Pink Strat Body Rescue Mission

[Rockhorst]

I'm new here (long time reader of PG though), so first of all: hi to everyone!

I'm a guitarbuilding newb (again, long time reader) and as a first project I decided to get a 2nd hand body that's been rather butchered internally and see if I can turn it into something half decent. I doubt if it's ever going to become a real guitar, even if I get a nice finish on it, just knowing what is underneath might stop me from that. Some pictures first:

Why there's an extra deep slot around that center pickup rout is beyond me...Anyway, what I'm considering doing, for practice purposes:

-strip the pink

-fill the screw holes

-put in some extra wood, like the trem to hardtail tutorial on PG. Maybe also install some extra wood in the pickupcavity, not sure if that's useful though (thoughts?).

-refinish the body in a red or blue burst (the most essential skill I hope to acquire from this).

again: this is a practice project to acquire some first woodworking and finishing skills. I do hope to get some comments on what is feasible and what's not...All suggestions welcome.

[Rockhorst]

Hmmm...Yes, maybe there used to be P90s in there or something similar. Still a pity that it's a deeper rout at the edges. I forgot to say: I'm taking my time with this thing. I've got another body which is mint (and untreated) and I hope to start on that one in about 6 to 12 months, depending on the results I get with this thing. But I'll post progress pics every time I work on the pink bugger.

I've been pondering the following question for a bit already: say I want to do the trem to hardtail conversion, what would be the best way to do that on a strat rout (which is a bit different than an RG rout). I can think of about 3 or 4 different ways to do it (some requiring some extra routen), and I'm quite unsure what would be the most best way to do it.

And the stripping of the pink: I don't know what's on there, but I was thinking of checking what sandpaper can do to it and if that fails (or goes really slow) try the heat gun...

[psw]

The deeper routes along the side of the pickup cavity is for the height adjustment screws and springs of the pickups. As you will need a pickguard, there is no real need to fill it and will make it harder to get the pickguard back on. Filling the back cavity is possible, but also not necessary and prevents you from restoring the trem function should you feel the urge later. You may instead think to simply wedge the trem if it is causing trouble a-la clapton and leave it as is?

I actually like the pink in some odd way...but since you are thinking a solid burst finish I assume and will no doubt be somewhat disappointed at what you find under that paint...I'd be inclined to sand it down only enough to prep it for future coats.

pete

[Rockhorst]

I catch your drift PSW. It's more to get some experience with doing a burst and filling up a trem, for when I'd like to do something like that 'for real'. If I would build a guitar from scratch there wouldn't even be trem. I rarely use 'em. The trem bars of my commercial axes are all in some desk drawer.

For the burst it wouldn't be absolutely necessary to sand it down completely, so I'll take that under consideration!

[ae3]

DON'T STRIP THE PINK!

If you do, paint it a hotter pink.

Pink strats rule

[djhollowman]

Hello, and welcome!

Yup, I see nothing wrong with this for a project at all.

I have a pink BC Rich STIII superstrat, well, it's actually got a blue metallic flake for an interesting effect!

As for the body, I'd most likely go along with the others here and suggest not bothering to fill-in the pickup rout area - it makes for more possible pickup configuration options at a later date.

Filling up the trem rout (if you're never likely to use it) is a good option if you're considering a refinish anyway. Have you thought about the back rout? (The area where the springs are, I mean)

Where you going neck-wise? Standard strat?

DJ

[IPA or death]

Like psw said, that wood might be ugly when you strip off the pink paint. But you say that practicing for a burst finish is one of your main goals, and honestly the first guitar or two you do will likely be less than great (although some people on here have done some immaculate first guitars--bastids!).

So strip it and see what you've got. Even if the wood is ugly you can still do a burst to practice the technique. And if it looks bad, strip it again and do over. My first guitar has had four finishes already and I'm currently painting it Sonic Blue to make number five.

When you've got burst finishes figured out, get a nice piece of wood or nice pre-cut body and make a nicer guitar. Good luck and have fun.

[Rockhorst]

@djhollowman: if this will ever make it into a full guitar, I'll be going for a normal strat neck. Probably not from any of the big replacement suppliers but more likely a neck built by a local luthier.

@IPA: exactly what you say, do the burst and if it sucks do it again. I'll post some pictures of the other body I purchased up here tomorrow, as a teaser . Funny how people favour the possibility of fiddling around with pickups over filling it up. I've never been big on pickups, weird maybe because they are of course an essential interface. But they are also darn expensive 'just to try out'.