FENDER STRATOCASTER BREAKDOWN: SETUP & PICKUP REPLACEMENT

Recently, I had the pleasure of working on a client’s Fender Stratocaster — one of the most iconic electric guitars ever made. The owner wanted this classic axe to play and sound its best, so I gave it a full setup and swapped out the pickups for a tone upgrade.

Full Setup: Getting the Strat to Sing

First, I did a full inspection and cleaned up the fretboard. I adjusted the truss rod to ensure the neck had the right amount of relief, then set the action to the client’s preference — low enough for smooth lead work, but with no fret buzz.

Next came intonation: each saddle was adjusted so the guitar stays in tune up and down the neck. I also checked the nut slots and made sure the tremolo bridge was balanced for stable tuning, even with heavy tremolo use.

Pickup Replacement: Dialing in the Perfect Tone

The original pickups were starting to lose their spark, so we swapped them for a new set that matched the player’s style. After carefully removing the old pickups, I wired in the new ones with fresh solder joints, making sure everything was grounded properly to keep noise to a minimum.

Once installed, I tested the electronics, adjusted pickup heights for balanced output, and gave the guitar a final play test to make sure every switch position sounded great. The result: warm, punchy tones with the classic Strat chime — and plenty of versatility for everything from blues to rock.