I have a Lake Placid Blue Bullet Strat SSS HT arriving today that I bought (brand new) as my first guitar to modify. I'm also waiting on a new pickguard and a Seymour Duncan SH-6 to arrive as my first change. After that, I'm going to look into single coils to put in the neck and middle positions. I mainly play black metal (hence the SH-6), but also shoegaze, emo, goth, and general rock and stuff.
So, any suggestions for things to do? Could be for the guitar in general, or those specific genres. Any suggestions are welcome!
You can try to make your own shielding paint using cheap acrylic paint and graphite powder, mix in equal proportions and then add a little more graphite to increase conductivity. Plenty of info out there on this, WAY cheaper than ordering on Stewmac and you can make as much or as little as you need