Walnut strat build

Megii

I'm starting on building a strat using a www.guitarbuild.co.uk walnut body purchased fairly recently from Jooky. Planning to take my time over this one, but just took delivery of a Mighty Mite neck. This is a 9.5" radius, one-piece maple, with 22 jumbo frets, and I guess a fairly standard medium C kind of profile - bought from www.axecaster.co.uk - only ordered last Thursday, so thanks to them for getting it to me so quickly during the Christmas rush.

I believe this neck is finished with an oil-based poly, described as satin, but to my eyes looks/feels almost like just the natural wood, and certainly a pretty thin finish. Possibly a thin finish like this is not a bad thing, but I'm wondering if it would be possible/advisable to try building up the finish just a little more by applying a few thin coats of Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil? I've found a few people online saying it's possible to finish with poly over the top of Tru-Oil, but no info about going the other way round. I'm happy to leave well alone anyway if that's best, and maybe just give the neck a bit of a buffing. But any thoughts from those experienced in such things are most welcome!

Having considered various possible looks for the guitar in the past few weeks, I now think I'm going for something like this:

OK, that's stained ash, but you get the jist... As some of you may recall, I was thinking in a different direction, but in the end I really wanted to use a maple fingerboard neck, and so this is a look that seems to work for me with the dark wood body. And just a few pics of the neck and body - still the only parts I've bought so far, probably waiting until after xmas before getting any hardware...

I guess that'll do for now! Oh yeah, and any tips re finishing walnut with Tru-Oil? I have some black grain filler - should I use that, or better to avoid and keep the wood looking more natural?

JookyChap

Cool looking forward to that..

I'd dig out @WezV's masterclass on finishing with Tru-oil...it's in this section somewhere I think

digitalscream

That neck looks like it's begging for an oil finish rather than lacquer...

Megii

Cheers chaps! I'd be happy enough to give the neck an oil finish, but I'm pretty sure it does already have a light oil-based poly finish (although it actually looks a lot like bare wood), and there is no way I'm removing existing finish from the fretboard with the frets already in place. So I would have to build up with coats of something (Tru Oil?) on top, were I to do anything, and not sure at this stage if I wouldn't be well advised to just leave things as they are. FWIW, the existing finish does seem to be buffable to a bit more of a sheen.

ThePrettyDamned

Maybe the neck has just been dipped and sealed? Looks very much like bare wood, but then it's not in my hands...

Raw maple works fine anyway, and stains brilliantly from finger dirt.

rpr

Really like the look of the mockup. Understated and classy. Nice. Any thoughts on what pickups you're going for?

Megii

ThePrettyDamned said:

Maybe the neck has just been dipped and sealed? Looks very much like bare wood, but then it's not in my hands...

Raw maple works fine anyway, and stains brilliantly from finger dirt.

I agree, it really does look like bare wood, but according to both the MM website, and the seller, the neck does have a oil-based poly finish - although it's certainly very thin if so. And if it is in fact unfinished, that would actually be a bonus for me, as I'd love to do a Tru Oil finish on the neck as well as the body. Maybe I'll have to try a bit of Tru-Oil on the heel, and see if it takes OK... As it is, the neck does have something of a raw maple look - I've always heard that maple necks need to be sealed to prevent moisture absorbtion and possible warping etc. but that could be putting things a bit OTT. So yep, will have to get some Tru Oil purchased and see if it's a possibility.

Megii

rpr said:

Really like the look of the mockup. Understated and classy. Nice. Any thoughts on what pickups you're going for?

Ah yes, the pickups - that's a real subject for pondering at the moment. I think I might like some really fat-sounding alnico 2's of some description, possibly not unlike this Klein Dallas Blues set http://www.kleinpickups.com/p-82-dallas-blues-stratocaster-pickups.aspx - listen to the sound samples to get a good idea of the sort of tone I'd like... I've got a couple of previous partscasters where I've used this guy for pickups made to spec, and found him to be very good, and good value too, so might sound him out about things. At the moment, I'm definitely thinking to stay with strat-type single coils though, rather than go to rails or other unconventional pickup types.

ThePrettyDamned

Try our very own @theguitarweasel (oil city pickups) or Marc at Mojo pickups.  Both offer excellent sets of hand wound-to-spec pickups made here in the UK.  

I'll never buy anything else

Megii

I appreciate your suggestion TPD, and you never know, but in the end it may come down to cost I'm afraid - I'm kind of pushing the boat out by doing this build at all lol. So not questioning the quality or value of the two fine pickup makers you mention - I read a lot about what they do with interest, but I really do have to find savings where I can, plus I must say I've also very much liked the pickups I've bought before from the US guy, and he has been very helpful and easy to work with in the past.  

chillidoggy

Oh. My. God.

A Strat, and in walnut. I love the Strat shape, and walnut is my absolute favourite wood. That's going to be a beaut!

TheOtherDennis

Those are two utterly scrumptious pieces of timber, especially that rich, chocolatey body.

You are going to call it the Walnut Whip when it's finished, I hope?

ChrisMusic

I nearly pulled the trigger on that lovely walnut body myself.  I am glad its gone to a good home.

You will make a lovely guitar out of this, it is a nice colour contrast with the neck too.

Looking forward this build as you progress Megii.

Megii

Thanks guys! I love the look of the walnut too - when I saw Jooky selling that body, I knew it wasn't going to be around for long. So not a planned purchase, but I just couldn't resist. I was a bit unsure about the looks combined with the maple 'board neck, but now I'm starting to really like the combination of the dark chocolatey walnut (and it will look darker when finished of course) and the light creamy maple - so Walnut Whip puts it pretty well, cheers Chris Dennis    ">   - wish I'd thought of that!   

TheOtherDennis

"Cheers Chris"?

Hmmph. <sulk>

Megii

TheOtherDennis said:

"Cheers Chris"?

Hmmph. <sulk>

My sincere and embarrassed apologies Dennis!  ">

ThePrettyDamned

Megii;111525" said:

I appreciate your suggestion TPD, and you never know, but in the end it may come down to cost I'm afraid - I'm kind of pushing the boat out by doing this build at all lol. So not questioning the quality or value of the two fine pickup makers you mention - I read a lot about what they do with interest, but I really do have to find savings where I can, plus I must say I've also very much liked the pickups I've bought before from the US guy, and he has been very helpful and easy to work with in the past.  

Ah, well oil city would come it at pretty much the exact same cost as those USA ones after shipping. But I appreciate what you're saying.

Iron gears, and ironstone pickups are brilliant (no, seriously) budget pickups. They're clones of other excellent designs, typically Seymour Duncan. For a budget guitar, you'll not go far wrong.

Megii

Well, will have to see how things go TPD, as things stand, no firm decisions made re the pickups, and that can wait for the time being anyhow. Might not seem much to quibble over, but looks to me like Oil City for a set would come in around £25 more - and I guess that's close enough to bear some thinking about. I know Ash is a top bloke as well, and the feedback I read on here speaks for the quality of his pickups. I guess for me it's a case of making the best use of a limited budget, which might just about allow stretching into the handwound pickup territory (something previous experience tells me is worth trying to do), but unfortunately my own financial circumstances mean I don't have cart blanche to choose any pickups I like, regardless of cost.

impmann

Ha'penny's worth of tar and all that.
Personally speaking, I'd find the extra 25squid

Megii

impmann said:

Ha'penny's worth of tar and all that.
Personally speaking, I'd find the extra 25squid

Fair enough, and as I've said, I have nothing but respect for Ash's company and work. That said, I already own two guitars fitted with pickups Chris Hernandez made for them, and feel his stuff is second to none. And my own finances really are pretty tight these days, without wishing to go into details! Apologies if I seem disloyal or anything...

The23rdman

Megii, keep the price down.