WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

^ This is exactly why I would have some one build me a custom LP to my specs before I would BUY one from Gibson. My only hang up is I like my vol knob close to the bridge like a strat.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Time to play Devil's Advocate for a moment.

1) It appears to me that the OP has some idea of which features are wanted but little or no firm idea of why.

For example ...

2) Conversion necks do indeed change a Fender style electric guitar to Gibson style scale length dimensions. Unfortunately, one thing that they cannot do is "convert" the pickup positions to where theory says that they ought to be on a shorter scale instrument.

3) Twenty four fret fingerboards are associated most closely with flashy lead guitarists and those requiring the extended high register. Not rudimentary strumming.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Zerberus said:
BUT, specifically while on the topic of Warmoth /parts guitars in general, there is also a hybrid route of ordering parts and having a pro assemble them. Obviously I or someone else can only make a guitar as good as the raw materials I`m given / I bought, but when those are of decent quality a good luthier can turn them into a damn good guitar, simply by knowing exactly how to do things to get them nearly perfect as opposed to "good enough".
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This. The quality of assembly is almost as important as the quality of raw materials and hardware in my opinion.

To be fully honest with you, I don't believe that any short scale guitar can be made to sound like a stratocaster, no matter who builds it and how. Same thing goes for 24 fretters. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

^^ yes and no.

It depends entirely on what you consider a "strat" sound. 24 frets for example only slightly moves the neck PU, the effect on the bridge + middle tone will be absolutely zero. If your strat sound is the neck + middle position, the difference between gibson and fender scales will be negligible (all other things equal, which they never are).

And I think it was Dickey Betts that dropped the bomb a few years ago about one of his more famous tracks everybody constantly said was a tele, and he maintains it was a les paul.... I think that kind of sums up what can be made to sound like what in the right players hands ;)
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Zerberus said:
I think it was Dickey Betts that dropped the bomb a few years ago about one of his more famous tracks everybody constantly said was a tele, and he maintains it was a les paul.... I think that kind of sums up what can be made to sound like what in the right players hands ;)
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Might have been the other way around.

Betts is usually associated with Gibson Les Pauls - specifically, a Goldtop. He had a phase with PRS then reverted to Gibsons. He very definitely has used other instruments. People just assume things based on photographs.

Might have been Billy Gibbons.

The Reverend Willy G is synonymous with a vintage Les Paul known as Pearly Gates but the man owns warehouses full of guitars. He has often spoken favourably of the vintage Fender Esquire.

*

Assembling an electric guitar from the very best possible components does not necessarily result in the best possible electric guitar - whatever that might be!
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Funkfingers said:
....Assembling an electric guitar from the very best possible components does not necessarily result in the best possible electric guitar - whatever that might be!
Click to expand...

VERY true.

Disregarding the 80s exotic wood craze which resulted in lots of beautiful boat anchors, the best quality parts can still yield a substandard guitar if they are not matched to each other properly. There`s a good reason people like kilphody and myself run though lumber yards with tuning forks in hand, and we make just as much use of that fork during construction. It`s not entirely unusual for a single build to yield parts for 2 or sometimes even 3 guitars if they`re not matching up the way we want them to. Not COMMON, mind you (Hail Satan for that), but it does happen from time to time.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

After much contemplation, I have come to the conclusion that the answer to the OP question is the

Micro Marsupial Klamydia Kustom
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

JeffsPhotos004-1.jpg


Normally I would say ,the Fender Custom shop but, not everybody myself included, do not have the money to pay for one of their models. So, I took it upon myself to create my own custom Strat. I took a Squier Standard Strat in Cherryburst which I had gotten a few weeks ago, and installed a MIM Fender Strat pickguard complete with Fender 250K pots and stock pickups. I believe this was from a 2006 MIM Standard Strat. I then switched the back neck plate to a Fender " F " logo one and swapped out the stock bridge saddles to a brand new set of Graph-Tech Imports which not only help to keep it in tune much better but also add more sustain as well. I then put a 1970's Fender waterslide headstock decal on the headstock after which I applied 3 coats of poly on it. Also changed the bridge block to a new GFS solid steel one which is more thicker and has more sustain as well. Definately is a keeper and sounds great.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Buddy, you absolutely cannot go wrong with either the Fender American Deluxe Telecaster, of which I paid over twice as much as the most expensive Mexican "Fender" Telecaster brand new back in 2005, or the Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS or SSS, which I just bought brand new last year. The "Custom" shop Fenders are prettier to look at and that's about it.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

StLucifer said:
Buddy, you absolutely cannot go wrong with either the Fender American Deluxe Telecaster, of which I paid over twice as much as the most expensive Mexican "Fender" Telecaster brand new back in 2005, or the Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS or SSS, which I just bought brand new last year. The "Custom" shop Fenders are prettier to look at and that's about it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will look through these (and especially the strat). Would you include the 2013 Fender Select Stratocaster HSS and
the 2013 Closet Classic Strat Pro Maple?
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Boogie Bill said:
I hear Michael DiTemple sells his strats for $4K and up, which is too rich for my blood.
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My brother-in-law is a builder for Michael DeTemple. The guitars are super pricey -- they actually start at $6K+, not $4K. But their client list is a who's who of mostly LA-based studio pros. And the craftsmanship is second to none.

I've been to their shop, which is basically Michael's garage.

By the way, they sell their titanium Strat bridge and term block separately, and I have one in my #1 Franken-Strat (Eric Johnson body, Fender Custom Shop neck, SWD custom-wound pickups). It really does make a difference.
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Evan Skopp said:
My brother-in-law is a builder for Michael DeTemple. The guitars are super pricey -- they actually start at $6K+, not $4K. But their client list is a who's who of mostly LA-based studio pros. And the craftsmanship is second to none.

I've been to their shop, which is basically Michael's garage.

By the way, they sell their titanium Strat bridge and term block separately, and I have one in my #1 Franken-Strat (Eric Johnson body, Fender Custom Shop neck, SWD custom-wound pickups). It really does make a difference.
Click to expand...

He has a nice website and shares lots of info. Bottom line is the shop starts with a 3 year backlog. Seems like his 6-7k guitar work has not priced him out of the market - must be able to do great work to command the price and line of customers wanting to pay for his guitars. A great problem if you are the luthier!
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

Zerberus said:
VERY true.

Disregarding the 80s exotic wood craze which resulted in lots of beautiful boat anchors, the best quality parts can still yield a substandard guitar if they are not matched to each other properly. There`s a good reason people like kilphody and myself run though lumber yards with tuning forks in hand, and we make just as much use of that fork during construction. It`s not entirely unusual for a single build to yield parts for 2 or sometimes even 3 guitars if they`re not matching up the way we want them to. Not COMMON, mind you (Hail Satan for that), but it does happen from time to time.
Click to expand...

Zerberus, if you ever go back into the business and find room for an extra client/customer please let me know! Thanks!!!
 
Re: WHICH CUSTOM SHOP MAKES THE BEST STRATS?

He wants 24 frets because Ed Roman despised anything that didn't have 24 frets. That is why.
 
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