Jump to content

Strat build, vintage finish, alternate wiring


Recommended Posts

There are no diagrams to follow exept the images in my mind, so I'll just post the process and write down the materials used as we move along....

First a nice big  peice of Korina, no need to joint it, just draw the Strat shape untop

image_109.jpeg

Rough cut with a Jigsaw

image_110.jpeg

Used a template to rout out the basic shape

image_111.jpeg

Thanks for watching,

-Raxz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 2,

Preparing the neck, took 1 peice of maple, one peice of Caobilla.

First step was planing out the faces, just took photos of one blank (same process for both). To hold it down I used masking tape, on both table and blank, and placed crazy glue inbetween.

image_112.jpeg

Then used a Stanley Wood Plane #5

image_113.jpeg

An MDF jig is used to plan out the angle for the scarf joint..

image_114.jpeg

First Wood Plane then sand paper.

image_115.jpeg

Once the Neck is done I  thined out the Head Stock to 1.5 mm, I'd rather do this now than after glueing.

image_116.jpeg

Today I tried a new method to keep the scarf joint from slipping when glueing. I drew out the neck & head stock and outside of the line and placed some screws, since this area will be cut away.

image_117.jpeg

Using screws was wrong! Luckilly I realised it before glueing; use NAILS not screws, this will work better with the clamps. No pic, but that's what I did..

image_118.jpeg

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/2/2016 at 10:01 AM, ScottR said:

I drilled pilot holes for screws, then glued up, then used the screws to add clamping pressure. I've done the nail thing too.....not sure that it's not better.

SR

I preffered the nails because I put them first to prevent the wood from slipping. I saw that a screw will prevent the clamp from adding pressure while the nail will let the clamp do its work.

However adding the screws after the clamps, as you mentioned, seems like a great idea. 

Today, day 3 of the build (alas, they were not consecutive) I cut out the fret slots and glued the fretboard and neck together. Once again nails inside the first and last frets to prevent any slipping.

Pic of using a mitter & japanese saw

image_119.jpeg

cutting out the trussrod slot with a desk router

image_120.jpeg

I spread silicon on the trussrod (not on the neck, I tried that once, because then the rod wouldn,t fit), and hammered it in. nice and tight. 

image_121.jpeg

Clamped the fretboard on, with Titebond, ofcourse.

image_122.jpeg

Thanks for watching!

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 4

Today I worked a bit on the body.

First I thinned it out a bit with the router

image_128.jpeg

Then I used the good ol hand plane to clean out any bit marks

image_127.jpeg

Used a round over bit

image_130.jpeg

A small hand plane and Dragon File to do the arm rest

image_131.jpeg

For the belly cut I used a chisel, file and sanding paper

image_132.jpeg

image_133.jpeg

image_134.jpeg

Thanks for looking,

-Raxz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Guitaraxz
missed a pic
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They sell it right here in Puebla Mexico, I hope to have the right translation into English, it's called "Caoba Blanca" scientifically Swietenia  Macrophylla. The so called "Honduras Mahogany" grows all of central america including the lower states of Mexico. At least that's what the wood shop tells me, haha!

I didn't get to see the real tree, just the wood cuts, but I can describe it. Soft, much lighter than dark Mahogany, smelly when you sand it. A kind of stable smell but sweet, I like it but my wife hates it, it is said to be used for some perfumes in Peru. The light shines diferently on it when you turn it, I mean that as you chenge the angle certain shimers of light apear and disapear. 

-Raxz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day's 5 & 6

Started with the headstock, first I put on the rollernut to measue where the strings will go, and drilled the tuner holes.

image_135.jpeg

Drew up the headstock and started rough cutting

image_136.jpeg

image_137.jpeg

Put on a Fender neck template & went on with the router

image_138.jpeg

image_139.jpeg

I went too fast since I wish to finish it by the 12th of March (I don't think this will happen) and got a nasty tearout

image_140.jpeg

So I lost time and had to cut it out with a Dremel

image_141.jpeg

Glued on a peice of wood

image_142.jpeg

And cut it in to shape

image_143.jpeg

A whole day lost because I rushed! dumb dumb dumb.......

-Raxz

 

 

 

Edited by Guitaraxz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 26 de febrero de 2016 at 11:13 AM, killemall8 said:

Ive found its a lot easier to cut the headstock shape and neck taper before you glue the fretboard on. Then glue it on full sized and trim it to the neck taper. That way the fretboard isnt in the way when you try to rout the headstock to shape.

Thankyou Killenall8! I'll try that on the next guitar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Well......counting how many days it takes to make a strat has gone to hell. I only had time to work in bits & peices, lets say a week.

Drilled in the fretboard holes & glued the dots in

image_147.jpeg

Drilled in the side dots, just marked the spot with a punch and free handed them in, it worked fine.

image_172.jpeg

Made sure the fret slots were deep enough

image_157.jpeg

made the top surface a little wider to accept where the fret tang joins the fret itself

image_158.jpeg

curved the fret wire

image_156.jpeg

Hammered em in

image_156.jpeg

And filed the fret end down to par.

image_162.jpeg

 

Thanks for watching!

-Raxz

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well......counting how many days it takes to make a strat has gone to hell. I only had time to work in bits & peices, lets say a week.

Drilled in the fretboard holes & glued the dots in

image_147.jpeg

Drilled in the side dots, just marked the spot with a punch and free handed them in, it worked fine.

image_172.jpeg

Made sure the fret slots were deep enough

image_157.jpeg

made the top surface a little wider to accept where the fret tang joins the fret itself

image_158.jpeg

curved the fret wire

image_156.jpeg

Hammered em in

image_156.jpeg

And filed the fret end down to par.

image_162.jpeg

 

Thanks for watching!

-Raxz

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Been a long time since I worked on this guitar, so day counting is worthless.

Cut out a pool for the pickups and made sure they fit

image_225.jpeg

First I drilled the holes for the neck and then used this modded bit (I used a file to make the tip thinner, this way It sits centered right into the hole to cut out a fit for the washers).

image_223.jpeg

Perfect fit

image_224.jpeg

Cut out a seccion in the back for the Jack

image_221.jpeg

Made a wider hole for the tuners to fit in

image_222.jpeg

image_220.jpeg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...