Fender Player Plus Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Opal Spark $640 at Adorama

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batotman

4d ago

2,838 Posts

Joined Jan 2008

4d ago

batotman

4d ago

2,838 Posts

I'd pick this over a player II unless you needed rosewood over pau ferro

Glenz

Pro

4d ago

844 Posts

Joined Aug 2011

4d ago

Glenz

Pro

4d ago

844 Posts

A lot of things to love about this guitar, including rounded fretboard edges, locking tuners, the ability to add the neck position to position 1&2, and the 12" fretboard radius (though I doubt these frets are level enough to significantly lower the action beyond 9.5" limits).

However, what prevents me from wanting one is the Fender "noiseless," pickups, which are just stacked humbuckers voiced to sound as close to a single coil as possible. When I pick up a strat, I want real deal single coil pickups.

Last edited by Glenz April 29, 2025 at 10:05 AM.

2

munzaabajaa

Pro

3d ago

817 Posts

Joined May 2006

3d ago

munzaabajaa

Pro

3d ago

817 Posts

Quote from Glenz

:

A lot of things to love about this guitar, including rounded fretboard edges, locking tuners, the ability to add the neck position to position 1&2, and the 12" fretboard radius (though I doubt these frets are level enough to significantly lower the action beyond 9.5" limits).

However, what prevents me from wanting one is the Fender "noiseless," pickups, which are just stacked humbuckers voiced to sound as close to a single coil as possible. When I pick up a strat, I want real deal single coil pickups.

A strat is the easiest to modify, Buy a pickguard and your favorite pickups (Mine are Bill Lawrence) and take your time to wire it up with 2 wires to the output jack hanging. Search for wiring diagrams - All big names have them, No name pickups you follow fender wiring.

Take off the old pickguard carefully. Desolder the output jack, Desolder the cavity and body ground wires. Solder the pickup wires to the output jack, Ground open wires and voila you are done. If you don't like where you are with the new pickguard just do the same to go back. Keep the pickguard so when you sell it you can offer the buyer a choice of the original setup or your upgraded pickguard.

1

munzaabajaa

Pro

2d ago

817 Posts

Joined May 2006

2d ago

munzaabajaa

Pro

2d ago

817 Posts

It's Backordered - Anyone have experience with how long Adorama can stay Backordered ?

Glenz

Pro

2d ago

844 Posts

Joined Aug 2011

2d ago

Glenz

Pro

2d ago

844 Posts

Quote from munzaabajaa

:

A strat is the easiest to modify, Buy a pickguard and your favorite pickups (Mine are Bill Lawrence) and take your time to wire it up with 2 wires to the output jack hanging. Search for wiring diagrams - All big names have them, No name pickups you follow fender wiring.

Take off the old pickguard carefully. Desolder the output jack, Desolder the cavity and body ground wires. Solder the pickup wires to the output jack, Ground open wires and voila you are done. If you don't like where you are with the new pickguard just do the same to go back. Keep the pickguard so when you sell it you can offer the buyer a choice of the original setup or your upgraded pickguard.

If you have never soldered before nor have a workbench, this modification is going cost $150-$300 for the pick guard, and another $100-$150 for a tech to do the work.

munzaabajaa

Pro

2d ago

817 Posts

Joined May 2006

2d ago

munzaabajaa

Pro

2d ago

817 Posts

Quote from Glenz

:

If you have never soldered before nor have a workbench, this modification is going cost $150-$300 for the pick guard, and another $100-$150 for a tech to do the work.

Bud youtube it .. I am self learnt .. Don't have a work bench and solder a lot. Yes the pickguard could be $300 but that Pickguard can be sold as well. Especially if it is a branded fender pickguard. Practice your soldering on random stuff and then do it for real on the Guitar. No biggie. If you buy the Pickguard from Amazon then you can return it within 30 days no questions asked.

1

SplendidMorning215

Original Poster

Pro

2d ago

1,150 Posts

Joined Feb 2018

2d ago

SplendidMorning215

2d ago

Original Poster

Pro

1,150 Posts

Quote from munzaabajaa

:

Bud youtube it .. I am self learnt .. Don't have a work bench and solder a lot. Yes the pickguard could be $300 but that Pickguard can be sold as well. Especially if it is a branded fender pickguard. Practice your soldering on random stuff and then do it for real on the Guitar. No biggie. If you buy the Pickguard from Amazon then you can return it within 30 days no questions asked.

It's a pretty simple process and really fun. I helped a buddy with a partscaster. He got the prewired fender pickguard from fender off a slickdeal ($150) We followed this fender video: https://youtu.be/vTHzVmoatMM?si=2eE15UCYKsHKyCFV

1

Glenz

Pro

Yesterday

844 Posts

Joined Aug 2011

Yesterday

Glenz

Pro

Yesterday

844 Posts

Quote from munzaabajaa

:

Bud youtube it .. I am self learnt .. Don't have a work bench and solder a lot. Yes the pickguard could be $300 but that Pickguard can be sold as well. Especially if it is a branded fender pickguard. Practice your soldering on random stuff and then do it for real on the Guitar. No biggie. If you buy the Pickguard from Amazon then you can return it within 30 days no questions asked.

Would you be comfortable learning how to solder on your brand new $650 Fender?

munzaabajaa

Pro

Yesterday

817 Posts

Joined May 2006

Yesterday

munzaabajaa

Pro

Yesterday

817 Posts

Quote from Glenz

:

Would you be comfortable learning how to solder on your brand new $650 Fender?

No but I can solder tin cans for shits and giggles. Look obviously you are dead set against DIY and I am a big fan of DIYs. Heck its because of DIY that I have been able to build 3 guitars that I really love and have some very complex electronics in them like a preamp or a distortion circuit or the Free-Way switch or the SD Hyper Switch ... All options for tonal capability. But if you don't try you don't get. To each their own I suppose. Maybe your time is worth more than this hobby. In that case a tech makes perfect sense.

Fender Player Plus Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Opal Spark $640 at Adorama

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