Inexpensive Electric Guitar/Amp Hacks

[Dru Edwards]

I had a similar thread for acoustics that had great responses so I figured I'd start one for electrics as well.

What are those inexpensive electric guitar and amp hacks that you've used or tried out? Consider a 'hack' as something that isn't specifically made for guitars but was discovered to help with something. Did you like it?

For example, using Grolsch beer washers as strap locks. I read that Joe Bonamassa did this (and others as well) so I bought some and used it on my Les Paul with no issues.

Your "hacks"?

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

...For example, using Grolsch beer washers as strap locks. I read that Joe Bonamassa did this (and others as well) so I bought some and used it on my Les Paul with no issues...

"I'm not binge-drinking - it's just that all 75 of my guitars need strap-locks..."

[1neeto]

Capo holder.


Pick holder.


Clothes holder.

Follow me on Instagram for more hacks. [emoji13]

[FrankHudson]

With classic tune-o-matic bridge, bar stop tailpiece setups, wrapping the strings over the top of the stop bar instead of straight through the bar before going over the bridge.

To explain it another way: when stringing, you stick the plain end from the front of the stop bar through the hole in the stop bar, the bend it over the top of the bar and forward over the bridge and then up the neck to the tuners.

The stop bar should be fairly low, maybe even all the way down, You do need some break angle over the bridge after all, but this should reduce that pressure a bit.

You get very slightly easier bending action and the way the guitar body interacts with the pull of the strings seems to differ, so that I think on some guitars I get a different sound that I like. I'd suppose it'd also be protective of the eventual collapse of the tune-o-matic from downward string pressure, though I've never actually encountered that issue myself.

[1neeto]

Ok here’s a real hack but you need some soldering skills.

Easy hack no 1:
Shield the Strat cavity. Aluminum foil or duct tape works. Shield the entire cavity and back of pickguard. This will help a lot with 60hz hum and overall noise. Yes I know this will involve removing the pickguard and de-soldering connections. But if you have a noisy SSS Strat, it’s worth it.

Easy hack no. 2:
Adding tone control to the bridge pickup on a strat. Strat bridge pickups are traditionally wired only to the volume pot. This makes the tone very bright and jangly. A very popular tone in the 50’s, but not so great today. An easy way to calm it down a little is by connecting the pickup to the middle pickup tone control pot. And it’s just about the easiest soldering job you can do to a guitar. The cool thing about this mod, is that even with the tone pot at max, it will still calm down the highs because of the added resistance. As with the general rule with single coil pickups, 250k.ohm pots are recommended.

Just wire the two lugs on the tone side of the 5-way switch that connects the middle and bridge pickups. To identify the lugs, just follow the wire from the 5-way to the tone pot for the middle pickup. You’ll notice the lug right next to it is empty, while the lug to the other side is connected to the neck tone pot. The lug to the other side of the empty lug is connected to ground. Do not connect the tone to that one!

More advanced hack: this one requires some soldering, a DPDT toggle switch, and a drill.

A traditional SSS Strat with a 5-way is wired in parallel on positions two and four. Without getting too technical, this basically means that in those positions, both the middle and bridge (2), or middle and neck (4) pickups are active at the same time. Many consider this THE strat tone.

But how about having the option of connecting the bridge and middle or middle and neck single coils in series? This is basically what a humbucker pickup is; two single coil pickups connected in series. Since you’re making a humbucker out of the two single coils, you’re combining the output of the pickups. You will notice the volume increase, the warm humbucker tone, and of course the 60hz hum cancelling benefit.

With the toggle switch, you can change from series to parallel instantly. Because a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s how it’s wired to the switch.


And my Strat showing where I installed the switch.

[Poppa]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

Capo holder.


Pick holder.


Clothes holder.

Follow me on Instagram for more hacks. [emoji13]

Classic! Thanks for this. One hack on electric I've used on a noisy tele (from Bill Hullet) in the studio, is to fasten an alligator clip to a length of wire, clip it to the bridge, make a ring shape on the wire and put it on your finger. Stops the hum quite well.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

With classic tune-o-matic bridge, bar stop tailpiece setups, wrapping the strings over the top of the stop bar instead of straight through the bar before going over the bridge.

To explain it another way: when stringing, you stick the plain end from the front of the stop bar through the hole in the stop bar, the bend it over the top of the bar and forward over the bridge and then up the neck to the tuners.

The stop bar should be fairly low, maybe even all the way down, You do need some break angle over the bridge after all, but this should reduce that pressure a bit.

You get very slightly easier bending action and the way the guitar body interacts with the pull of the strings seems to differ, so that I think on some guitars I get a different sound that I like. I'd suppose it'd also be protective of the eventual collapse of the tune-o-matic from downward string pressure, though I've never actually encountered that issue myself.

Hey Frank, yes, top wrapping strings is something I wanted to try for years. One day I'm going to top wrap a Gibson Les Paul or SG. I know it gives a more slinky feel to the strings and perhaps a slight tonal change.

[C-ville Brent]

Neoprene washers from the hardware store for strap locks. I use these on electrics and acoustics. Much less expensive than those from a well known guitar maker and/but don't have a logo. They usually come in at about $1/pair, the dark (black) color almost disappears, and have used for several years without fail.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by Poppa

Classic! Thanks for this. One hack on electric I've used on a noisy tele (from Bill Hullet) in the studio, is to fasten an alligator clip to a length of wire, clip it to the bridge, make a ring shape on the wire and put it on your finger. Stops the hum quite well.

Haha you’re welcome! I’m thinking of a serious hack. Let’s see...floyd Rose double locking tremolo electrics. I don’t expect anyone here in the AGF to have anything with this style bridge but it’s worth knowing. But anyway, you can string it through the tuners first and then leave the ball ends uncut. Your headstock will look like it has multi colored dread locks. [emoji23]

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

Haha you’re welcome! I’m thinking of a serious hack. Let’s see...floyd Rose double locking tremolo electrics. I don’t expect anyone here in the AGF to have anything with this style bridge but it’s worth knowing. But anyway, you can string it through the tuners first and then leave the ball ends uncut. Your headstock will look like it has multi colored dread locks. [emoji23]

I have a couple of guitars with Floyd Roses. I bought my BC Rich Warlock back in 1989. What an interesting hack! I never thought of that ...but I'm not gonna try it .

[rockabilly69]

When changing strings on a guitar with a traditional Bigsby, after putting the ball end on the Bigsby pin, hold the string to the neck with a capo while threading it through the tuner. Too many times the string will fall off of the Bigsby pin if not held taught.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I have a couple of guitars with Floyd Roses. I bought my BC Rich Warlock back in 1989. What an interesting hack! I never thought of that ...but I'm not gonna try it .

Oh nice! Does it have BC Rich designed pickups? Anyway I need to clear something up. Do not jam the ball ends against the tuner, you can actually damage the tuner shaft if you do that. Just leave some leftover string just as if you string it the traditional way.

[1neeto]

Another easy hack. Wanna practice in drop D but don’t want to drop the low E string? If you have a capo, just capo the second fret but leave the low E open. Your tuning will be EBEAC#F#.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

Oh nice! Does it have BC Rich designed pickups? Anyway I need to clear something up. Do not jam the ball ends against the tuner, you can actually damage the tuner shaft if you do that. Just leave some leftover string just as if you string it the traditional way.

Thanks for the clarification but I wouldn't leave the ball end right against the tuner.

I have an '89 Platinum series BC Rich Warlock (Korea). It has BC Rich branded pickups ... not good. I upgraded the bridge pickup to a Seymour Duncan Invader back in 2004 or '05. I'm never getting rid of the guitar but it's not one I play anymore ... the Gibsons, Schecters, PRS, etc are so much better with both neck feel and tone.