[eleven59]

So, I've been wanting to build a Warmoth Strat for quite a while to replace my Squier Strat that I still love, but that's getting near the end of it's functional life

The trouble is, I'm terrible at saving :lol:

So the idea I had was: buy it piece by piece, starting with hardware I can use on my Squier, so I can make it functional until I have the rest of the parts and transfer everything over to the new guitar. The main things on the Squier that need replacing are the tuners and the bridge, so they'd be first (starting with the tuners).

The question I have is: am I crazy for wanting to upgrade a Squier, possibly putting more money into it than it cost originally? :lol:

 

[eleven59]

Yes, you are crazy. You will lose out bigtime on resale value, and parts like tuners and bridges (especially bridges) might not fit the existing body since imports often use different screw or stud spacings.

Either man up and learn to save (an EXTREMELY important life skill) or wait till you can afford it outright.

Well, resale value isn't an issue, as I never plan on selling the Squier (it's already modded with a DiMarzio bridge humbucker, beat to hell, covered in stickers on the back, etc.), or the Warmoth for that matter.

In looking, I've realized the bridge wouldn't work anyways, since I'm planning on building a hardtail :lol: I guess saving it is :yesway:

 

[eleven59]

^ It's true. Looking at the guitar, really the only things that I'd want to replace are the tuners and bridge saddles. The volume pot needs a good cleaning, but other than that, everything else is actually in pretty decent shape for a 12 year old guitar that's been my main player, and not fully taken care of very well :lol:

 

[eleven59]

Yeah, I'm not too sure about replacement necks either.

The funny thing about my Strat is that it was an "Affinity" Strat to begin with, and came in one of those "Strat Packs" with a small practice amp, gigbag, strap, cable, etc. but was one of the earlier ones that's a full-size Strat, not thinner and smaller like the current "Affinity" series. It's beat to hell, the bridge saddles are rusted and corroded to the point of not being able to adjust the action anymore (which, by the way, is far from perfect, and is a bit high by most peoples' standards), the tuners are threatening to seize up at any moment and I'm not sure anyone could get it properly tuned but me, since it takes a certain touch and some patience :lol: The frets are absolutely disgusting, but not a single one buzzes or frets out, the electronics are all original except for a second-hand DiMarzio Super Distortion that's been in there for a good 9-10 years, and yet it all functions near perfectly (again, dirty volume pot, though works decently for never having been cleaned). The trem arm stripped out years ago and has gone missing, and it's been functioning as a hardtail since, though never officially blocked (although I remember the guy at the shop saying that he always cranked the trem springs right down on the cheap Squiers to make life easier on beginners, rather than having to deal with any kind of floating or balance, and I can confirm that I've never had to touch the springs to get the bridge to lay flat, even when I went through my super-heavy-strings phase :lol: ). The paint's cracking around the neck heel, and the neck itself has been slightly crooked for years (strings drift towards the low-E side as they get higher on the neck) and I've never bothered to fix it, or really needed to as the intonation's really surprisingly decent :lol:

And yet, it's still my favourite guitar to play, it still feels like home, and sounds way better than it should :lol: I still proudly play it live and record with it, and I like to think I surprise anyone who discounts me for playing a "beginner guitar", since my tone and playing are both on par with a lot of pro guitarists (though there's always going to be guys whose playing and tone I envy :lol: ).

 

[eleven59]

You could also buy parts for the Warmoth piece by piece and just store them somewhere until you have them all. :shrug:

Yeah, that's what I'm mainly thinking I'll end up doing, since most of it isn't going to actually be a direct swap with the Squier anyways, and I might just replace the tuners on the Squier with something cheap but in better shape to keep it functioning :lol: