when re-setting my guitar up. Any chance that you would do setup vids on Les Pauls and/or acoustic guitars?

[jeffersononetwo]

@hetfield2x4 Thanks, my bro - I appreciate your feedback! I've got an ESP EC-1000 with a Tone Pros bridge ... I may do that one next (if I can find some time) - lol - it's a pretty close match. Thanks for watching & commenting! Holla anytime ...

[Recoredrecords]

Jeff, you are the man - straight up.

[jeffersononetwo]

@Recoredrecords Sweet! Thanks for the vote of confidence!

[cutlass93]

Looks like Wayne Campbell

[gregj989]

Thanks Jeff. I've always been a little afraid of trying to set up my strat...you took out the mystery and are going to be saving me some cash!

[jeffersononetwo]

@gregj989 Awesome, Greg! I hope all goes well with your new-found savings :) Rock on!

[ChaosEmerald85]

That's a nice guitar dude, I have the same one but with a maple neck and stock pickups at the moment

[MrJesusOfSuburbia111]

hey man i have a squire strat and its too twangy for my liking and i was wondering if i put a seymore duncan jb humbucker in it would it make it sound less twangy... oh and nice video, thank you

[jeffersononetwo]

@MrJesusOfSuburbia111 Man, absolutely I'd go for that without a doubt - some great bands use Seymour Duncan JB Juniors to get some killer sound ... it will be less twangy ;) I've replaced all three single coils pups in my Strat with Seymour Duncan humbukers -- rock on bro!

[MrJesusOfSuburbia111]

@jeffersononetwo hey jeff me again, i was wondering if i could just join all the wires together or would i have to saulder them? thanks again

[jeffersononetwo]

@MrJesusOfSuburbia111 You should follow the instructions that came with the pickups - usually that will be to disconnect & de-solder the old and solder in the new. Any cuts/splice should be twisted together, then soldered , and electrical taped.

[pirulos11]

Hey Jeff thanks you are great !!

[pirulos11]

Thanks Jeff !! what pots has your guitar, 250k or 500k? I like 500k but I lost treble when I turn down volume. What can I do?

[jeffersononetwo]

@pirulos11 Hey, thanks for the comment! I have 250k pots in the Strat ... the stock ones. The 250k are typically used on pickups that are single-coil ... 500k usually used with humbucker pickups. I have all three pickups changed to Seymour Duncan humbuckers, but I still use the 250k pots -- its really up to you on the slight change in sound. The capacitors may be changed as well but the loads would need to be calculated for proper voltage drops in the circuit - you could EQ ;)

[BreakingStrain]

Great videos. You take the mystery out of it. Thanks!

[gknezevic1]

Thanks Jeff!

[jeffersononetwo]

@gknezevic1 Anytime Bro ... hope they help you out!

[xavierf1979]

This guy is Great!

He's so relaxed and so easy to understand!!!

Great communicator!

[jeffersononetwo]

@xavierf1979 Many thanks, Bro! Hope you were able to make use of the videos & got some new toys for Christmas -- thanks for watching & commenting!

[thecrabnebula]

Thanks for your efforts, Jeff. Very informative video!

[jeffersononetwo]

@thecrabnebula Thanks for the comments!!

[YouthQuake04]

@jeffersononetwo: I must be missing something important. I watch your setup videos, and I have the same strat that you are working on. I set my tremolo exactly the way you did but once I tuned my guitar my tremolo bar was 'floating'. I would like in to stay down on the guitar. Can you help me? If it's easier to email me, my email is youthquake03@aol.com

[jeffersononetwo]

@YouthQuake04 It sounds like your strings need to be loosened a bit and then you need to tighten the spring-claw screws in the back. Don't go all the way in, but tighten those two screws into the guitar a bit more, then re-tune and check things out again.

[mohmdabduh2010]

hi i just downloaded your"set up procedures"theres a tape measure included in the tools needed but i have'tn seen you worked with a tape measure in these"1-9"videos...just a bit confused again...thanks man you really helped me a lot!!! i am so happy i found your videos.....

[YoGroucho]

Hello from Madrid Spain, how to remove tension on the strings of a Mexican stratocaster, do a full bend is impossible

[jeffersononetwo]

@YoGroucho Hey Bro ... many people go for size 10 strings for beefy sound, but most of those I know who really do a lot of bends use 9s or even 8s! I went from 10s to 9s. I would suggest going with 9s, and lubricate the top of the metal saddles with just a little 3-in-one oil before replacing the strings.

[skate4element96]

nice shirt

[MegaCalvinHobbes]

Did you dye your hair? Because I had a theory that everyone named Jeff has blond hair. You're ruining it. D:

Great video BTW, I don't own a strat, I'm a Les Paul guy, but very informative nonetheless.

[MrPirate93]

hey mate you seem like a really knowledgeable guy and i'm prepared to trust you with my baby... My strat has a few problems and is a little worse for wear, and it's time i gave it some TLC. It's a standard american made 50th anniversary with standard bridge, neck, everything... Could you please give a tools list so i know what i need to give it a complete do over? I'd like to just walk into the hardware store and say "i want a x" and get it. If you could help me out that'd be great man, thanks:)

[jeffersononetwo]

I will email you a link to a procedure I made ... in it, there is a complete list of needed tools to perform the setups I've shown. Nice to hear you are ready to spend some quality time on that fine instrument!

[MrPirate93]

thanks so much mate

[MrPirate93]

mate your email has helped tremendously to understand not just my guitar but the science of guitars in general - thank you for your invaluable information and much needed help :) my strat sounds and plays better than ever and it is EXACTLY how i want it to be - like my own custom axe! but i have one very important question still.... Sometimes i drop my guitar down to one half step below standard (Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Bb,Eb) and i was thinking of leaving it here - can you help me out again mate? Thank you

[Druss1586]

@jeffersononetwo Hey great videos, they are very helpful.  I was wondering if you may be able to send me a link to your procedure. Thank you for supporting music!

[jeffersononetwo]

@Druss1586 Thanks man! There is a link right up top in the INFO section - that should work for you. Let me know if you have any troubles ...

[Druss1586]

@jeffersononetwo Wow, thank you man. I have been looking for something like this for a few months. Stupendous! I did run into something in your procedure I think may be a typo. In step 7.5 you say to compare to step 6.8 but there is no step 6.8.

[jeffersononetwo]

@Druss1586 Thanks for catching, bro! New version is up and corrected. The reference there was to compare the fretted 12th note to its 12th harmonic note ... many thanks again for catching that!

[jeffersononetwo]

Thanks for the vote of confidence and congrats on your setup! Basically, just follow that procedure and/or videos and simply tune down 1/2 step - nothing major needs to be done for that. I go as low as drop-D frmo standard setup without any issues. Just keep check on the distances as the humidity and temperatures change - sounds like you are well on your way!

[CletusColtrane]

Great info man....thanks for the set up advice......lowering my strings now, lol

[BigEvilLadia23]

hey how too fix a mexican made Stratocaster my guitar the sound is not good

[Diabolic845]

this will work with a fender squier strat, right? Srry if i sound retarded.

[jeffersononetwo]

Hey Bro ... absolutely, this is for all Fender Strat types that have the same bridge. I have a red 1997 Squire that I'm going to do something with one day ... JOHN 5 plays a Squire Tele - rock on!

[Diabolic845]

hey thx! I didnt know john 5 plays squier tele. The squier strat must be good. I hear its a good starter guitar

[TheKiteFighter]

Nothing wrong with squiers BUT John5 does not play with em. There is a John5 signature squier BUT he plays with fenders onstage and in studio. Im a fender lover through and through, and Ill tell you there is no camparison from a squier to fender. I can instantly tell the difference between the two by how light the body is and how the neck. THOUGH squire has started releasing some decent guitars through the classic vibe series.

[jeffersononetwo]

I've never seen him close enough, but it would seem strange to have a signature guitar that you would not even play: I did see a video about this where it was being made & he seemed stoked - lol - Fender University held a clinic tour May 2009 where John 5 help celebrate his signature Squier J5 Telecaster Guitar. I'm sure you are right, that he would play the Fender - he has a huge collection of guitars. He's fronting the Squire on posters & clinics, that's for sure.

[echothecrowman]

Jeff, i too own a Mexican strat and i agree they are well made - one problem i do have and i think this is pretty general with Fenders, is HUM. Both my American and Mexican suffer from this (more so the Mexican). Have you any tips on how to reduce this, sounds like an earthing problem to me. Just wondered if you have any tricks up your sleeve that would solve it, my PRS is silent in comparison...cheers.

[jeffersononetwo]

I'm afraid not Bro :( My single coil (only one left) has hum too - most single coils do. I replaced my neck Pup with a Seymour Duncan Little '59 & the bridge Pup with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail. I never use the single coil anymore - lol. Dimarzio makes some noiseless pickups as do several other companies, if you like the look of the single coils. Either way, a replacement using a humbucking type is the only fix I know of. Fun to upgrade tho :)

[krullebol4]

Noiseless Single coils

[bjizzle123]

try shielding all of your electronics better, maybe some copper foil or an extra coat of non conductive paint in the pickup cavity

any music store should be able do do that for you cheaper than new pickups

[echothecrowman]

@bjizzle123 Cheers for that.....wouldn't dream of changing the p/ups, thought better shielding would be the answer, just wasn't sure how to go about it.

[jpsguitarguy]

btw, cool hair. im gonna save up for a like you have.

[jpsguitarguy]

what kind of single coil sized humbucker should i use for a strat that plays lots of metal, and i mean metal

[jeffersononetwo]

Hey bro - I've had DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan ... I personally liked the Seymour Duncan better. I had a Dimarzio Fast Track 1 vs Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. I'd pick SD :)

[TheSnickerdoodles]

these videos are really helpful

[jeffersononetwo]

... awesome! Glad to help man - anytime.

[pengy007]

which fast track do you have on that strat?

[jeffersononetwo]

This was a Fast track 1 (DP181) dual blade ... kind of bright sounding & thin with amps like Peavey 6505/XXX, Stein, Mesa Boogie ... since replaced with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (much better sound to my ears).

[gungadin36]

Excellent set of videos, 5 stars, thanks for helping this newbie out:) Following your videos here I did it myself and saved 50+ dollars!!!

[jeffersononetwo]

Man, that is awesome!! GREAT job Bro - that's what it's all about :) Email me anytime if I can help ...

[adris8]

Hey Jeff,

Its me from Jamplay, nice vid lol. Its real helpful.

[jeffersononetwo]

Hey Bro! Nice to see a fellow JP member :) Hope you find something useful from all of my ramblings - lol.