My hot-rodded Squier Cyclone (again)

Val-tone · June 1st, 2008, 05:26 PM

I like Fender Mustangs. A lot. I also like the authoritave twang of a tele bridge pickup. So I combined them in a Squier Cyclone. The Cyclone has a 24 ¾ neck and a strat whammy, but for $130 bucks it got me close enough in the Mustang ballpark. I've had different pickups in this guitar over the last couple of years, but I think I'm going to keep it this way for awhile.

The pickguard is from a previous experiment gone wrong. Too bad I didn’t have an angled routing bit when I made it, but… The sticker is covering up some holes I chiseled out for Jaguar switches. The pot that’s sticking out there now is one of those GFS “woman tone” midrange boosters.

The switch closest to the neck is: neck/neck and bridge/bridge pickups
The one closest to the bridge is: neck switch unit/neck switch and middle pup/middle pickup on its own. That way I can have both the neck and bridge on, which to my ears is the greatest sound ever from a Mustang. That’s my desert island sound. Or I can have all three pups on if I want.

Here’s the wiring diagram (THANKS DEAF EDDIE!)

Pickups are: bridge and mid--Keystones, neck--’78 strat, from a ’77 stratocaster I got at a pawnshop, broken and left in a drawer for a decade or so but recently brought back to life.

Here’s when it was under construction. There’s a swimming pool route already under the pickguard, but a few years ago I made it a lot bigger. I screwed a piece of 1X4 there for the bridge pup plate to screw to, then colored it with a black sharpie in case any of the wood showed from the sides of the pickguard and plate. This was all done with hand tools as I have just moved and all my stuff was boxed up. Then shortly after we moved we had a baby, so now my stuff will be boxed up even longer, but oh well…

I have more pictures, I'll post them soon.

Jelly · June 1st, 2008, 05:46 PM

Looks great - what kind of switches are those exactly? I know they're sliders, but I mean like what manufacturer, et cetera...

numeric · June 1st, 2008, 06:09 PM

Don't take it out in public, the cops'll pull you over for speeding.

Val-tone · June 1st, 2008, 09:18 PM

Thanks for looking--the switches are allparts.

Rathmann · June 2nd, 2008, 12:03 AM

Very hip. Bring it over and we'll upset my neighbors.

Chuck

eddiewagner · June 2nd, 2008, 04:46 AM

holy! that is a major effort. and it looks very, very cool.

tuuur · June 2nd, 2008, 05:51 AM

Whoa! You've been busy on that squier.
Only thing I don't see in that wiring diagram is where the GFS booster fits in...

June 1st, 2008, 05:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Val-tone Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milwaukee, WI Age: 42 Posts: 621 5 Photos	My hot-rodded Squier Cyclone (again) I like Fender Mustangs. A lot. I also like the authoritave twang of a tele bridge pickup. So I combined them in a Squier Cyclone. The Cyclone has a 24 ¾ neck and a strat whammy, but for $130 bucks it got me close enough in the Mustang ballpark. I've had different pickups in this guitar over the last couple of years, but I think I'm going to keep it this way for awhile. The pickguard is from a previous experiment gone wrong. Too bad I didn’t have an angled routing bit when I made it, but… The sticker is covering up some holes I chiseled out for Jaguar switches. The pot that’s sticking out there now is one of those GFS “woman tone” midrange boosters. The switch closest to the neck is: neck/neck and bridge/bridge pickups The one closest to the bridge is: neck switch unit/neck switch and middle pup/middle pickup on its own. That way I can have both the neck and bridge on, which to my ears is the greatest sound ever from a Mustang. That’s my desert island sound. Or I can have all three pups on if I want. Here’s the wiring diagram (THANKS DEAF EDDIE!) Pickups are: bridge and mid--Keystones, neck--’78 strat, from a ’77 stratocaster I got at a pawnshop, broken and left in a drawer for a decade or so but recently brought back to life. Here’s when it was under construction. There’s a swimming pool route already under the pickguard, but a few years ago I made it a lot bigger. I screwed a piece of 1X4 there for the bridge pup plate to screw to, then colored it with a black sharpie in case any of the wood showed from the sides of the pickguard and plate. This was all done with hand tools as I have just moved and all my stuff was boxed up. Then shortly after we moved we had a baby, so now my stuff will be boxed up even longer, but oh well… I have more pictures, I'll post them soon. __________________ Is it raining, is it snowing Is a hurricane a-blowing Yes, the danger must be growing For the rowers keep on rowing And they're certainly not showing Any signs that they are slowing Last edited by Val-tone; June 1st, 2008 at 09:19 PM.

June 1st, 2008, 05:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jelly Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 1,423 10 Photos	Looks great - what kind of switches are those exactly? I know they're sliders, but I mean like what manufacturer, et cetera... __________________ "I got on a bus and I went to Fresno because I thought Merle Haggard lived there."

June 1st, 2008, 06:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
numeric Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 345	Don't take it out in public, the cops'll pull you over for speeding. __________________ Numeric

June 1st, 2008, 09:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
Val-tone Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milwaukee, WI Age: 42 Posts: 621 5 Photos	Thanks for looking--the switches are allparts. __________________ Is it raining, is it snowing Is a hurricane a-blowing Yes, the danger must be growing For the rowers keep on rowing And they're certainly not showing Any signs that they are slowing

June 2nd, 2008, 12:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Rathmann Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Milwaukee, Wis. Posts: 265 15 Photos	Very hip. Bring it over and we'll upset my neighbors. Chuck __________________ "Soul shine is better than sunshine, better than moonshine, damn sure better than rain."

June 2nd, 2008, 04:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
eddiewagner Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: ROCK!linghausen/germany Age: 49 Posts: 3,974 27 Photos	holy! that is a major effort. and it looks very, very cool. __________________ My Drum/Guitar-Duo: www.myspace.com/captaintwangandhisrhythmcat

June 2nd, 2008, 05:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
tuuur Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: the Netherlands Age: 40 Posts: 985 7 Photos	Whoa! You've been busy on that squier. Only thing I don't see in that wiring diagram is where the GFS booster fits in... __________________ If we all take the backseat, who's gonna drive? - Fred Cole http://www.myspace.com/tuuur http://www.myspace.com/daggermoon