The Self Build Strat
After 5 attempts to self-build guitars that had resulted in "OK" to "fairly good", the bug bit again in 2010. This time, for soem reason it all came together. Possibly there was extra thought put into it, plus the experience of past mistakes, plus the help, advice and encouragement from my on-line friends at 12bar.de.
The body that "got away"
The starting point was finding the right body. I had thought I had done this with a second hand squier body, but the deal fell through due to illness of the seller.
As it happened, further research I had been doing was making it clear that this sort of body would have severely limited my options on the bridge / trem unit due to the squier models being thinner than the US strats.
As it happened, further research I had been doing was making it clear that this sort of body would have severely limited my options on the bridge / trem unit due to the squier models being thinner than the US strats.
Then a very good choice was found
I then found on Axesrus website a one piece hand made in UK northen ash body, with if the sample picture was right some good grain pattern. I've always been a fan of natural wood finish on a guitar, or at least for the grain to show through the paint / finish.
I ordered one, requested a nice grain one from the few they still had, so I could do a natural finish and this arrived.
Very solid and a pretty good finish. The body was not perfectly smooth but I wasn't expecting it would be with that striking a grain. Ash usually requires filler if you want a smooth finish so I was prepared for that.
High Grade Natural, Oiled and Waxed, One Piece Ash .
Routed for 2 3/16" Neck Pocket and a 47mm Deep Trem Block.
I found that they had been having trouble selling these and couldn't understand it. I cannot understand it either!
I ordered one, requested a nice grain one from the few they still had, so I could do a natural finish and this arrived.
Very solid and a pretty good finish. The body was not perfectly smooth but I wasn't expecting it would be with that striking a grain. Ash usually requires filler if you want a smooth finish so I was prepared for that.
High Grade Natural, Oiled and Waxed, One Piece Ash .
Routed for 2 3/16" Neck Pocket and a 47mm Deep Trem Block.
I found that they had been having trouble selling these and couldn't understand it. I cannot understand it either!
Then the neck
I needed a nice neck to go with what would be a natural finish body.
Again on Axesrus I found this one.
Soft Honey Flame Maple 22 Fret (Last Fret Overhang) Neck With Maple Fret Board.
Fitted with a 43mm Resin Nut.
Fret Wire- Medium Jumbo (2.6mm).
Profile - C, Radius - 12 ".
Finish - Polyurethane Gloss .
It was B Plus Grade (May have a Very small comsmetic fault,no Dings). I could find no faults worthy of mention.
Again on Axesrus I found this one.
Soft Honey Flame Maple 22 Fret (Last Fret Overhang) Neck With Maple Fret Board.
Fitted with a 43mm Resin Nut.
Fret Wire- Medium Jumbo (2.6mm).
Profile - C, Radius - 12 ".
Finish - Polyurethane Gloss .
It was B Plus Grade (May have a Very small comsmetic fault,no Dings). I could find no faults worthy of mention.
The pickups and scratchplate
For about 3 weeks I was printing pictures of pickup assembies with various pickup and control colours on white, black and tortoiseshell pickguards and holding them up against the body and neck and trying to guess which would look best - made more difficult by the fact the body would be quite a different colour when finished.
I had settled on this one after a week or so and then uncertainty set in, except I knew it would be Wilkinson Vintage pickups in an S/S/S combination, with the middle pickup reverse wound and polarity for non-hum 2 and 4 settings.
I then started looking for pictures on line of natural finish strats to see what combinations looked good. There were very few with tortoiseshell, although a lot with black or white pickguards.
Eventually ......
I had settled on this one after a week or so and then uncertainty set in, except I knew it would be Wilkinson Vintage pickups in an S/S/S combination, with the middle pickup reverse wound and polarity for non-hum 2 and 4 settings.
I then started looking for pictures on line of natural finish strats to see what combinations looked good. There were very few with tortoiseshell, although a lot with black or white pickguards.
Eventually ......
The approximate blueprint
OK - neck is not the right colour (too light) and although natural finish I knew the body would not be this colour on my project a s I was not intending to stain at all ... BUT .... it was close enough to make me sure.
So tortoiseshell pickguard with white pickups and controls.
And this picture also got me happy with the idea of chome fittings. I had been toying seriously with black, but it had become evident that this would have limited my choice of hardware a lot.
So tortoiseshell pickguard with white pickups and controls.
And this picture also got me happy with the idea of chome fittings. I had been toying seriously with black, but it had become evident that this would have limited my choice of hardware a lot.
The bridge / trem unit
I had done a lot of research into this (and got quite confused at times with all the different sizes and specs).
As I had a full US strat depth body I was not too limited.
I chose a unit with a steel block to try to help maximise sustain.
I went for a "vintage" six screw fitting rather than studs.
I also went for the 54mm string spacing, not the uS Fender 57mm - this was to give greater margin for error.
Block Depth - 41mm.
Wilkinson WV6 Tremolo with Steel Block.
Very solid chunky unit I found when it arrived. From Axesrus - as were all the bits of hardware to come.
As I had a full US strat depth body I was not too limited.
I chose a unit with a steel block to try to help maximise sustain.
I went for a "vintage" six screw fitting rather than studs.
I also went for the 54mm string spacing, not the uS Fender 57mm - this was to give greater margin for error.
Block Depth - 41mm.
Wilkinson WV6 Tremolo with Steel Block.
Very solid chunky unit I found when it arrived. From Axesrus - as were all the bits of hardware to come.
Machine Heads
Wilkinson Kluson EZ lock.
I like the EZ lock - makes restringing and tuning stability much easier / better.
I like the EZ lock - makes restringing and tuning stability much easier / better.
Testing the Assembly
It started coming together quite well.
Put everything together properly and spent a few days palying around with the spring / claw setting f or a floating bridge and adjusting the saddles for height and intonation.
Also some minor adjustemnt was needed to loosen the truss rod slightly - might have been OK for 10 guage but I would be using 9s.
Pickups all wired up - temporary wire fixing to jackplug and ground wire to claw as I would need to dismantle it all to finish the body.
And - oh boy .... DID I LIKE THE SOUND!!!!
Put everything together properly and spent a few days palying around with the spring / claw setting f or a floating bridge and adjusting the saddles for height and intonation.
Also some minor adjustemnt was needed to loosen the truss rod slightly - might have been OK for 10 guage but I would be using 9s.
Pickups all wired up - temporary wire fixing to jackplug and ground wire to claw as I would need to dismantle it all to finish the body.
And - oh boy .... DID I LIKE THE SOUND!!!!
Sealer and Filler
4 coats - or was it 5? Birchwood and Casey Sealer and Filler.
The colour of the body started to match the neck better.
I could still feel some of the uneveness in the grain but to avoid that I would be sealing and filling for weeks!
Also I quite like being able to fell as well as see the grain.
It was all sealed which was the main point.
The colour of the body started to match the neck better.
I could still feel some of the uneveness in the grain but to avoid that I would be sealing and filling for weeks!
Also I quite like being able to fell as well as see the grain.
It was all sealed which was the main point.
Finishing in Progress
After 2 days and 4 coats.
Birchwood & Casey True-Oil.
It was getting quite smooth after four coats.
The true-oil has the advantage of not needing workshop facilities or health precautions. It is also very easy for the less expert builders like me.
Birchwood & Casey True-Oil.
It was getting quite smooth after four coats.
The true-oil has the advantage of not needing workshop facilities or health precautions. It is also very easy for the less expert builders like me.
The Final Product
9 coats of finisher on top of the 4 coats of sealer and filler.
Nice smooth finish and quite glossy too. I toyed with the idea of going for a satin sheen finish at the end, but I like it like this. I like the contrast of the neck and the body - this worked out as well as I could have hoped.
It came out close to the blueprint - in fact I prefer it, but then I'm biased!!
It still sounds great after being "re-mantled". If anything the action is now better than it was before I dismantled it to start the body finishing.
The mystery is - why did this self build work when the previous 5 didn't come up to scratch. I still don't know. The body and neck were very good quality which helps a lot. I had expected to upgrade the pickups in the short term but I like the sound a lot, so its much less likely now. I did get a lot of help and encouragement from the 12bar.de forum members - maybe that tipped the scales.
Nice smooth finish and quite glossy too. I toyed with the idea of going for a satin sheen finish at the end, but I like it like this. I like the contrast of the neck and the body - this worked out as well as I could have hoped.
It came out close to the blueprint - in fact I prefer it, but then I'm biased!!
It still sounds great after being "re-mantled". If anything the action is now better than it was before I dismantled it to start the body finishing.
The mystery is - why did this self build work when the previous 5 didn't come up to scratch. I still don't know. The body and neck were very good quality which helps a lot. I had expected to upgrade the pickups in the short term but I like the sound a lot, so its much less likely now. I did get a lot of help and encouragement from the 12bar.de forum members - maybe that tipped the scales.