Most beginning guitar players begin with a rather inexpensive instrument. They usually have a mass manufacturing clone of a Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul. The most popular clones are made abroad by Gibson and Fender themselves throughout the Epiphany and Squire lines. These are built to the exact specs as the made models. They are adequate tools in their own right but they can be improved greatly with only a pickup replacement. So long as the neck is straight and the tuning pegs are fairly tight, this can be all you want to update to a pro sound.
Everyone altered several Stratocasters and will take you through the procedure. The first thing you need to pick on is what sort of sound you are looking for. Replacement pickups can be found with a great deal of variety in sound output. They also have a fantastic choice and have a CD of audio samples you can listen to. Most dealers have the cheap guitars and you can also search for the samples online. Select your replacement pickups and you are ready to update.
You will want several things for your job. An excellent secure workbench or table, with tons of room to lay out your tools, makes things a lot simpler.
- Screwdriver set, both horizontal head and Philips
- soldering iron
- solder
- new set of strings
- wire cutters or strippers
The first thing you will need to do is eliminate your guitar strings. It usually leaves the minimal E-string to keep a little tension on the neck. Next remove the pick guard cover. Ensure that you save all of the screws in a cup as they are little and have lost easily. Once you remove the screws you need to have the ability to lift up on it and slip it off under the E-string. You should now see your three pickups and the wiring that attached to them.
The new pickups come with a wiring diagram that is colour coded but take a fantastic look at each pickup before you replace it if something is not quite right with the colour code. It is important that you replace one pickup at one time in order not to combine the bridge, middle and neck pickups.
Heat up your soldering iron. Eliminate the first pickup. Usually start with the neck pickup. Cut and strip the wires according to the directions and solder the wires to the new ones. Repeat the process for another two. So, go shopping for the cheap guitars on the internet and you will discover that tens of thousands of offers are waiting for you with very low rates. There is a large array of guitars out there for you within your budget.