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C18Q1 1956 Stratocaster

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AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1666
edited December 2017 in Making & Modding
I'm considering building a 1956 (year of my birth) Stratocaster. As far as I can tell the spec is maple neck, maple fingerboard, bridge truss rod adjustment, two tone sunburst on one or two piece alder body.

What are the most authentic pickups? Bare Knuckle Mother's Milk, Oil City 54 and Fender Vintage 59 seem close to the original Alnico V specification. But Bare Knuckle Apache (Alnico 3) and Iron Gear 6TS (Alnico 2) are also options.

Guidance for this build - especially on pickups - gratefully received.

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Comments

  • PhilKingPhilKing Frets: 1473
    I have a real 57 Strat that I got for a good price because the pickups had been changed to DiMarzios.  I got Tim at Bare Knuckle to make me a reliced set of Apaches and it sounds great.  I also have a Bravewood hardtail copy of it, and Tim advised his Veneer Boards for it.  They also sound great.  I have Mother's Milks in a Bravewood 64 Strat, but haven't heard them in a maple neck strat, so am not sure what they would be like.

    I haven't tried the other pickups you list, but have heard great things about Oil City.  
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Sounds awesome. Should you require any nitro assistance be sure to let me know :)
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  • PhilKing said:
    I have a real 57 Strat that I got for a good price because the pickups had been changed to DiMarzios.  I got Tim at Bare Knuckle to make me a reliced set of Apaches and it sounds great.  I also have a Bravewood hardtail copy of it, and Tim advised his Veneer Boards for it.  They also sound great.  I have Mother's Milks in a Bravewood 64 Strat, but haven't heard them in a maple neck strat, so am not sure what they would be like.

    I haven't tried the other pickups you list, but have heard great things about Oil City.  
    I also have Bare Knuckle Sultans in another build that sound great. I'll dither between Mothers Milk and Oil City 54 (both Alnico V).
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  • lonestar said:
    Sounds awesome. Should you require any nitro assistance be sure to let me know :)
    The 54 two tone burst Strat on your web site is cool. But one of the reasons for considering this build is so I can do the paint job and finish myself, as most of my builds to date have been stain and oil, not paint and lacquer.
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12647
    Talk to Marc at Mojo. Super authentic 
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    edited October 2017
    I'm considering building a 1956 (year of my birth) Stratocaster.
    Presumably only if you don't get one for Christmas?
    ;)
    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • TTony said:
    I'm considering building a 1956 (year of my birth) Stratocaster.
    Presumably only if you don't get one for Christmas?
    ;)
    There are many generous presents that I can expect to receive from my lovely wife at Christmas, but I don't think a guitar will be one of them - and certainly not a 1956 Strat! But nice thought ;)

    I've set myself the target of selling three guitars before going ahead with this project (I already have two other projects planned). Good news is that I sold my Les Paul Studio last week, I have interest in one of my home build projects, and the third guitar is a partscaster that I will almost give away - so it will probably happen when the snow thaws.
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  • impmann said:
    Talk to Marc at Mojo. Super authentic 
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • impmann said:
    Talk to Marc at Mojo. Super authentic 
    The Mojo 50s Strat pickups use Alnico 3, while their 60s pickups are Alnico 5. I thought the pickups used in the original 56 Strat were Alnico 5. Is that right? Does the magnet used really matter (in terms of 56 authenticity)?
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  • I've used BKP Apaches before and they are my favourite Strat pickups. Tone rider surfaris also a good choice. Both are A3.

    in terms of covers some Bakelite ones with smoothed edges would I think be correct for a mid 50s Strat.
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    lonestar said:
    Sounds awesome. Should you require any nitro assistance be sure to let me know :)
    The 54 two tone burst Strat on your web site is cool. But one of the reasons for considering this build is so I can do the paint job and finish myself, as most of my builds to date have been stain and oil, not paint and lacquer.
    As I said, if you need help let me know. Nitro isn’t pretty stuff. Be careful
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  • I've decided that as I'll only build one year of my birth strat (probably), I should build from quality components rather than starting from blocks of wood. So parts have been ordered, including Origin 54 pickups from Oil City and a vintage maple neck from Northwest. Two tone body will be courtesy of @lonestar - detailed specification being discussed.



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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    This is going to be great. It’ll be a cracking guitar @AustrianJohn :)
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723

    Could be ash or alder in 1956.
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  • jpfamps said:

    Could be ash or alder in 1956.
    I believe it was ash early in the year and alder later. I was born in October, so I'm going for alder. Already ordered from @lonestar so don't change my mind :s
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    jpfamps said:

    Could be ash or alder in 1956.
    I believe it was ash early in the year and alder later. I was born in October, so I'm going for alder. Already ordered from @lonestar so don't change my mind :s
    Yes that would be almost certainly alder by October; think the change happened around July / August.
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  • jpfamps said:
    Yes that would be almost certainly alder by October; think the change happened around July / August.
    Phew!
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  • Fr3tFr3t Frets: 2
    Sounds like a nice plan. hope you can update us about the progress
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  • It's not quite finished yet...



    I've gone for "inspired by 1956" rather than an exact copy. The neck is vintage maple from Northwest. Not 100% authentic but looks very nice and great value at £109. I've gone for 9 1/2 inch radius as I prefer that to 7 1/2, and the truss rod adjustment is at the headstock, not the heel. I've also gone for cream rather than white components as I think this gives more of an aged feel to a guitar.

    Oil City 54 pickups have been ordered from @TheGuitarWeasel, and a two tone alder body from @lonestar. Most of the other components are here - more updates as and when.
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    The Fralin Blues Specials are, for my money, the best repro's of the lower output blusey 50's pups. Real balance to them

    https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/blues-special/

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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