Paulnb57 Q1’20 Challenge - Today mostly I have been assembling a StraTele!....

paulnb57

Ok, so prompted by @TTony ’s post I’m in (although no one seems to comment on these posts any more!)
I have three (make that four!) Partscasters in various stages of completion on the go so Ill document them here, one will be pretty instant, the other two are waiting for paint with @lamf68 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

First up is a Squier Bullet Mustang, that has been modded so much the only original part is the body, the control plate and the bridge plate, I stole the neck for another project, so sourced another....
There is a scratchplate in the mail that will feature one slanted neck single coil......it needs a headstock decal, wiring and a fret dress and polish
The Mustang...

Next is a Strat I put together a while ago, Old Penny Copper 1k paint, which Ive never been happy with....all the hardware is aged and will be transferred along with the neck to a new body, which is two piece Swamp Ash and will feature New Penny Cooper colour Nitro, with weathered checking.....body is a couple of months away

Coppercaster

And third is a new build
One piece Premium Swamp Ash Hardtail Strat body from Guitarbuild, with a Tele neck pocket, which will be painted Mary Kaye White Blonde Burst with a fat Tele neck from GSPBASSES, which I will nitro myself (paint arrived yesterday from Steve at Manchester Guitar Tech)
No photos yet!

And Fourth for @DrBob the reverse Strat abomination!

As luck would have it a new Scratchplate arrived for it today although there are fit issues!!

TTony

paulnb57 said:

First up is a Squier Bullet Mustang, that has been modded so much the only original part is the body, 

Almost seems a shame to keep the body original ... it's like a half-completed Trigger's broom!


(And I know what you mean about the lack of commenting - seems like the forum has become a lot less participative.  I might name one of my guitars "Chappers" because that always seems to prompt comments ...)

DrBob

I’m bang into this thread as well, whilst my own Bitsa builds have been sidelined by boring house stuff I do find myself living out my bitsa build needs vicariously through Paul’s relentless need to build guitars. Particularly like the reverse bodied Strat ! 

paulnb57

DrBob said:

I’m bang into this thread as well, whilst my own Bitsa builds have been sidelined by boring house stuff I do find myself living out my bitsa build needs vicariously through Paul’s relentless need to build guitars. Particularly like the reverse bodied Strat ! 

In that case Ill include the reverse Strat as well!

paulnb57

Already some progress!
New scratchplate arrived for the Mustang, single ply white, in keeping with the budget origins of this joker, so installed a single coil, into the plate, I have absolutely no idea what make it is, or which position it was destined for, but it was looking lonely in the parts box, so in it went, with a Mustang (actually a Bronco Bass) cover, also from the parts box, bet you can’t guess where the white knobs came from? Parts box? Wrong! I stole em off another half built build!......
It still needs a bit of love action from the hot soldery thing, a fret polish and rocker check and a Headstock decal....
I’m at last pretty happy with this one, its a great fun guitar....

TTony

paulnb57 said:

Already some progress!

Show off

paulnb57

Mustang is done and at last I’m happy with it...

Teyeplayer

Looks great, good to see more focus on making and modding.

Really interested to see the finished result with the copper strat, looks pretty fine already -if it’s going to get better, my word!! 

TTony

So, that looks quite nice and simple, and well put together.

Have you plugged it in yet?  Curious as to what it sounds like!

paulnb57

Teyeplayer said:

Looks great, good to see more focus on making and modding.

Really interested to see the finished result with the copper strat, looks pretty fine already -if it’s going to get better, my word!! 

The current “old penny” copper colour is not brilliant, there are faintly visible sanding scratches, so it could really do with stripping and doing again.....the replacement body will be more “new penny” copper colour over Swamp Ash and will have checking but no wear....

TTony said:

So, that looks quite nice and simple, and well put together.

Have you plugged it in yet?  Curious as to what it sounds like!

I like the simplicity of it and unlike an Esquire is more mellow, still quite bright, with very little power, I expected a Strat single at the neck to sound like a Strat neck pickup, but it doesn't..., its a bit different and makes it pickup-able and fun for a change to the norm...

paulnb57

This is the body, 1 piece premium Swamp Ash, (it was horrendously expensive) for number three in this series, photo supplied by @lamf68 as the body went direct to him from Guitarbuild for Mary Kaye White Blonde nitro......I’ve decided to go with gold hardware with a plain white plate on this one..parts are in the mail as we speak.....just need to find reasonably priced circular string trees in gold.....half the fun is deciding the look you want, then finding the parts to achieve it.....oh and there is a headstock decal winging its way from Canada too.....

TTony

paulnb57 said:

 (it was horrendously expensive)

but it does look quite tasty!

Lovely grain pattern and I'm guessing it's not going to weigh too much either.  I can see that with a thin white finish and some gold hardware, and it looks pretty good.  What neck have you got to go on it?

paulnb57

TTony said:

paulnb57 said:

 (it was horrendously expensive)

but it does look quite tasty!

Lovely grain pattern and I'm guessing it's not going to weigh too much either.  I can see that with a thin white finish and some gold hardware, and it looks pretty good.  What neck have you got to go on it?

You may have noticed the neck pocket?
I have a fat GSPBASSES Tele neck, all Maple and a couple of cans of Nitro (from Steve at Manchester Guitar Tech) Clear and Vintage tint...just need a warmish, dryish day.....I like to be a bit different hence the Strat body, Tele neck.....

TTony

Graham's necks are excellent.  He made me some solid RW necks that I'll have to use one day ...

paulnb57

TTony said:

Graham's necks are excellent.  He made me some solid RW necks that I'll have to use one day ...

I have an all Rosewood Strat that is sublime! Grahame made the body....

PeteC

OMG.  I love that Rosewood Strat !  Holy cow.   I have to stop looking at these posts.  What’s the weight like?  

paulnb57

PeteC said:

OMG.  I love that Rosewood Strat !  Holy cow.   I have to stop looking at these posts.  What’s the weight like?  

Heavy!!, no idea how heavy, but its my heaviest Strat AND its chambered! It’s the one I’d grab if the place was on fire though....

Andyjr1515

That swamp ash body looks really nice, @paulnb57      Also I second @TTony 's  comment about GSPBasses necks.  Lovely things.


Fellas are in replacing the bathroom so I've got a few days of staying in the house not doing much at all...and that got me thinking about adding a third Q1'20 entry

TTony

Andyjr1515 said:

...and that got me thinking about adding a third Q1'20 entry

Oh, please, go for it @Andyjr1515 ;

normula1

I love the colour of the coppercaster. What's the reverse body going to have done to it?

paulnb57

normula1 said:

I love the colour of the coppercaster. What's the reverse body going to have done to it?

The reverse has always bothered me because it really needs a custom scratchplate, that mimics a right hander, so I've started mocking one up in paper to send to GigInk to make me one .....
The Coppercaster above is a Hyundai colour if I remember correctly,  ot the best finish in the world, there are a few visible sanding scratches.....it will need another refinish...yep Hyundai Intense Copper