LOFTY GOALS
One reader finds a new lease of life in a long-forgotten guitar. But could mods make it even better still?
QI bought a Squier Vintage Modified Cabronita with Bigsby when they were launched back in 2013/’14 (after your glowing reviews), but for some reason I’ve never quite got on with it and packed it away in the loft. Fast-forward to 2019 and using the remarkable Line 6 Helix HX Stomp I thought I’d have another look at the Cabronita. To my great surprise I have been blown away, especially playing it through a Soldano or Matchless patch – something I’m not likely to do in real life! A perfect example of how changing part of your setup can prove completely inspirational.
Reading the original review again on MusicRadar.com, the reviewer mentioned that “several parts would benefit from aftermarket upgrades” and I wonder what direction you’d go in, and if it would make a difference to someone who plays in a band like me but doesn’t go on world tours? Pickups? Wiring? Locking tuners? Or nothing at all and leave it well alone? Paul Harmer, via email
AHi Paul, thanks for all the positive comments. Glad you’ve got the Squier out of the loft (particularly as a loft is a terrible place to store any guitar!). You raise some interesting points that are key to any mods. I’m sure you’re not the first person to buy a guitar and then find it doesn’t work for you as you’d hoped. With your new Helix, however, things have changed. The guitar hasn’t, though, and therefore my first question would be: why do you want to mod it?
“Several parts would benefit from aftermarket upgrades,” our review said, and if I’m honest that could be applied to virtually any sub-£500 (and probably higher) model, because these instruments are built to a price point. Now, if you gut the guitar and replace the tuners, nut, bridge, vibrato, pickups and wiring with better quality retrofits, yes, you should hope to improve the instrument. But this will be at considerable cost – way above what the instrument itself is worth. You wouldn’t be the first or the last to do that.
But do you need to do all – or even some – of that? Well, as I wrote in last issue’s cover feature: before you start modding, give the guitar a chance. If you can’t set it up to its full potential then seek some professional help. It’ll be money well spent. After that, put some hours in with the guitar. How’s it doing now?
Bigsby vibratos always need a little love if you want to maintain tuning stability. Make sure your strings are fully stretched, the nut slots are clean (bend each string behind the nut – does it come back in tune?) and that you’ve put your strings on properly. Add some lubrication to the nut grooves and to the saddles where the strings contact. Locking tuners are a godsend with a Bigsby as much for the ease of restringing as tuning stability. I’d certainly consider those a ‘money well spent’ upgrade.
Any issues with the pickups and the simple master volume/three-way switch control circuit? What do you like, what don’t you like? Typically, a Filter’Tron-style humbucker will use a 500kohm volume pot; a Telecaster’s bridge single coil would have a 250k… I have no idea what you have in the Squier, I’m afraid. But before you worry about that, are you using both pickups? If you favour one over the other, go with the volume control that suits or settle on a
Before you start modding, give the guitar a chance. If you can’t set it up to its full potential, seek professional help
halfway-house 330k pot. A good CTS pot won’t break the bank and I’m assuming you know how to solder. If that’s a yes, I’d probably replace that three-way switch, too, with a Switchcraft toggle while you’re at it.
We mention setting pickup heights/tilts as a mantra, and on a guitar like this with only one volume control it’s especially important. You might be limited by the height adjustment on the neck pickup, but, again, it’s hard to second-guess how you want to use the guitar. Set the balance as best you can and don’t be afraid to raise/ lower the polepieces on the neck pickup to fine-tune what you’re hearing. Let us know how you get on.