Next!!! StRATocaster - Finished w/ PICS

Preacher · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:56 am Post subject:

OK the specifications:

Body - Poplar leftovers from the Bondocaster and the Relecaster, aluminum shielding. Slight boo boo where the tremolo is, as it was routed for a righty, and when I went with a lefty, the hole had to be expanded. We shall call it character. Wink

Neck - Eden Guitars - for $30 can't complain, frets were dressed and level neck looks good and finish is nice, Corian hand cut nut, cut with needle files as I am too cheap to buy the high dollar StewMac files. Ebay find.

Tuners - Vintage looking Ping tuners with bushings to offset the larger holes drilled in the neck. This is the second guitar I have put the Pings on and I wish I had bought another couple of sets. Got them for $30 at a music store closeout.

Tremolo - nice block, vintage style although I believe it to be an import spacing, so it will probably be replaced with an American standard as the neck has room to allow the wider string spacing. Came from Blackie

Pickguard - WBW standard Fender, will get switched to a solid white with the bridge pup realigned with the reverse angle. High e side farthest away from the bridge to replicate Jimmi's setup. got for $5 at a music store sale.

Electronics - 5 way is a blade style like I have not seen before, it looked cool and worked so I left it. Pots are mini pots but they turn up counterclockwise, I guess for a lefty application so they are going to get replaced as well. Reclaimed from Blackie.

Pups - They have no markings that I can tell, but they also do not look cheap either like I expected. Good wire gauge and the solder job does not look like a factory job for the pup connection (too many ground solders), so I think maybe the pups have been changed out from what came originally. They sound pretty good so I will work with them a little and see where we go from there. I need to pull some Ohms on them to see where they set up at, but I would say they sound pretty vintage, not overwound or hot. Reclaimed from Blackie.

Preacher · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:03 am Post subject:

Guys, this might be the last one for a while.
With the fourth in a little over a year, my wife wants the bathroom finished. So there goes the spray booth!! Laughing

anyway, thanks to all you guys for your support and commments. It is a lot of fun making these and I am constantyl amazing my co-worker and other guitar players with my growing knowledge of guitars. Sometimes I think I know TOO MUCH about them. Laughing

But I have this nice veneer stuff in the shop, and a Mahogany piece of lumber and some left over parts... Wink

Oh and BTW, the Tele was defininately easier to build than the Strat, too many depth set and routering both sides is a pain. So if you are looking to build one, start like Leo did, with the Tele!!

Jake D · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:47 am Post subject:

How does it play and sound? I looks pretty darn good!

Preacher · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:59 am Post subject:

It plays pretty well, I am afraid it is taking all the Teles playing time.
I actually sat the '51 Sunday AM and kept the Strat for NOW (Night of Worship) which usually last an hour and a half for Sunday night. It did well.

Thanks!

SAguitar · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:35 pm Post subject:

Hmmm... great work Preach bro. You done good, son. Making instruments for joyous work is a very good thing indeed. Sending several attaboys your way! Cool

Preacher · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:03 am Post subject:

Thanks Stan...

Although I have this young guitar player... remember the one who needed a guitar so I was thinking of giving him the Econocaster which became the Relecaster and then we ended up with the parts in the Gumdropcaster... follow Rolling Eyes

Anyway he decided to make his own, well his dad got a Taylor so since he has been relegated to acoustic he has been playing that. Well dear old Dad wanted to play HIS guitar on Sunday morning instead of keys (he told me later that was a mistake as his finger tips were raw!!! Laughing

)
So the son begs to play his electric Tele/SG/DeltaBlues homemade guitar. So dad lets him, although there are no controls, double humbucker and everything is just hardwired to the jack Shocked

. We lost him a couple of time when his twisted wires came loose... Laughing

Anyway, he is really eyeing the Jimmicaster, who knows the '51 or the Tele might start calling my name again... and I have this really cool venear...

gpower · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject:

Well done brother! We'll look froward to the next installment of the Varicasters and see where the story goes. Smile

J_48_Johnson · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 6:17 am Post subject:

My hats off Preacherman, very nice guitar indeed!

Color is just right, and the body turned out very well.

You're going to go with an all white pickguard? I kind of like the look of the W/B/W you have on there now. The thin black line gives it a nice contrast between the body color and the white guard.

Outstanding work!

Jake D · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:40 am Post subject:

Trade him for the Taylor!

Preacher · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:15 am Post subject:

Thanks guys!
And the Taylor, that is his daddy's and I would have to pry it from his cold dead fingers first!! Laughing

Jason M · Sea Monkey Joined: 17 Jul 2008 Posts: 14

looks great. i love the vibe of that vintage scheme. im in the process of building a strat, hope it comes out as good!!

Preacher · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:14 am Post subject:

Good luck Jason!! These fellows will hlep you along, let me know if you need any ideas?