First Ever Strat Build!!!

Richard

New member
Edit: UPDATES ON PAGE 2

So... After I though about it and thought about it I decided to start a strat build. The thing that made up my mind was the Warmoth body I got at a great deal from our own ErikH. I have always wanted to build my own Strat because I never could find one I liked. OK enough chit-chat... lets get to the pics....

Thank God ErikH went the extra mile to make sure I recived the body in one piece. The box was tore to hell and back when the UPS lady droped it off... Thx again for the extra bubble wrap bro...

Inca silver 2 peace alder HSS with a floyd route:
BodyOnly.jpg


So it time to order some parts.... All Parts package comes first. Is't that crome switch tip awesome?
AllParts.jpg


Then the Warmoth package comes in the very next day. That is a nice Black Matte pickguard. Warmoth does nice work... I went with no volume or tone control holes because I wanted to put them in where I wanted them:
Warmoth.jpg


So I get my JB and my crome dome knobs I already have and I start puting her togather:
NoSingles.jpg


This is my very first guitar that I had to wire from scrach and I have to say that I did a nice professional job... and I cant beleve I forgot to take a picture. I really wanted to brag about it... Anyways. I finaly got my Surfers out of my Fender strat and got her all wired up and lookin good. I even pluged her in and taped the pickups to make sure I was geting juice. Everything sound like it working so far:
withsingles2.jpg


Welp that all I got so far... I sold my american strat to fund the rest of the buield so I will be ordering a neck from USACG and my OFR soon. Before I finish it I'll prolly take the guard off to take pics of the wiring!

TO BE CONTINUED..........Richard
 
Last edited:
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

a while back i was looking for a strat body and he posted that and i loved the colour but im poor lol, anyway looks great so far, what kinda neck r u goin for?
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

Looking good! I pondered that strat body, too, because I didn't feel like finishing the project I have in paint. I'm actually throwing together a very similar color scheme except I'm using all black hardware and no middle pickup.

I really like what you've got going on there. I'm definitely interested in seeing your choice of neck. Do keep us posted.
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

That looks great man!

One suggestion if I may, replace the chrome pickguard screws with black.
I did that with my Strat and that looks GREAT with black guards!

For added contrast, I kept the chrome pickup and 5-way screws and I like it a lot!
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

looks good so far mang!

NEW STUFF ROCKS!!! :headbang:
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

I love that color on a strat... looks great so far man!
 
Last edited:
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

very cool!!!! i've been wanting a Warmoth FRO build for years now myself!!!
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

As far as a neck... it looks like ill be geting a USACG neck because warmoth dont look like they have the options I want. USACG has the options and are a little cheeper and a little better quality so I hear. Specs will be:

Thin U shaped back contour
.830 @ first fret w/ a .070 taper to the 12th fret
R3 floyd nut
12" fretboard radius
6100 frets
Flame maple/Flame Maple with black face and side dots. I might go with quarter sawn or just regular maple depending on the cost and how much loot I have when I call.

If those specs look familiar... those are as close as i can get to make it feel like my schecters. I love those schecter necks.
 
Last edited:
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

Erm man, I doubt there are quarter sawn figured maple planks, figured maple is too precious to waste by quarter sawing it (quarter sawing uses less wood and wastes more)

My advice, use a flamed fingerboard but use plain quarter sawn maple for the neck itself, much safer in the long run :)
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

Erm man, I doubt there are quarter sawn figured maple planks, figured maple is too precious to waste by quarter sawing it (quarter sawing uses less wood and wastes more)

My advice, use a flamed fingerboard but use plain quarter sawn maple for the neck itself, much safer in the long run :)

I was saying if the flame maple neck is to much money i will prolly go with quarter sawn. but that quarter sawn with a flame maple board sounds like a good idea.
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

Ah I got it, sorry.

Yeah, I got the idea from a Peavey HP special, it has a Birdseye Maple fingerboard with what appeared to be a quarter sawn neck. Played like a dream.
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

What are the benfits of a quarter swan neck? or pros and cons? I will prolly do the quarter sawn with birds eye or flame board
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

What are the benfits of a quarter swan neck? or pros and cons? I will prolly do the quarter sawn with birds eye or flame board

some feel the Quater Sawn necks are slightly stronger... Flat sawn is slightly weeker... Quarter sawn is more expensive as there is more waste from cutting that way...
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

some feel the Quater Sawn necks are slightly stronger... Flat sawn is slightly weeker... Quarter sawn is more expensive as there is more waste from cutting that way...

1/4 sawn is prettier too! :)
 
Re: First Ever Strat Build!!!

Like the guys said, when you quarter saw the log it literally means that, you saw it in 4 quarters and then start cutting planks perpendicular to the growth rings. As such a lot more wood is wasted but in return, the growth rings will be at a 90 degrees angle to the plank's length and as such, they can't bend or warp the plank as easily in the long run.

In short, it's a stability issue.
More stability but less usable wood.

EDIT: Here's a good article on 3 ways of sawing:
http://www.lumberpost.com/ArticleID-94.htm

And here's a visual identification too!
(I just found out after about 20 years that my room's floor is made from quarter sawn planks :9:)
http://www.bchardwood.com/glossary_sawn.html
The interesting part here is that the method of quarter sawing this 2nd link shows produces even less waste than plain sawing but requires more time.
Hmm... :)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top