Fender Blacktop Series Clubbers.....

Backtop Jazzmaster......


http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k106/johnlg-2006/JazzmasterHead.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k106/johnlg-2006/JazzmasterFullFront.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k106/johnlg-2006/JazzmasterTop.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k106/johnlg-2006/JazzmasterTremAngle.jpg

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I have a new Black Top strat that is a beautiful black and chrome with a maple fretboard. This guitar is awesome.

It has a five way switch that splits the coils in the notch positions utilizing the inner two coils of each humbucker and the outer two coils of the humbuckers, respectively. The notch sounds are very good but, as expected, dip a little in output volume, easily corrected with the guitar volume knob or stomping on an overdrive or boost pedal or whatever works for you to boost the input into the amp when you switch to the two and four switch positions. Very beautiful sounds in all positions. Great guitar.

Maybe some other people will join in the Black Top club.

After owning a Blacktop tele for a week (couldn't get used to the longer scale vs my Les Paul) I took it back and ordered a Blacktop Jaguar. Should be here in a week. I love these Blacktop guitars. They play extremely well. I am going to switch out the pickups but it's not because the stock ones are that bad, I just like to tinker.

Which color BT Jag did you get? I played a black one with rosewood board. It was an outstanding guitar, but the strat, also black and chrom, felt and sounded better - maple board, tremolo, etc. This is a great guitar for the price, but really a great guitar without any other justification except face value - it is a very nice guitar to look at, play, listen to, and it will probably last very long time. It got my attention and definitely held it, and continues to hold it. This guitar has charisma. This series has charisma.

Good luck with it. Keep me posted as to how you like it compared to the tele. I liked them all and almost bought the tele but the strat won out, like the Jaguar with you.

We still don't have anyone that has a BT Tele or Jaguar yet.

I played all models and they are all great sounding/playing/looking guitars at a great price.

The tele really is impressive and fill that "noiseless" tele void very well. Not exactly the traditional tele sound, but in the hands of a master you'd be surprised how much tele the player can get out of it. I watched a guy at a store near me doing that "chicken pickin" type thing and other country lines on a candy apple red, maple board, Black Top tele, the other day and he ripped that BT. Then he played some rock lines. Awesome sounding tele.

I could see myself getting one someday. The neck on this particular BT tele was awesome, quarter sawn, beautiful stunning wood grain, with a nice amber tint to it.

Beautiful guitars these are.

I hope we get some more people to join the club.

Which color BT Jag did you get? I played a black one with rosewood board. It was an outstanding guitar, but the strat, also black and chrom, felt and sounded better - maple board, tremolo, etc. This is a great guitar for the price, but really a great guitar without any other justification except face value - it is a very nice guitar to look at, play, listen to, and it will probably last very long time. It got my attention and definitely held it, and continues to hold it. This guitar has charisma. This series has charisma.

Good luck with it. Keep me posted as to how you like it compared to the tele. I liked them all and almost bought the tele but the strat won out, like the Jaguar with you.

My Jaguar is apparently backordered at Sweetwater. It should arrive in less than 2 weeks. I ordered the silver color. I am also getting some Dimarzio 36th anniversary Pickups to go in her......:mrgreen:

Blacktop Jaguar in da house!!!

http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu144/james149/IMG00006-20101126-0958.jpg

http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu144/james149/IMG00007-20101126-1000.jpg

i may get a black bt tele after xmas, i used to have a real 72 tele custom

With a little help from Sam Ash and their $50 off coupon in an email, I got a silver with maple neck delivered on Saturday. $399 shipped. I'll try to post a pic or two a little later. Played it for a few hours. Don't really like the bridge. Still making adjustments. The action was alright on it. Sounds pretty good. Waiting to see if I'm keeping it before I restring it. It came with 9's and I usually put 10's on. I may tune it to open g for some Stones and such. They sound better on this Tele than my others.

A couple pics.

So far, don't like the bridge very well or the stock strings. I'm still undecided. It came with 9's on it and really want to put 10s on to see how she sounds. I'll give it a few more days to see how she sets. I like the way she sounds for the most part. Action was set OK. Just this bridge. It bothers me some. It would cost another $100 to put something nice on it so I have to decide if I want keep it as a $399 guitar or $499 guitar.

They have a red BT tele with maple board at a store by me. I played it a few times and it is awesome. Bought the strat BT instead in black because of the color and tremolo, but the sound was close to the same and very good.

The red BT tele has an incredible neck, quarter sawn and beautiful tint. The guitar has a feel that is great. For someone looking for a dual humbucker tele I think it would be hard to find a nicer guitar. The pickups sound great.

I have a Fender FMT HH Telecaster with Seymour Duncan full sized humbuckers made of mahogany with a mahogany set neck in black cherry flame and this is also one awesome guitar, but different from the more traditional looking BT tele, also a lot more money. Because I like this FMT HH tele so much, it is probably the reason I haven't bought the BT red HH tele. Instead I bought an Agile AL 3100 double bound body LP copy and later an Epiphone black LP Custom; both real nice guitars and great sounding too.

Aside from my collection I already have, I think I could really enjoy the BT tele with no problem.

As far as the bridge goes, it definitely isn't a tele looking bridge, but it does the job for the type of guitar that it is. After all, it's a full sized humbucker guitar with covered pickups, but yet has the vibe of a telecaster without the traditional telecaster sound - no noise, heavy full sound when played thru a cranked tube amp. Not a Les Paul, but definitely a great sounding humbucking guitar with a great Fender telecaster vibe.

I think this will appeal to dudes looking for a telecaster looking guitar, but don't like the thin, noisy sound of standard tele pickups. A lot of modern players are playing tele's lately and this one is affordable and doesn't need to be modified with hot rail humbucking single coil sized pickups and other electronic mods. It sounds like a humbucking guitar straight out of the box and is made of real high quality components, based upon the ones I have played and looked at.

I think it is a real bargain for a guitar that is unique but falls into a category of design that is fairly popular right now. Might be a collector's item some day, who knows.

ive called around no shop in my area has 1, they sell to quickley, must try 1 first, i used to have a real 72 custom which i traded in college. i will get maple neck, i think red.

I played a really nice candy apple red with maple fretboard BT several times at a Guitar Center, no affln., thru a great amp. It sounded very excellent. I should buy it, even though I got a black BT strat with maple board. The BT CAR tele has a super beautiful tinted neck that has great intricate grain patterns from the quarter sawn process of sawing the neck. Really nice and really visible quarter sawn grain patterns all the way up the neck. The action is real low and the feel is outstanding.

These are great teles and strats that really have a high coefficient of cool and look super great. The price is right too. These are really inexpensive Fenders.

Believe me this guitar is an outstanding example of this cool tele. I don't see how you could go wrong buying one if you want a dual covered humbucker tele. Plus you can send it back if you don't find it to be awesome. Like you said, these things sell fast.

Good luck with your paradox.

I have had the Red Tele for a little over 3 months. After much deliberation, I chose the red one with Rosewood. It is a beautiful, beautiful guitar. It just screams class to me. It also plays great and sounds great. I really can't believe it was only $450 bucks. I put on some chrome knobs and it looks even better. I love it.

I got mine just before Christmas last year. Planned modifications are -

New bridge
Straplocks
Seymour Duncan JB (bridge) and Pearly Gates (neck)
White pearl pickguard
White pickup ring
Traditional Tele Knobs
Setup of course

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk305/Robbied_216/IMG_02371.jpg



I'm interested to see what other Blacktop's are around and what changes people have made to theirs!

[This club already existed so we moved your post over here. -- Mod.]

Got my blacktop Tele last week Candy apple red / rosewood, these are the things that were wrong with it slight crack in the finish that I was given the choice of a replacement or a part refund took the refund (bought a EH LBP-1 and a danelectro cool cat fuzz with the proceeds) the string trees that come as standard on these are a JOKE screwed right down to the head stock causing a break angle on the E & B strings that make fine tuning Impossible so I replaced that. Now for the stuff I like which is everything else the pickups are great anyone who complains about humbuckers being dark sounding should buy a standard Tele; humbuckers are darker than single coils... FACT. The necks on these guitars are fantastic I prefer the rosewood which goes against my previously deep held belief that Tele = Maple. A lot of people on T’internet are slating these but that seems to be the way of the net. When I bought my Highway 1 Tele tonnes of folk were saying they were crap but that just proves that they hadn’t a clue about what makes a good Tele... look at all the folk in the 70’s who slated the custom and they’re sought after bits of kit now. So in 30 odd years time when you’re paying a stupid amount of money for one of these remember I was right... again.

Mine
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/dezb1/IMAG0050.jpg

Dezb1, you are correct. These are nice guitars. I have a black BT strat that is an outstanding guitar.

I like the tele so much I might get one.

Currently I have a hot rodded Squier std tele in walnut stain with a rosewood fretboard that I like a lot; so much so that I put in a set of Fender Vintage Noiseless tele pickups. This is a beautiful sounding guitar. The pickups are not really hot, but I just turn up my amp and this guitar sings very beautifully. It doesn't sound like a traditional tele, it sounds better and doesn't make noise. What it lacks in the traditional tele sound it makes up for in its own beautiful sound and noiselessness.

I have a Squier strat that is no longer made that has a crimson solid mahogany body and dual duncan designed covered humbuckers. It doesn't sound close to as good as the black top. One thing I like about it however is the two point tremolo. I should replace the pickups with a covered '59 and covered Custom 5 bridge Seymour Duncan in Fender spacing. I'm sure it would sound great.

I think the price went up on the Black Tops to 499, but they are still a reasonable buy for what they are. That would be the same price as a single coil version. Let's face it, not everyone likes single coils, especially noisy ones. The HH strat and tele are definitely great ideas.

I have a beautiful black cherry transparent flammed maple Fender special edition telecaster that has twin Seymour Duncan open coil humbuckers, a bridge Custom 5 and neck '59 and it is a very beautiful sounding and playing guitar. It has a five way switch that splits the coils and is the best sounding split coil guitar I have, except for maybe my Ibanez SZ320 gold top superstrat with Ibanez/Duncan opencoil pickups; but it doesn't split the coils in the normal way I don't believe and only has one split coil selection - instead of activating both the neck and bridge humbuckers at the same time it somehow splits the coils for a unique sound.

But you don't really need to split the coils and the Black Top tele is a really nice guitar. I might also get one of them some day to go with my strat.

I've had one of these for about a month, red with maple neck - I managed to snag it just before the price went up.

I love it. I've heard complaints about the pickups, but they sound fine to me.

I did replace the tone pot - the original one was very un-responsive but a 250k no-load pot solved that quickly and cheaply.

The neck is truly beautiful, both to look at and to play.

I've also heard complaints about the knobs which I really don't get? I've had those same knobs on Fender amps since the early 70's and they look fine to me. No, it doesn't look just like a traditional tele - because it's NOT!

My standard tele has the standard tele knobs, and I won't be changing the knobs on either one.

In any case, this guitar is definately a keeper for me.

No, it doesn't look just like a traditional tele - because it's NOT!

In any case, this guitar is definately a keeper for me.

That's my thoughts, if you want a standard Tele buy one. I wanted something different to compliment my highway 1 Tele, and these are cool guitars.

Here's mine...
I have a mint green pickguard on the way;
Will post pics if the mod turns out ok on this sunburst.

Here's my Entry! I've had it almost a year I guess... It's my #2 on stage and I love it. I'm very suprised how nice the neck is. It's the shining feature on my BT. I made a few mods...so I understand if you all kick me out cause when does a BT become NOT a BT??

Got my first tele yesterday. Black blacktop and put on graph tech bridge. Tone is best I have ever owned. Was with my awesome and reliable prs Santana se. Great but did not enjoy my drop c tuning. Black top is a huge tone jump and looks so damn good.

Rosewood neck 11 gauge string.

Blacktop with Warmoth neck and Bigsby, partscaster with Blacktop neck. :wink:

Here's my Entry! I've had it almost a year I guess... It's my #2 on stage and I love it. I'm very suprised how nice the neck is. It's the shining feature on my BT. I made a few mods...so I understand if you all kick me out cause when does a BT become NOT a BT??

I was going through this thread and wondering whether anyone would have esquire'd one of these...and alas :mrgreen:

Looks great, I'd probably go with a bucker sized P90 (tonerider rebel 90 maybe) and have a LP Junior/tele/esquire hybrid.

Love the simplicity of yours though, it really does look fantastic.

I'm in the USA later this year and I think I'll be buying one of these....can't decide what to get though, I'm a tele guy, really fancy the Jaguar (had one in the past, but didn't like all the knobs), but at the same time really fancy getting a strat (first one since first guitar) and a Jazzmaster is always good! Set of on 28 August, so best get the thinking cap on - they are a bargain in the states compared to what we get them for in the UK, $499 or £499 with an exchange rate of $1.6 to the £1

I'll join. Here's my Blacktop Jaguar.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/Apollo3000/BTJaguar2.jpg

Add me to the club.. I just got a Silver BT tele with maple neck today on a trade.. Its a Very nice guitar for the price.. The neck is really nice.. Im not too happy with the range of the tone knob... I may change the pots.. The saddles are cheap cheap cheap.. the worst part about this guitar for sure. I will replace them soon. Ive had a few 72 thinline teles but i like the humbuckers on this one better.. plus they are normal size so they can be changed easy.. I may throw some bare knuckles in it at some point. For now tho just some new strings and saddles and ill be playing this for a while.. Not your traditional tele for sure but its a nice change. If you love the tele style but want some humbucker goodness.. The black top is the one too get.. Im shocked they only cost 499$ From the quality of mine I think they should atleast go for 600-700$.. I dont mind tho! I can post a few pics but you all have seen plenty of them.

Mine's on the way. Ordered it yesterday. Red with maple ... mmmmm.

Had my one for a few months now and it has settled so well. Love it. Put graphtec saddles on and chrome knobs. Beautiful solid instrument. Found a great tone. Black blacktop tele.

Sent from my iPhone using TDPRI

I've had a red Blacktop Tele with rosewood neck for over a year now. I kinda fell outta love with it but we're back in love. Not sure what happened, but the pickups, which were muddy to me, somehow sound good to me now. I dig it. It's a great looking guitar and very comfortable to play. Very good value in my opinion. I just wish it had coil tapping like the Strats do. That would have been perfect.

Not much action here. I guess we're a very exclusive group!

Got a smokin black Friday deal on a Blacktop Jaguar. The pickups were OK, but upgraded them to Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAFs. I have a new 250K audio taper pot for the tone and an orange drop cap that I haven't installed yet. There's definitely a Bigsby in the future!

I changed the strings to 10s. I see people using heavier strings to get more pressure on the bridge, opinions?

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w253/Clump63/Jaguar/IMG_3821.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w253/Clump63/Jaguar/IMG_3822.jpg

I have the silver Tele. I ordered it from Musicians Friend and had to work on it right out of the box. No signal from the bridge pickup, way, way out of intonation and I had to find a shortewr saddle to get the sixth string intonated, and had to shorten the screw on it so it wouldn't hit the string. i e-mailed Fender about it and they said they didn't have any "overwhelming" complaints on the set up problems with these guitars, but My bandmate has a red one that is the same way. Great guitar, upgraded the pots, and that has improved it a bit. One of My favorites, love the humbuckers sound.

here's my black blacktop tele!
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/blacktop.JPG

i've done one small mod- swapped out the volume & tone controls for these bad boys:
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/blacktop_mod.JPG

I have a sonic blue w/maple. Great playing guitar, hardtailed it and put a tv jones in the bridge with a master tone and two volumes. Very happy with it

Just joined the forum, have a red and maple tele. Love the neck, not the bridge PU, looking for different ideas for PU's. Not real familiar with the whole tele world, been playing bass for the last 20 years.

Just joined the forum, have a red and maple tele. Love the neck, not the bridge PU, looking for different ideas for PU's. Not real familiar with the whole tele world, been playing bass for the last 20 years.

Do you have a Blacktop Tele? Does it have to chrome covered full sized humbuckers like a Les Paul?

The bridge pup should be stronger and brighter than the neck pickup which should be on the mellow side.

What are you looking for in a bridge pickup, soundwise?

If you want a real mellow sound you can turn down your tone control when you switch to the bridge pickup - that should make it sound very mellow if you have a Blacktop series tele.

A traditional tele has a chrome covered small pickup at the neck and a slanted black single coil pickup with exposed pole pieces at the bridge, usually mounted inside a flat rectangular chrome plated bridge plate. These are not Blacktop telecasters. Blacktops have two chrome full sized humbuckers like a Les Paul.

If it is a Blacktop you have a lot of pickup options, depending on what type of sound you are looking for - more mellow or more biting, screaming, roaring type.

Anyone got any images of the innards of the control plate or the undersides of the pickguards?

Trying to tutor myself on these models.

I'll join. Here's my Blacktop Jaguar.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/Apollo3000/BTJaguar2.jpg

Which model Bigsby is that?

Stock Fender FSR Blacktop Telecaster in Seafoam Green Pearl
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/Seafoam_green_blacktop_tele.jpg

And after changing the guard, the pots, the capacitor and the neck pickup (now a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P-90):
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/kymmie.jpg

Hey Boris, here are some links to some shots of the control cavity. They're not great, but hopefully it'll give you an idea:

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/guts2.jpg

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/guts1.jpg

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/guts3.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7042/6984769573_7897dfa157.jpg
/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/6838660552_f885bb7a5a_z.jpg
I just got this one yesterday ,An FSR Blacktop Jaguar ,Blizzard pearl .great guitar but way too heavy at 4Kg:sad: but its so good I will keep it :grin:

Hi guys. I'm considering buying a blacktop tele (candy red, maple neck). It's just, no guitar store in my area stocks them, so I have no way of trying one out for myself.

From what I've read, the pickups are really muddy and the electrics need to be fixed up. Can anyone confirm this?
Apart from that, it seems like a great guitar......

Is it worth me just buying it, or wait until I can try one?

Thanks.

You absolutely have to change the pots and the cap, but doing that woke up my pickups. They're not awesome, but they're not terrible either. A little adjustment to them goes a long way.

I got my Blacktop knowing I'd have to do some work on it, but that was one of the reasons I got it. It was a great learning experience for me. If you're not into DIY upgrade stuff, your money could probably be spent better on a different Tele that requires less work...

Having said that, after I upgraded the pots and the cap and changed the neck pickup, this guitar is one of my favorites now. So... at least you know what you're getting into now. Good luck!

Why do the pots want changing ? my Jaguar has the same guts as a Blacktop Tele apart from the switch and works fine .Pickups are just a choice according to taste .My one sounded good at a 3 hour session this afternoon .The pickups are far from muddy .They are bright and clear unless you want top dirty them up .The people online and magazines testing a blacktop tele reckoned they were fine for a good cross section of tone from jazz country to blues and beyond .Thats what IMHO I would have to say as well .I was playing country and blues this afternoon and no issues .If you change the pots and wiring and strings you automatically get a tone boost from the new strings .

Odd. I had a blacktop tele and was never happy with the pickups. Long story short, I.now have a Blacktop Jaguar and the difference is amazing. I was under the impression that they were different pickups.......

Odd. I had a blacktop tele and was never happy with the pickups. Long story short, I.now have a Blacktop Jaguar and the difference is amazing. I was under the impression that they were different pickups.......

Maybe I am wrong then.:cry:i read a review in a UK mag .I did own a blacktop strat for a short while and that had coil split .That had good tone too and very Fendery .The Jag certainly struts its stuff .I was surprised at its tone range and subtle too.I play loads of different styles of music .The Jag is so good I wonder why I didnt try short scale years ago .:mad:

I had to change the pots because the ones I had were terrible. I think my Blacktop came with a pre-wired Chinese deal. The tone knob was unusable- it might as well have been an on/off switch. The volume worked alright, but if I was changing one, I might as well get both of em. I also changed the capacitor to a Fender .022. Once that was done, I had no complaints, but I already had a new neck pickup coming, so in she went.
I think there's a lot of variations in these models. Mine is an FSR, and has a different bridge setup than most that I've seen, so I dunno if they cut some corners on my electronics to upgrade that or whatever. I'd definitely play one before I bought it (but I'd say that about any guitar).

I came across a HH Blacktop Strat with a Floyd Rose last week for $399. I snagged it. So far I love it. I like that the 5 position switch allows for single coil and HB tones without extra doodads. Other than straplocks, I have no plans to change anything on it. Its a killer guitar.

Hey All, I am very new to playing, and just picked up a new Blacktop Tele (Black/rosewood) last week I am really looking forward to learning a lot from this site and this club thread. Thanks!

Don't tell anyone, but I bought a Silver / Maple blacktop Tele tonight. Hopefully it gets here before next weekend.

Dear Sirs, I would like to join the club!
Got my Silver/Rosewood Tele yesterday. I hade to make some adjustments to it, but nothing too fancy.
We'll see how it really works today, at the rehearsal with the boys.
Anyway, bought it planning in upgrading some parts, just to make it truly mine :)

Here, some pics.

Cheers!

Blacktop with Warmoth neck and Bigsby, partscaster with Blacktop neck. :wink:
what bigsby fit on the blacktop???

i got the sliver with maple neck i wouldnt mind getting a jag in sliver and maple to

I needed a Strat with a locking tremolo so here is what I got
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss272/ADKTeleman/052.jpg

i'm goanna be a proud owner of a BT silver Jag tomorrow after getting a squier VM jaguar and hating how it sounds and all the problems it had.

got my blacktop jag and want to put gibson p-94s in it already haha I think it would sound awesome with a set of those in it but it sounds rockin now anyways

what bigsby fit on the blacktop???

It's a B50 with a mounting plate and replacement bridge from ZZ Guitarworks. The bridge has slots for the strings to pass through.

(sorry for taking so long to reply)

Here's mine. Already ordered volume and tone knobs. Like it a lot so far.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/8037100303_2dd674855f_z.jpg

I'm thinking about picking up one this week with a maple neck. I'm just not sure which color yet ... but the neck has to be maple, no rosewood this time please.

They seem to be really nice guitars. Easily as nice as anything else out there in the same price range.

His name is Otis B. Driftwood. The neck is a 2012 Maple Deluxe Players strat with a 12" radius. Ive got a Dimebucker in the bridge and a SD 59' in the neck. I believe the only things left Original are the body, pickguard, bridge, saddles, and control plate.

I needed a Strat with a locking tremolo so here is what I got
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss272/ADKTeleman/052.jpg

That is a really nice superstrat in my opinion. I really like the black and metallic silver. Same combination as my BMW Roadster motorcycle. It just looks good on that open coil guitar. What model pickups are those? They really look cool on that guitar. Are those stock?

I have not had a floyd rose guitar but this one definitely looks great. How about locking tuners instead of the locking nut? It could make things more easily managable, possibly. I know a dude that has an Ibanez Premium superstrat with a Zero x trem and he stripped off the locking nut and put on auto trim locking Planet Waves tuners on it. He is a master guitar player and a guitar teacher. He loves the locking tuners and the ability to tune up without swinging a dead turkey over his head while jumping up and down on one foot, figuratively speaking. To each their own.

I'm sure you really like that beautiful guitar, locking nut and all.

Congratulations.

I have a Blacktop in black with a maple fretboard and I really like this guitar. I might put a nickel covered DiMarzio Super Distortion at the bridge and a anniv. PAF pro at the neck. I think I'd like that sound better than the decent sounding stock Fender humbuckers.

here's my black blacktop tele!
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/blacktop.JPG

i've done one small mod- swapped out the volume & tone controls for these bad boys:
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/517/medium/blacktop_mod.JPG

Sharp looking knobs. I have a black Blacktop strat with a maple neck. I think I'll get some of those knobs today if they have them at the musical supply house by me. I really think the knobs make a major visual change and give the tele a very cool vibe. Good thinking and thanks for the idea.

Well, I put into action one of my plans for my Blacktop strat this evening and the job is done.

I installed a set of Seymour Duncan open coil black pickups into my black body with black pickguard and maple fretboard Blacktop strat. I put in the JB in the bridge and the Jazz in the neck. It came out great with both pickups sounding way better, in my personal experience, to the stock chrome Fender ones or whatever type pickups they are that come stock in the Blacktop strat.

Prior to doing the job I called the technician at Seymour Duncan and got as much information from him as I could regarding doing the job. Then I called the technician at Fender corporation and got the Blacktop wiring diagram and as many ideas from him as I could get. I wanted the job to go smoothly and come out right "the first time".

I was surprised that the Fender guy thought my idea of installing the JB/Jazz open coil black pickup set into the black body with black pickguard Blacktop strat sounded like a really good idea. He even agreed that the Seymour Duncan pickups would greatly improve the sound of the guitar. These ideas are subjective, I know, but I guess the Fender guy thought that the Duncan JB/Jazz set would, without doubt, improve the stock sound substantially. This indeed is the case, according to my personal experience. I thought it was cool that a Fender employee would take the time to work with me and explain exactly what I had to do to get a competitor's pickups to work in my guitar, even to include the exactly correct split coil wiring method. It turned out great the "first time"; and the sound is definitely, in my opinion, far superior to the stock sound.

The new sound and the tones I can get out of the guitar thru my Marshall JMD-1 one hundred watt EL34 two twelve Celestion combo is an amazement to me. Obviously the amp adds a smooth overdrive fuzziness at the setting I have it set at, but the sound in all positions has a smooth fuzzy overdrive character to it that sustains beautifully and lends itself to chords and leads as well. The whole sound of the guitar is warmed up and much clearer, with no muddiness at all; and this is using the exact same amp settings as before the pickup change. I played the guitar for quite some time with the stock chrome pickups before I set up and rigged up the new pickups. Awesome improvement in clarity and the clean tone is the foundation for the smooth overdrive character imparted by the amp. I have not adjusted the amp to a cleaner sound or a more overdriven one. I'm just playing the guitar with the amp set up the way it is, which is fine with me.

So besides having greatly improved sound from the guitar, I think the guitar looks way better with the black open coils set into the black pickguard and black body with the maple fretboard. It has a very black vibe to it and is cool to play. I need to get my camera out tomorrow and take some pictures.

I also installed a Fender American series string tree to replace the stamped metal stock one and this looks cool too. At an earlier date I installed the Fender brushed stainless Schaller locking tuners with the locking wheels on the tuner bodies underneath the headstock, and "without" the "f" imprinted in the center of the knurled locking wheel. These tuners work excellently compared to the stock ones and also give the guitar a further cool and impressive look, in my opinion.

Aside from these beautiful and cool upgrades, the guitar is a serious player; a serious guitar actually. It feels and plays great. I think that the hot rodding of this guitar has been a very cool success. It is definitely fun to play and is a very rewarding experience, producing beautiful sounds, not achievable with the stock pickups.

By the way, the stock wiring looked very good to me, from my amateur point of view. There was extra grounding and the pots were the large size ones and everything was quite neatly done. Tomorrow I am going to replace the amp style control knobs with knurled chrome telecaster style knobs, which I think look far superior to the amp knobs.

At this point I suppose the guitar is no longer a Blacktop strat, but this is cool with me because it has taken a form that provides me with greater enjoyment. This is now a guitar that I will play a "lot" more now that it sounds so awesome and also has a very cool look. I also think that after you put a little work into a guitar that you bond more with the guitar and that results, often, in the guitar getting played a lot more. It is definitely a favorite guitar now.

On the other hand, I have a smooth glossy transparent cherry "School of Rock" limitted edition Epiphone SG 400 Standard with chrome covered humbuckers that is completely stock, and I have bonded very strongly with this guitar. It just feels and plays so great; it is like no other guitar that I own. I need to play some of my way more expensive guitars some more and bond with them, because they are definitely really nice guitars.

I'll try to get some pictures up. I hope my experience with this Seymour Duncan pickup installation and the positive results experienced is of interest to others that are thinking of modifying or hot rodding their Blacktop strats.

Just bought my first tele tonite, can't wait to pick it up. Had them order me a new one and still got it for under$350 what a deal

Just Joined the site, and got a Floyd Rose Strat - Super Strat.. such an awesome guitar, ill post pics :)

Just Joined the site, and got a Floyd Rose Strat - Super Strat.. such an awesome guitar, ill post pics :)

Sounds like an awesome guitar.

I just wish I could get past that Floyd brick wall I'm up against. I have heard that they are a pain in the a$$ to mess with. But you know what, a friend of mine took off the locking nut and installed some Planet Waves locking auto trim tuners and he says that eliminating the locking nut has made the Ibanez zero trem, similar to a Floyd, super easy to use and tune up.

Is it really a pain to string up and set up that Floyd trem? I like trems so a Floyd could be something to give me even more trem control.

Feedback appreciated.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/espaniol/fender2.jpg

Here it is... The quality is unreal. I have 2 American strats and this is just as good if not better....quality wise.. Its the Darth Vader of Strats! Sound quality is amazing!!! The finish is beautiful, and i cant spot any faults what so ever!
If you've always liked the look of the Strat, and wanted a massive sound punch,.. then you'll have fun with the 2 Hum-buckers, AS WELL AS a floyd rose, double locking trem! You cant go wrong with this axe.. its a super strat, an awesome guitar all round, it has everything you need.

I hope the pics suffice guys

Ok heres my beast, to date I have changed out the saddles to SS, scotch padded the neck to get the finish nice, changed the knobs, upgraded the pups to a SD '59 in the neck and a JB in the bridge, changed out the pots to CTS 500k's and just tonight I got a parchment pickguard on. Next I might switch around the control panel configuration then I might even dull the poly so its kinda matt. Whatchu reckon?

I'd probably leave it glossy and maybe put on a black/white/black pickguard to "blacken" it.

I will post a picture of my blacktop strat; black with black pickguard and black JB/'59 open coil humbuckers and black knurelled barrel knobs. It also has Fender brushed nickel locking tuners. I like that blacked out look but don't mind the gloss. The black gloss gets naturally worn in very quickly it seems, with normal use.

Great looking guitar and I'm sure it would look great with the body scotch brighted.

Just got a new black top strat with maple neck, super impressed with the playability and punch of the humbuckers

I'd probably leave it glossy and maybe put on a black/white/black pickguard to "blacken" it.

I will post a picture of my blacktop strat; black with black pickguard and black JB/'59 open coil humbuckers and black knurelled barrel knobs. It also has Fender brushed nickel locking tuners. I like that blacked out look but don't mind the gloss. The black gloss gets naturally worn in very quickly it seems, with normal use.

Great looking guitar and I'm sure it would look great with the body scotch brighted.

Post some pics man I want to see that all black beast !!! I thought id try the classic look with the parchment guard for a while, thats the beauty of fenders ay, easy changeability. My mate came round today and thought it was a different guitar.

Sorry. Posted 2wice.