Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

[Grandturk]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Dave cut away a portion of the chrome ring on his strat so that the knob stayed in its original place.

 

[Grandturk]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Don't they already offer to move the volume pot? IIRC it's the D-long option.

Nah that's way the heck out of the way. The one on the Murray is just a couple mm over.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Here's mine, you can JUST make out where the volume pot was originally. I filled it with a piece of plastic from the same pickguard. It was originally an SSS pickguard, so when I cut it to be HSH I had some bits of scrap plastic spare.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Cool. The warmoth guard actually has the metal tape (for shielding) still across all the holes so I have something to stick it to. I was also thinking of possibly using a little caulk to fill the seams to make it look, well, seamless. We'll see. I think if I keep the knob real LOW it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Actually, I have the original Warmoth HH guard that they sent in error. I could cut a single coil opening in that in the middle (to create another murray guard) and then use the material to fill the volume hole (on both). That would give me two shots at getting it right. Score!

 

[Grandturk]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

I just cut pot holes on pickguards with a scalpel/hobby knife. Just center it and twist and twist until the hole's big enough for the pot.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Ok, I did a TON of work last night. It came out great so far. It was late so I didn't upload pictures. Will do tonight.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Ok, pictures up!!!

Here is a picture of the body prior to the work:

Some pictures of the neck just out of the box.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

What are those three holes on the body for? I've seen them before on some strats, but I've never known why they did it.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

So... I started to work on the routing of the body. I needed to route out the top into a box to make room for the humbucker. I wasn't quite sure what tools to use... but I was hoping I didn't need to use the Beast:

I decided to start with my little Dremel rotary tool. I prepared the body by marking my route area and then covering it in newspaper to avoid scratches.

After a couple of minutes I realized that the Dremel just wasn't going to cut it... the little tool was just not big enough to tackle taking out chunks of wood. So... I resorted to the next best alternative before I used the Beast.

At first I used a large bit in the drill, but I could only get one or two holes into the wood and I couldn't break off chunks. So, I moved to a bit half the size and it did the trick. I drilled 4 or 5 smaller holes in each side and I was able to break off chunks of the wood nicely. In hindsight I should have used my drill-press. Now, back to the Dremel!


Using a rotary sanding wheel on the Dremel I was able to clean up the area beautifully.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

What are those three holes on the body for? I've seen them before on some strats, but I've never known why they did it.

They are router jig holes. When Fender is making the bodies those holes are used to orient the router when shaping and routing the cavities.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

The next step was to shield the cavity. I used copper shielding tape from Warmoth for the cavity. The tape is excellent and sticks very well.

I attached the neck to the body. It fits GREAT. Here are a few photos:

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Ok... so on to the pickguard!


As you know from reading the thread, there is an issue with using the humbucker rings because they run into the volume knob. I have to fill the knob hole and create a new one. My hope is to create the hole close enough to the humbucker ring that you won't even see the filled-in hole.

As luck would have it, Warmoth initially sent me a HH pickguard instead of the HSH I ordered. They then sent me the correct guard (for free!). So, I decided to route out the middle pickup area to create another HSH. This allows me to create a plug usin the same pickguard material.

I started using the Dremel tool.

I should have realized, from my previous experience with the David Gilmour strat project, that the Dremel tool would bounce all around the pickguard. Damn!!!

Ok, so on to the next tool:

I used the sabersaw and was able to successfully cut the opening, and it turned out pretty good. I think once I lightly sand the edges of the opening it will be a fully useful pickguard.

<a href="http://s564.photobucket.com/albums/ss81/SteveLima_2112/?action=view&current=dsc04084a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss81/SteveLima_2112/dsc04084a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Of cfourse, I was only cutting this so I could get a piece of plastic to fix the volume hole issue. I made a circle of the plastic and placed it in the volume hole. I then put a little caulk around the edges. I'll probably put another layer of caulk in to smooth it out.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Lookin great! Thanks for the photo step by step! I need to get some foil tape. I bought some from Carvin, but it was a small amount.. I need to seriously shield up my fav axes..

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

I drilled the volume hole last night and took some snaps. I'll try to get them posted later today. Turned out great and you cannot see the "plug" with the humbucker ring. Sweet! Just waiting on a three-way switch and I can finsih her up.

I decided to go with Dave's wiring (three-way switch, no coil splits).

 

[guitarkid4143]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Why did your pics get suddenly tiny? And why did you switch bodies? Otherwise, this is a really really cool thread. One of these days I'll get a Squire and....

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

if you click the pivtures they get big. I was having an issue with photobucket and switched to another site. I'll get the pictures linked to photobucket and fix that.

Well... I got a sweet deal on a MIM standard that "was supposed to have" a neck with a 1950's logo already applied. Got the neck and it was a marginal decal... wasn't what I was looking for... but the body was in great shape and very clean so I decided to use it instead of the Squier.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

I wired her up last night and she sounds awesome! I'll get some photos up shortly.

 

[guitarkid4143]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

One more question: Wouldn't Dave have had a 5 way since it was a standard strat? Or did he switch to the 3-way?

 

[tc]

Re: Dave Murray Strat Build Thread

Dave's black Strat was a '57 neck with a '63 body mutt...Stratocasters of that era came with 3-ways.

5-ways weren't introduced until the late 70s in stock models. '77 or '78 if I recall correctly.