I UPGRADED MY STRAT! 

I have a esp coming soon hopefully it's on back order but it has EMG's can't wait to hear it , glad you're happy with yours 🤘🎸

Wow I would have never guessed that less than 30% of us are subbed.. makes me that much more proud to be here!!!!

So glad to see you get exactly the strat you've wanted. You've come a long way friend and been through a lot of BS to get here, you deserve all the good coming your way Ray! \m/

I have a sunburst 2015 Mexican strat, put black fender locking tuners, EMG singles and 81 humbucker with pickguard (Kirk Hammett) and the things looks and sounds killer.

One bad ass strat! Looks and sounds sweet!

I agree with you. Huge deal to be an EMG artist. Well done, my friend.

That's how a metal strat should be! On those 2 holes could go a killswitch and a EMG PA2 or AB for extra spiciness.

People sleep on EMG single coil sized pickups. My favorite heavy sound I ever made was an Orange Crush Pro 60 with my Mitchell MD400 super strat with EMG 85 in bridge and an emg single in the neck.

Second comment: something else just came to mind. You should consider setting your trem to dive only. I'm thinking that would work well with a Floyd. And then you can get one of those D Tuna things that Eddie Van Halen invented so you could do drop tunings super easily. That would be best if you wanted to get some dive bombs and more Eddie style things into your playing. Just a suggestion. I'm not against blocking trems though. I have a strat style guitar with a blocked trem, but my main strat is floating right now, but it's basically dive only and I never pull up on the bar. I actually prefer trem systems that are a bit less touchy than a Floyd, but I don't hate Floyd's. I just hate having to deal with the locking nut and all that. I have locking tuners on my strat, which work great with a 2 point style trem. Better than I expected. I set it up by myself.

I really liked the song Endorphins, excited to hear the rest of the album.

Now that's a Strat I could get behind 🤘

Had a EMG loaded Strat years ago with the 89 SA SA combination with added SPC and EXG tone controls, awesome guitar and one I regret selling. You should add the Afterburner and EXG tone controls. Think you would enjoy the added push and versatile it can offer.

I got rid of my tone knobs on my Strat also. And I moved the volume pot to the middle hole. Just so it doesn’t get in the way of the whammy bar.

Very sweet! Sounds awesome!!!

i used to work at that exact sam ash i cant believe i missed you!

stay on gear ray 😂😂🌿

Sweet! I personally haven't had a chance to play with EMGs before, but I think it's cool that you did this. Personally, I want to be able to use my Strat for everything I play. So I want the bridge pickup to be good for metal, but I want the other 2 pickups to be classic Strat single coils. I'm planning on putting a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail pickup in the bridge. For those who don't know, a hot rail pickup is a humbucker, but it's the same size as a single coil, so it can still look like a classic Strat, basically. They make other types of single coil sized humbuckers, but hot rails are very loud. And they're constructed with 2 long metal blades instead of the metal poles in a regular single or humbucker. The metal blades allow for a more consistent sound, especially when you do any big bends. You won't lose any volume at all during a bend, but with the metal poles, the sound gets a bit more quiet when you bend. So the hot rails fix that, and they add a whole lot of output. I'm pretty excited to do the mod.

Hey Ray! Good playing very fluid glad you like the strat! Eddie's fretboards we're the wood of the neck old school no glue on fretboard. Rock 🪨 on !

I got to check my notifications right because I don't remember seeing your album

Looks and sounds great man !!

Bro I dig the fact of who you respect verbally in this 🤘

Gawd damn that thing rips bro

That’s awesome, man, the new guitar looks absolutely gorgeous, sounds awesome and I’m definitely looking forward to what else you’ll do on that bad boy

I picked up a $200 squire jazzmaster with the alder body, put the Duncan distortion mayhem set and Fender locking tuners and it's my favorite guitar at the moment.. Whoda thunk it lol

Holy shit this single is fire

That’s an awesome upgrade, ray. 😎🤘🏻🎸 emg pickups sounds phenomenal. It reminds me of a royal purple stratocaster my brother use to own. That guitar also had emg pickups and it was pretty cool. I wish my brother kept that guitar. Other than that, awesome guitar and awesome upgrade.

Looks awesome sounds awesome!!!!

Fuck with the new album bro, just throwing this out there but would love to work with you someday. Stay heavy Ray !

Love my EMG 81-X pickups. I have them in all my guitars! Sounds excellent! Go Ray!

You should add a kill switch and a 81twx and a dip switch for it too fill up those two holes but it's amazing as it is don't get me wrong

That soooouuunnndddssss tiiiiiiittttts 🤘🏻

EMG's are not for everyone, but I do agree - they can be amazing. I've used 81s, 85s and SA's since late 80s (no quick connect back then, all proper soldering 🤘), and recently upgraded my Les Paul (Alex Lifeson signature, with Floyd Rose!) with the 57/66 set - mind-blowing tone on that baby!! I'm also using 2 EMG SA's on a 12string, beautiful chime on that one... Having said that, I've had passive pickups built for me, to get a nice fat metal tone from my tube amps - usually AlNiCo 8 at around 13k on the bridge, and AlNiCo 5 at 10k on the neck. Makes for a great musical range together with the active pups! 🤘

Just listened to your song. I like it.

I love this channel.

so when do us viewers get to show off our silverbursts at home?

I don't get why you would hate a floyd rose especially a good one like you have on that strat. It takes me about 15 minutes to change the strings and the floating bridge is a shit ton a fun. The setup can be painful in terms of the intonation but the float is just to screws on the back and tuning pecks. Coming from a person that has a had a floyd rose for 9 moths now.

That’s a guitar to drool over

Awesome guitar!

Nice geetar sir, that could make me consider a fender

Love it brother, so stoked for the album release day 🤘🔥🔥🤘

Ray…metal is not my bag baby (austin powers voice), however, I love all things music and guitar related and I always find your vids entertaining…great job on that strat my brother!!!!!

It now looks like Kirk Hammett's Fender Strat

Sick Guitar man !!😍🤘

I love emgs. Especially in esp guitars. Might put them in my Gibson lp modern. Het set.

EMGs in a strat gives it that stadium rock tone imo.

I want the fu tone bridge and more output also

Creepily-watching non-subs… looks and sounds absolutely KILLER, Ray!

i prefer replacing the stock floyd rose block with fu tone big brass tremolo block . more clarity , warm , big tones

I used to have EMGs and if I was a metal player, I would use them. I’d love to try the Retro ones or the Jim Root ones. Congrats on the guitar. Looks great. Nothing better than putting your touches on a guitar to make it yours.

I love blocking trems

Dont forget Glenn Timpton Judas Priest

Nice! I just put emg bone breakers in my epiphone sg. What a awesome difference!

Lol yup I mean I am subscribed I enjoy the fuck outta your vids man but guilty of basically being in a coma with your music so I gave it a listen so far endorphins man that's some fear factory sounding stuff it's awesome I dig your playing and your just a pleasant person dude gotta say too your vid where you talked about your injuries and surgery that inspired the fuck outta me I'm not sure what's up with me but I'm going through alot of health problems physically mostly numb Pointer finger Mainly fucks with my playing but man after what you've been through you are a tough mofo lol stay metal ray

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like this guitar is incomplete/unfinished until you close those 2 holes with something. It sounds and looks great! Please don't be lazy to leave it like that. Stay metal bro!

I love X series from EMG. Say, Ray, why not ordering brushed black chrome? 🤔😁

I haven’t played my guitar in 2 weeks cause I have to be up for my job at 215 am so I’m just trying to get my sleep schedule right but I willl soon

Dude that Evening With Bon Jovi gig is still one of my favourite live tapes/dvd’s. Does the tone knob not get in the way a bit?

Looks sick! Question: what are your thoughts on EMG's passive pickups? I'm mostly curious just because of Alexi Laiho, one of my favorite EMG artists alongside you and Jim Root. He's the only one I know by name who uses a passive EMG at all, let alone has a signature one.

If you don’t mind me asking why’d you decide to go with the X series pickups I’m using the 81x and 60x in the my 8 string and I’m having some major issues with them. On paper and based on what EMG themselves have told me when I called them for recommendations the X series is exactly what I’d want. A more passive volume knob response and better high end but OMG I swear I got the bizarro world versions because it’s nothing but bass and low mids even with the tone knob completely removed. Did you have this sort of problem when you first had the pickups and if so how’d you fix it? Also just want to say based on what I’ve hear of the new album I’m really enjoying it so far and I can’t wait to hear more!

it's not a custom shop model lol just the hss ultra floyd with EMG pickups you added

Let’s see what he did

I'm subscribed dude

As a proud strat owner, if I were to remove the tone knobs, I would remove the volume knob from there and put it lower, away from the strings. Doesn’t it bug you when palm muting?

Great upgrade. Where did you put battery? I do not like an idea to unscrew whole pickguard to swap the battery so hopefully you found smarter place to put battery in :D

You like the volume knob right there? I had to order a custom drilled pickguard to move it out of the way

I know you don’t like blink but the Tom DeLonge strat with the Seymour Duncan invader and hardtail can do metal just fine lol

Hey brother what do hear different between the 81 and the 81x?

too bad u blocked the Floyd Rose, what a waste IMO, anyways there are tons of videos on how to set up a Floyd, its not that complicated, im a total moron, if i can do it anyone can. Anyways, love the channel bro and the new music, PEACE

I really don't understand why you would spend over 2k on a guitar to then lock the trem and change the pickups ahaha but I don't mean it in a bad way. It's cool to see how stoked you are, that's what matters in the end

I can’t imagine trading guitars and bartering - for the perfect one 😛

But why leave the opening for knobs. Do you plan to fill them with switches. I’m learning guitar very hard. For me. I don’t have emg pick ups but I’m thinking on upgrading one of mine. I have a Kirk hamette with a Floyd rose I dig it …

Is your album on tidal. And the Album is SMR, Chronic Pain?

Watching at work in pieces but, what do you think of the emg 81 vs 81x? I want the 81 85 set but not sure to go old school set or new school x set.

Sounds awesome man! These are active, correct? If so, where did you put the battery?

Love me a good strat. Looks and sounds great. Loved the song Endorphins by the way! Just curious is the whole album out? Cause on spotify I only see the single. Big love from canada! 🇨🇦

yes,thats a great guitar.its just missing 2 frets.so its 9 out of 10 for me.

Are you having any problems with the volume pot being so close to the bridge pickup?

Do you think its possible to get mick thompsons tone on a spider v 60?

Wich string gauge do you use?

What’s position 2 like with that configuration? Does the bridge pickup split or nah?

What gauge strings on that monster?

Fuck yea finally!!

Yoooooo Brotha Ray! ‘Tsup dude I’m in Philly. I’m a HeadBangin Philly PoPo👮‍♂️. I would love to Jam with you bro, maybe record something. I play guitar but in a band setting, I play bass. Don’t know if you’ve ever shopped at Sam Ash at Philadelphia Mills (Franklin Mills) but my homie Elliott Weiss is manager there. Anyway bro hit me up if you don’t feel like doing it yourself but need a different bass dude to lay something down.

I'm definitely doing this to my strat except I'm doing the kirk hammett loaded pickguard.

I scored a Mexican strat just like this from a full blown crackhead for $100. Great deal for me and he probably got a bunch of crack rocks so it was a win win!!!

I am completely honest when i say this: For some reason the fender noiseless are absolute trash to me. I have tried 3 different generations including the new ones and they have never sounded right to me. There is a reason why the signature fender artists that are serious about tone don't use them. Dimarzio area, lace sensor (seriously underrated pickups) emg are all much better alternatives that are noiseless. In my ibanez I have an hss emg set (81-s-s) and it sounds just like a hot rodded strat should, all the 80s guys weren't stupid for using em hehehe.

Sounds like you’re getting a little butt hurt bro. Seriously, you seem to be pretty upset about 1. People not subscribed and 2. People “sleeping” on your music. 1. I’m not trying to be a dick but as a RU-vid creator I’m sure you’re aware that subscriber percentage versus number of watchers is almost always skewed towards a low percentage of viewers being subscribed, particularly for channels under 100k subs. There are naturally tons of people who don’t create an account and thus cannot subscribe. I’ve been a subscriber of yours for at least a year but I’m also a heavy user of RU-vid. Another thing for people like me is we don’t want to be subscribed to 500 channels, therefore sometimes we choose not to subscribe. 2. Not all of us have tons of extra time to listen to your new music. All of us, including you, get bombarded quite a lot with new music to check out and are also focused on our own music as well. You shouldn’t be taking it personally that people haven’t heard your music, for whatever reason it is that they haven’t listened. Try suggesting to us to listen instead of portraying your fans as somehow letting you down by “sleeping” on you. You do a lot of good videos. I’d keep up the thanking of the fans that you usually do. Peace…Stay Metal, Vinny

You lost me when you said EMG's were an upgrade lol. I'm not gonna watch your stuff anymore if you're just gonna pimp your sponsor. Later, metal ray.

CANT WAIT THE ALBUM COMES OUT A DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY 😯