NGD Strat Select

[Crane]

Got it today in pristine condition with OHSC off the 'bay.
I intend to put in SCNs in neck and mid, and maybe an AP2 in bridge.

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD Strat Select

Nice looking strat. Is that mahogany or ash?

[Crane]

Re: NGD Strat Select

thnx

mahogany

[beandip]

Re: NGD Strat Select

Sapele, actually.

Now, on to more important things. I could see that becoming a number one.

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD Strat Select

Sapele, actually.

Now, on to more important things. I could see that becoming a number one.

Just because you got a new job and are on a mini paid vacation doesn't give you the right to be a smartass.



















Knowing what you're talking about does....Dustin.

[beandip]

Re: NGD Strat Select

HAHAHA, I actually laughed out loud on that one.

In reality, it's known as Sapele, but also African or Tropical Mahogany. Doesn't matter what you call it, still sounds good.

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD Strat Select

My old Taylor 314ce was a spruce top with sapele sides and back. Really nice sounding wood.

[JaySwear]

Re: NGD Strat Select

really cool! normally i think a black painted headstock kind of takes away from strats, but it only adds to the badassery on this one

[elscorcho]

Re: NGD Strat Select

Never seen one in Mahogany/Sapele....looks GREAT!

Is it a little heavier & darker sounding than a traditional strat because of that wood?

CONGRATS!

[Fikealox]

Re: NGD Strat Select

Dig it! The body wood, the finish, the humbucker in the bridge. Totally kickass.

[astrozombie]

Re: NGD Strat Select

paging ganzosrevenge...

[ganzosrevenge]

Re: NGD Strat Select

WELL WELL WELL....

a nice shiny new american select mahogany stratocaster HSS.....

Basic knowledge:

• It is HSH routed, so if you want to put in a dual HB set... by all means
• That contoured heel is NOT just for show, it DOES make it feel a bit easier to weedle
• Crane, DO NOT put into it 3 single coils. This is a mahogany / sapele guitar. It begs to be gibsonized a bit.

Personally, I hacked the nards out of one. I love it because it's a strat, but it has a deeper voice. It's a strat that if you like Humbuckers, but wanted a bit less "strat" and a bit more "gibsonish" from a strat, this is the PERFECT strat. I would also get rid of the S-1 switch. While the intention of it is good (more switch options), repairing one or rewiring it is nothing short of a nightmare. Fender doesn't sell that switch. A simple 5-way, or if dual HBs, even 3-way, is perfect for getting all the HB goodness out.... while allowing to keep a single coil in the middle.

This strat is a SORELY underrated strat, but if you'd like to learn more, ask away.

Jason

[astrozombie]

Re: NGD Strat Select

(since ganzo has one modded to the teeth).

[loudriver23]

Re: NGD Strat Select

Awesome looking guitar brother!
I've always been a little afraid of the mahogany strats not being straty enough. The idea of HSHing something like that has me rethinking my position.
In any case, that is one sexy guitar, congrats!

[ganzosrevenge]

Re: NGD Strat Select

I wouldn't call the mahogany selects "not stratty". Conversely, I wouldn't exactly call them a Les Paul. I would consider it to be a breed of strat, with a bit more bassyness. That said, things like APS-2 pickups that may be fine in an alder or ash strat may provide too much bassyness in a mahogany strat. Unless you want a low-end stumppuller, the APS-2 should perhaps ONLY go in the bridge (which you've smartly done). Personally speaking, keeping it HSS with an autosplit in position 2, and giving the HB its own tone control has its own set of benefits. First, if you build a HSS where the S-S are identical pups, (ie: SSL-1s), you can allow those pickups to maintain their stratlike properties without having the Single-Coil tone control affecting the behavior of the Humbucker (Use a double super 5-way for this). Second, separating them allows you to put a 500k for the HB, if you upgrade to an especially hot pup (C8, Alt 8, DD), you can alleviate the "choking effect" associated with highpower pickups and a 250k pot. You can set up the Single Coils to get a nice "rolled back jazzy rhythm control", and then dime the HB's tone control and not only get a more cutting sound, but if the pickups are balanced right a bit of a "signal boost".