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Thread: Neck Thru Strat Build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24

    Neck Thru Strat Build

    Just finished my latest build. A neck thru Strat. Used GFS Texas Special Strat Pickups and GFS locking tuners (goodbye tuning problems). Golden Age Hardtail Bridge from StewMac. CTS pots and a miniswitch for each pickup. Sounds incredible

    Woods are Maple / Purpleheart 7 layer neck. Bubinga fingerboard. Body is Curly Maple top and Sapele back with Purpleheart accent strips. TruOil Finish, about 10 coats.

    Specs: 25.5" scale, 10" fretboard radius, 22 frets. Tusq nut.






    Brothers in arms
    Last edited by Jim Outman; 11-30-2014 at 10:55 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24
    Some build pix:

    Neck woods glued


    Body wings


    Wiring channel


    Neck taking shape


    Fretboard

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24
    Pup layout









  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24
    Acoustic bass build going on as well.


    Plus a neck for another strat build, with a trem, thicker body. same pups as well.

  5. #5
    Beautiful!!! And very cool use of purpleheart, Jim! I was looking to use it in a build but it was so heavy I walked away. I hadn't thought of including it in a laminate. And you're doing an acoustic bass too? Post pics as you go along. I'd love to see the progress.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24
    I love using PH for laminates. Might even use some for a top. The bass neck is walnut and Ipe. Talk about heavy. Made a fretless with an Ipe fingerboard. Super smooth.

  7. #7
    I only started building guitars a year ago but immediately I wanted to stand apart and do something a bit different. I went with cocobolo for two of the first three guitars I built. The other one I used Macassar ebony, which now looks a lot like aged rosewood. I've never seen Ipe sold at the hardwood store I frequent but it sounds interesting. What I did to make the fretboards really smooth was take Micro Mesh and polish the bare wood. I got it to a gloss shine but it doesn't stay that way. Still smooth though.

    On the bass I'm working on now, I'm thinking about using Tru Oil. How is that for working with it? Do you rag it on? Brush it on? Do you sand between coats? Does it require a sealer? I have no idea as I've only read about it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    LaGrange, GA
    Posts
    24
    Tru Oil is easy. Just wipe it on and rub it in. Sand it or use steel wool every few coats. Micro Mesh would work as well.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Conway, Arkansas
    Posts
    13,181
    Where are each of you getting your instrument wood?
    I'd like to build a 5-string bass AND build my youngest son a 6-string Strat......I don't want to pay crazy prices for raw wood.....I have a vacuum press and can laminate if/when necessary.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

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