Maximizing the Potential of the PLAYTECH ST250 Without Spending Too Much Time or Money

Hello! I’m Takuto Fujioka, a "guitar specialist chiropractor."

In this article, I’d like to explore how we can maximize the potential of the PLAYTECH ST250, which I previously acquired and wrote about, without spending too much time or money!

PLAYTECH / ST250 Maple Gold

When you hear the term "modification," the first thing that likely comes to mind is "upgrading the parts." Indeed, cheap guitars often use inexpensive parts to keep costs down. A typical modification like swapping out pickups will definitely change the sound. However, I don’t believe that simply spending money guarantees good sound.

The goal of modifying or upgrading isn’t just to install high-quality parts, but to fully bring out the full potential of that guitar. If you approach it with this mindset, you’ll always achieve the best results.

I’ve been speaking rather authoritatively, but the truth is, I’m just an amateur, not a repairman at a guitar shop. The work I’ve done in this article will be broken down into different difficulty levels, so if you find a modification that you think you can do, I encourage you to give it a try! Even if you don’t fully understand everything, taking apart and assembling the parts can help you learn more about the structure of a guitar. It will give you a fresh perspective, and I believe it will make playing the guitar even more enjoyable.

■ 1. String Height Adjustment: Inserting a Neck Shim

Difficulty:★

This string height adjustment can be done easily with just a screwdriver and a neck shim.

String height adjustment can be surprisingly tricky, especially with Strat-type guitars. When lowering the bridge, the bridge saddle screws often protrude and can hit your hand when you mute the strings.

I placed a neck shim between the neck and the body to change the angle of the neck itself, lowering the string height. Neck shims are available at places like Sound House, but in the past, people used to insert thick paper or cardboard for the same purpose. However, if you use thick paper, it can cause the neck to move in an upward angle, lowering the string height too much. Since fine adjustments can be difficult, it's probably easier to purchase a ready-made shim for a more straightforward attempt.

Some might worry about changes in sound, but personally, I don’t find it to be a significant issue. If you don’t like the results, it’s great that you can quickly make the guitar go back to how it was before.

■ 2. Expanding the Neck Joint Screws on the Body

Difficulty:★★

Strat-type guitars have the neck and body attached with screws. When you remove the neck from the body, you may encounter two situations:
The screws are biting into the body, making it impossible to fully loosen them without removing them completely.
The neck just pops off easily.
In the first case, the neck and body won’t make solid contact when the screws are tightened. In the second case, tightening the screws pulls the neck and body together tightly. This difference can affect the guitar’s resonance and sound.

Personally, I think the first situation results in a softer sound, while the second one leads to a tighter, more focused tone. However, everyone may perceive this differently… It is also a matter of personal preference, but it is generally said that the second situation, where the neck and body are drawn tightly together, is more correct in terms of the guitar's structure and sound.

This job is not very difficult and can be done with an electric screwdriver and a 4mm drill bit.

■ 3. Adjusting Pickup Height

Difficulty:★

As I mentioned at the beginning, swapping out pickups is probably the most common modification people think of when it comes to guitars. However, the hassle and cost of soldering, as well as the fact that Strat-type guitars typically come with three pickups, can make it a bit daunting for beginners to attempt.

There are several factors that determine the tone of a pickup, such as the type of magnet, the number of coil windings, and the material of the coil. These factors affect the output of the pickup and consequently change the sound.

Another important factor that affects the tone is the height of the pickup. By adjusting the distance between the pickup and the strings, you can control the tonal characteristics. It’s easy to adjust using just a screwdriver, so it’s a good idea to experiment and find the height that suits your preference.

The pickups on the ST250 use ferrite magnets, which are relatively strong magnets. It is said that when pickups with strong magnets are set too close to the strings, they tend to interfere with the vibration of the strings. So, I decided to lower the pickups to just below the pickguard.

Compared to the initial setup, the volume is slightly reduced, but the sound became thicker and softer. This is mostly a matter of personal preference, but the cost-to-effectiveness ratio is excellent.

If you measure the distance from the strings to the pickups, you can easily go back to how it was set up originally.

If you’re not satisfied with this method, trying a pickup swap might be a good next step. However, if you can't hear any changes with this method, then swapping pickups may not bring noticeable results either. So, it’s important to carefully consider whether a modification is the right choice for you.

What do you think? These methods allow you to enjoy modifications with minimal time and cost. One of the advantages of working with affordable guitars is that you can experiment and try different things. If you're interested, give it a try!
See you next time!

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