Looking for a Strat with the following

[Inflames626]

Black, HSS, Floyd Rose, maple 50s neck with vintage tint (butterscotch color, not white maple), chrome pickguard.

I was inspired to do this due to Glenn Tipton's black/chrome Hamer (third from left).

http://www.glenntipton.co.uk/guitar-collection.asp

Not sure whether I want to start at 7.5" or 9.5" and go to 15" compound radius. I've noticed on a lot of Jacksons and Ibanezs the middle strings on my barre chords die out below 5th fret. I'm thinking I need a more rounded fretboard in the lower registers to correct that.

I imagine this would cause a problem since OFR's aren't really made for a vintage fretboard radius.

Also thinking about a thicker neck. It's bad form, but I often notice that I curl my thumb over the top. With the thinner Ibanez and Jackson D shaped necks, I have to roll my fretting hand forward, which puts some strain on the left hand and fatigues the thumb muscle due to all the empty space. I'm hoping with a bit fuller C shape backside on the neck will fill up my hand more fully and give some additional support.

The chrome pickguard is easy enough to find and install, but I'm having trouble finding all the other features in one axe. The closest I've come are some of the Japanese made Strats made in the 80s.

For those of us in the Jackson/BC Rich/Ibanez/ESP camp, the Aerodynes are pretty sweet, too.

Any suggestions guys?

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

http://www.warmoth.com

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

You might want to try messing around with one of the Charvel pro-mods. They come with HSH routing and a floyd, nice comfy neck with compound radius and rolled edges. The neck is oiled, so you could throw a couple coats of tinted danish oil on it to get it any colour you like. Then it would just be a matter of getting the pickguard you want . . .

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

I think Fender might have something like that except for the radius that you want. Your best bet would be Warmoth. Also you might have to shim the saddles in your floyd to get a better radius.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

I think ESP's vintage line makes something similar, but the headstocks look kind of dorky.

Was thinking about throwing some SSL2s and a JB in there.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

The Charvels are so close but not HSS.

I like their single cut Desolations, too. And a nice price for what you get.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

Also, vintage Strat trems only go one way right?

I might be able to get away with using one since I usually just pull harmonics upward. They probably don't flutter though.

I've seen some people say the tuning on them is awful, others say they're fine with locking tuners. Jeff Beck keeps one in tune somehow.

How about Wilkinsons?

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

The Charvels are so close but not HSS.

^They're routed HSH. Sell the neck pickup and grab a couple single coils used, then get a new pickguard (which you were going to do anyway).

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

Also, vintage Strat trems only go one way right?

I might be able to get away with using one since I usually just pull harmonics upward. They probably don't flutter though.

I've seen some people say the tuning on them is awful, others say they're fine with locking tuners. Jeff Beck keeps one in tune somehow.

How about Wilkinsons?

You can set them up to float but doubt they flutter like a floyd. As for getting it to stay in tune it's many factors involved such as how the bridge plate rest against the body, how well is the nut cut, how well are the strings wrapped around the tuners........

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

Rockstrar216, it doesn't seem like there would be much of a reason to go with a licensed FR over a good quality Fender vintage then, since the licensed FR's don't flutter much and are mainly used for dips and pulls.

GuitarStv, thanks so much for this, because it's not obvious that the Charvels are done this way due to the pickguard obscuring the routs.

Why don't they just use the old swimming pool universal routs? Less wood=less tone?

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

Also, would locking Sperzels or Schallers make up for the lack of a locking nut on a Fender vintage trem?

Making an Adrian Smith San Dimas for $2000 didn't make sense to me since you can get the same guitar for much less (OFR $200, DiMarzio SD, $80, Fender SCNs probably $100). I wanted to have basically the same guitar but swap out the SCNs for Fat 50s.

So I was thinking considering that a lot of the Smiths and Charvels are going to come out of the same factories it doesn't make sense that they wouldn't make something similar to the Smith under the Charvel or Fender names, unless they didn't want to pull a Chevy/GM by cannibalizing their own sales by offering similar guitars under different brand names at different price points.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

Locking tuners are not the same as having a locking nut. As for a copy floyd or a vintage trem it's a matter of what feels better and sounds better. Also would you rather change strings on a floyd or vintage trem?

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

I've never played a vintage trem except for the super cheap ones.

It would be nice if someone could perfect a string thru floating trem to make string swapping easier.

I see these on cheaper import Floyds but if they could work the bugs out on these I would be very interested. Combined with a locking nut string breakage would be rare, intonation easier, etc. Benefits of a tune o matic and a Floyd once the springs are set.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

I find locking tuners with a Graphtech nut hold tuning very well with a standard strat style vibrato.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

How does pulling up on a vintage style bridge without a locking nut keep from breaking the strings at the tuning pegs?

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Looking for a Strat with the following

You can probably get what you want through G&L. I like the DF Vibrato better than a Floyd; you can pull up and down, but it won't totally relax the springs. The Legacy comes in several variations: H-S-S, 2HB, or with three vintage singles. The Legacy Special has Gotoh dual blade pickups, which are some of my favorite pickups; the S-500 has the very aggressive sounding MFD single coils; the Comanche has the humbucking Z-coil pickups.

In addition to the Legacy (Strat-body) models, you can get try one of the Invader models. These are G&L's answer to the Charvel/Jackson superstrat offerings. There are LOTS of custom features you can order, and they can be had with either Floyds or hardtails.

The G&L's are great guitars. Check them out.

Bill