Surf green partscaster strat build - finished, pics

Megii

Thought I'd do a thread for this one also - mad, but I have two build projects going on at the moment. This one is a Surf Green strat build, using a body from Northwest Guitars, and a Mighty Mite one piece maple neck that used to be on another of my guitars. So without going into a load of tedious description, I thought I'd just post the pics of the build so far - it's going ridiculously easily, and I haven't got to do any filing of the scratchplate at all, which is a first. Also the existing fixing holes drilled into the neck heel work perfectly and don't have to be filled/re-drilled. I guess the trickiest bit has been getting the fixing holes for the bridge drilled in the right place. Pickups are a set of Maida Vale Bluefire from a maker on ebay - an alnico 3 neck and alnico 2 middle and bridge. Wilkinson trem bridge unit and the neck already has a set of Wilkinson EZ lok machines fitted, which will do just fine.

Megii

It's an "aged pearloid" scratchplate, and the pickup covers/knobs are in a mint green off-white colour. Going for a kind of modernised take on a vintage look I suppose.

Winny_Pooh

I love green strats

Andyjr1515

Nice colour

Megii

Winny_Pooh said:

I love green strats

Andyjr1515 said:

Nice colour

Thank you - it is a nice colour I agree, I find it refreshing to look at. I had been thinking in terms of Daphne Blue, but got swayed by the surf.

munckee

difficult to beat a surf green strat.  Looks great.

Megii

munckee said:

difficult to beat a surf green strat.  Looks great.

I am liking it a lot, cheers @munckee

MLten80

Looking good dude
  (My surf greenie is in my sig pic) 

The nw bodies look decently made (apart from hooky trem screw holes lol )

Megii

MLten80 said:

Looking good dude
  (My surf greenie is in my sig pic) 

The nw bodies look decently made (apart from hooky trem screw holes lol )

Thank you! Re the trem screw holes, it would have been helpful if those were pre-marked at least - but still thought I'd done a decent job with those anyhow, might not look quite straight on the pic, but I promise it's good. Otherwise, yes the quality is pretty good - paint job well done and not too thick, seems like nice resonant alder wood. Liking the look of your own surf greenie there anyhow @MLten80 , agree it is an excellent colour.

MLten80

Definitely 
 Ive wanted a green strat or jag forever
 But limited £ & a free block of sapele resulted in that
 Itch scratched for now haha

Will be keeping an eye on the thread, should be a classy number when finished  

Keefy

Please tell me that's not parcel tape!? It's a bugger to get off if left fro any length of time, and leaves a horrible residue. Masking tape is your friend!

Megii

MLten80 said:

Definitely 
 Ive wanted a green strat or jag forever
 But limited £ & a free block of sapele resulted in that
 Itch scratched for now haha

Will be keeping an eye on the thread, should be a classy number when finished  

Appreciate your interest @MLten80 . Most impressed you produced that lovely guitar starting from a block of sapele, wouldn't have a clue how to do that myself so nice job there.

Megii

Keefy said:

Please tell me that's not parcel tape!? It's a bugger to get off if left fro any length of time, and leaves a horrible residue. Masking tape is your friend!

Afraid it is parcel tape @Keefy ; eek, but it was only there briefly while I marked up the drilling positions, all gone now, and I seem to have got away with it. Won't do it again, promise.

Megii

Can't be arsed to go into any great detail and you all know what's what anyhow - also the pics are pretty self explanatory. So just going to post a few showing some bits of work involved and then some of the completed guitar. It's already done a gig (pop/rock/disco/funk covers band) and it performed extremely well. I'm really pleased with the Maida Vale Bluefire pickups I used - they have a good crisp edge but also decent warmth and body to the tone and the guitar tone cut through the band nicely. Used a Dan Armstrong blend circuit which someone posted on here, and it's great and very versatile.

Megii

Megii

Pleased with the locking tuners I used, which were a set of Axesrus Aluminium Lockers - to me they look elegant, and the quality - both finish and precision - is very high.




The nut still needs the top taking down a bit I know - slots look a bit deep at the moment. Used a Graph Tech Tusq one for what it's worth - it does work well I have to say.

proggy

What a lovely looking Strat.

Megii

proggy said:

What a lovely looking Strat.

Thank you kindly!

poopot

Good old dan Armstrong.

all my strats are wired up like that... all strats should be!

noice build!

Megii

poopot said:

Good old dan Armstrong.

all my strats are wired up like that... all strats should be!

noice build!

Thank you! Probably yourself who alerted me to the Armstrong blend circuit @poopot, in which case I must thank you! I've used various circuits with strats in the past, but in terms of simplicity and providing useful extra sounds and tone-shaping capability, this is definitely the one.

Andyjr1515

Looks beautiful!  Gold star, smiley face - no mistake!