A guide on how to improve or fix any old guitar .

Step 1: The Begining

When I bought the guitar it was in a state of misery; the body and neck of the guitar painted in metallic purple sparkling car paint and the custom pick guard lavished in black household enamel. The wiring was a complete mess as well; with none of the ground wires soldered down properly and the bridge pickup being held in by electrical tape I wasnt sure if it was worth it.

Having said that after a bit of persuasion (4 hours and ten sheets of sand paper) it was looking a lot better also by mistake, I caught some electrical tape on the pick guard and discovered its true identity.

Step 2: Next I Bought Some Parts..

The parts I purchased are as follows:

1. A telecaster style 6 saddle bridge
2. A 11.5k mini bucker for the bridge
3. 6 bushings / they wear out quite quickly.

Step 3: Installing the Bridge and Pickup…

Installing the bridge and pickup&

To avoid spending extra money I had bought a strat pickup&.

&the problem with this is you cannot mount it using the bridge. You have to custom fit it to the wood of the cavity hole in the body. To raise the pickup to the right height I thought about a number of techniques:

1. Screws and springs
2. Screws and superglue
3. Rubber Washers

After I had mounted the pickup I set about the bridge.

Helpful tips and facts&

An easy way to allocate the position of your bridge is to measure from the nut to the end of twelfth fret and then add that distance on; if you do this precisely you will have the position of the bridge.

Step 4: Setting the Intonation…

Setting the intonation&

The way to check if your intonation is right is by attaching your low e and high e; by plucking the open string (once in tune) the note should read the note should come up the same as the open on your guitar tuner.

Setting the intonation is a labourous procedure

If the note is to sharp you adjust the saddle by taking it backwards to the amount you require. You do the opposite for a flat.

Step 5: Final and Last Page....maybe

Final and last page&

If you have adjusted your saddles to the right height all that is left is to tighten the truss rod and let the necks settle, over a couple of weeks you may need to loosen or tighten the trust rod to get the action that you desire without fret buzz&

The next step is to finish the guitar there are many choices available for this such as:

1. Water based lacquer , to let the grain show through
2. Oil&
3. And may more.

Now all thats left is to admire your work.

Or you can be like me and never want to leave something as it is and tweak!

Step 6: Add on and Tweak

i have recently installed a dimarzio air zone humbucker in the bridge; i didn't like the gaps at the side or the sound my new bridge pickup is filling in thouse holes and giving me that punk sound i'am after...