I saw a Strat at one of our local shops. Pretty sure it was a Mexican. It was called a Fender Surfcaster. Everything about it was a Strat except it had 3 Lipsticks instead of the single coils. After looking it over (and playing it for a bit) I decided that this was something I could do on my own. What kind of Lipsticks would best fit a standard Strat set up, and be the best for playing surf?
Sam
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
Fender Surfcaster?!?!
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Joined: Aug 21, 2012 Posts: 2 Sacramento, CA 
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 12:43 AM
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Joined: Oct 12, 2008 Posts: 580 San Antone, TX 
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 02:07 AM
Was it this guy? Those are pretty groovy, but I'm still not sure why they call it a "surf Strat," cause I can't think of many surf players using lipsticks. —The Phantomatics on Facebook |
Joined: Jan 01, 2008 Posts: 2105 Livorno 
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 03:13 PM
It it costs less than 250 euro I will get it. Just for the name of the guitar Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini |
Joined: Oct 05, 2011 Posts: 744 France
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 05:38 PM
About the Squier VM Surf Strat: As for the lipsticks, I don't think many manufacturers make them. I know GFS has some in standard singlecoil size, but I've never tried them so I don't know if they sound good. About lipsticks: The search button... it's maaaaaagic! Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers. Last edited: Aug 21, 2012 17:39:00 |
Joined: Apr 28, 2009 Posts: 460 Victoria 
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Posted on Aug 22 2012 07:01 AM
^ this I have one of these guitars and apart from a crappy tremolo unit (to be expected at this price range) they are fine. I often use mine live with no problems. Looks good and is something different. I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think the lipstick pickups fit straight in to a strat body as the pockets in the body are a different size, but I could well be wrong. Worth a shot as I reckon they look great. —https://www.facebook.com/lostremoleros/ Last edited: Aug 22, 2012 07:09:07 |
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Joined: Oct 05, 2011 Posts: 744 France
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Posted on Aug 22 2012 11:42 AM
Volcanik wrote:
Regular lipsticks (as found in Danos) are longer than Strat pickups and therefore won't fit without modification. Several companies (GFS, Seymour Duncan & Kent Armstrong amongst others) have models of the same size as Strat pickups for easy replacement. The mounting method also differs, Danelectro pickups are supposed to be mounted to the back of the body (Danos are hollow); the Strat sized models screw to the pickguard just like Strat pups. Compare the size & mounting brackets of Dano-style lipsticks vs Strat-sized: I have just read somewhere that GFS lipsticks have individual pole pieces like ordinary pickups, and not a bar magnet like original lipsticks; I don't know if that's true and how it affects tone. GFS lipstick get some good reviews online; they are reportedly hotter than Danos.
Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers. Last edited: Aug 22, 2012 11:55:51 |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 5080 San Francisco
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Posted on Aug 22 2012 12:54 PM
I had lipsticks in my Strat for years. Kent Armstrong made a smaller version which fit right in. Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp |
Joined: Sep 07, 2009 Posts: 31 |
Posted on Aug 22 2012 02:32 PM
Quite a few manufacturers make lipsticks for Strats - GFS, Kent Armstrong, Seymour Duncan, etc. I have some Curtis Novaks in a Mexican 60s classic (in Burgundy Mist, if you care) and they are pretty nice sounding puppies. Make sure you get Strat sized ones because Danelectro lipsticks don't fit without a chisel. |
Joined: Apr 26, 2010 Posts: 882 central Indiana
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Posted on Aug 23 2012 12:04 AM
So they can market it to a public that does not know any better. Norm |
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Joined: Apr 26, 2010 Posts: 882 central Indiana
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Posted on Aug 23 2012 12:08 AM
The old Charvel Surfcaster had lipstick pickups. Always wondered why they called it the Surfcaster. Sort of the same thing, I guess. A way to market the guitar. Norm |
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Joined: Sep 07, 2009 Posts: 31 |
Posted on Aug 24 2012 01:35 PM
I think it is because there is a misapprehension that surf guitarists played Danelectros - I've seen guitar articles, cartoons and stuff where someone playing surf or spy like music has a Dano. Of course, very few Surf guitarists played anything other than strats, jags or jazzmasters but there is perception and reality. |
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Joined: Apr 26, 2010 Posts: 882 central Indiana
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Posted on Aug 25 2012 04:28 AM
That is probably as good an explanation as any. I thought the Charvel Surfcaster looked sort of like someone playing surf on a Rickenbacker. I have done that and do not recommend it to anyone. Later, |
Joined: May 27, 2012 Posts: 105
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Posted on Jul 30 2014 07:36 PM
I own a VM surf Stratocaster as well. I can testify to the unreliable nature of the trem. Goes out of tune if you look at it sideways. Pickups sound ok though. Gives it a unique look. Here it is being put through its paces. Borrowed by the Mystery Men for a show. (sans the trem) |
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Joined: Mar 23, 2011 Posts: 518 colorado springs
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 02:06 PM
I found the surf strat was really nice for blues as opposed to surf. Weird. |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 02:26 PM
Yeah, I don't understand why they would take the pickups found in some of the most quintessential early surf records and replace them with pickups never used in that guitar during that time. We're going to make it more authentic by making it not authentic. |
Joined: Aug 18, 2011 Posts: 158 The sun kissed beeches of Nottingham, UK. 
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 04:33 PM
I wonder if they decided they wanted to release a "surfcaster" and then decided it should have lipstick pickups, or if they wanted to release a Strat with lipsticks and then gave it the surf name because they couldn't think of anything else that fit. |
Joined: Jul 28, 2008 Posts: 413
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 09:35 PM
You guys might want to blame Steve Soest of The Torquays for people getting the idea that lipstick pickups are appropriate for surf. He designed the late-90's reissues as well as the Hodad. I still see him around playing a Danelectro bass in various other bands. Here's a cool story about Danelectros in general with a short interview with Steve near the end: http://www.jackaboutguitars.com/the-danelectro-story
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is. Last edited: Aug 03, 2014 21:36:10 |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 09:43 PM
Hodad... one of the worst guitars I ever owned. It was my second guitar, paid for 50/50 by my parents and I. I felt so bad that I hated the guitar because they had helped me buy it. Sold it several years later and used part of a grant for school to buy my Gretsch 6118-120 that was also not my favorite guitar... but that guitar become my Jag, which is still owned and cherished. |
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Joined: Mar 23, 2011 Posts: 518 colorado springs
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 10:48 PM
I think they LOOK surfy, but they don't sound surfy. My luthier was trying to get me to drop some lipsticks in a strat for a surf sound 'cause they're so sparkley.' I couldn't do it....if i had wanted that, I'd have kept hte surf strat. Had a nice sound to it, but it dind't SCREAM surf like people expect. some guys on squier talk have modded them to remove the pickups and put in some Fat 50's and things like that...and everybody says they are way better that way. |
Joined: Jul 09, 2010 Posts: 1153 Lillian Alabama
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Posted on Aug 03 2014 11:17 PM
had one a couple of years back. trem was terrible. it didn't sound surfy at all. it was surf green however, looked cool. played rather badly. it put me off on squiers for awhile. didn't like the pearl pickguard either. Enjoying the surf,sun and sand!! |
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