Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

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LA-Bos
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Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:07 pm

Soliciting everyone's help here because I'm having a hell of a time finding the bridge spacing for the Squier Super Sonic.

I will be receiving a blue sparkle in the mail in a few days and I'd like to have a new bridge ready to go when it arrives. People seem to love the Callaham and I've read positive things about them, but I still have no idea which bridge is the appropriate one for that model. Does anyone have a clue? Callaham has a few different strat bridge/trems, but when I emailed him he told me to measure the guitar, which I don't yet have. Damn my impatience!

Thanks!!

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by DanyoSound » Thu Mar 31, 2016 9:24 pm

I've been considering the same replacement on my sparkly blue Squier Super-Sonic.

I'm the original owner, and I love the guitar. The mods I've done include:
DiMarzio PAF (neck), DiMarzio Super Distortion 3 (bridge), switch for single coils.

With that configuration it is an excellent guitar.

However, I prefer Jaguar-style tremolo.
Are there any strat-type tremolo systems that offer the subtle control of the Jaguar-style tremolo?

I remember I kind of liked the tremolo systems on the cheap Ibanez Talman guitars from the 90s (that's when I bought my Super-Sonic.
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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Thu Mar 31, 2016 11:05 pm

DanyoSound wrote:I've been considering the same replacement on my sparkly blue Squier Super-Sonic.

I'm the original owner, and I love the guitar. The mods I've done include:
DiMarzio PAF (neck), DiMarzio Super Distortion 3 (bridge), switch for single coils.

With that configuration it is an excellent guitar.

However, I prefer Jaguar-style tremolo.
Are there any strat-type tremolo systems that offer the subtle control of the Jaguar-style tremolo?

I remember I kind of liked the tremolo systems on the cheap Ibanez Talman guitars from the 90s (that's when I bought my Super-Sonic.
Agreed withe JM style tremolo for sure, but I'm this one is just arriving and I don't want to tear the guts out of her without experiencing the original feel. I just know that this one has some bridge issues that I'd like to address.

DaynoSound, any chance you have bridge measurements handy? Callaham recommends measuring in this manner: http://www.callahamguitars.com/stratupguide.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by Stratelejazzuar » Fri Apr 01, 2016 4:37 am

I just measured my white Squier Super-Sonic and the spacing looks like 2-3/16".

Grats on the impending Blue sparkle - those ones are beauties! :?

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Fri Apr 01, 2016 7:11 am

Stratelejazzuar wrote:I just measured my white Squier Super-Sonic and the spacing looks like 2-3/16".

Grats on the impending Blue sparkle - those ones are beauties!
AH! You are a true hero! Thank you so much :w00t:

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by Stratelejazzuar » Fri Apr 01, 2016 8:11 am

LA-Bos wrote:
Stratelejazzuar wrote:I just measured my white Squier Super-Sonic and the spacing looks like 2-3/16".

Grats on the impending Blue sparkle - those ones are beauties!
AH! You are a true hero! Thank you so much
No problem, that's what forums are for... um... ;D

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:36 am

Image

There she is. Let the upgrades begin. (btw, standard bridge/trem set up for Callaham uprade)

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by Stratelejazzuar » Fri Apr 01, 2016 1:22 pm

Dat sparkle! :? :-*

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Fri Apr 01, 2016 2:34 pm

So the plans are to replace the electronics with some Emerson volume/tone/switchcraft input and three way switch, with Lace Dually gold/gold pickups wired as only humbuckers. I'll be replacing the bridge/trem with the Callaham and their tiny Gilmour arm that they make. I'm trying to find some locking tuners that are lefty and match the vintage Kluson look. I have Gotoh SD91 Magnum locks on my other guitar and they're perfect for this one too, but I can't find lefties The control plate could use replacing - not sure where to get one of those though...


This is my color combo inspiration:
Image

thoughts, comments, questions, recommendations all welcome

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by DanyoSound » Sat Apr 02, 2016 11:13 am

Here's mine with the mods described already:

Bridge: DiMarzio Super Distortion 3
Neck: DiMarzio PAF
One volume; one tone (instead of two volumes)
2-way switch (under the 3-way toggle) for dual coil and single coil operation.

In single coil mode, with both bridge and neck selected, I get an excellent strat quack/cluck with those pickups.
I highly recommend that mod.

Other than pickups, tone knob, and 2-way switch, the rest is stock: bridge, tuners, nut, most electronics.

Image
Offsets and flangers

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:59 am

Awesome! Do you have any clips of you playing?

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Mon Apr 11, 2016 11:58 am

in case anyone is interested in seeing the finished product, I started a new thread:

http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... =6&t=98125" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by DanyoSound » Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:43 am

LA-Bos wrote:Awesome! Do you have any clips of you playing?
I'd love to, but on April 10 (just two days ago) that very guitar was STOLEN after a show I played opening up for Missing Persons at the Echoplex.

Fuck me. Fuck my life. Fuck(trillion)
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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by LA-Bos » Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:50 am

DanyoSound wrote:
LA-Bos wrote:Awesome! Do you have any clips of you playing?
I'd love to, but on April 10 (just two days ago) that very guitar was STOLEN after a show I played opening up for Missing Persons at the Echoplex.

Fuck me. Fuck my life. Fuck(trillion)

Oh my goodness - I am so sorry to hear this. I've heard of that happening far too many times with these guitars in particular. :fp:

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Re: Squier Super Sonic bridge/trem replacement

Post by DanyoSound » Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:03 am

So ya'll see my guitar there a few posts above.

I've said it twice now, and so here's third time, now called "identifying marks" instead of "features" or "mods."

1) Neck humbucker has chrome pole screws (DiMarzio PAF)
2) Bridge humbucker as black pole screws (DiMarzion Super Distortion 3)
3) Small black on/off switch below the 3-way toggle

I live in Los Angeles near the Echo/Echoplex in Echo Park. If anyone happens to see a sparkly blue (Vista Series) Squier Super-sonic with those features, please, contact me.

I bought the guitar brand new in 1996. I don't know what the serial number is (because I never thought I'd ever gig). I have tons of pictures with that guitar. Even though it is not my main guitar, it has always been a go-to for recording because the pickup combination, the neck, and the added sustain (compared to Jaguar trem system) has made it very useful.

I'll send pictures circling the features a little better, but in the picture above, you can definitely see the black switch I added below the 3-way toggle.

Final note:
I'm not rich and I'm unemployed. Playing with Missing Persons was amazing for me, but we didn't get paid (we didn't expect to either, which is fine), and the likelihood that it will significantly bolster our careers with record deals and touring is not good (which is also fine for me, because I play music for the glory, not for the money, and as many of you know, small-time musicians like me spend way more money in instruments (guitars, amps, etc), maintenance, transportation, and studio rent than the $60 that we sometimes make that then has to be split 5 ways.
My point is that losing a guitar is a big deal to me: especially Super-Sonic: a guitar so special to me.

Ok, my sob story is destroying the thread.
er... I recommend new humbuckers, a coil splitter, and a new bridge is probably a good idea.
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