Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Generally MIA bodies have one hole and MIM bodies have 3. I don't know if that holds true for the "classic series" MIM strats or the Highway 1 strats. This body was from a MIM Special Edition strat.

As far as I know, the holes are used for the mounting of the jig when they cut and shape the bodies.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Joe, I'm in Colchester and work in the Hartford area. I can definitely cut the bar down for you!

The coffee table is in my basement!!! It is too cold to work in the garage, so I use the basement and just have to clean up after myself or my kids get mad! I'll have to do some more minor carpentry in the basement when I create the jig for the stealth switch in the pickguard.

 

[joelap]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Joe, I'm in Colchester and work in the Hartford area.

Sweet. I work on the Berlin/Newington line on the pike. I'm on the Waterbury/Wolcott line for now, likely heading east and south in a little over a year when I get married.

Nice to see more people from the 'cut around these parts.

 

[Baltar]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

very cool project!

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

More to come soon! I'm trying to create a jig to drill the small hole for the stealth mini-switch.

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Have you considered taking the poly finish off the MIM body? Looks like it coming together without any problem. Nice work!

 

[Guest]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Bessie looks like a dirty, dirty little girl

Awesome thread. Keep up the details.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Ok friends, I was able to route the small "stealth" switch hole last night and it turned out GREAT. I'll upload pics tonight and show all the electronics. Almost done!

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Good! Lookin' forward to seeing this baby.

 

[JestersTear1]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

I really need to change the neck on mine and I'm getting either an SSL6 or SSl3 for the bridge as well as 60s/70's for the neck/mid :

2005 MIM Body
2007 MIM Neck
Bridge Tone Mod
Short trem arm
Wilkinson Vintage Tuners


http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2277996&l=8ccbbeff37&id=583040944

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=666439&l=3f9176795a&id=583040944

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Ok, so here are some updates!!!


Here is the pickguard after I routed for the mini "stealth" switch. PLastic is still on the pickguard.

Picture of the route. It is just large enough for the tip of the switch to poke through and have full motion.

Here is the bracket that a friend of mine from the Squier '51 modder's board made for me.

The various switches and pots to be used for this build.

Here are the pots installed with the 5-way and the mini-switch. Notice how the mini-switch just pops through... very clean.

Ok, now on to the pickups!!!

As mentioned before, I went with a Duncan SSL-1 in the neck over the stock Fender Fat 50's. They are similar pickups and many would say that the SSL-1 is "truer" than the Fat 50's anyway. The original pickups in Gilmour's strat were late 1960's pickups and I wonder if Fender is just pushing their seldom used Fat 50's pickups in their signature strat. Just my opinion. Anyway, as you can see the SSL-1 clocks in at almost 6.00.

The middle pickup is a Fender '69 custom shop pickup. I LOVE these pickups. I have a full set in my cream strat. The 69 clocks in at just under 5.50.

The bridge pickup is the Duncan SSL-5. Now we are talking!! This puppy shows a resistance of 13.00+ !! Boo-yaa!

I installed the knobs and here is a decent picture of the mini-toggle.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Another picture of the mini-toggle. I am very happy with how this turned out.

A picture of the pickups installed in the guard. I'll tell ya, black is a sonafa***** to keep clean! It already looks like a 10-year-old guard just from my fingerprints!!!

A photo of the underside of the pickguard. I am not wiring this tonight - too late. I'll get this running by the weekend.

While I was at it, I took a moment to shield the interior of the guitar. I used copper foil from a craft store and spray adhesive. It turned out ok, but I would definitely recommend using the "guitar foil" you can get a Stew-Mac and other places that already has adhesive on the foil. It was a chore.

A sneek-peak at how the guitar will look once I'm finished...

 

[CTN]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Lookin real good dude

killer work on the shielding too, very neat and tidy!

is that mini toggle recessed or something? I couldn't help but notice the lack of a nut on the top face of the pickguard...

edit, ah nvm, didn't see that previous post of pics

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Cool project.
Yep oldschool decals where on top of the laquer....that is why they turn slightly black on the gold lines around the decals fonts...it is age and dirt showing.

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Coming along beautifully. Where's that pickguard from? It looks real nice.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Thanks. The pickguard is actually from an online guy out of Hong Kong. It was fairly inexpensive andit fits the guitar perfectly. I was very impressed with it.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Excellent stuff, I'm really looking forward to the completed project.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

I was doing a little research and I think I may have found a way to remove the "blush" from the headstock finish. It is called reamalgamation. Here is a brief overview. I'm going to give it a shot.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-restore-wooden-furniture-finish1.htm

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

You have done an excellent job so far! This is going to be a killer guitar!

 

[JestersTear1]

Re: Gilmour Signature Strat Build Thread

Yours looks fantastic.

I'm just about to change the pups in mine to SSL6 & GFS 70's. Neck will be next.