SX Hawk Mods

[Mr. Leyvatone]

I bought my P90 Mahogany Hawk about a year ago to be my cheap travel guitar. Did a few things to it initially to make it more playable, but didn’t change any parts.

I really fell in love with playing it.

Honestly, there wasn’t anything wrong with it, but I couldn’t shake the idea of changing the salami pickguard and cream plastics. I also have been GASing for a HH strat style guitar. So I went for it!

Had to do a bit of routing to make the HBs work. That was a first for me. Went with my new fav pups, GFS Pro A5s (under 80 per set, excellent PAF-style).

This thing sounds amazing now! I got to play it at a backyard jam last week and the other guitarist kept remarking about the killer tone. It’s pretty much the feel of a strat with the tone of a Les Paul.

And personally I much prefer the white plastics.

After

Before

[dabbler]

Nice work. Too bad this v model isn't available right now, could've saved you a bunch of work:

[Cyphre]

I bought my P90 Mahogany Hawk about a year ago to be my cheap travel guitar. Did a few things to it initially to make it more playable, but didn’t change any parts.

I really fell in love with playing it.

Honestly, there wasn’t anything wrong with it, but I couldn’t shake the idea of changing the salami pickguard and cream plastics. I also have been GASing for a HH strat style guitar. So I went for it!

Had to do a bit of routing to make the HBs work. That was a first for me. Went with my new fav pups, GFS Pro A5s (under 80 per set, excellent PAF-style).

This thing sounds amazing now! I got to play it at a backyard jam last week and the other guitarist kept remarking about the killer tone. It’s pretty much the feel of a strat with the tone of a Les Paul.

And personally I much prefer the white plastics.A4038BCD-C378-43DC-BF12-38E2EB82E3A0.jpeg


46A5140A-0C13-4771-B610-668AD08405E0.jpeg

Looks great!

[peskypesky]

what did you do with the old pickguard and P90s?

[Mr. Leyvatone]

what did you do with the old pickguard and P90s?

Sad story about the P90s...
I initially just wanted to change the plastics to white, leaving the stock pups in place. We all know the SX P90s have a bit of magic.
Well, SX glues the covers to the bobbins. At first I thought it was just stuck or slightly adhered. Nope, they’re glued in there like SX thinks you’d never want to swap covers. Had to destroy the covers and I’m not sure what condition the remaining bobbins are in.
This bad experience was part of the motivation to go HH.
The PG is intact in my parts bin.

[mindwave]

anyone ever stripped a hawk?

how thick is that finish?

Tried to strp and EPI LP Special II, that stuff was on so think the body wood came away 1/3| down before the finish did.....

[peskypesky]

anyone ever stripped a hawk?

how thick is that finish?

Tried to strp and EPI LP Special II, that stuff was on so think the body wood came away 1/3| down before the finish did.....

I honestly don't know why anyone would bother stripping a Hawk. If you want an unpainted Strat body, there are plenty of cheap options.


When I bought a used Hawk that had a sparkly pink finish, I just spraypainted it gold. Quick and easy.

[honyock]

anyone ever stripped a hawk?

how thick is that finish?

Tried to strp and EPI LP Special II, that stuff was on so think the body wood came away 1/3| down before the finish did.....

don't waste effort stripping, it is a nightmare (done it 2x back when I had more time than I could ever dream of now). You would be miles ahead roughing it up and painting, or better yet buying a naked body from any of the million people selling strat bodies on internet...

[Bubba Zanetti]

That looks so much better with the white plastic vs the raw meat guard.

[uwmcscott]

I couldn’t shake the idea of changing the salami pickguard

I never thought of it that way, but I will now forever think of strats when I make a sandwich.

I do like the new look much better indeed, nice work.