ST70 Springy in Metallic Green

[Sigmania]

I have assumed that there is some sort of template many use and that the version I’m seeing here in the US is stripped of much that is useful. Like the “description“. 8)

On that guitar I relied on photos such as they were and his feedback.

Many if not most sellers of guitars that you see on eBay in Japan are just brokers. They don’t actually have the guitar. So you never know if you buy it if someone else hasn’t already bought it through another broker.

There are other ways of doing it. All have issues. The problem is that I’m on the other side of the planet and don’t speak Japanese.

So far my experiences have been overall positive.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Sigmania]

Looks like the ST70R is supposed to be a 1960/62 ish Strat? So the pickguard that is on this one seems to have the correct hole position, whereas the other ST70Rs I have seen have the '64 hole position.

Thinking of putting a mint green 11 hole '62 pickguard on this one. Still waiting on the guitar. Very curious to see if it has holes in both positions between the pickups under the tortoise shell pick guard that is on it.

Here is the guard I am thinking of putting on it since the one that is one there seems to have been a replacement. Won't know til I have it though.

Here's what I am thinking.

 

[Sigmania]

A custom-order ’61 Stratocaster in Sherwood Green, a 1957 Ford color that was used by Fender until ’65.

https://www.vintageguitar.com/24640/fender-custom-colors-in-the-1960s/

 

[Sigmania]

Well I got this guitar today after quite a few delays including a snag with US Customs in Alaska. Something about a "Toxic Substances Statement". Weird.

The good news is that is arrived safely after being shipped in a gig bag with only about an inch of bubble wrap around it.

The less good news is that wiring is messed up. Specifically the pots. The volume won't go all the way off. It is acting more like a tone pot and muting rather than taking the volume down. Looking at the picture it is marked "A" which I believe is audio taper..... Both tone pots seem to do almost nothing.

So I have some wiring to straighten out.

Some other things I noticed:

-The pick guard was definitely changed. The old one was apparently the '64 hole pattern like all of the other ST70s I have seen. They re-drilled and filled holes to make this tortoise shell pick guard work.

-It has a 3 way Fender Japan style "DM 30" pickup selector.

-Two of the pots were evidently changed and have "Made in Japan" stamped on them in black ink unlike the ones in my other Springys.

-Orange drop cap instead of green Chicklet.

-One of the discolored original knobs is cracked from being crushed at some point?

-The body is a three piece, not two piece center seam as most of what I read states.

-Looks like it says “ST70S”.

All in all cool guitar and I’m looking forward to getting things straightened out on this guitar so I can actually play it. The pickups sound good with the limited control I have. I’m happy it arrived in one piece and will be fun to get it up and running.

I'll post some pictures I took today.

 

[Sigmania]

Pics

 

[Sigmania]

Pics of the wiring in case any of you guys that are good with electronics spot something amiss.

 

[Sigmania]

My 1981 ST80 for comparison.

 

[Sigmania]

Anyone have suggestions on pots, cap, and a 5 way pickup selector for this guitar?

Would I need to keep everything metric to fit the brass grounding plate?

Anyone have aged/yellowed replacement Tokai knobs?

I may just replace the pots and knobs when I switch the pick guard. Keeping the pickups and cloth wire leads of course and all parts stored in the case.

 

[Sigmania]

Metallic green in sunlight and shadow of window blinds.

 

[Sigmania]

I found a few different variations of wiring diagrams for Strats. Here are a couple to look at. Anyone have a preference or comments?


Throbak:

Lindy Fralin:

Standard Stratocaster Wiring:

This Standard Stratocaster Wiring Diagram features a Neck tone (0.02mfd) and a Bridge & Middle tone (0.02mfd). You can always experiment with different cap values for a different sound, but this wiring is what comes standard on most Fender Strats after 2000.

Variation On Standard Wiring:

If you wanted a different tone layout, you could simply reverse the way the 5-Way Switch wiring to get a Neck & Middle Tone and a separate Bridge Tone.

This variation allows you to keep the standard functionality of a Fender Strat while experimenting with different tone values for your Bridge Tone.

 

[Sigmania]

This looks cool. 8)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Strat-Har...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

And…

https://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-Delux...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

And…

https://www.ebay.com/itm/COMPATIBL...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

 

[Sigmania]

Fun looking around.

This looks cool:

https://reverb.com/p/emerson-s5-5-...=ios-share&utm_campaign=csp&utm_content=54464

 

[mdvineng]

Just buy the right components of choice and solder them together. Much cheaper and more satisfying.

 

[Sigmania]

Any idea what that little capacitor does on the left? Are they separate capacitors for each tone pot?

Just wondering what the range of options are?

I have seen some sort of active electronic circuit in one configuration.

I figure since the circuit is screwed up on this guitar that I have an option to try something new.

 

[Sigmania]

Just buy the right components of choice and solder them together. Much cheaper and more satisfying.

Do you have recommendations for pots, switch & capacitor?

One thing I am wondering is if the brass grounding plate will accept non metric shafts?

 

[mdvineng]

I tend to use ALPS for most things including hifi amps but cts, bourns, Seymour Duncan are all good but different prices.
Imperial pots have different thread boss diameters than metric ones, usually a bit wider.
Capacitors, avoid paper in oil etc, value is prime not type.

https://www.artisanluthiers.com/blog/understanding-guitar-pots-caps/

 

[Sigmania]

Thanks.

Do you know if the brass ground plate will accept both dimension shafts?

I may need to work on my soldering skills.

 

[mdvineng]

They're probably metric sized, so smaller. Should be easy to just buy metric pots unless the USA still burns metric at the stake!

https://gunstreetwiringshop.com/pot-sizes-explained lots of good info on this site

Hardest bit to solder is the earthing wires onto the pot body. Too low power a soldering iron will make it impossible and having to hold the iron on for a long time to get it hot isn't good either so https://leftyfretz.com/best-guitar-soldering-iron/

Practise soldering off the guitar using YouTube video. It won't take you long.

 

[Sigmania]

Awesome. Thank you!

 

[Sigmania]

I took the neck off to tighten the truss rod a half turn. That seemed to help with the high action.

Now I need to adjust the saddles. Some are way high.

What is the radius of these necks? Are they 7.25"?

I may get a tool so I can match the saddle height to the fret board radius.

Oh, and I discovered a stamp on the neck, 12=9, and counter sunk hoes in the neck pocket, so it is definitely a Tokai despite its oddities. Also some faint writing or Japanese character in the neck pocket written in yellow. Hard to see.