Finished build JB005

JohnB

This S-type is a hand built body and a £25 Chinese built neck. The neck is ok and I couldn't build one for that price, it took some setting up, levelling and polishing but its not bad at all (I have bought another one). The body is three pieces of sapele, a straight grain centre block and lightly figured sides. Pick ups are Artec hot classics. The finish is stained and Danish oil. It is quite well balanced but very heavy (think non weight relieved LP) -sounds quite "Stratty" but much more woody than my Fender. 

JB006 is very similar but with a more expensive (better??) prebuilt neck, chrome hardware, blue stain, red scratch plate and white pickups.

WezV

I like the way the green sapele has turned out - looks almost tylerish

JohnB

The figured piece was a lucky find in my local timber yard 12' length of 6" x 2" (probably 3 guitars) for £50 

WezV

That is good - is the weight okay too?  I generally find figured sapele a bit ugly, but the green works really well 

JohnB

It has a few tiny voids which don't help the finishing, but I think it is pretty dense, this guitar weighs in at about 10 lbs.  its a lump but it sounds great.

paulnb57

Very nice, but the pickup plate doesn't work for me, wrong shape wrong colour......

Andyjr1515

I'm really impressed with the figuring and staining of that body! What stains do you use?

JohnB

Andyjr1515 said:

I'm really impressed with the figuring and staining of that body! What stains do you use?

Just checked, they don't have a name on the bottle, but I bought them from Tonetech.  I have also used Liberon, but they don't seem to be so transparent.

paulnb57 said:

Very nice, but the pickup plate doesn't work for me, wrong shape wrong colour......

I was trying to make it as small as I could to maximise the exposed timber - I wasn't bold enough to insert the pickups from the back on this one. I could probably have got away with fitting the bridge straight too rather than compensating. Now, the switch button is definitely the wrong colour :-)

streethawk

Green body is outstanding. Really.

paulnb57

I understand your reasoning for the pickup mounting, but to me it should be plainer, the tort is a bit busy and clashes with the figure in the wood.IMHO...... I think you could carefully plug the bridge holes and straighten the bridge without too much drama if it offends you.......

It is a thing of beauty tho!

Paul

JohnB

I might cut a new pickup plate to fit tightly to the bridge, could try plainer material maybe - any suggestions on colour?.  Currently recording at home with this one and planning to sell my Fender :-)

Chalky

Can I be the one that says I like the tortie plate? Far too many guitars go for colour co-ordination instead of colour-tension. You did good

TheOtherDennis

I normally like a tortie plate, I just don't think it works on this.* Maybe if it had been the full size it would have worked, but that wood is proper lush. And it really, really works in that green, too.








*Though wtf I think I'm doing by criticising anyone else's builds or taste is a mystery, frankly. My apologies.

mrshankly

What is the bridge? Looks like the Mann made only available in the USA

JohnB

Not sure who makes it - pretty sure I got from Northwest Guitars

Deadman

I really like that John. It's very eye catching. Well done.

WezV

mrshankly;735528" said:

What is the bridge? Looks like the Mann made only available in the USA

There are many cheap versions of that bridge all over ebay

Deijavoo

Where did you get the £25 neck?

JohnB

Amazon - from "Douself" I think - had 2 from them now and they have been good, the truss rod is under a separate fingerboard, so there is no skunk stripe and the frets benefit from a bit of work. (I also veneered and colour-matched the headstock)

Probably this one:- 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/douself-Replacement-Fingerboard-Stratocaster-Electric/dp/B00LHPZS0E/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1439157616&sr=1-1&keywords=strat+neck