Fowl2338 Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 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. Looks? I just want it to FUNCTION and sound right. 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 No, mine is SSS. So I got to do some hacking. wire it up with a 500k volume pot Excuse my ignorance, but I have no idea where to start with this. Help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 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. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying not to do it, by any means. I just wanted to point out the pricing factors for consideration. Wether you get a new body or not, the parts are going to cost the same. Plus now you have to buy a body on top of the guitar you already own. Squier says they are alder bodies on the Affinity series. The only way it is the same stock they are using for the Fender bodies, if gluing together the offcuts from the Fenders. The Squiers are know to have a lot of pieces glued together to make the body, while Fender is usually one or two. The parts are a huge difference, and the quality of the fret work and the setup is a huge difference as well as the pickups. How old is the Squier you want to mod? The newer ones seem to be better quality, even the Affinity series. For a long time the Affinity series were plywood bodies though. I sanded out the cavity on mine to see what it is, and it is plywood. Mine is probably about 5 years old at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 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. How old is the Squier you want to mod? The newer ones seem to be better quality, even the Affinity series. For a long time the Affinity series were plywood bodies though. I sanded out the cavity on mine to see what it is, and it is plywood. Mine is probably about 5 years old at this point. Mine's is about 6-7 years old... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
factory5150 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 When I built my first franky I used one of those "saga" guitar kits and modified the hell out of it. I bought a mighty mite maple neck and routed for the Floyd Nut. I had a Seymour Duncan SH-11 in it, and it sounded pretty good. One word of advise, if you are going to take the effort to mask the guitar off and paint it. At least put the stripes in the right place. Here is my new franky that I made. Who would have thought buying vintage parts would be so costly *sarcasm* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Hey...if you are SSS then you might "consider" using Duncan hot rails...they are humbuckers in a single coil size and they sound surprisingly like Eddies original tone... I think your guitar is most likely alder...guitars have been really going up in quality at the low end,and you harrdly ever see plywood on a guitar...much less a squier... Squier has been decent wood for years.Multiple piece yes,but plywood...not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 If you do want a different body(maybe yuo want to go a different path?)...check out here...it is the site of the owner of this site....very good prices. http://www.universaljems.com/cart/bodys/Stratbodys.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 If you do want a different body(maybe yuo want to go a different path?)...check out here...it is the site of the owner of this site....very good prices. http://www.universaljems.com/cart/bodys/Stratbodys.htm Well, I'm gonna figure out what it's actually made of first. If it's indeed plywood, I'm getting another body. If it's alder, I'll keep it and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
factory5150 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 If your going to get a replacement body if the one you have is plywood...Just skip all the hassle of modifying a sss routed strat body and get "the frank" from this site: http://www.kneguitars.com/kit_bod.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Excuse my ignorance, but I have no idea where to start with this. Help? Well...south bound really summed it up already... 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! And Tim37 with this... 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 Personally...I am a little concerned about the idea of going to far out with high priced parts...it depends on the guitar in many ways. However, sounds like you want this kind of machine and not the SSS strat that you have got. So, I would get a suitable HB to put in the thing...I have a feeling that the HB eddie used was not that hight powered...but whatever you can afford. You may even be able to get a suitable scratchplte of one HB or make your own. I wouldn't worry about changing nuts or anything like that, and not worry about changing parts (floyds and stuff may even have a different string spread that will make things difficult at this stage. So...if you are going to do it...make a bit of a plan (what HB, scratchplate) and then get out the screwdriver and take the whole thing apart making sure you know how to put it back together again. Lots of threads about painting, preparing (get ready for sanding) and the EVH style...or be original and make your own variation. Then, put it back together again. You won't know what you have till you take it apart, but a scratchplate covers all sins so I wouldn't be concerned about what's under there...hack out some woood if necessary, but you may well find you don't need to. Take pics so questions can be answered and you have a before and after for yourself. When you put it all back together, then you can try and tweak the set up a bit. There are some tricks to geting a trem on a strat (even a copy) to work really well (even with a plastic nut) and eddies set up is even easier because the tremolo only works down (it's not "floating") and this is the reasn for the hammered in coin. Personally, I'd be looking to take from EVH's style (note, he doesn't play these guitars anymore) and do something like that ethic, but make it your own...people will still see where you are coming from! Lot's of threads on painting with rattle cans and stuff, but preparation is important for a good effect. You don't want to end up with a thick soft finish or one that peals off because the guitar wasn't prepared properly to take the paint. Squiers can be great little guitars...most of them are solid wood, but even plywood things can be fine anyway. Generally, squiers are made of multiple strips of timber, but who cares with all that paint on it! Your problem may be if you start wanting to get into changing parts designed for legit fenders...there are size differences that may prhibit say a floyd and d-tunas and such. Same with necks or bodies. My advice is to go to town on this, make it as best it can be and learn heaps along the way and have fun. Then you will know if guitar building is for you or you want to really stick with the 20 years back evh look or workout something for yourself. If you wanted to get all fancy with the d-tuna's and such...I'd suggest you might upgrade to modding out an OLP musicman copy or something...some of those are great guitars whether you're and eddie fan or not! anyway...I hope that helps...time to take that sucker apart! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Personally, I'd be looking to take from EVH's style (note, he doesn't play these guitars anymore) and do something like that ethic, but make it your own...people will still see where you are coming from! I've actually been thinking about this and and maybe going to go in that direction: same schematics (mostly) as the frankenstrat, but with my own touch. I'm thinking of putting a S. Duncan Custom SH-5 in the bridge, and possibly a Sustainiac sustainer in the neck. Still want the Floyd rose, schaller locking tuners, and new neck with either a normal or reverse banana headstock. Here is a little design I did quickly on paint. Tell me what you think: Other possible pickup setups: 1. Screamin deamon (bridge), S. sustainer (neck) 2. SD Custom custom Sh-11 (bridge), S. sustainer (neck) Also, with necks, will a warmoth neck fit my strat? And I hear mixed feelings when it comes to Ed Roman. He's got some "EVH spec" maple necks....not sure where I should go with it... Oh, and there's def. a bathtub route in the strat, so no chiselling needed However, I'm not sure what the wood is, so I'll post up some pics in the next couple days and hoefully someone can help me out. Feel free to add/take away any ideas regarding my project. All opinions considered and appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I like the way that looks. And I am glad you are thinking about trying to take the EVH concept, but stil making the guitar your own. There are a lot of people right now that are big on "I must have an EXACT Franky copy", but I think that is a fad that will pass, and then there will be a lot of gutiars no one wants. Something like this will give you great practice at modding, but still give you something that is yours, and you will probably want to keep even after the EVH fad has passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Some more paint possibilities...: More ideas VERY welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 the black/white/beige one is sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dugg Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 While I don't know the history on this axe, I'd have to side with the idea that Eddie built the Frank from 'cheap parts', because I know from experience that structural considerations are more important than material choices. By that, I mean a well assembled and set up'cheap' guitar can sound better than an expensive one with a few small changes, which were not exclusively Eddies ideas, either. For example, solid mounting pickups is not his idea, I did that on an EB I built in '78, and I'm sure others (didn't Music Man make 'em that way?) did then too. Also, the issue of single piece bodies being better than multiple? Recently, I've made 3 bodies with slab cut poplar boards glued up 'butcher block' so that the surface grain is quarter sawn. I'll be sticking with that configuration because it's lighter and stiffer than a solid piece of poplar, or alder. And, even though the poplar is 'cheap', it sounds better. But, that's no matter to you and the Frank. I wouldn't be afraid to chisel if I were you, Eddie was smart to choose that tool over the router for at least two reasons. One, it's much quieter (and important consideration for those piano techs among us), and two you're much less likely to slip and cut half the body, or your hand, off. I have a Steinberger L2 that has no volume or tone knobs at all, just a jack. But, if you want a volume control for your Frank that sounds close to none, just get a very high value pot, like a 1Meg. That way, when it's turned up to '10' it's almost completely out of the circuit. If I were you, I'd stick with inexpensive body and spend your bux on a good trem system and a tasty pickup. Remember, you DON'T get what you pay for, you get what you know. And, the more you know, the more you get! People that think value and price are the same thing just haven't learned enough about guitars yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 (edited) In regards to replacement necks, I'm looking at some maple necks (CBS) from warmoth, but I am afraid of possible problems with it fitting in the neck pocket. Is it just going to be hit or miss? And same thing with a trem. I'm probably just going to side with a vintage 6 hole or standard Fender trem. Which one would you all recommend, and will I have to do any drilling for these? Edited April 6, 2009 by Fowl2338 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted April 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 Bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Remember, you DON'T get what you pay for, you get what you know. And, the more you know, the more you get! People that think value and price are the same thing just haven't learned enough about guitars yet Yeah im kinda new to guitars but i have begun to notice that guitar guys are like corvette guys the more they pay for something the happier they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted April 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 I really need info on the trem. Thinking a vintage 6 hole or standard Fender trem. Which one would you all recommend, and will I have to do any drilling for these? And what about a warmoth neck?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted April 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
factory5150 Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 In regards to replacement necks, I'm looking at some maple necks (CBS) from warmoth, but I am afraid of possible problems with it fitting in the neck pocket. Is it just going to be hit or miss? And same thing with a trem. I'm probably just going to side with a vintage 6 hole or standard Fender trem. Which one would you all recommend, and will I have to do any drilling for these? The Warmoth necks should fit, but you should really measure your neck pocket to make sure. If it doesn't fit, then no big deal a router will solve that problem. I doubt highly a Fender trem will bolt right onto your squier body. Weather its a 2 post or 6 hole vintage, either way there is a 25% shot of it fitting. Stew Mac sells a template that works for Fender trems for when you dowl the old holes and your ready to drill the new ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 if your gonna go warmoth with the neck why not go ahead and source the body through them too? I mean your gonna end up replacing most of the squire parts any way why not just build it form the ground up and then you will still have your squire two guitars are better than one and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowl2338 Posted April 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 In regards to replacement necks, I'm looking at some maple necks (CBS) from warmoth, but I am afraid of possible problems with it fitting in the neck pocket. Is it just going to be hit or miss? And same thing with a trem. I'm probably just going to side with a vintage 6 hole or standard Fender trem. Which one would you all recommend, and will I have to do any drilling for these? The Warmoth necks should fit, but you should really measure your neck pocket to make sure. If it doesn't fit, then no big deal a router will solve that problem. I doubt highly a Fender trem will bolt right onto your squier body. Weather its a 2 post or 6 hole vintage, either way there is a 25% shot of it fitting. Stew Mac sells a template that works for Fender trems for when you dowl the old holes and your ready to drill the new ones. So would it be smart to just completely fill in the existing holes and cavity, get the Stew Mac template, and go from there? And would you recommend a 6-hole vintage or a fender trem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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