This article has taught me quite a few things! Thanks @V8 I have bookmarked it and keep going back to.

The most interesting aspects for me are:

Blocking off a trem by wedging a piece of wood between the block and the back of the spring cavity tends to thicken the midrange and soften the transients for a more compressed tone. Some claim it improves sustain – Clapton is a fan. In contrast, floating the trem tends to open up the sound and allow the treble harmonics to ring a bit clearer. You may also discern a bit more of the Strat’s springy ‘internal reverb’ and you can enhance this effect by removing the spring cover.

I would never have imagined that this could contribute to tone. With the mod I am currently busy with I am going to be blocking off the trem, purely in an effort to improve the mids.

If you need convincing, consider how the bridge pickup of vintage-style Strat sets usually sounds disproportionately bright compared to the middle and neck.
It’s because stock Strat wiring leaves the bridge pickup unconnected to a tone control.

WHAT!?! Ok, something for me to investigate

While you are changing blocks – or merely changing strings – try Eric Johnson’s trick of removing the paint from the top of the block for direct metal-to-metal contact. He also removes lacquer from the neck pocket and the area beneath the bridge.
Alternatively, check out Wudtone’s ‘Whacker Plate’ – a 0.5mm sliver of stainless steel that sits between the body and bridge plate to enhance bridge-to-body contact (see our review of various Wudtone Strat upgrades on p88). It improves definition and clarity while providing a smoother vibrato feel

Small changes that can add dramatic tone differences?

So all in all a great article that taught me so much!! Now do an ultimate guide to Les Paul tone... :-)

Thanks wern101 was meaning to read this and never got round.. you popped it back into my attention.

now that I've taken time to read it.. there are lots to consider as always. some things I've know or understood some I didnt..

My strat copy, I've hard tailed by setting the trem on the body.. it just looks more correct to me than the floaty floaty trem.. and I still get the option to dive when the desire arises.
Wiring I get and there are more options than I can list but I Would like to try treble bleed. what I Didn't know was the mid Pup not been connected to the tone controls.. now I know why I never like it..(definite future mod.)

what is of particular interest to me at the moment is the spring vs rubber mount..need to do more research..

V8

V8 It's usually the bridge pup that isn't connected to a tone pot. The mid & neck usually have their own individual tone controls.

sorry misread.... its been one of those days..

V8 But if you know someone in the rubber industry - get some surgical grade tubing - AFAIK, it's the same thing

I've had this https://raru.co.za/musical-instruments/6748941-allparts-electric-guitar-300mm-silicone-surgical-tubing-for-pickup-spring-replacement-frosted-white in my shopping cart waiting to click for awhile now for my project... I think its slightly better value than the pre-cut ones..

thanks for your breakdown.. its a bit clearer than the article.. i.e I understand better what they where trying to say.

Should you ever get bored with the normal strat wiring there are hundreds? of options, most are reversible:

https://guitarwiring.blogspot.com/
https://guitarelectronics.com/guitar-wiring-resources/
http://www.blueguitar.org/schems.htm#MiscFX
http://www.guitar-mod.com/rg_diag_strat.html
http://singlecoil.com/frmset.html
and the list goes on and on and ....

The most useful mods that I have tried is to line all the cavities with copper tape (with conductive adhesive) as well as the back of the scratchplate as the aluminium foil just does not do it for me. You could also use conductive paint from RS Components it works just as well but you run the risk of getting it on the guitar finish if you are not careful.

I then also used a small holesaw to cut a disc from pc board that is the same size as the back of a pot. I then glued the disc onto the back of the pot and soldered all the ground wires to this pc board disc using it as a star ground.

Another useful option is to use a superswitch which you could get from Raru when they have stock once again:
https://raru.co.za/musical-instruments/6748473-allparts-electric-guitar-4-pole-5-way-super-switch-blade-pickup-selector-nickel
https://raru.co.za/musical-instruments/4938768-dimarzio-ep1112-five-way-multipole-pickup-selector-inc-black-and-white-knobs
they were a lot cheaper not too long ago put I suppose this is due to the exchange rate. Once you figure out how this switch works many options are available without changing or drilling holes in the pickguard for extra switches etc.

wow guys, thanks a bunch for making such an interesting/resourceful thread. kudos.

V8 sounds like a wah (in his hands, anyways...

Uhm...errm... yeah. Not even going to try that. Bliksem.

V8 Hehehe, google Joe Bonamassa... ?

Will do! Thanks.

JohanP Should you ever get bored with the normal strat wiring there are hundreds? of options, most are reversible:

Good grief! I honestly did not know there were so many options. Thanks @JohanP

V8 One thing for @wern101 to think abou

That one thing plus the other 734 things. My head is spinning....

Thing is, I am seriously considering going Humbucker with this mod, with a typical LP Switch.... aargh! Decisions, decisions...

wern101 V8 Hehehe, google Joe Bonamassa... ?

Will do! Thanks.

The man reallly knows his gear. I mean like really ?

wern101 Thing is, I am seriously considering going Humbucker with this mod, with a typical LP Switch.... aargh! Decisions, decisions...

A HSS strat is never a bad idea. I've very fond memories of my HSS Yahama Pacifica. Don't underestimate the power of the 5way (let alone a superswitch). Getting position 4 (middle+neck) is a thing.

V8 The man reallly knows his gear. I mean like really ?

Look at all that gear!!! O.M.W! So many amps! Looks like a bloody music shop. I WANT!!! Such a great video, and so informative. Thanks!

V8 A HSS strat is never a bad idea.

I wanna go H-H only..... ?

Tuckstir NO NO NO...

Don't you tell me what to do! ?

Tuckstir do you want to go more LP or more strat sounding?

I think more LP. That said, I don't think I have ever had proper Strat sound anyway. I pretty much know what I want to do, just frustrated because I wanted to do it yesterday already.

All this extra info on wiring and tone and pups and switches....oi. So much to learn.

This is pretty much where my head is leaning:

Just with a completely different colour scheme....

@Tuckstir & @wern101 - Bwahaha, you two are cracking me up! ? ? ?

wern101 Thing is also, the price for a set up decent pups is ridiculous! Especially single coils.

Yeaahhhh...they are a bit silly. Though, you can get wilkinson's from blackbeard's den @ R175/ea. If they are anything like the one's I've heard, they are usable.

Humbuckers are easier to find 2nd hand - everyone upgrade's epi's - grab a set of those for R5-600. Avoid stock Ibby's unless you are going high gain and non-branded Cort pups at any price - they are terrible.

And -at worst- there is belcat - cheap but serviceable.

wern101 V8 The man reallly knows his gear. I mean like really ?

Look at all that gear!!! O.M.W! So many amps! Looks like a bloody music shop.

It literally is a music store - his dad is a long time trader and he is too in the biz. If you ever check out Norm's Fine Guitars on youtube, you'll see Joe regularly featured.