alan mc Posted January 25, 2007 Report Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) I got this Strat the other day, http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j235/alsfotos/DSCF0098.jpg http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j235/als.../newguitar2.jpg http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j235/als.../newguitar2.jpg http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j235/alsfotos/DSCF0104.jpg I only wanted the neck really, it just looked so nice and i always wanted a nice glossy maple neck for my other strat which i kinda went to town with chaning and customising around... http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j235/als...customstrat.jpg -righty trem stuck in the tremolo -autographed headstock -name on the headstock... used a penknife to get the brand name off -cut a hole int he bridge for the humbucker... with a penknife -personalised artwork on the plate... randomly with a marker -pups i has in an old guitar and some i found ina friends shed -hand scalloped neck which took forever in very unorthadox ways... I was originally going to just change the neck but i bought the body too so ill start a whole new project on the new strat and do a Jimi hendirx on it So i got a few Q's about it, First off ima leftie so im converting it to be comfortably playable lefthanded.. with a HSH configuration Questions Q.1 Im going to get a lefty trem for it, Is there any mods i need to make to the cavity for it? Ill have to fill the holes where the previous righty trem screws were and edit the plate a bit, But will it will be possible to put the lety trem in and working fully? Q.2 The output jack, i was going to route a hole in the bottom of the guitar (near the bridge pin) for a new output for the jack, its awkward now the way where it is, i got a plastic les paul jack plate for it so i can just put that over it or even use the original... Q.3 Volume and tone controls: i was thinkin about moving 1 volume and 1 tone to just under the bridge pup (scrapping the extra tone controll) but will the lefty tremolo bar get in the way also adding a killswitch but not sure where to put it as of yet and the Pickup switch, also under one of the pups... Q.4 the old hole where the output jack plate was, any ideas what to put in place of it? or jsut to leave it blank since whatevers there might get in the way.. Q.5 the nut, how do u get it off!? and what nuts are the best for strats with frequent bending and whammy bar abuse... graphite is what seems to be the one.. for it but i was also looking at a tusq nut Q.6 the best tool for routing a swimming pool cavity under the plate? its only routed for single coils t the moment theres a lil bita wood int he way... oh and one more lil q... there's a lil bow in the neck i forget which way u turn it to straighten it up, which was is which again? That's pretty much all i can think of, im going to get a few things on stewmac for it, i.e the trems, nuts, screws jackplate, new knobs etc, anytihng else? just thought id post here to see first Edited January 25, 2007 by alan mc Quote
westhemann Posted January 25, 2007 Report Posted January 25, 2007 you are breaking jjust about every forum rule we have with that post #1...convert all of those images except the first one into links...#2take the image and the link out of your sig #3...read the rules in the announcements section.. take care of it on your own or me or one of the other modfs will do it ourselves...i am going to fix the images right now...if you don't change your sig before i get back on,i will do that too Quote
alan mc Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Posted January 25, 2007 there, done, fanito, fixed... lovely!....... but is any answers to the questions? Quote
Desopolis Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 Im going to try and help you the best I can, being a lefty strat player, and a hobbyist, I'm going to do my best. First off, your tremolo is a standard left handed one. I think your talking about the wammy bar itself. whats the double sided tape or whatever on the headstock? and when you say you cut a hole in the bridge do you mean the pickguard? as far as comfort goes, you wont have the usual arm rest on the side, it will be more like a Telecaster. But with the bridge a bit further away. a Similar feel to the LP you have(Nice BTW lets see more pics) why HSH? ever look into the compact stuff by SD? My strat uses the duckbucker humbucker and a set of high gain hotrails.. Killer.. anyway Questions Q.1 Your Tremolo can use the same 6 mounting points as the vintage trem you have, but the offset for the bar will have to be widened( notice the trem pocket is slightly wider to accompany the bar, but the sadles are still centered with the mounting screws.) a simple router will do this, but you will see the gap on the other side. Personally, the reason SRV did the same swap was because he and Jimi wanted the bar to fall over the bridge(well, Jimi HAD to have it like that). So id just leave it.. It looks more Jimi anyway. Q.2 Understandable, whenever I play upside down strats I notice the cord rubbing my arm and annoying me. to do what your saying you'll need a long drill bit to get to one of the cavitys(the existing jack cavity being the closest) and it would be a impressive mod to say the least. Q.3 Volume and tone controls: I dont see why the bar would get in the way, unless you mean simpy using a lefty bar on the right handed trem, it would be in the way as much as it is on yours.. but thats only if you tighten it and not let it sit flat. when you said tremolo earlyer, did you just mean the bar? as far as a kill switch, a simple push pull pot can be wired for that. Q.4 asuming your repainting the body(witch with routing for the trem pocket, if thats indead what you ment, would almost be required) otherwise, I think Id just leave it.. nothing else would look right.. Q.5 a hammer.. seriously.. its possible its glued on and there are a few things, like heat or whatever, but im not versed enough in that, mine came off with a good wack to a flat head. Q.6 a router, obviously witch way is the bow? for mine I turned it clockwise when the action was to high.. why do you need new knobs? and dont forget your going to need to drill a new spot for the strap button.. otherwise it will flip over on you while playing(at least that what they do for me!) Quote
biliousfrog Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 I found your post quite confusing, some of the names that you've given things seem wrong which isn't helping eg. "The output jack, i was going to route a hole in the bottom of the guitar (near the bridge pin) for a new output for the jack" Do you mean near the lower strap button?...a bridge pin is usually used on an acoustic bridge to hold the string. I don't want to appear pedantic but it's difficult to answer if the question isn't very clear. What exactly are you trying to do? From what I can tell, you've got a right handed strat & you want to fit a lefty trem, move the controls to the opposite side & move the output jack to near the strap button?...is that correct? If so, I'm finding it very hard to work out why. If you want to do a "Hendrix" then leave it as-is, if it's too uncomfortable then make or buy a lefty body. If you move the controls to the opposite side you'll need to either mount them on a scratch plate or fit them from the rear...if it's a scratchplate then are you modifying a lefty one on or making a custom one?...& what are you going to do with the existing cavity? Desopolis has had a good stab at answering the questions, you might get some more responses if we can work out exactly what you're trying to achieve. truss rods, like most threads...RIGHTY TIGHTY - LEFTY LOOSEY Quote
alan mc Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Posted January 26, 2007 (edited) yeah i know suck at explaining things, sry =/ it took ages to type all that! Yes thats what i meant to route the output jack near the lower strap button not bridge pin, i dont know what iw as talking about there! but yes u got it right From what I can tell, you've got a right handed strat & you want to fit a lefty trem, move the controls to the opposite side & move the output jack to near the strap button?...is that correct? bingo and i was jsut talking about the body itself in general being backwards liek hendrix... as a joke! In reply to Desopolis.. yes its a left handed trem with a righty whammy bar stuck in it - It's velcro on the headstock - and yup i cut a hole in the scratchplate to fit the humbucker in, it was originaly SSS Ok the new gutiar... the feel doesnt bother me im sure ill adapt fine to it! it'll be fine to play im sure.. and the pups i just have 2 humbukers and a single coil lying around so i said id fit that in, im not spending much $$ at all on this i hear dof the single coil humbuckers alright but **** it, i got the pups already! Yeah i see how the trem will work ive to make a lil bita space to acomadate for the new lefty tremolo bar, gotcha. the lil original hole wont bother me to be honest, whatever way it ends up lookin, so be it. ive no idea what its gona look like but i need the lefty trem Why will it be impressive to re-reoute the outputjack!? ill figure it out to get a wire to the right place im going to put the strap pin on the other side then try it out and judge the most practical and comfortable way play it and figure out the best place for relocating the knobs and pickup switch. No repainting, F that and the new knobs, why not! and the bow... the neck is "inward" if u get me... i.e at the 12th fret or so the action is higher than it is at the 21st or 1st fret So turn it a 1/4 turn clockwise... and wait a few hours? Oh and heres my lespaul... http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j235/als...mylespaul-1.jpg Ill post pics of all my gutiars if u wana.. Edited January 26, 2007 by alan mc Quote
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