1 Topic by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2009-06-08 03:39:46)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Topic: My Project Strat - almost done!

PHOTOS

Here are some photos of the two guitars I built. The one that is not current is one I built back in December/January-2001/2002. I've come a long way since then. These photos were just after the hole drilling & fitting of parts.
http://tinyurl.com/kuv7fl
http://tinyurl.com/l4lqb9

Currently putting the finish on it!

(after 4 coats of sanding sealer)
http://tinyurl.com/lq3c5p

(after two coats of stewmac tinted nitrocellulose lacquer)
http://tinyurl.com/nqa2q5

The color I'm going for is a darker yellow. The tint according to StewMac is called Vintage Amber. If you build up enough coats it turns into a nice Gretsch Orange. I don't wanna go that dark, so I think I'm going to stay as the photo looks. I was tempted to keep it natural after seeing how the sanding sealer really brought out the figure!

Will post photos when finished. PS I have to give John Dajos of Detroit big props for making the nut for me and setting up the guitar before I moved on to final sanding/seal/tint/finishing. http://www.dajosguitars.com/

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

Nice. That thing's gonna be awesome! BTW, sent you a facebook friend request.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

My ReverbNation page for Dees & Friends - check us out!
www.reverbnation.com/deesfriends
  • From: The Gates of Delerium
  • Registered: 2008-05-07
  • Posts: 1,412

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

I like how that finish shows off the wood grain. And the reverse headstock is a nice touch too!

Major Tom to ground control...
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

Very good work. They both look awesome.
What pickups are in the reversed headstock?
Are you satisfied with the sound result?

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

  • From: Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-05-14
  • Posts: 196

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

Very nice looking guitar.    The satisfaction cannot be measured of how good it feels making something like that.

Nitro-highs all the way!!!!

tongue

"I learned to like carrots" - JB

"Schiffer broke a bottle on Morgan's head"
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

First of all the body body was half routed out when it was given to me. A luthier gave it to my future father in-law (I believe) because it was too heavy for a strat body. Let me tell you... this body weights like 7 or 8 lbs. It feels like a Les Paul or explorer when it's strapped on.

The pickups are like this:
neck: GFS lipstick tube
middle: Rio Grande Muy grande
bridge: GFS lil killer rails

sound? The middle pickup is the loudest by far... the output is really mismatched. The neck pickup is super clean and I like it, just needs more output in comparison. The lead pickup is good and has humbucker like hotness. The volume control is a 1meg and the tone controls are 500k. Tones are on neck and bridge pickups.

I'm satisfied with the sound result on each individual pickup, but the varied output on each makes me want to have just one brand/make of pickup in the guitar. i.e. all lipsticks, all muy grande's or all rails. I might keep it like this for a while before I decide.

My inspiration for the current setup was the Nashville Tele... sort of. I wanted it to be hot and unlike my other strat that has Alnico II's in it. Plus I'm running 9's for strings while my other strat has 11's. Let me say the 9's allow much lower action, more comfort and playability. A guitar I don't have to fight or kill my fingers. All my gibsons run 10's... so again I was going for diversity with my collection.

The reverse lefty-neck is a Mighty-Mite Fender-liscensed strat replacement neck. Got a good deal on it back in 2004 and just getting around to doing something with it. I'll be putting on the other edge too with this:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bindings,_t … erial.html

The tuners are really nice... Fender Vintage nickel. The fittings were too small for the neck, so I had to order adapters for it from guitarfetish. The adapters were made for gibson tuners, and needed to be drilled out. After that pain, it worked really well... a lot easier than gluing dowels in the holes and redrilling.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

sanding, sealing, sanding....
spraying lacquer, spraying... sanding... spraying.

I'm getting impatient!

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

8 Reply by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2009-06-11 04:56:03)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

Photo of it finished.

http://tinyurl.com/mz9brb

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • ken
  • ken
  • Titanium
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  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2007-05-28
  • Posts: 949

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

NPB_EST.1979 wrote:

Photo of it finished.

http://tinyurl.com/mz9brb

That's a nice looking guitar Nic, good job! Love the reverse headstock. I think it would look better with a matched set of pickups though...white for a more traditional approach, or black like me for a more badass look.

  • Geko
  • Geko
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  • Registered: 2006-12-08
  • Posts: 838

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

Great Job Nick i like them Both very cool
cool

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

ken wrote:
NPB_EST.1979 wrote:

Photo of it finished.

http://tinyurl.com/mz9brb

That's a nice looking guitar Nic, good job! Love the reverse headstock. I think it would look better with a matched set of pickups though...white for a more traditional approach, or black like me for a more badass look.

I cannot choose though...
3 rails?
3 lipsticks?
3 Muy Grandes?
I'm so undecided!

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

I'd go with the rails myself, but that's just me.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

My ReverbNation page for Dees & Friends - check us out!
www.reverbnation.com/deesfriends
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-31
  • Posts: 489

Re: My Project Strat - almost done!

Congrats, looks great!

Jimi75's Website