Heartocaster

[Dadovfor]

After the evil, pointy guitar that son #3 and I did for our first build (see my profile pic at left) this build with my daughter was aiming for a more traditional build but with some "Rock Chick" elements.

We went with Pru's favourite colour, and then aded some interesting additions to it ... the logos that we designed in the same style that she likes to write her name, the heart shaped monkey grip and volume knob, etc. I think we've achieved something that she loves now, but that she'll be proud of for some years yet.

The specs:

Agathis string through body

Maple neck and fretboard

25.5" scale

Single Wilkinson 9k bridge humbucker

Tune-o-matic bridge

Wilkinson 6 in line tuners ... 5 chrome / 1 black

DiMarzio 500k volume pot with heart shaped control (carved from Agathis)

Heart shaped monkey grip

The headstock with heart influence and Pru's logo

Front shot

Appreciate your feedback.

[-martin-]

Very nice

Are the graphichs drawn/airbrushed or dekals?

[psw]

I like it a lot...of course my new guitar is blue too...see left

I like some of the whimsy that seems to be creeping in lately...and that people are prepared to go with painted finishes too...

I love some nice grained wood, don't get me wrong...but a little variety is a good thing.

Also love the simplicity of the thing, single pickup and volume...what more could you want!

I am sure it will be treasured...good on'ya

pete

[Dadovfor]

Thanks -martin- ... the graphics are water slide decals. I did the design in Paint Shop Pro and then printed them on a colour laser printer.

And thanks too pete ... Pru recently turned 11, so clean lines, simplicity, a little whimsy, and some graphics with a bit of a grunge feel seemed like the right mix.

[Traveler]

lovely guitar.....any significance with the blacksheep tuner? very clean and simple design esp with the bridge detail.

I spent a week in Sydney at the St. James hotel while on my way up the coast in 05, great view from ON TOP of the bridge.

[soapbarstrat]

I thought I was totally sick of how single bucker rear-rout strats look, but you got something there with that color, and how you made the maple neck look so appropriate by using that cream pickup ring.

[Dadovfor]

lovely guitar.....any significance with the blacksheep tuner? very clean and simple design esp with the bridge detail.

I spent a week in Sydney at the St. James hotel while on my way up the coast in 05, great view from ON TOP of the bridge.

Don't ask me how ... but I lost a tuner. I was going to replace it with a chrome one but the little black sheep seemed like an interesting idea and I think it works.

And yeah ... Bridge Climb is one of those things you've got to tick off the list when you're in Sydney. My office overlooks Sydney Harbour, and we Sydney-siders tend to take it for granted ... but the twilight climb which starts in daylight and ends at night with the lights of the City is spectacular. Pru did that one a couple of months back with her big brothers and had a ball.

I thought I was totally sick of how single bucker rear-rout strats look, but you got something there with that color, and how you made the maple neck look so appropriate by using that cream pickup ring.

I was going for clean lines and simplicity, and so I toyed with a chrome pick up ring or spraying the ring the same blue as the body. But the tie in with the maple neck worked well so I left it. If I'd described all the elements up front (blue body, cream pickup ring, black dot markers, contrasting graphic, black sheep tuner) it would have sounded way too busy. But I'm pleased with the way it balances out ... it evolved quite nicely.

And the sound is good too (to my untrained, unplaying ear) although I might muck around with the set up / intonation this arvo if time permits.

Thanks for the positive words!!

[Xanthus]

Man, this is great! I'd have nix'd the monkey grip, but it's just me. Those little touches, the decals and knobs, make this more than just a blue Strat. It's so simple and it REALLY works.

What's the choice in an Agathis body? You don't see much of that wood anywhere.

[Dadovfor]

Thanks Xanthus ...

What's the choice in an Agathis body? You don't see much of that wood anywhere.

I got it from Gilet Guitars in Sydney ... they bought up a whole bunch of agathis blanks ... I'm told, from a business in Indonesia or the Philipines that went under. They're all glued up from 3 to 5 pieces with just enough room for the body and upper horn. Here is the piece that this build started from.

I bought a few agathis blanks (as well as an over-sized piece of mahogany). I cut up and glued another of the blanks and we've pretty well finished the body on an Alexi Laiho style Rhoads for son #2. We were actually half way through shaping a Rhoads when I realised I'd made a template from a picture of the older Jackson RR1 Rhoads . So I put that aside ... started again ... and I'll turn the mistake into something else one day.

I found the agathis easy enough to work with and the result with the Heartocaster is a light, comfortable guitar with a nice sound .

[GGW]

Very nice job. I like the shade of blue you used as it looks next to the maple. Nice details.