Customizing a 90's Peavey Predator

[warren0728]

I have a 90's Peavey Predator International Edition (strat knockoff). I don't think the pickups are very good (it has a humbucker at the bridge a single coil at the neck with a single coil in between) with 5-way switching aqnd a tremelo bar.

I am just a home player and have a few other guitars so i am thinking about redoing this guitar just for fun.

I am thinking of dissasembling it and putting in new p/u's and such. I am also going to paint the body. I have never done anything like this before!

Looking for tips on a project like this including p/u choice (not trying to start any wars here) just want some ideas. Is this work difficult or can an average guy handle it if he takes his time?

thanks in advance,
ww

 

[axpro]

AS for the basic mods, Skill is required, but if you don't have much of it yet, you can substitute time. be careful and take your time. Pickups, I personally like Seymour DUncan Alnico 2's in strat guitars, maybe an alnico pro humbucker, would be a good all round choice, really depends on what sounds you like.

As for finishing, that is a sticky subject... Some people are good at it, I'm not. especially not when i am doing my guitars ( i really take my time when working on customer guitars, like i said at the beginning...) Unless you happen to be one of the gifted ones who can re-finish with good results (really, I suck...) then i would leave that out, or find someone who is (I have an auto painter guy who does it as a hobby, BRILLIANT!) Overall, figure out what you want to do, price out the materials, and dig around for the info. lots of websites (like guitarznutz) with lots of info on modding strat style guitars.


Dave Mc

 

[warren0728]

thanks axpro.....i am only going to try and paint the body and not mess with the neck and such.....i just figured that since i will have all the guts out to change p/u's i might try a hand at painting. My guess is stripping of the old finish will be a pain....i think a buddy has a belt sander so that might help.

I figure if i totally screw it up i'm not out much...i think i only paid 149 for it many many years ago!

ww

 

[axpro]

As to the belt sander route....

A had a buddy do that for me on a BC rich warlock I had as a kid, took the top layer of wood off, and it was a plywood body... so I had a lot of trouble getting it to look flat again (bumpy crappy laminate wood) if you can see woodgrain on your guitar (sunbirst color) it probably has a thin ash laminate on the top of the body, sometimes paper thin, if you go through that (which is pretty much a given no matter what...) you may notice how many pieces of wood your guitar is really made of!

Dave mc

 

[warren0728]

hmmmm....wonder if there is some way to chemically remove the finish....or maybe i could just lightly sand the original finish and paint over it...also if i am going to replace p/u's should i think about changing the pots and switch too....

ww

 

[axpro]

Considering the guitar, If you wre going to change pickups, I'd definitely spend the extra $$ and do the pots and switch too.

Dave Mc

 

[warren0728]

that's what i figured....i know it's probably REALLY not worth sinking money into this guitar...but i just want to do it to see if i can.

any suggestions on what guts to use would be appreciated

i love this forum....but i am finding i get less work done (i work at home) because i keep checking this forum for new posts!

ww