Birth of a Black Strat

hollywoodrox

Crikey that’s a looker isn’t it, new neck looks cool too .well done 

WezV

ICBM said:

The lack of finish in the body routs looks totally weird to me - I've seen it on quite a few recent guitars. Do they really finish the bodies before they rout them, or do they go to a lot of trouble to mask the cavities (and if so, why)?

It makes finishing easier, particularly levelling/buffing.

Ive seem more doing it in recent years but known some do it for decades, it's an easier process when using cnc 

Edit:  a vid from Frank Brothers on the topic
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBbgEHeJkC2/?igsh=MTkxM2hjcHk0NTBmeg==

stickyfiddle

Colour is slowly building up on the neck. I messed up the 3rd coat of tinted oil so had to knock it back and go again. 

This is much better. I'm only doing 2 a day partly as I've been busy. 

I'll be in the right place on colour tomorrow I reckon, then a couple more clear coats and let it dry for as long as I can bear - two weeks easily.

(again the inconsistency around the 1st fret is huge streaks of flame, not lumpy tinting!)

stickyfiddle

Neck update! 

Pre-final inspection of colour and micromeshing before it gets the last 2 coats of “clear” truoil. 

I’m happy with the colour. It’s not as dark as my Golden Eta neck on my old green Strat, but feels about right at this point, which is to say “not like a new one” more than anything. It’s also bitchingly difficult to get good colour recreate with iPhone photos, but these aren’t far off. 

I expect it will darken a little over time, so we’ll be in a good place I think. Any darker now might cause trouble later on.

And it feels great already. This is 2 clear coats; 4 tinted and knocked back before 2 more clear. 

fretmeister

Do you have a link for the tint please?

stickyfiddle

@fretmeister i got it on Amazon via their international shipping 

https://www.amazon.com/TransTint-Dyes-Honey-Amber/dp/B001DSZ4MM 

Not sure if that works in the uk

stickyfiddle

Last coats of clear went on late on Wednesday and it's now hanging in my storage room while I'm away for the next 10 days. 

Annoying I got a small run on the front of the headstock that I didn't mop up when it was wet but it's small enough I should 

And the plastics have just shipped, so I should be in a position to get it built up pretty soon after I'm back

ICBM

stickyfiddle said:

 

That's a beautifully, perfectly correct head shape.

It probably contravenes the licencing agreement, since it's not an exact copy of most of the ugly bodges Fender have used in the last fifty years .

stickyfiddle

ICBM said:

stickyfiddle said:

 

That's a beautifully, perfectly correct head shape.

It probably contravenes the licencing agreement, since it's not an exact copy of most of the ugly bodges Fender have used in the last fifty years .

Yes 100%! 

This is why I jumped on these for this build - as far as I know Musikraft’s 59 spec is the only one available with the right headstock and custom options. 

Allparts also get it just about right, but they only give a couple of basically profile/radius/fret size combinations 

And with everything happening right now I may order a spare just in case they have to stop! 

stickyfiddle

Bit of an update. We have strings on! 

I’m trying the Lollar Special blonde set (2x blondes and a Soeicla, obvs) but struggling to get maximum quack from position 2&4 that on used to from my Rio Grandes. I need to get this plugged into some pedals and see how it compares when directly ABed. If not 100% happy I’m gonna get smother set of the Rio’s. 

Anyway, I’m pretty happy with the body - it’s a Fender road worn. The finish is a smidge waxy on its top surface. I bought it used so possible the first owner has waxed it. It was basically pristine when it arrived but it dings up nicely  

I still want to get a greener guard. I’m waiting on an email from Spitfire… 

When that’s sorted I’ll probably knock the body finish back a little bit. 

Neck is good though. No pics yet but it feels lovely and by oil finish is a good enough colour. I’m tempted to put a tiny bit more amber on the face, but not in a hurry there and quite likely will just get distracted playing it rather than wanting to stop for a fortnight. 

stickyfiddle

I plugged it in today while doing some gig prep with the rest of my kit. 

I think it’s going to be fine  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YXSEt770a4 

fretmeister

Did you grind down the knob edges yourself or buy them like that?

fretmeister

Also - what reverb are you using in that vid? That's very nice.

stickyfiddle

fretmeister said:

Did you grind down the knob edges yourself or buy them like that?

Knobs are from Realistic relics. 

They took the edges off a bit and then I went nuts on top of their work. I also did the pickup covers very heavily. Micromesh pack from Stewmac  

No reverb really on that - the amp reverb was on 9 o’clock but it’s not a mega great reverb. Otherwise it was delay from just the Simple Delay in HX stomp and ambience from my living room!

fretmeister

ah - for some reason I thought the amp didn't have reverb.

stickyfiddle

I don’t buy amps without reverb. 

I’m genuinely considering sell a Carr that sounds brilliant but doesn’t have reverb and the new Skylark Special does…  

fretmeister

Nice.

If I could convince my kids to move out and take all their shit with them then I reckon my living room might have a nice natural reverb!

I suspect they won't be going anywhere for a few years yet though  

stickyfiddle

Listening back again this morning that's almost entirely just delay. Quite a lot of feedback, mix around 30% 

A smidge of ambience from the rest (including the trem springs )