First Partscaster: GuitarBuild Strat/Tele hybrid

LesterCorncrake

First build and first post.

Picked up this this GuitarBuild Strat/Tele hybrid from their eBay shop last week. I didn't want to do a standard Strat or Tele build, so this body was too good to miss.

I'm aiming for modern-style looks with vintage-style playability, because I don't have a "vintage" instrument.

I've ordered an Allparts TRO maple/rosewood neck from Axecaster (great customer service, by the way).  If I don't like the 7.5" radius and vintage frets I can re-radius and re-fret it to more modern specs without having to refinish it.

I've got a modern-style Gotoh bridge ordered, along with most of the other parts.  No pickups or electrics yet, as I've got plenty of time to choose whilst I apply a near opaque Wudtone Azure Sky finish (Sonic Blue).  Currently favouring IronGear pickups based on what I've read.

I'm hoping to have at least one coat applied by next weekend, so progress pictures will follow.

And all comments and advice welcome.

melvynhiscock

Before you finish it, assemble it and make sure it all lines up. I have used a couple of their bodies which are great but the neck cavity has been too shallow on all of them.

4114Effects

melvynhiscock said:

Before you finish it, assemble it and make sure it all lines up. I have used a couple of their bodies which are great but the neck cavity has been too shallow on all of them.

Seconded. I've bought a few guitarbuild bodies, and the necks have always sat far too proud of the bodies - requiring either a shim or raising the bridge saddles all the way up. The proper way would be to rout out a few mm from the bottom of the pocket, but I've not been set up to do that previously.

Megii

I've built 4 guitars with Guitarbuild bodies, and not had any issue with the neck pocket depth - never needed any sort of shim, and with the necks sitting pretty much where I want them in terms of not being too proud of the body. My first strat used a vintage '62 spec body, and I know Phil copied the dimensions for that from an actual '62 body - he sent me a photo of both bodies next to each other. That's just my experience FWIW, and not wanting to discount or argue with what's already been said. And I do agree with the advice to assemble before finishing - make sure everything is lined up nicely and looking good - all fixing holes drilled in the right places, and then disasemble and you can  get the finish done easily, with no worries about scratching it or anything.

LesterCorncrake

Many thanks for the feedback.

First off, the neck pocket depth was a perfect 16mm (5/8"), as per Fender spec. Secondly, I did a basic assembly and everything lines up.

The photographs show the body just prior to the third coat of Wudtone Azure Sky (50/50 mix as recommended).  The grain was still very open after the second coat, and there will be lots of further applications before it's where I want to be with the transparency, but I am happy with how things are going.

Rhoadhouse_Music

Have a listen to the T90 p'up soundbites on the Axesrus website..

Addictive!