Stratocaster Project

[Passinwind]

I'm liking the marketing malarky for the SD SH-16 (59/Custom Hybrid), Pearly Gates, and Saturday Night Specials.

I was just checking out their ad speak on various SD Trembuckers last night myself. One great aspect of the SH-11 Custom-Custom is how well it works in parallel mode - it's just fantastic for clean jazz chords and also closely matches my two noiseless singles volume wise. If I want the big jump for rock leads I just put the bridge pickup in series mode...bam!

Oh, and I do use a loading cap on that pickup too, it helps a ton.

 

[NKBassman]

my Strat body template arrived last week, the counterpart to the neck template I bought from Solo Music at the start of this saga. I cut a quick test on some scraps last night to see how the neck joint looks using the two templates, and damn if that is not a perfect fit! MUCH nicer than the current build looks sitting in the existing pocket .





Next, I put the body template on top of the existing guitar body, and lined it up with a couple of screws in the existing tremolo bridge mounting screw holes, thinking this would let me see how things are lining up...

Well, lo and behold, something's way off at the neck joint! There's no slop in the template mounting screws to account for it to be misaligned that much, so something must be wonky here from the factory.

I've always suspected that something was out of alignment given that the pickups didn't seem to line up properly under the strings. Also, looking at the original neck heel, the screw holes in the neck are not at all symmetrical to the centerline...

If you go back to Post 31 you can actually see that the string paths relative to the neck and pickups are not perfectly aligned. I assumed I had put the pickups in slightly off (maybe I did), but there's something else going on here.

But looking at the template, this is WAY out... Am I missing something here?!

I guess we can't say conclusively where exactly the problem lies... either the bridge is misaligned, or the neck pocket, or both.

I'm thinking I could slop some bondo into the neck pocket and re-route the damn thing using this method to align the template. Presumably that would give me a neck pocket in proper alignment with the bridge, regardless of how it lines up with wherever the "actual" centerline of the guitar is... Then re-mount the neck to the body and see how things look.

However, I'm also starting to think I might call the neck build up to this point a "learning opportunity" and just start over... I've got a lot of little mistakes made along the way that are starting to collectively add up to a bigger headache than is worthwhile to try and fix... something about fighting a losing battle trying to put lipstick on a pig....

Thats not to say I'm discouraged, just being realistic about my limits in being able to see this neck build through to a successful end...

As always, thoughts and opinions are welcome.

 

[NKBassman]

I talked it over with a close friend who has built about half a dozen guitars over the last few years and came up with a bit of a plan.

I need to investigate a little more what exactly is up with the neck joint on the body before I start cutting anything, but I'll probably end up filling and redrilling the bridge mounts rather than filling and rerouting the neck pocket. It will (hopefully) be less work, but also (hopefully) less visibly obvious when it's done, cuz I definitely do not want to entertain the idea of refinishing the damn thing when I'm done.

I've also decided to set the current neck build aside and start over. I might still be able to salvage it some day, but trying to adjust for all the little oopsies is getting to be too big of a headache. No shame, no disappointment, just a fresh start.

I'm actually excited to "give up" on the first neck and start all over again on a new one lol. Classic ADHD brain stuff, yes, but it'll feel good to not be fighting my past mistakes at every turn (there's a life lesson in there, somewhere...). And I know I can do the next one better and more efficiently than the first try.

I've already picked out a new 100 y/o 2x4 from my collection, and ordered a new fretboard and truss rod yesterday. I also started making new templates with the headstock shape I designed previously, so I can do all the cutting in one or two steps instead of having to remove and replace cutting templates for every step.

 

[NKBassman]

Starting over ...

Making a new master template from some leftover MDF baseboard.

Baby's first thread tap! Successful proof of concept on the first try... inconceivable!

I've been monkeying around with my make-shift router sled trying to see if i can find a way to surface prep and thickness cutoffs for a 3-piece neck blank glueup without a table saw, thicknessing planer, or jointer. It works... in concept, but it's just too finicky and time consuming to do reliably. Back to the drawing board, borrowing tools, or visiting buddy's garage for a beer and a hang around the table saw.

Depending on timing, and in the interest of not over complicating things this time, I might forego the Douglas Fir 2x4 plan and just use this nice piece of roasted Birdseye maple as a 1-piece neck instead. I can always overcomplicate the next one...

 

[NKBassman]

After some thorough overthinking, procrastinating, and unproductive wheel spinning, I finally decided to start cutting wood again. What's the worst that could happen?! (#foreshadowing)

I drilled out and plugged the tremolo mounting screw holes in the body, attached the body template using a plug in the neck pocket to get it lined up, and then redrilled new bridge mounting holes. I ordered a new strat bridge from Musiclily at the same time, which is now just sitting there ready to go.

After three! frustrating attempts at producing a new integrated neck/headstock template, I finally arrived at something that I'm reasonably happy with... this is why we make templates before cutting into the work.

I will say the white primered MDF baseboard stuff from HD is nice to work with. A metal scribe makes nice precise lines through the primer that are easy to see and won't disappear on you over time. I ultimately botched this particular template attempt, but would go this route again in the future.


Traced the template outline (yes, twice) onto some nice roasted Birdseye maple, applied my CAD sketch of the heel with spray glue, and decided to start cutting the truss rod slot. I started with a 1/8 bit to make sure I was happy with where my fence was set, and then cut the 6mm slot for the TR.



I changed bits and started routing out the slightly wider slot for the spoke wheel end, when suddenly the bit started chattering and dropping out of the router while spinning at full speed! I realized what was happening and managed to shut it off before anything really bad happened. It looks like the little collet inside the router broke while the damn thing was running! It left a bit of a gouge and a swimming pool route in the heel, but didn't go all the way through the piece, and thankfully there were no injuries.

I pulled out the West Systems epoxy to fill the hole, only to find my hardener can was thoroughly hardened shut. after trying and failing to get the lid off with an 18" pipe wrench, that was the last straw and I gave up for the night.

New collet on order. New epoxy on order.
Two steps forward, one step back.

The saga continues.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

After some thorough overthinking, procrastinating, and unproductive wheel spinning, I finally decided to start cutting wood again. What's the worst that could happen?! (#foreshadowing)

I drilled out and plugged the tremolo mounting screw holes in the body, attached the body template using a plug in the neck pocket to get it lined up, and then redrilled new bridge mounting holes. I ordered a new strat bridge from Musiclily at the same time, which is now just sitting there ready to go.

After three! frustrating attempts at producing a new integrated neck/headstock template, I finally arrived at something that I'm reasonably happy with... this is why we make templates before cutting into the work.

I will say the white primered MDF baseboard stuff from HD is nice to work with. A metal scribe makes nice precise lines through the primer that are easy to see and won't disappear on you over time. I ultimately botched this particular template attempt, but would go this route again in the future.
View attachment 7441091

Traced the template outline (yes, twice) onto some nice roasted Birdseye maple, applied my CAD sketch of the heel with spray glue, and decided to start cutting the truss rod slot. I started with a 1/8 bit to make sure I was happy with where my fence was set, and then cut the 6mm slot for the TR.

View attachment 7441093 View attachment 7441092

I changed bits and started routing out the slightly wider slot for the spoke wheel end, when suddenly the bit started chattering and dropping out of the router while spinning at full speed! I realized what was happening and managed to shut it off before anything really bad happened. It looks like the little collet inside the router broke while the damn thing was running! It left a bit of a gouge and a swimming pool route in the heel, but didn't go all the way through the piece, and thankfully there were no injuries.

View attachment 7441094

I pulled out the West Systems epoxy to fill the hole, only to find my hardener can was thoroughly hardened shut. after trying and failing to get the lid off with an 18" pipe wrench, that was the last straw and I gave up for the night.

New collet on order. New epoxy on order.
Two steps forward, one step back.

The saga continues.

Sorry man. I’m glad you’re ok. Even though it’s eminently frustrating wood can be replaced, body bits are much more difficult.

 

[NKBassman]

Sorry man. I’m glad you’re ok. Even though it’s eminently frustrating wood can be replaced, body bits are much more difficult.

Thanks Matt. and I know. I'm not too disappointed, just glad I dodged that bullet. One near death experience power tool injury (grinder) is enough for a lifetime.

 

[CallMeAl]

Just visualizing some aesthetics options for the bridge pickup change.

All opinions are welcome and encouraged! Design by committee!

Currently has a Firebird style mini humbucker in both positions. Love the look, but the bridge PU sound isn't doing it for me.
View attachment 7415865

So I'm considering a change to a hotter, crunchier, full sized humbucker. Maybe a Duncan 59, JB, or 59/Custom.

Aged Nickel cover, to stay on theme:
View attachment 7415866

Black, for the Hotrod chop shop vibe:
View attachment 7415867

and Zebra is always on the short list:
View attachment 7415868

Just catching up on this thread with today’s bump. Love it! I did an HH Strat parts assembly (nothing custom like yours, just a mail order partscaster.) precut HH pickguard and some PAFs. very pleased with the HH Strat layout:

 

[CallMeAl]

Oh and I vote dual chrome covers, whichever sounds best!

 

[NKBassman]

Just catching up on this thread with today’s bump. Love it! I did an HH Strat parts assembly (nothing custom like yours, just a mail order partscaster.) precut HH pickguard and some PAFs. very pleased with the HH Strat layout:
View attachment 7441528

That looks great! Is that like a Charcoal Grey? Matte black?

 

[CallMeAl]

That looks great! Is that like a Charcoal Grey? Matte black?

Thanks! It’s supposed to be matte black, but even in person I think it looks more like charcoal. I think the contrast of the black gloss pickguard tricks the eye!

 

[NKBassman]

Just Back from vacation, still a little jet-lagged and exhausted, but feeling refreshed for spring. With a green light from the Mrs to take a "lazy" weekend, I managed to get in a couple hours on this project on Saturday.

Turns out most of the damage from the router bit catastrophe was within the truss rod slot, and as I'm still waiting on my West Systems hardener to be delivered, so... I just didn't bother to fix it and finished routing for the TR.

CF bars routed and epoxied into place, and then neck cut to shape.

That's when I realized/remembered that I was still waiting for a new router bit to cut the slots for the BruceBars, and I was supposed to be leaving my parallel sides until that step was done. DOH! Oh well, I guess this one will get trad wood screw mounts and we'll try the BruceBars on the next one. Between the TR and the CF bars, the heel was getting pretty crowded already anyway.

Decent fit in the neck pocket on the body. I was thinking of doing a skim coat of Bondo around the heel pocket and re-routing it, but I think I can leave that till later if I can confirm there's actually a problem to be fixed by doing it.

I also plugged the existing neck and bridge mounting holes in the body, to be redrilled to match the new neck.

Unfortunately, the Musiclily bridge I ordered had a different mounting hole spacing and so I won't be using it. It looks and feels like cheap crap anyway, so I think I'm just going to salvage the saddles and throw the rest away. For $20 or whatever I paid for it it's not worth the hassle of doing anything else with it.

 

[NKBassman]

No progress on the guitar project since the last update, As usual, the basement renovations that I started over Christmas have been far more demanding on my "spare" time than expected (as always), and what started with "lets just replace the carpet" turned into a full remodel from floor to ceiling. We're into the nitty gritty trim work now, so hopefully should be wrapping that project up sooner than later and I can get back to working on fun stuff.

I do have a gratuitous clamp picture to share, though . KJP Select Hardwoods had these 12" F-clamps on sale for $5! Following the adage that one can never have too many clamps, I bought 6! ... and picked up a couple pieces of 4/4 cherry for a bass build I have planned at the same time .