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C18Q1 1956 Stratocaster

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  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1666
    edited February 2018



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  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1666
    edited February 2018
    On return from a short business trip I was greeted by a box from the Music Store containing a lovely alder 2 tone sunburst strat body from Göldo. I've finished the wiring and attached the bridge.

    https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/27913061_10155356374830838_4758525611494348394_o.jpg?oh=0cc8f15af84818a7efe5c9414a48ef90&oe=5B140B20

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  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1666
    edited February 2018
  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    edited February 2018
    Looks great!... cracking job!!!!!

    a plek will sort out the buzz  http://guitar-repairs.ch/ Nearest to Austria!.
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  • poopot said:

    a plek will sort out the buzz  http://guitar-repairs.ch/ Nearest to Austria!.
    Coincidentally I have the same problem that you had with the neck fit on your swampy strat. I reckon I need to shave about 2mm (or almost 0.08 inch) to get the neck in the same place as my black strat.
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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    edited February 2018
    poopot said:

    a plek will sort out the buzz  http://guitar-repairs.ch/ Nearest to Austria!.
    Coincidentally I have the same problem that you had with the neck fit on your swampy strat. I reckon I need to shave about 2mm (or almost 0.08 inch) to get the neck in the same place as my black strat.
    Ok... follow the measurements in the following pic... I took my neck down and made the pocket deeper to hit the 1962 spec.

    http://a63.tinypic.com/21cy2rm.jpg

    Played really well after that, the plek was just the icing on the cake!...
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  • randellarandella Frets: 4086
    edited February 2018
    Whilst I like reliced guitars, and I certainly like beaten up old ones, such is the market saturation at the moment that it was a genuine surprise to see that flawless body. Fantastic-looking thing, the gloss has a superb lustre to it.

    With shops holding racks of Strats that look like they’ve been on tour with Lynrd Skynrd since the 70’s, it’s been a pleasure to watch this. 

    Good work.
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  • poopot said:

    Ok... follow the measurements in the following pic... I took my neck down and made the pocket deeper to hit the 1962 spec.

    http://a63.tinypic.com/21cy2rm.jpg

    Played really well after that, the plek was just the icing on the cake!...
    For the neck to be in the right place, the numbers for the 1962 Strat suggest that the neck thickness less pocket depth should be around .305 inch.

    My numbers are 1.028 - .644 = .384, which is .084 inch too much - or pretty much exactly the 2mm I planned to lose. But before attacking my pretty guitar with a router, it is good to have confirmation that my plan appears to be sound.

    As I have a slightly thicker neck, I'll take the pocket rout down to .644 + .84 = .728


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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    poopot said:

    Ok... follow the measurements in the following pic... I took my neck down and made the pocket deeper to hit the 1962 spec.

    http://a63.tinypic.com/21cy2rm.jpg

    Played really well after that, the plek was just the icing on the cake!...
    For the neck to be in the right place, the numbers for the 1962 Strat suggest that the neck thickness less pocket depth should be around .305 inch.

    My numbers are 1.028 - .644 = .384, which is .084 inch too much - or pretty much exactly the 2mm I planned to lose. But before attacking my pretty guitar with a router, it is good to have confirmation that my plan appears to be sound.

    As I have a slightly thicker neck, I'll take the pocket rout down to .644 + .84 = .728


    If you take the pocket down that far and in the future replace the neck you could end up with the opposite of what you have now... a neck that sits too low...

    I would take the neck down to the kubiki spec first. Then a little out of the pocket....

    was slightly easier for me as the neck just needed a quick blow over with some clear after machining... totally get that your neck is finished in tinted poly and could be a ball ache to match up tho’
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  • I took the pocket down to full depth for the neck (I have no plans to change the neck). It's now almost perfect - just need to sand the pocket slightly (or maybe use a thin shim) and it will be good to go.

    I thought I'd set it up before dismatling it again to see how it played and sounded - but couldn't set the intonation as the bridge position is not accurate.

    https://scontent-vie1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/27908079_10155371616170838_4795901856659063953_o.jpg?oh=bc8b8b507c8be811b2ef79a73ee98b1d&oe=5B269BE8

    I had spotted the gap but thought it more likely that the scratchplate was cut incorrectly than the bridge rout was wrong - unfortunately not the case. Bother!

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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    Oh no!!!!!

    are you positive the bridge is pissed? Is the front edge square to the front of the neck pocket? 
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  • poopot said:
    Oh no!!!!!

    are you positive the bridge is pissed? Is the front edge square to the front of the neck pocket? 
    I'll have to take the bridge off to confirm that, but measuring from the nut to the 12th fret, then from the 12th fret to the bridge shows that the bridge is in the wrong place. As you can see in the picture the saddles are advanced as far as possible, but the intonation is still out (requires the saddles further towards the neck).
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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    edited February 2018
    poopot said:
    Oh no!!!!!

    are you positive the bridge is pissed? Is the front edge square to the front of the neck pocket? 
    I'll have to take the bridge off to confirm that, but measuring from the nut to the 12th fret, then from the 12th fret to the bridge shows that the bridge is in the wrong place. As you can see in the picture the saddles are advanced as far as possible, but the intonation is still out (requires the saddles further towards the neck).
    Were the bridge mounting holes already drilled when you got the body?

    Also, no need to take the bridge off... I meant is the front edge of the bridge square to the neck? 
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  • Looks great. Nice work !
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  • poopot said:
    Were the bridge mounting holes already drilled when you got the body?

    Also, no need to take the bridge off... I meant is the front edge of the bridge square to the neck? 
    Yes, holes were drilled. Bridge is not square to the neck - bridge should be snug against the scratchplate.
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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    poopot said:
    Were the bridge mounting holes already drilled when you got the body?

    Also, no need to take the bridge off... I meant is the front edge of the bridge square to the neck? 
    Yes, holes were drilled. Bridge is not square to the neck - bridge should be snug against the scratchplate.
    I would take the scratchplate off compleatly and then sort the geometry first... scratchplate could still be wrong...

    If the strings are tuned to pitch, is the fretted note at the 12th sharp or flat?

    Also with the scratchplate off you can see if the bridge is square to the neck... I can’t imaging a commercially sold body would be that wrong.

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  • @poopot said:
    If the strings are tuned to pitch, is the fretted note at the 12th sharp or flat?
    I can get the wound strings to correct intonation, but not the others. They are flat, even with the saddles as extended as possible.

    I've taken measurements from my black Strat and this one. On this guitar, for these measurements the saddles are as close to the neck as possible. The black Strat is correctly intonated.

    Guitar           Nut to 12th fret          12th fret to bridge (e)           (E)

    Black                  32.3                                    32.3                     32.8
    this guitar           32.4                                    32.8                     32.5

    The straight edge of the scratchplate under the strings appears to be correct.

    By the way, thanks for asking these questions - it makes me go back and check that I haven't screwed up!

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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    @poopot said:
    If the strings are tuned to pitch, is the fretted note at the 12th sharp or flat?
    I can get the wound strings to correct intonation, but not the others. They are flat, even with the saddles as extended as possible.

    I've taken measurements from my black Strat and this one. On this guitar, for these measurements the saddles are as close to the neck as possible. The black Strat is correctly intonated.

    Guitar           Nut to 12th fret          12th fret to bridge (e)           (E)

    Black                  32.3                                    32.3                     32.8
    this guitar           32.4                                    32.8                     32.5

    The straight edge of the scratchplate under the strings appears to be correct.

    By the way, thanks for asking these questions - it makes me go back and check that I haven't screwed up!

    It’s not that far off... take the scratchplate off and post a pic of the guitar without it on...
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  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1666
    edited February 2018
    No time to take scratchplate off today. But a couple of other measurements. From the nut to the edge of the bridge...

    along the high e string: 64.25
    along the low E string: 64.15


    On my black Strat these measurements are 63.65 for both strings.
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  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    edited February 2018
    Ok, just measured swampy which is now perfectly square and sorted.

    from the 12th fret (peak of crown/middle of fret) is 31.3mm to the front edge of the bridge.

    http://a63.tinypic.com/jzwitf.jpg

    Your measurements above suggest a few possibilities.
    1) bridge is mounted too far away from nut.
    2) bridge is slightly wonky
    3) neck is not sitting in the pocket correctly.
    4) neck pocket is not long enough.

    if you take the scratchplate off you will be able to see where exactly the problem is.

    There could be something in the pocket that is preventing the neck sitting in the right place, the scratchplate could be preventing the neck sitting in the right place, bridge may be out of line under the screws or the bridge could really be wonky.

    measure from the front edge of the neck pocket to the screws mounting the bridge...

    the below pic is from the end of my neck/edge of pocket to the bridge.

    http://a65.tinypic.com/23j0jg4.jpg

    the key measurement is neck pocket to screw holes!... your bridge is not the same as mine which looks to have a bit more of the base plate extending past the screws towards the neck.

    Get it it all lined up without the scratchplate on (if you can).
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