First Build

Hyster

Hi All,

I sometimes pop in here and marvel at all your handywork but have never before had a go at building a partscaster myself.

I recently bought an ash body and have had a go at staining it, I tested a couple of colours and eventually got something close to what I wanted;

http://i64.tinypic.com/a2dikn.jpg

Now, don't laugh, I also bought a cheap Chinese neck that was absolutely caked in Poly and the fretboard looked very light and pretty unappealing, I spent all (and I mean all) Sunday removing the Poly and I've stained the fretboard a much nicer dark chocolate brown;

http://i67.tinypic.com/f0t08n.jpg

Now the neck's one saving grace is the rather lovely flame;

http://i65.tinypic.com/2j4dklh.jpg

I have a some locking tuners here ready to fit and a Wilkinson trem in the post, looking forward to putting it together and seeing what kind of rip roaring c*** I can make of it :-) Wish me luck!

AustrianJohn

That neck is rather pretty. Good luck with the build!

Rabs

Yeah man..  that's a good place to start your first..  Good luck I will be watching with interest 

Andyjr1515

Watching with interest . Great flame on that neck!  Looks a chunky profile - how does it feel?

Hyster

Thanks for the comments guys, the trem arrived yesterday so I fitted it along with the locking tuners and a roller type string tree.

http://i65.tinypic.com/eh1ap2.jpg

I fitted a couple of strings as a guide and then drilled the holes for the neck and mounted that, after a bit of faffing about with the truss rod and the bridge we have a functioning guitar.

http://i68.tinypic.com/6nxgkg.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/au9wmp.jpg

My oldest daughter has always been a fan of old horror movies so I'm planning on putting a decal on the headstock with her name and Frankenstein's monster where the "custom body" would be and I've been faffing about in Photoshop making a logo;

http://i66.tinypic.com/2i7tq3a.jpg



The neck is really not all that chunky Andy, It has quite a flat radius though which suits me just fine.

I'm actually quite surprised how functional the neck is, I took a punt on this Chinese neck presuming I would be doing some fretwork, I figured that if I had to refret it then it would be a fun project and if I made a total arse of it well,  it would not be the end of the world, but the fretwork is not bad at all really.

Last night I used a razor blade and some sand paper (I don't have fret files) to adjust the height of the nut slots and it plays quite well now. I have a bone nut sitting here so I will probably fit that the next time the stings are off.

I am really tempted to buy a LSR roller nut but I'm reading lots of crap reviews of them online and that is putting me off.

sawyer

Mega flame! I think lsr nuts just introduce complication where its not needed. Lookin good so far dude!

Hyster

http://i67.tinypic.com/rqyo3p.jpg

I bought a wooden pickguard and stained it to suit but I'm not at all sure I'll use it now.

I'd be interested to hear folks suggestions of what would look good?

Maybe black? or an anodized metal one perhaps? 

Jtaylor

The wooden pick guard doesn't look bad so could build it with it now that you have it and go from their? I personally like a black guard on a natural body strat

impmann

Personally speaking I don't like the wood pickguard.

If it were me, I'd fit a black-white-black pickguard on that... or an aged cream one, to go for the Steve Hillage look.

Rox

Given the lovely wood underneath, have you considered a clear or even tinted plexi scratchplate?

Hyster

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, Black is quite nice, white can be fine too, had't considered clear or tinted

I'm off to look at more scratchplates :-D

Hyster

Another pick guard arrived today;

http://i66.tinypic.com/2d7esfd.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/hur1qv.jpg

Yay or Neigh?

paulnb57

Neigh from me, but, its your guitar, if you like it, keep it.....I like the rest of it though...