Making Vh1 Franky From Strat

[Fowl2338]

Hello all,

Please forgive me if this has been covered in the past, but I had some trouble finding anything that was completely relevant to my situation, so consequently I'm starting my own thread.

I have a Squier Affinity Strat that I want to turn into a VH1 clone.

I need serious help/tips on how to go about this.

First: Pickups. How should I go about drilling/cutting out the bridge cavity to fit the humbucker?

Second: Should I fill in the other 2 cavities, or just leave them alone?

Third: I don't know if I wanna buy another neck just yet (maybe), but I do know I wanna switch out the tuners. Schallers anyone?

Fourth: Tremolo. Guess I'll just leave it the same, unless you all unanimously agree I should purchase a vintage Fender one or a Floyd.

Lastly: Anything else I should be concerned with when starting this? ALL INFO APPRECIATED. Don't wanna f* this up.

Guess as I get started and make progress, I'll ask more questions. But I believe this should do it for now.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Fowl2338

[westhemann]

Umm...I think all of the answers to your questions could be taken from a picture of the frankenstein strat...

That is a Floyd...the rest is just a matter of taking your strat and making it look like that...

[psw]

There are a lot of threads here on this kind of guitar as well as the pin striping, etc.

It depends a lot on the strat and what you want to do with it, how close you want it to be to this original or just something that has the look and vibe of it.

If you take apart most cheap strats (at least in my experience, don't know about yours) they have a "bathtub route" in there for any kind of pickups...not like this for three single coils.

The bridge and the necks may not be compatible, so changing out to a more genuine fender or similar neck does not mean it will necessarily fit in the neck pocket...guitars aren't lego (although, that's an interesting idea, lego guitar anyone?)

But hey, go crazy with the paint job and have fun, cig burns optional of course!

pete

[Tim37]

do a google search i remember ending up on a site a while back that had a very detailed cloning of that guitar down to the proper way to drill the wholes in the proper year quarter.

and Pete is right some of those squires had a bathtub or HSH routing i think my mim has a HSS but not sure any way just hit ebay or what ever you prefer and pick up a body

just did a quick ebay search and found this

ebay btw no affilation just the fist think i found

[Six String Theory]

I don't think it's really possible to do a Frankenstein without the floyd. In my opinion that is a must.

[westhemann]

Well it definately ain't gonna SOUND like frankenstein without the floyd...and no way will you ever be able to play EVH leads without a damn good trem like a floyd,schaller,or kahler...

But yeah...Floyd all the way...

[Fowl2338]

I'm going for the 1st album model. (Although I may go with the "Unchained" paint scheme.

This was pulled from one of Ed Roman's articles:

"Obviously the guitar best well known for this album is the original Black and White Frankenstrat. This heavily valued guitar started out life as a $130.00, factory second, fire wood, neck and body which Eddie bought from a company called Boogie Bodies. He took it home and immediately sprayed it black with a can of Schwinn bicycle paint. He also made a pickguard for it. Eddie loved the sound of an old PAF. humbucker, so he chiseled a hunk of wood out of the body so the pickup could fit. He also liked the strat tremolo but had trouble keeping it in tune. He installed a brass nut, had to keep it lubricated, and turned the ball end of the string in sync with the turning of the machine head as he tuned the instrument. The guitar ended up getting the stripe pattern as he masked off the guitar and sprayed white, keeping only what he wanted to be black."

Pulled from another artilce:

"For future guitars, Edward would mount his pickups directly to the inside body of the instrument, his feeling being that the pickups would work as "one" with his guitars and therefore sustain would be increased."

Inside his guitars, Edward bypassed all tone controls and wired his pickups with only one volume control, valued at 500K Ohms."

I only want one pickup (humbucker) in the bridge position. My strat is SSS--reason i have to do some body cutting. You think it should be no problem re-wiring it with the humbucker?

And keep in mind, I want to do it just like he did it--wired with only one volume control. That should be simple, right?

And back to the other cavities (mid and neck), should I fill them in, or just leave 'em, since I'll be putting the black pickguard over it?

Edited March 4, 2009 by Fowl2338

[psw]

Well, assuming it isn't a bathtub route (a big hole under the pickguard instead of the individual routes) you will need to make space for an HB. Wiring will be easy. He attached the pickup directly to the wood possibly with some foam "spring" under it to adjust the height.

Be aware that while Eddie made his guitar look like crap...it is in fact a highly tuned performance machine and a lot of what you might be reading is some folklore. For instance, yes it was made with parts...but these are quality charvel neck and body and the floyd is no cheap knockoff piece of gear either.

It was part of his "shtick" to make it look like he was using crappy tools to heighten the appearance (at least in part) that it was just any old crappy no name guitar...in fact, it was never the case.

Others can comment on Ed Roman's opinions on stuff, but not a reliable source.

Things like his tinkering with the nut and lubes were true I am sure, this guitar evolved...but there is a lot of mythology and mojo surrounding this guitar. The guitar and his playing style caused the development of the fully locking floyd as a solution to a lot of the problems he was initially having.

There is a lot about the pickup...apparently half broken and taken directly from his 335. Prior to this guitar, he was using a 335 but the band didn't feel it fitted with their image....and so this guitar was born.

In short...you can paint up a strat to give some of the look and vibe no problem....but that doesn't mean it will play like the real thing. $130 in parts back then (he went to the actual factory to get them personally and no doubt got a discount) is a lot more now...check out charvels prices to see what an equivalent neck and body would cost now...or check out the replicas of this guitar are selling for to see perhaps the true costs or "value" that this guitar has.

I am saying this to avoid unrealistic expectations or further disappointment down the track if you were to try and upgrade a neck say onely to find it doesn't fit!

But, for starters, the look and the vibe is probably enough and as wes says, the posted pic provides all the information necessary really!

pete

[zeppelinchld]

here is my unfinished attempt

[ae3]

guitars aren't lego (although, that's an interesting idea, lego guitar anyone?)

Oooooo I want to try that, I love lego and Star Wars and guitars so

that would suit me quite well.

[Exoticwood]

I am not an expert on frankenstruts, but~ there is a really great U-tube video of Paul Unkert at NAMM describing in detail the Kramer versions which he hand made for Eddie. The bodies were poplar because they resonated the way Eddie liked. Also the necks were carved thin to Ed's liking.

I am lucky to be friends with a group of people who get together and play and Paul is part of that group. He's a great guy and sells his own brand of guitars that are not strat types but he puts into use the lessons learned from 30 some odd years of professional building and repair. He has worked on some of mine and they come back playing like silk. His company is UNK guitars. There is a web site ~ Google it and it will show up. I do not have any affiliation with UNK and he really only knows me as one of the guys who shows up to play occasionally. I have always wondered if he is a member of PG. Hey Paul are you in here? Jim

[ihocky2]

Getting the right look is one thing, trying to get the sound is another. Just remember that you have a Squier Affinity series strat. The cheapest line they make. So a good Licensed Floyd Rose will cost more than the entire guitar does. Schaller tuners are about 2/3 the cost of the guitar or more. The paint you put on is going to cost close to 1/3 of what the guitar cost. Not trying to talk you out of it, but just putting things in perspective.

For the money they are great beginner guitars, but that's about it. I started off on one, and the only thing I still use it for is the little bit of B tuning songs I'll play. And that is only because I haven't bought or built something better yet to designate as a down tuned guitar.

[Fowl2338]

Alright, so it looks like everyone agrees I should just buy a new body.

What do you know about Mighty Mite bodies? I saw a solid ASH body on ebay that replicates an 80's Charvel body. Neck pocket is 2 and 3/16ths wide.

How does that sound?

And any other suggestions?

[westhemann]

Alright, so it looks like everyone agrees I should just buy a new body.

I don't agree...what is wrong with the one you have?Is it a swimming pool rout under the pickgaurd?

If so,you will need another body(or to add wood and rerout),but if it is three single coil routs under there you are already there.

[Fowl2338]

Alright, so it looks like everyone agrees I should just buy a new body.

I don't agree...what is wrong with the one you have?Is it a swimming pool rout under the pickgaurd?

If so,you will need another body(or to add wood and rerout),but if it is three single coil routs under there you are already there.

I'm talking about just getting a new body for the sound reasons. ihocky2 has a good point, it is a Squier, and all the parts will cost WAY more than the body itself.

[Asherman]

guitars aren't lego (although, that's an interesting idea, lego guitar anyone?)

Oooooo I want to try that, I love lego and Star Wars and guitars so

that would suit me quite well.

There... apparently it fully works if i remember why

[westhemann]

I'm talking about just getting a new body for the sound reasons. ihocky2 has a good point, it is a Squier, and all the parts will cost WAY more than the body itself.

So what?The reason Fender costs so much more than Sqiuer is because of everything else EXCEPT the body...As long as the body is at least poplar or (better yet) alder,and you have no swimming pool rout,then it is every bit as good as a true fender body,and every bit as good as Eddie's Frankenstrat.

The neck is where you want to spend the money...neck,electronics,and hardware.Replace the body and all you are doing is buying an entire guitar piece by piece...and then you still have the body you have now.

I have a Charvel Alder strat with a single humbucker rout and a crap ass trem...guess what I did?routed for a floyd(piece of cake,the back rout was there already),routed a neck pup hole,and now all I have to do is paint it,and install a Warmoth neck I have with a jackson headstock and SS frets...and I have a Jackson Dinky....same exact thing...only better with the SS frets and the EMG pups and Floyd...

[Fowl2338]

I'm talking about just getting a new body for the sound reasons. ihocky2 has a good point, it is a Squier, and all the parts will cost WAY more than the body itself.

So what?The reason Fender costs so much more than Sqiuer is because of everything else EXCEPT the body...As long as the body is at least poplar or (better yet) alder,and you have no swimming pool rout,then it is every bit as good as a true fender body,and every bit as good as Eddie's Frankenstrat.

The neck is where you want to spend the money...neck,electronics,and hardware.Replace the body and all you are doing is buying an entire guitar piece by piece...and then you still have the body you have now.

I have a Charvel Alder strat with a single humbucker rout and a crap ass trem...guess what I did?routed for a floyd(piece of cake,the back rout was there already),routed a neck pup hole,and now all I have to do is paint it,and install a Warmoth neck I have with a jackson headstock and SS frets...and I have a Jackson Dinky....same exact thing...only better with the SS frets and the EMG pups and Floyd...

Wow, that makes more sense. I'm glad you said that.

In that case, I'll just continue with the original plan. 'Cept I'll definitely get a Floyd. How difficult will it be to fit the Floyd (Probably D-tuna) into the cavity?

And how should I measure the neck pocket to make sure I get the right neck? (Rather find one that already fits than to have to cut it)?

[Six String Theory]

I gotta disagree with ihocky2 (respectfully) on this one. The main difference between fenders and squiers are the parts. The body is probably made from the same stock they use for fenders.

[Southbound]

If you wanna do it like Eddie did it it's simple!

Don't forget he was really just a kid doin a hack job on a crappy guitar.

The fact that he became famous and is an awesome player don't mean he had some magic gift for guitar modding.

Just follow what was written in that article:

Rip it's guts out,

use a chisel to make the bridge pu cavity big enough for a PAF,

put a PAF in there

wire it up with a 500k volume pot

put a brass nut on it (don't forget to lube!)

paint it with a black rattle can,

mask it off and paint it with a white rattle can

and make a pick guard from a black piece of plastic

The orig. just has the standard cheap fender style trem (I'm assuming just like on your guiitar now)

If you want the the next version just

take off the pick guard

mask it off again and paint it with a red rattle can

and put a Floyd and a locking nut on it (you need to learn a thing or two to make this step)

most important of all don't forget to put a knob with the word Tone on the Volume control!

[Tim37]

I gotta disagree with ihocky2 (respectfully) on this one. The main difference between fenders and squiers are the parts. The body is probably made from the same stock they use for fenders.

.

I have seen one sanded down it looked like Mahogany. i don't think that was what it was but simmilar grain and color to it.

i think the first thing you need to do is spend 3 min with your guitar and a screw driver and figure out if the routing is acceptable then make your game plan from there. what ever its made of its proably close enough for this project if it will work

[psw]

Ahhh....as a squier fan of sorts...not all squiers are created equal (and none to original fender specs).

Many of the squiers that come in beginner "packs" for instance are often suspect in quality...the high end squiers can be great guitars.

i think the first thing you need to do is spend 3 min with your guitar and a screw driver and figure out if the routing is acceptable then make your game plan from there. what ever its made of its proably close enough for this project if it will work

Yep...and southbound, right on. Really, a squier can be a great platform for beginning with modding and such whatever the quality...I'd just be cautious about investing too much in it and especially be aware that the higher end replacement parts like necks may not just simply bolt together. But hey, the EVH is a bit of a trashy guitar.

I wonder if you wouldn't consider doing your own take on the EVH ethic and create your own design...there are so many of these 'clones' where as you could do your own statement with the paintwork techniques just as easily.

But...why worry, just do what you want...the important thing is to take it apart and see what you've got for now!

pete

[WezV]

seems a lot of mention of floyds and pickup routing when thats really not an issue here - see post#7

the guitar in question has a vintage trem, full black scratchplate with single humbucker and single tone/volume control and a (unfinished??) maple neck

I would do as wes says, new neck, new trem/tuners, new scratchplate with new pickup.... and do what ever you want with the finish - the technique is covered elsewhere (the post you quote from ed roman is a pretty good place to start, i.e black body taped up and sprayed white)

my guess is that the affinity will be routed HSH or swimming pool style - so it shouldnt take too much work to get a humbucker to fit

pimping out a squire like this is good practice so dont worry if thius first one doesnt sound exact or have the same exact neck shape of VH's. buy decent parts for pimping it as you can always replace the body if and when it is an issue for you

[westhemann]

How difficult will it be to fit the Floyd (Probably D-tuna) into the cavity?

Depends..if you want it to look like eddies just get a chisel and hack at it.If you want it to look nice it is a bit tougher.

[westhemann]

my guess is that the affinity will be routed HSH or swimming pool style - so it shouldnt take too much work to get a humbucker to fit

Yeah...keeping the scratchplate helps.