There's probably a 99% chance that the Artec wire is polysol, not formvar. Polysol is what Fender uses on most of their pickups, more than formvar or enamel.
Fender says the Fat 64s are enamel insulated. Only a couple pups in the CS design guide are polysol (the noiseless stuff and the "Non-Hand Wound 65 Stratocaster"). I don't have that info for their pups outside of what's in the CS design guide, so you may well be right re: production line pups. For the years that Altec published those specs, their vintage voiced SC pups were listed as Heavy Formvar for "regular" sets and plain enamel for "pushed" sets. Their catalog changed in 2013 (which is a shame), and they don't list the wire now, but as of 2012 the equivalent pup set was formvar. I've reached out to them for clarification but haven't heard back as of typing this.
I ordered an AIO TC4 (Tele) a few weeks ago....$390....which is a budget guitar with nice bones (Mahogany body, ebony FB, bone nut, locking tuners, Wilkinson brass comp saddles) and set up to supposedly "Custom Shop standards" by AIO luthier/techs (mine was exceptional!!) ...and with some Fender CS '51 Nocaster pups, killer guitar. BUT, sounded even better when I dropped in a set of Suhr Classic Ts (that I was selling but decided to give it one more shot). The Suhr's really brought the guitar to life! Must be the mahogany body which complimented the bright Suhr pups. Overall, plays and sounds similar to my $4500 CS Closet Classic. Love this little budget AIO/Suhr beast.
Guyker has some very intelligently designed modern bridges that have the bridge plate and block holes elongated thus reducing contact and friction where the string comes in through the block and exits the bridge. Gotoh had a similar design that so expensive and very difficult to manufacture ( this is why they stopped making them). How in the hell Guyker did this and doesn’t market them heavily is beyond me.
The neck pickups in the comparison weren't far off. The Gibson's sounded a little scooped. The Bridge sounded relatively close too, but there was a bit less treble in the Gibson bridge (which is my personal preference). On a record, I don't think anyone's gonna notice the difference or feel like one sounds particularly bad or good. Is the Gibson worth $1400 more? Not unless the headstock makes you that happy. For me....I'd probably get the Gibson for purely snobbery related reasons (not in white though).
Great vid, it is always about how the neck feels, the ascetics and the way it sounds will be secondary and an easy fix for a low cost. Will a custom shop make you play better? Hopefully it will make you play more. You can pickup a great amp, and make a good recording setup plus take wifey out first a great dinner to boot, with the cash your not spending on the custom shop, lol
My $.02 is while everything has some influence, the pickups and the setup are the two (by a long shot) biggest factors. And between the body and neck, I definitely notice a bigger change in sound from a neck swap than from a different body wood. I have quite a few mahogany guitars and they run the gamut in terms of both acoustic and amplified sound.
First time seeing your channel. Well done. First let me say, I listen to a lot of guitar RU-vidrs and your mic'd amp sound is dialed in! It sounds terrific! Second thing I'll say is that I have been a fan of Artec pickups for a while now and I put them in a lot of my builds. You did a great job of demonstrating the tremendous value of these pickups. Great channel, great sounds, great chops. Cheers!
I purchased this exact kit the only thing I've changed I replaced the pick guard with one that was loaded humbuckers and split coils sounds and plays great !
I used to be one of those who didn't understand the fascination with relics. Now, I get it. I like it. So far, im liking everything about this little green relic strat.
Great job! I love what you've done with that little Amazon strat! I never buy cheap guitars, but last May I was with my dad at a music store and was so impressed with a $200 Jet T style guitar that i bought one. I even made a special trip back to the store to get the blue one. I picked up my dad, we went to the store, i played it, and i bought it. I later wondered why I did it? I never buy cheap guitars. Turns out, that would be the very last time my dad and I would go anywhere and do anything together. He got sick the very next day, and on June 22nd, he passed away. He was 80. After watching your videos, im inspired to do the same thing with my $200 jet. Sounds like a lot of fun, and my dad left me all his luthier tools. I just have to figure out what does what, lol.
So sorry about your dad. I haven't played a Jet yet but from everything I've read and heard they look like great guitars! It's great you have your dad's tools. That adds another level to learning and doing the work yourself.
Place the Custom shop pickguard is the $200 guitar and how many people would be able to hear the difference?...not many if any. It then comes down to feel and playability. With Fenders current prices, its obvious some guitars are/were for Playing and performing with...and some are for collectability and egos.
OK, I was fine till you said "Joel Osteen white" LOL!!!!! Then I had to wipe tears of laughter out of my eyes the next five or so minutes. 🤣 I'm still laughing about that! Thanks for putting this out so soon after the KGD update, I was delighted to see it pop up this am. I love this sort of stuff, and your approach is so no nonsense and from a proven opinion and skillset (as demonstrated in your other videos) I can truly value. I've long been of the opinion that pretty much any electric guitar if it's serviceable can be a hidden gem. Kick cancers butt!
Cancer sucks. Ive had 2 different stage 4 cancers. the last one took my voice. Wish i knew about voice modeling software before. Good luck with your surgery.!
Thanks for this! Great job on breaking it all down for us. I did buy one of these KGD's and agree with your assessment. But if you're not married to the appeal/ status of owning a Fender and just looking for a very good and solid guitar, then this guitar is a good bet. I'm of an age where I was just starting out when Fender was bought out by CBS so have owned my share of vintage, pre-CBS models. Finding something like this KGD scratches the itch for me- appreciate your tips & suggestions on modifications. Thanks again- wishing you continued recovery and healing! AND BTW, love to hear you play!!
Even though I love Fender Stratocaster USA Strats .... Aliexpress is changing the guitar landscape . Amazing quality , God Bless and You Will Beat Cancer . My Wife ( 48 ) Had breast cancer - cancer free in 8 months . Still getting treatment - expensive .
The real question is .. How many "Firefly" .. Gibson'ish Les Paul'ish SG'ish Explorer'ish, 335'ish; Guitars have had their Headstock Snap Off? Or severely Fracture? Just Say'n.
First off, I pray your cancer treatments and health progress well. One the video, very excellent video and GREAT playing….very informative and entertaining….awesome tones. I would love to buy one of your pieces of work if possible, let me know how….and last, keep the videos and playing coming!
Well spoken, sir. I love cheap guitars and the fun of modding, but I'll never begrudge someone else their guitar tastes... so long as they PLAY them, and not just hang them on the wall! 😹
I bought one of these after seeing your last video. I put a VegaTrem, Fralin Hot 60s pickups, and Tone Ninja locking tuners on it. It's a pretty cool guitar, but I like my Jet strats more as far as cheap guitars go. Pickups are really the only thing I have to replace on those.
Try Mohawk instrument lacquer on top of shellac. Shellac is the trad sealer for lacquer. Skip the rattle can, get the pint can, mix it 50/50 with lacquer thinner and "rub" coats on like you do for French polish with shellac. I'll do about 15-20 wiped on coats for a neck. I'll knock a stickier gloss off with 1000 grit but playing does the same thing. Nice stuff. Love Artecs. Formvar would take you back to pre-CBS spec, if you're truly pickup sniffing. The ones you got spec like the very last pickups before gray bobbin enameled wire, nice stuff. Put a steel backplates on the bridge pickup, see if you like it. I like plates on all 3, changes the bloom thru a tube amp
