the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
Alder is the one you want...Ash Strats tend to be very toppy and peaky
Alder is the one you want...Ash Strats tend to be very toppy and peaky
Making a vintage style strat...
- Thread starter MrFoster
- Start date
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
Ya know, all this said in your original post you said it has to be rally warm...Strats just aren't warm guitars...none of them.
I mean an alder body Strat might be warmer than an Ash body...a Strat with Alnico II pickups might be warmer than one with Alnico V pickups but all Strats are bright...
Ya know, all this said in your original post you said it has to be rally warm...Strats just aren't warm guitars...none of them.
I mean an alder body Strat might be warmer than an Ash body...a Strat with Alnico II pickups might be warmer than one with Alnico V pickups but all Strats are bright...
Bludave
New member
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
+1 I don't think that's going to sound very vintagey. You need Swamp ash or Alder to build a vintage strat. BUT seeing that you were really asking opinions on the bridge... I would go with the more expensive Fender bridge or a Calliham bridge. I have no real experience with Calliham bridges but they get great reviews everywhere.
+1 I don't think that's going to sound very vintagey. You need Swamp ash or Alder to build a vintage strat. BUT seeing that you were really asking opinions on the bridge... I would go with the more expensive Fender bridge or a Calliham bridge. I have no real experience with Calliham bridges but they get great reviews everywhere.
Bludave
New member
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
I don't know about that... I have played some Strats, usually slab boards that will just crush any Les Paul. Seeing that he is building the guitar I think you could also address warming it up by putting in an over wound pickups. Not excessively over wound, but just a bit. I have three Strats that have either been built from scratch or customized. The real key is the fingerboard... Brazilian Rosewood will absolutely add some warmth to it, then its just a matter of picking the right pickups. My 57 RI has a birdseye maple neck with BW fingerboard and a set of Texas Hots and it sounds killer. I also have another I built that has Surfers, basically the same type of neck, then I have a third one that I built that has Fralin Blues specials in her. The Fralins are beautiful clean, but I think the Duncans drive a lot better. But for Clean and Warm..... the Fralins bring it...
I don't know about that... I have played some Strats, usually slab boards that will just crush any Les Paul. Seeing that he is building the guitar I think you could also address warming it up by putting in an over wound pickups. Not excessively over wound, but just a bit. I have three Strats that have either been built from scratch or customized. The real key is the fingerboard... Brazilian Rosewood will absolutely add some warmth to it, then its just a matter of picking the right pickups. My 57 RI has a birdseye maple neck with BW fingerboard and a set of Texas Hots and it sounds killer. I also have another I built that has Surfers, basically the same type of neck, then I have a third one that I built that has Fralin Blues specials in her. The Fralins are beautiful clean, but I think the Duncans drive a lot better. But for Clean and Warm..... the Fralins bring it...
LReese
Sausage Gravy
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
My pretty corroded penny's worth:
My experience with Callaham is that it tends to brighten up. YMMV with that. The arm bushing is great and workmanship is also great.
I like the Gotoh 510 with steel block (some would say that's bright too), Fender and Gotoh vintage style bridges are also great. Its got to be a CRS steel block if I'm replacing a block/bridge on my guitar. I think there's a significant difference in the sound of a CRS steel vs a sintered steel block in the one's I've replaced.
My pretty corroded penny's worth:
My experience with Callaham is that it tends to brighten up. YMMV with that. The arm bushing is great and workmanship is also great.
I like the Gotoh 510 with steel block (some would say that's bright too), Fender and Gotoh vintage style bridges are also great. Its got to be a CRS steel block if I'm replacing a block/bridge on my guitar. I think there's a significant difference in the sound of a CRS steel vs a sintered steel block in the one's I've replaced.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
I will disagree with that...the Callaham didn't add treble or brighten up my Strat. It did make it more articulate but not brighter.
I will disagree with that...the Callaham didn't add treble or brighten up my Strat. It did make it more articulate but not brighter.
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
I was thinking about getting a pre cut body from Stewmac, seems they're the only ones I know of so far, know of any better suppliers 'value for money' wise?
^I never knew that, oh my.
I was thinking aged hardware and pickups that sound like they've been loved for 50 - 60 odd years
I was thinking about getting a pre cut body from Stewmac, seems they're the only ones I know of so far, know of any better suppliers 'value for money' wise?
^I never knew that, oh my.
I was thinking aged hardware and pickups that sound like they've been loved for 50 - 60 odd years
Lewguitar
New member
Re: Making a vintage style strat...
Years ago I disassembled my '63 bridge/vibrato and weighed everything: the block, the saddles, the bridge...
Then I weighed the bridge/vibrato of my MIJ Strats. They were all slightly lighter in weight even though they looked about the same.
Then I bought a brand new Fender '62 Reissue bridge/vibrato and weighed it and all of the parts weighed the same as my old '63.
So I've been using the Fender '62 Reissue bridge/vibrato on my Strats (other than my'63) since then.
Years ago I disassembled my '63 bridge/vibrato and weighed everything: the block, the saddles, the bridge...
Then I weighed the bridge/vibrato of my MIJ Strats. They were all slightly lighter in weight even though they looked about the same.
Then I bought a brand new Fender '62 Reissue bridge/vibrato and weighed it and all of the parts weighed the same as my old '63.
So I've been using the Fender '62 Reissue bridge/vibrato on my Strats (other than my'63) since then.
