My osakan beauty: ST-50

[Outsider]

This is what I got from my trip to Osaka a couple of weeks ago. Check the link to my myspace:

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=143525492&albumId=986858

I've been playing it for about two weeks now, worn out the first set of D'addario 011's. The neck needs a little bit of adjusting and so does the springs indside the tremolo cavity, they work like spring reverb at the moment. I guess tightening them will make them silent.

I don't consider myself a Strat player but I really like this guitar. My favourite things are the neck shape, kind of soft V or strong C (don't know for sure except that I like it), the steel block and the all original condition. The neck and body have some marks and scratches and it has been played quite a bit. Don't know about the body wood so if someone has an idea, please share your wisdom.

I have an idea for the electronics even thought I like to have them as they are for the moment. My ultimate Strat-system would be with a three-position switch like in a Tele and a single volume pot for the middle pickup. I'm constantly missing the in-between positions with the five-way switch. I need to think about it for awhile thought.

Nice guitar compared to any Strat I've ever played or owned and for the price a truly great find I think. I payed about 250 ?, not bad price in my opinion. When I was a kid it was hard for me to decide did I want to have a Strat or a Les Paul and now I finally could afford to have both.

 

[Ozeshin]

I have an idea for the electronics even thought I like to have them as they are for the moment. My ultimate Strat-system would be with a three-position switch like in a Tele and a single volume pot for the middle pickup. I'm constantly missing the in-between positions with the five-way switch. I need to think about it for awhile thought.

Do what I do...I place a rubber shim in the path of the switch so that when I flick it downward it always goes to the middle/bridge position every time.
I never use the treble on it's own as it sounds like nails on a blackboard to me...the middle pickup seems to mellow it out and give it that SRV ring.
Same for the bass position..I only use the neck/middle so there's a shim for that too...so effectively it's a 3 position switch without a major upgrade.

When I was a kid it was hard for me to decide did I want to have a Strat or a Les Paul and now I finally could afford to have both.

I was always the same so I've always owned either a LP or a Vee and a strat.
Not including the dubious "adding a humbucker to a Strat" kind of moments coz there's been a few of those in my Iron Maiden days :roll:

 

[hawkeye2u]

To adj the springs properly you will have to block the trem block
with a wooden wedge, so that the back of the bridge assy is about
2-2.5mm off the top. loosen the spring screws fully.
Now string up the guitar, tune and intonate. here is the fun part.
Hold the guitar up above your head and adjust the two screws , equal
amount, until the wooden wedge falls out, no more or less.

That is the point when the springs have the correct tension.
Check your tuning and intonation again, you should now have a nice
tremolo, with about half a tone up and dive bomb down.
While you are at it polish the sadles with 1000 grit wet/dry, lubricate
where the string runs with pencil shavings, do the same for the nut.
The guitar will not go out of tune after using the whammy bar
:wink:

 

[Outsider]

Thanks hawkeye for the tip but I really can't play with a floating bridge, I like to use sustaining notes with bended ones, so for my style it's better to keep the bridge blocked.
I'm just not sure do I have the springs too tight or too loose (five springs installed right now), because they really vibrate a lot along with the strings. There's no problem plugged in, but acoustically I would like to keep them quiet them somehow. Maybe I'll put a piece of rubberfoam there or something.

 

[ivansc]

Thanks hawkeye for the tip but I really can't play with a floating bridge, I like to use sustaining notes with bended ones, so for my style it's better to keep the bridge blocked.
I'm just not sure do I have the springs too tight or too loose (five springs installed right now), because they really vibrate a lot along with the strings. There's no problem plugged in, but acoustically I would like to keep them quiet them somehow. Maybe I'll put a piece of rubberfoam there or something.

My springy stays in tune just fine with a floating bridge - and believe me as a left handed bass player playing right handed, when I bend `em, they are BENT.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi!

An ST50 with a steel trem? Are you sure? To my knowledge this is an ST80 spec.

In any way: ? 250.-- is a real bargain.

Cheers. Rup

 

[Outsider]

Ok, not sure the trem block is steel but a magnet-tipped screwdriver stuck to it... so I think it's steel.

Been thinking about changing the pickups and rewire the electronics to suit my preferences.