Opinions please

[Nacho8807]

I'm having a crisis, guys. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted for this guitar, but now that I'm partway into it I'm not sure anymore. Normally I would think it's silly for someone to ask other people's opinions about a guitar they don't own, but I totally get it now. Let me know what you think of of the following:

I know I am getting a new neck, the main issue is the fingerboard wood. I originally wanted an ebony board with no inlays, because I really like the way a plain fretboard looks. But now I'm thinking it looks so good with the maple, and ebony might make the whole thing look too dark. I really like contrasts, which brings me to my next issue...

I was going to order a new pickup (either a JB or an Alt 8) in white. I like the way white pups pop against a black pickguard. In the meantime, I put an old pickup I pulled from an Epiphone LP Jr. in there to hold its place, and now I really like the black on black. Talk about wishy-washy.

Obviously this is almost completely cosmetic, but ****** I want to look good! I might do some half-assed editing to the picture tomorrow to get a better visual. So if you were me, what would you do? Ebony/White? Maple/Black? Ebony/Black? Something else? Let me hear it!

 

[Jeffblue]

Re: Opinions please

I personally like it just like it is. I'd put a Seymour Duncan JB Trembucker in there and call it a day. The Maple neck looks great.

 

[CTN]

Re: Opinions please

Personally i would stick to maple. If you must get a new neck, no inlays on maple looks sweet, especially birdseye maple. If tonal considerations are in play and you don't want the jet black ebony look, you could get a pau ferro fretboard. Looks a bit like rosewood but is brght and snappy like maple and close grained like ebony.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Opinions please

Personally i would stick to maple. If you must get a new neck, no inlays on maple looks sweet, especially birdseye maple. If tonal considerations are in play and you don't want the jet black ebony look, you could get a pau ferro fretboard. Looks a bit like rosewood but is brght and snappy like maple and close grained like ebony.

I am getting a neck with a profile I like better, and I like the reverse headstock look, I just figured I'd get a nice, sleek ebony board to go with. I don't care for the look of rosewood or pau ferro, especially with a solid black pickguard. I guess looking too dark wouldn't be an issue, I just like contrasting colors a lot. that's probably why I (and everyone else I've asked) really like the maple.

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: Opinions please

I second the "I like it the way it is"...definitely keep the Maple Fretboard, although I'd recommend a SD RTM for it w/a Pushull Volume.

 

[Zombiemetl]

Re: Opinions please

I would leave the neck as is...and I f***in love white pick ups in almost everything, but I think it would look most bad assed with a chrome covered pup. $160 for a chrome covered Black Winter!! just imo of course. killer guitar though \m/

 

[bluesbend]

Re: Opinions please

Looks good to me.

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: Opinions please

If it were mine, I'd leave it as is and rock the ever-living **** out of it.

 

[BeatTheBastard]

Re: Opinions please

+1. One of the best looking strats I´ve seen in a while. I love it the way it is now. The contrast of maple to body and black pickguard/pickup/knob is gorgeous.

Ofc it´s your guitar but I just had to say it looks awesome.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Opinions please

How's it feel ? How's it play ? How's it sound ?

Okay ? Good ?

Then just play it.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Opinions please

Thanks for all the replies guys, I really like it too. And yes, it feels and plays ok, but it could play better. I've had this guitar for almost 10 years now, and I've been fighting it the whole time. A new neck is in the near future, there's no changing that.

I think I have to go with my gut though. I'm going to stick with my initial vision of an ebony board and trust my instincts that it will look how I want it to. I had a somewhat "out there" vision for my Les Paul when I got it (the one in my picture there) and I think if I had asked people what they thought before I did it, they would have told me to keep it as-is as well. I couldn't be happier with the way that turned out, and I think this guitar will be no different.

 

[Kramer Guy]

Re: Opinions please

I would leave the neck as is but , put in a new black pickguard with the standard Strat 5 way pup switch and a set of Fender Texas Specials along with the usual V,T,T configuration.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Opinions please

I'd either leave the maple and put on a black pearoid pickguard , or if I changed it to ebony I'd put in a white or silver pearoid pick guard. I'd also go with the tom delonge volume location for a single pickup

 

[Demanic]

Re: Opinions please

"Do as you will" is the fullest extent of the Law.

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Opinions please

I'd stick with maple and throw a JB in there or a Super Distortion with a push/pull pot. Double cream would look the best to me. Nickel covers look nice on a strat with 2 hums.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Opinions please

I'd either leave the maple and put on a black pearoid pickguard , or if I changed it to ebony I'd put in a white or silver pearoid pick guard. I'd also go with the tom delonge volume location for a single pickup

I considered using the Delonge volume location, but I'm a bit more comfortable and familiar with the normal volume location on a strat.