The Fatalities Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Im kinda sick of the shape of my strat and was wondering if any one has tweaked it or it can even be tweaked. Im thinking of making a sharper more evil strat design based on the BC Rich Dagger or Virgin. Ill call it the Virgincaster or Daggercaster hahahhaah. I am willing to change the pickguard shape but am worried about there not being enough tweaking space. My Design: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 You will not be able to do this. The selector switch cavity and tone pot cavity is in the area that you're planing to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fatalities Posted March 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 it should be possible to shapen the edges a little right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Everything's possible. It depends on how far you're willing to go, what tools you have available, etc. etc. You have various options --one way would be to cut out a central column from the existing body (including the neck pocket and pickup and most of the control cavities) then gluing on new wings and reshaping those. You can also do as you say, just sharpen things up a bit, keeping away from area around the existing control cavity. If you're going to do that I'd suggest spending time working up your design before attacking the guitar. Keep in mind that you're going to have to refinish the guitar either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signguy Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Everything's possible. It depends on how far you're willing to go, what tools you have available, etc. etc. You have various options --one way would be to cut out a central column from the existing body (including the neck pocket and pickup and most of the control cavities) then gluing on new wings and reshaping those. You can also do as you say, just sharpen things up a bit, keeping away from area around the existing control cavity. If you're going to do that I'd suggest spending time working up your design before attacking the guitar. Keep in mind that you're going to have to refinish the guitar either way. If you're gonna go that far, why not just build a new body and keep the old body in case you want to change it back? You won't save alot of cash re-using the existing strat body, especially if you start cutting it down and adding wings. Time won't be saved either so I can't see the logic in starting with the strat body. Just my opinion, but good luck with the project either way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Ok, I'll say it... Why would you want to? It will still sound and look like a strat afterall... And, just to be even more of a devils advocate...if this was an original design proposal, I think their would be some criticism of that shape. If you are a bit unsure, cutting the thing down retaining the bridge, tremolo, pickup and most important the neck pocket will give you a safe bet for making a new body...as Mickguard quite rightly suggested. In the end you will get something less of a comprimise in terms of shape. still...i did wackier things...semiacoustic plywood flying v anyone?! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_the_damned Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 its definatly possible....I've re-shaped a strat (slightly less extreme)....so its doable but if you want to change body shape why not just make a new body? you're doing most of the work already if you're shapping and finishing it! Robert link to a bad picture of my butchered strat: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?...5291C8DE2888091 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Pete: Was it 50 year old plywood? Robert: Not bad. I bet Mick digs that guard, too. Fatalities: You can do it, but be careful and do it right. Take a look at John Mayall's Squier: And check out that Oklahoma Blues Society shirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 It's amazing how much you can cut out of a strat if you think about it. My strat has been essentially hollowed out here...f hole, most of the under of the pickguard, large cavity behind the jack socket, and dont forget the trem cavity. In fact the inspiration was from an interview with someone who described the strat as esentially a hollowbody with the pickguard as the top. Of course, it has some effect on sustain...though with my guitar sustain is not an issue... Not sure how mayall was able to do that though. That's not the first strat he has cut down (check out some of his very early album covers), but how has he been able to do that around the single volume control without showing a huge hole in that area...must have used filler!~ pete Pete: Was it 50 year old plywood?...mine has to be over 30 y.o. ply Robert: Not bad. I bet Mick digs that guard, too...yes, and I like the jag style switching, especially the top mounted, backmount switches...this square holes are a bugger to cut out, aren't they! Oh...I guess some of my comment is really directed to the point that pointy, a metal aesthetic guitar, may be a bit wierd given the thing will still sound like a strat. Not much music for which this look is directed are associated with the 3 single coil sound, but plenty with the strat shape itself...aesthetically speaking. It's amazing that even cutting down a guitar as radically as John Mayall has, the guitar is still so instantly recognisable as a strat!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitefly SA Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 robert i love your reshaped strat. i made a guitar out of the cender solumn because i didnt have a router at the time so i couldnt route the pickups or neck. i am reshaping a "strat" right now, i filled in all the cavities as it will be front routed it wont be evil,, mor ergonomic, i was inpired by that one guys thread (cant recall his name but i remember his avatar is spinning cogs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 I didn't have any tools for my first project (well, okay, I had a screwdriver). No way I would have been able to route anything. In fact, on that first guitar, I didn't end up doing too much, a friend took over after he saw the way I was butchering it. I get credit for the design. I like that jagthang too, cool switches. But now that I have the tools, it's true, it's almost as easy making the body from scratch, more fun too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fatalities Posted March 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 ive decided to just sharpen the horns at the least and not doo much to it without having to move the cavity. i could route the input to the pickguard and use the space there. im still thinking of a design for the bottom half of the guitar, something sharp and bc rich/jackson style. @marksound - Why would John Mayall's use a Squier? wouldnt he at least use a fender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 @marksound - Why would John Mayall's use a Squier? wouldnt he at least use a fender You'd have to ask him, but I think it's probably just because they're inexpensive. Also I think I read that he cuts the bodies down so they fit in a small carry-on bag. If you don't know much about John Mayall, do a lilttle research. This guy has "trained" some of the best and best known musicians to come out of the UK in the last 40 years, yet still manages to stay just under the radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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