NGD - Custom build Jaguar Strat Hybrid inspired by John Squire's original

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the_jaffathe_jaffa Frets: 1777
Not quite the actual NGD today, I picked it up from the painter on Wednesday and got it built back up later in the day, but today is the first real chance I have had to take any reasonable pics.

Story on this guitar is that back in 1990 I first saw pics of John Squire playing a super-cool looking white guitar in the video for One Love. I ended up with a still pic from the video on one of my school folders but at that stage didn't really know what the guitar actually was.

Many years later and having discovered a bit more about it but still not knowing exactly what it was I ended up talking to Stuart Palmer who built the originals. A good chat with him and I discovered that it is not built around a Jazz Bass body as a lot of people thought but is actually a Jaguar/Strat hybrid. Mostly a Jag body but with Strat horns grafted on. Stuart did offer to build me one but there was no way I could really afford that.

A while later, I couldn't get the idea out of my head so decided I might have a crack at building one for myself. Having never built or even really modded a guitar before meant a lot of youtube watching, a lot of questions on here and making a lot of dust in my garage but after a lot of work I have now got my very own and I am super chuffed with it.

Here it is:













Some more details on the spec:

Body is two piece alder painted in Arctic White nitro.
Neck is from a CIJ Jaguar that I fitted a Tusq nut to and sanded the finish off the back
Pickups are coil splittable, humbuckers custom-wound by Marc at Mojo and to replicate as closely as possible the originals that John had in his.
Trem is a Wudtone CP Vintage (The Jag trem is redundant but is a proper Fender one)
All the wiring is new and I made the loom myself with cloth covered vintage style wiring.
Pots are CTS and switches are Switchcraft
The switch/control panels also came from the CIJ Jaguar
The scratchplate is also custom made by me and proved to be a massive headache but after 3 goes worked out fine. WBW 3 ply.

The switching is changed from a standard Jaguar. Instead of using the switches in the lower bout to switch the pickups in and out I fitted a 3-way, Mustang style, switch in place of one of the rhythm circuit (the rhythm circuit is not used) roller pots working like a normal 3-way selector. Two of the lower bout switches now control the coil-splitting for the individual pickups. I might eventually use the third of these switches for an out-of-phase switch or similar. Working out the look was fun but fairly time consuming.

Overall, I am massively happy with how it has turned out. It's better than I hoped it might be. It looks great, plays really well and works exactly how I would like it.

Link to the build thread here: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/63903/now-complete-first-guitar-build-project-underway-project-diary/p1
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Comments

  • usedtobeusedtobe Frets: 3841
    Cool as..
     so if you fancy a reissue of a guitar they never made in a colour they never used then it probably isn't too overpriced.

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  • joeyowenjoeyowen Frets: 4025
    In the nicest possible way, I hate people like you...

    Its a beaut!! 

    How can you not know how to do something, then do it that well? 
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  • mburekengemburekenge Frets: 1054
    Bloody hell! You must be a natural luthier. That is just too cool.
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  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12253
    And to think that I'm getting twitchy over my  impending Esquire build..... Excellent work man.
    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    I never read build threads but just read yours and that is amazing.  
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    Totally brilliant - that's 'Awe' from the Weston S&M jury :)

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  • capo4thcapo4th Frets: 4437
    Nice job man now can you play Johns One Love intro .....
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  • KylefKylef Frets: 1042
    As a big Roses myself, I know how much I love the guitar and I'm very impressed with yours. Stunning attempt for a novice. Always fancied doing one of these myself...but there's no way I'd be doing the build! Congrats
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  • NotNowJohnNotNowJohn Frets: 187
    That's excellent.
    I've got a vague memory of JS's guitar being sold 20 odd years ago...?
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  • the_jaffathe_jaffa Frets: 1777
    Thank you all for the comments. Very flattering. @capo4th I can mostly play it but practicing to try to get it better. Need to get my loaned out wah back for full effect (excuse the pun)
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  • the_jaffathe_jaffa Frets: 1777
    Just to add, and for some reference for people not that familiar with the original, here is the photo I mentioned in the OP:


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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7730
    edited August 2016
    Excellent work, but I can't tell you how much that jag trem bothers me, lets just say alot to stay on the safe side.
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  • Looks incredible! Job well done mate. From the description it didn't sound like something that would work visually, but that is spot on.
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    the_jaffa said:
    Just to add, and for some reference for people not that familiar with the original, here is the photo I mentioned in the OP:


    I've definitely see this picture before.  Are you a in a Stone Roses cover band?
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16541
    Do the strings go through the strat bridge to the term plate on the original?  It really looks like they do on that pic
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  • Andyjr1515Andyjr1515 Frets: 3127
    I followed the build thread with great interest and these shots are the icing on the cake :). It looks great.  Excellent job!
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  • TonyRTonyR Frets: 908
    edited August 2016
    After seeing this I've just read the build thread - congratulations on your truly outstanding work Matt, the finished result looks the dog's do-das! 

    I trust it sounds as good as it looks?
    We are all Chameleons...
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  • the_jaffathe_jaffa Frets: 1777
    WezV said:
    Do the strings go through the strat bridge to the term plate on the original?  It really looks like they do on that pic
    I know what you mean, I've looked at that a fair to work it out and it definitely looks like it too but just can't see how that would work. The strings wouldn't clear the back of the strat trem adjusters unless it was all set up very very weirdly. 
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  • the_jaffathe_jaffa Frets: 1777

    the_jaffa said:
    Just to add, and for some reference for people not that familiar with the original, here is the photo I mentioned in the OP:


    I've definitely see this picture before.  Are you a in a Stone Roses cover band?
    That's the real John Squire. It's the photo that inspired the whole project. 
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  • the_jaffathe_jaffa Frets: 1777
    Cheers Andy and Tony
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