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New strat build project

15K views 117 replies 16 participants last post by  LonePhantom 
#1 · (Edited)
I've been thinking for some time that I need a Strat of some sort. Problem was that I wasn't entirely a fan of the specs of a lot of the neck on any Strats that I might have been able to afford. I decided in the end that I was just going to have to build one to my specs, and hope it's all good. This is the concept I came up with:



Plan is to have two different pickgaurds. One with the standard 3 single coil traditional strat setup, and one with just a humbucker and volume knob. That way I can just switch between them to suit what I feel like playing at the time.

Anyway I ordered a neck from the Warmoth showcase a couple of weeks back, and it arrived yesterday. Specs are as follows:

Stratocaster®,
25-1/2 in. scale
22 frets
Vintage Modern right handed
Standard thin neck shape
1 piece maple/ maple fretboard
10-16″ compound radius fretboard
SS6150 stainless steel frets,
1 11/16″ nut width
GraphTech Black TUSQ XL nut
Gotoh/Grover (13/32″, 11/32″) Tuner Ream
Abalone face dots inlay



I'm going to finish it myself, using a spray on polyurethane that I've used before with great success.





With regards to the body I decided I'm going to compromise and get a Squier Classic Vibe body off the 'bay. I'd love a Warmoth one, but the cost of it painted is just a bit too much for me, and it would be months before I'd finish this. By all accounts the Classic Vibes are nice guitars, and the body is alder, which is what I want. It should do the job nicely. Now I'm just trying to find a nice 6 hole bridge in black to go with everything.

More to come...
 
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#71 ·


All wired up, ready to go. Hoping that my stand by bridge might arrive today or tomorrow at the local music shop so I can finish it off. Well until my good bridge arrives. Hoping that this really is a kickass player.

Working out the costs of this, including shipping on the items, it it has ended up costing me a bit more than a new Squier Classic Vibe Strat (which is just under $600 here in Australia), and it has a more preferable neck shape, stainless steel frets, and compound radius fretboard, so for me it's been well worth it.
 
#84 ·
It does look sweet. The whole thing is going to be made of titanium! Cannot wait to test it.

Super Vee would be nice to try out too, no money for that though. I'm actually getting the bridge as a review sample.

You can get the neck joint angled from Warmoth, so if that makes things easier for you I'd go that way. ;)
 
#85 ·
Wow......I was like, "what the hell are they talking about, I don't see any etching on the block"

The pic didn't load the first time I looked at it......IT DID THIS TIME!!!

Holy Crap is that awesome!!! Is this guy on the market yet?? These things look like they're completely hand made............I want one, and I don't even have a guitar to put it in!!!!
 
#86 ·
:lol: It's there. It's CNC'd, says so on the block with the specs for the string and screw spacing. Screw spacing matches MIM and import strat spacing (2-1/16"), and string spacing is 2-1/8", which should be pretty much like Floyd Rose spacing. Cannot wait to load it up.

He is on the market, but not really known outside of his home country (Turkey). He's making the bridge for me to hopefully get his name outside to an international audience. He makes great custom guitars and parts like bridges and the like.

I'm sure if you are interested he could make a nice trem block to suit Edge or similar. I will ask if he can make brass and titanium blocks at a good price. I reckon he would be able to beat the established players on Ti, and shipping may not be too bad, considering Ti is light.
 
#90 ·
Ok, so if anyone is interested in a bridge like this there are two options. 6 screw tremolos with titanium sustain blocks will be $235 (USD I'm assuming). With brass sustain block, it will be $125. Once I've got mine I'll review it to let you all know how it is.

I'm sending him an Edge block so be can spec one up and make them available too.
 
#94 ·
Well, I've only had a very short time playing it, but it's fantastic. The 10-16" compound radius is so natural and effortless. You don't notice the change in radius, just that everything is so easy and comfortable.

Getting used to the frets, they are thinner than I was expecting, height is great. Being stainless they may be a little brighter, but I'm also using Ernie Ball Cobalts, which are a bright string. I'm loving the tone, not too thin or harsh.

The Warmoth standard thin profile is really comfortable too. A little thicker than a Wizard or Wizard II, but still so nice.

The body is very light, the whole damned guitar is super light. When I get the titanium loaded bridge I reckon it'll be heaps lighter again! :lol:

Trying to work out the best way to change strings with the Magnum Lock Gotohs, but the guitar is holding tune nicely. I can't use the whammy bar really with the bridge only being held by four screws, but I'll see how tuning stability is with the new bridge when it comes in.

The guitar is very resonant, and has a great acoustic tone. Plugged in with the Tone Zone with swapped pole-pieces it has a great beefy and chunky tone, but there's still plenty of articulation. I have to get a push-pull pot so I can wire up a series/parallel switch, then it'll be pretty much perfect. The Tone Zone isn't the greatest for cleans when in series as many know.
 
#102 ·
Nice build - I have a very similar neck from Warmoth on one of my builds, it has the stainless steel frets (which I love) and is super wide at 1-3/4 wide. The neck is just awesome and super stable. I must say I've tried the Cobalts on a couple of my guitars and liked them at first but the novelty has worn off - to me they are too harsh and make the guitar too distorted. They do keep they're brightness for a long time though.

For those considering a Warmoth neck, do not hesitate to pull the trigger - I would go for the Warmoth Pro. I've also built an EBMM Axis copy with a Wolfgang profile Warmoth neck and it is phenomenal - so easy to play with the ST.ST frets and Tru-oil and wax finish. Save some money by not getting it finished and just get the "Birchwood Casey Tru Oil and Wax" and finish it that way. The process is super simple and feels better than any gloss finish. This is what EBMM does with their Silhouette and Axis necks.
 
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