MIM Strat weight reduction

[JB_From_Hell]

Thinking about giving my MIM Strat a swimming pool route. It's easy, and the pickguard's about to be off for a pickup swap. My favorite Strats I've owned in the past had SP routes, and it seems like it'd be a good way to help the guitar shed a few ounces. It's featherweight compared to my dad's '73 Strat (deadest sounding and feeling Strat ever), but is heavier than my PRS S2.

I do think the SP routed Strats have a more airy acoustic tone, which I find pleasant. Not trying to get into a what-matters-what-doesn't debate, just thought it'd be fun to do a little before and after comparison.

 

[The_Junior]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

hole-saw dude

Maybe cut out a steve vai monkey grip..

 

[Mincer]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

Too much, and it is neck heavy, though.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I would be tempted to remove the neck and tremolo and weigh the body. Then look around for a lighter weight body.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I would be tempted to remove the neck and tremolo and weigh the body. Then look around for a lighter weight body.

Not really in the budget. It’s really not that heavy, this is just me being dumb and wanting to try it.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

Don't do it. It's gonna feel like a toy. MIM is just the right weight. I have a basswood Charvel with a swimming pool route, it feels like a.plastic guitar.

Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I took a rotory tool to my bullet Squire

Draw a straight line to the depth
Then just wack it with a hammer to break it out

 

[dystrust]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I do think the SP routed Strats have a more airy acoustic tone, which I find pleasant.

Grosh guitars agrees with you and all of theirs are SP routed unless you custom order it otherwise.

 

[Cdwillis]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I've had strats with swimming pool routes and always thought they rang out better acoustically then the ones I've had with the HSS routes under the pickguard.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

After various methods of stripping other guitars, I had no intention of doing this one. There was a decent sized chip near the rear strap button, and I was absentmindedly picking at it. A big piece came off, so I decided to keep going. The body appears to be several pieces of alder with a plain-ish maple veneer on either side.

In addition to the routing, looks like I’m gonna be staining it. I’m thinking purple.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

Shi sugi ban!!!!

 

[B2D]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I had an old MIM strat that was pretty heavy, for a strat. I didn't route it out, but I suspect that putting a swimming-pool route in won't do a whole lot of good as the volume of wood removed isn't that much compared to the entire body.

Honestly? I'd get a new body made from warmoth. That way you can have wood choice and have it chambered as well. Or just find a strat that does weigh more like what you want. I eventually went with the latter option.

Wood density varies even among blanks. Another option would be to buy a body in-stock at Warmoth, as they give you the weights.

 

[JamesPaul]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I seem to recall Stevie Ray Vaughan's Yellow had quite the route.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I appreciate the idea of replacing the body, but if I was gonna do that, I’d just get a whole different guitar.

This one isn’t a boat anchor. It’s just a little heavier than my PRS. If I wasn’t comparing them side by side, I wouldn’t think the Strat was heavy at all.

I may have about a quarter of the paint already chipped off, so I’m fairly committed. I’m doing it at work, pretty much killing time when there’s nothing else to do.

Also, I know me, and even if I did replace the body, I’d wind up routing and refinishing this one anyway. I’ve never had a purple Strat, so I think that’s what is going to happen

 

[greekdude]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

It will weaken the wood, I would not do this.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

It's NOT going to weaken anything. At all.

JB, go for it. Sounds like you've got a fun project ahead of you. Purple will look great. Keep us up to date on the progress of this project (with pics...lots of pics).

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I’m terrible about remembering to take pics. Here’s the current state:

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

I would sand the wings down to make the body thinner to the edges
Think Ibanez S series

Do the back side
The PRS is thinner all over

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

Yes, thinner. More comfortable and lighter.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: MIM Strat weight reduction

My worst sounding strats have been swimming pool, my best either HSH or SSS. It must have more to do with the wood itself than the routing.

Strats are heavy from all the metal they need for the bridge. I like the thicker steel blocks, but that’s more weight. I like locking tuners, but that’s more weight. It’s funny, you start assembling a Strat and think “this body is pretty light” and by the end it’s “man, it’s heavier than I thought I would be.”