my second build ST-1M

Hey guys, ive just order my next kit ST-1M. A big thanks to all the guys who helped with what they have used and done before as this is my very first strat. ive upgraded the pickups to tonerider city limits and also got the grover upgrade locking tuners. i cant wait for it to arrive but my first floating bridge, i dont know if they are much harder to fit. anyway i send a pick of the kit once it get it.

Strat bridge is pretty easy to set up compared to a Floyd. I seriously wrestled and head met bench a few times doing a floyd for the first time but the strat I got right straight off. If you can afford it upgrade the bridge to something with a steel or brass block, the kit ones seem to be alloy. Better sustain from the steel or brass. looking forward to seeing your strat come together.

thanks dedman. unfortunately i will have to upgrade the bridge later as i have maxed out the budget. hopefully she will still sound good.

Hey Brokin, good stuff you have the building bug. The stock bridge still works okay but an upgrade down the track sounds good. Grover tuners are excellent. I'm happy with the city limit pups. Just need to spend some time getting mine setup, intonated and a bone nut fitted.

thanks wokkaboy yeah the next option will be to upgrade the bridge and nut. one question how would you know what bridge to get i see there are a few options?

it has arrived! im like a little boy at Christmas once again. haha
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do these guitars come already wired up?
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is there a trick to line up the bridge?

Hi Brokin, the ST is intended to be an easy starter kit, so a lot of the wiring is presoldered, i think you only need connect earths and jack points. I see you've order PUP upgrades, so you'll need to refer the wiring diagram and sub in the upgrades for the kit ones.
I really like the blacked out Scratchplate look BTW.

Hey Brokin nice looking kit. Yes there are only 3 solder joins on this kit, earth wire to the tremelo spring claw and hot and earth wire to the jack.
Lining up the bridge is easy, put both E strings on, clamp the neck and drill the bridge screw holes so the string to edge of fingerboard offsets are about the same

Nice choices there but as I have noted elsewhere the kit pup covers won't fit the Toneriders because of the spacing of the pole pieces but there are heaps on fleabay for very little.

I have to order some before I reassemble The Count

thanks guys. yeah very happy with the kit. but this time im not going clear paint. im going to try and be a little trickier with the paints. lol possibly red and black. we will see how i go.

mock build
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these grover locking tuners are awesome. so worth the extra money.