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This is a repost photo from a version I found on a Jazz guitar forum when I was trying other genres to help me fall in love with a strat. This one uses a single coil humbucker in the neck for a more rounded jazz sound, but I think it looks fantastic without the dummy coils.

If it were me and I wanted to retain a dummy bridge and middle, I’d replace the neck pickup as planned and wire that directly to the volume and tone controls, taking the selector out of the circuit altogether. I’d even consider removing the selector altogether as it’s just something to catch your hand on/get in the way of the knobs. However, as above, I like the idea of a complete remodel, with just one pickup on the pickguard and two controls, making a feature of it. It’s the most expensive option, but it would make it yours.

I've had similar experiences. The feel (sometimes even the look - all psychosomatical...) of a different guitar leads me subconsciously to play in a different way or to play different things... By extension, I suspect that different things just feel 'right' on different guitars... What was it recorded on originally, do you know? Something with a similar neck shape (so it - irrespective of the player - 'feels' better on the type of neck / guitar feel it was written / recorded on... Not sure I'm articulating that so well, but you know what I mean?

I know exactly what you mean. I have a lovely LP junior type with lipstick pickups. I love the sound of it for almost everything, but some things don't work under my fingers on it. But grab the StratoTele (in my avatar) and all fits into place for some reason. And the same in reverse. Must be something subtle about the size of the neck, the radius, scale length that just suits some tracks and not others. Although I have to say that the StratoTele covers far more bases than any of my others. If it had to be one it would be that one.

I think it is, yes. Been a long while since I last played an LP, but this is the way I remember it !!

I've a funny feeling it was recorded on either a Les Paul, or a 355, or something else "Gibson-y", so the AS-73 would be closer to that kind of thing.

I get that thank you, daughter started to get mardy last night as we had a 30min mess about!!

Sounds like standard LP-type wiring?

Yeah, if you want it to look standard but only use the neck pickup, I don't see any need to rewire at all. I'd only get into that if - as randythoades says - you wanted to only have the one pick-up on there, make it a feature. If you want to keep the standardised Strat look, I just don't see any advantage to doing any rewiring here (aside from switching in your preferred choice of pup).

Welcome to the forum and congratulations. I tried to get both my children interested, but not really happened. Biggest piece of advice I can give (that I am sure will be echoed by other members too)... Take it SLOWLY. I know it is difficult and you want to jump straight in and be amazing in a short space of time, but keeping it slow and going over the same exercises will really help with muscle memory. Precision is much better than speed in the early stages. Speed will come with time once you have the basics nailed. Do short 'lessons' of 15 minutes at a time and then make a noise if you like, but shorter more frequent sessions are better than one long session in a week.

Several people have converted their strat to a single pickup setup, both just bridge or just neck (including myself on occasion - and I like the idea myself of just middle as I rarely use bridge or neck pickups), but I am not sure I see the point in your case.. If you are going to just leave the other pickups there as 'dummies', just leave the switch in neck position and everything functions as you want without modifying the wiring or functionality. If you want to make a real point of it, just rout out a blank scratch plate without the other pickup holes and a single volume and tone so it looks like a single pickup version (neck in your case). If you have the other pickups in place no one would know the difference.

The only thing that I can think of, assuming that you're buying a guitar that you've chosen in a shop (so not online...), 'Are you happy with it, walking out of the door..?'. There's not that much to fuss about with a new guitar that feels good enough to buy. New strings don't need changing, nor frets polished, if it's already good in your hands. If you feel that it needs a set-up for you, after trying it out, maybe it's not 'The One'..? I'd spend more time listening to how it sounds, both acoustically and through an amp of your choosing, the comfort, the feeling that it projects to you. The most adjustment would be getting a comfortable strap sorted out, I'd say. Make sure that a suitable case is part of the deal, too, both for travelling (and taking it home..!) and for keeping it safe at home when not being played. If it feels right, ask what strings are already on it, and either note that, or buy a set for changing when it's due. It's true that I don't buy new, generally, but I worked for several years in a music shop, as a technician, and sold guitars, both acoustic and electric, with very little thought, nor need, for set-ups straight from the shop. At worst, an electro-acoustic might need a new battery, so get one fitted before taking possession. No need to over-think it, I'd say. Hope this helps. Douglas

You don’t know us yet. Seriously, folk here are more than willing to help if they can.

The knobs closest to the neck are the volume controls for each pickup, the lower two are the tone controls. Try all the combinations of pickup/tone to see which best suit the song or style you're playing. Typically, the neck pick-up on its own will give a smoother, more 'soft jazz' tone, the bridge pick-up alone will be sharper, with more 'bite'; a combination is easily 'dialled in' by messing about with all of the controls. There are no rules; just listen with your own ears and create the sound you want. Hope this helps. Douglas

Strange one... I've been learning the Riverboat Song and having trouble getting the rhythm and speed of the solo right (I can play it in isolation, but not with the backing track). I was playing the TE-62 last night and just couldn't get it. Hands were sweating, fingers sticking to strings, just nothing working. I switched to the Ibanez and it was much better.

I did the upside strat many years ago. Sounded great but upper fret access was terrible. Sold it to a lefty handed mate in 1990 and he still uses it now

Last weekend I was playing my Ibanez AS73. When I I picked up my Harley Benton TE62DB, I actually felt something like relief. I do love the Ibanez, but the body is just so big, it can feel awkward, plus the neck is a bit fatter - the HB neck just felt... right.

I guess it's the same approach most Blues players take with Tube Screamer-style ODs: dial the Drive right down on the pedal itself, set the amp close to break-up point, then control the level of clipping with your guitar's volume pot.