Claptonfreak

I could do it that way, yes, but I don't want to give up any accuracy that comes from computer cut templates, and where ever the manager of guitarbuildingtemplates gets his CAD files, I haven't found them yet so I will probably have to buy from him again and wait for them to arrive.

I can tell you right now that this has little chance of working. I have tried this before and no matter what I did, the spray always found a way of creeping underneath the stencil, even when it was cut from adhesive material. Your best option if waterslide decals don't work for you is to have a vinyl decal made. This is simply a thin, adhesive cutting of whatever design, logo or name you want on your headstock, that you can lacquer over top of.

To answer your first question, yes it can and has been done, i've seen it a few times on the internet. It basically involves using the bolt in and glue properties at the same time, where you countersink and cover up the bolts to make it permanent (but I don't know the details). If you google it you should find some documentation. To answer your second question, nitro lacquer in Canada can be hard to find, Watco Clear Gloss is nitro and can be found at Rona or Home Depot, Deft is nitro and can be found at lee valley, although I would go with Watco. The other place it can be purchased is here http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog_br....asp?ictNbr=223, I believe they have a distributor in toronto, so you can go directly to that.

No, I want the laser cut ones with the marked center lines, which i can't replicate by just doing a routed duplicate.

Well, if you want it a bit different, it's no longer a strat nut, just a plain pre slotted nut. Try lmii.com

If anyone has a 57 strat template from guitarbuildingtemplates that they would like to sell, let me know. I need an extra one and I can't wait the 3-6 weeks it takes him to make a new template.

No, a Les Paul switch wouldn't fit in the tone control hole, you would have to drill it larger, 1/2" I think. This shouldn't be hard if you use a proper drill bit made for drilling into metal, and a cutting lubricant.

The routing was definitely done before the maple top was glued on. I've seen this done a number of times and contemplated building a les paul like that. There is one major disadvantage, with most of the methods used to do this, you can not alter any of the wiring once it has been placed in because it was glued in that way. The best hope you have is to make any modifications through the output jack routing as erikbojerik said. If you are planning on building a guitar I wouldn't recommend this for a beginner build, because everything related to wiring, switches, pots ect. has to be done perfectly the first time.

Has anyone ever build a fret press caul that fits Stewmac's inserts? If so, could you provide the dimensions?

I recently used allparts fretwire on an SG that I built. It's ok but its not great, i'll probably do a refret within the next few years and replace it with dunlop.

i never glue in my frets if I can help it. A little trick I use is to place some overbend on the frets, so if i'm fretting a 12" radius, I might bend the frets to an 11 or 10. Then when I press them in (I use stew mac's fret press caul) the teeth change directions when they go in. This way the tang barbs aren't trying to pop out the same way they came in, and this holds the frets in quite snuggly.

Actually I haven't had that much experience winding pickups. I was under the impression that formvar would make a bigger difference in tone than you say. If it really doesn't affect the tone that much I will probably go with plain enamel, and if I still wound to vintage 56/57 specs that would give me a hybrid between a 56/57 and Clapton's Blackie which had circa 72 pickups with plain enamel. I assume that the small spool that can be obtained from Stew-Mac is as good a place as any to get it? P.S. - your question was valid and appreciated. I don't mind something like that from someone who knows more than me, you had a valid point. I was going for 56 authenticity but if it really doesn't make much of a difference then I will probably be better off with plain enamel. thanks

I'm looking for a good place to get a pound or two of AWG 42 formvar wire. Any ideas?

I found some dimensions and the width is 1" plained on almost all. So I will just buy 5/4 from my hardwood dealer. Thanks for the info.

I'm building a 56 strat and I want to get all the dimensions perfect on this one. I was going to order some 1" thick flamed maple for the neck, but I believe that's how thick the neck is supposed to be, right? If it's supposed 1" thick maple then after plaining the wood it would be too thin.

I'm building a 50's style vintage strat and I'm trying to decide which type of pickups I should put in. I'm play mostly classic rock and blues. I'm trying to decide between the Fender Custom Shop 54's, Lace Sensor Gold's, or the Fender Vintage Noiseless. Any advice or experience with any?

Having just finished an SG I would also recommend using a band saw for the rough body work, then using a router template. You have two types of alternatives for shaping the body. If you want to invest in the right tools you can use rasps, files and spokeshaves/planes to shape the contours. Or, if you're strapped for cash, you can just get a cheap drum sander that fits into your power drill, if you get a big enough one shaping the inside horns is really easy. the outside contours are a bit harder, you have to apply steady pressure, taking little bits off at a time and moving over the whole curve at once. If you sit in one spot for too long you'll find that you have a depression and you'll have to sand the rest of the curve to match it. I recommend getting the propper tools to do the outside, but I have done it with a drum sander on the outside, and it's actually what I prefer on the inside because I get a smooth, even contour.

Have you considered just setting up a router jig to do it? It would be free and from the sounds of it safer if all your using it for is strat headstocks, could be a little time consuming for other stuff. Well, I never really thought of building a jig to do it because I assumed that the plane worked quite well, but from what I'm reading it's not that great. I'll probably design some kind of jig or system to do this quickly and neatly.

I'm building a few 50's style stratocasters and I need some accurate blueprints to make the curvature references, ect. Are there any out there online for free/ones I can purchase.

Has anyone ever used the Wagner Safe-T Plane? I'm considering buying it to plane down Strat headstocks.

I am planning on starting a '56 strat project and I was doing some planning. I was wondering what the best tool is to cut the fret slots on the neck accurately, seeing as i can't use a preslotted fingerboard for a one piece neck. I would prefer to cut the slots after the neck shape is routed, but shop experience is telling me that I will have to do it before. Any information would be helpful.

I just finished wiring all of the components together in my SG harness. I just have to add the pickups and solder their respective wires together. I tested all of the grounds with a multimeter and everything seems to make a connection to the main ground. However, I haven't been able to test the resistance of any other components, I assume it is because of the capacitors in the circuit. Here is the wiring diagram I followed, Does anyone know the best places for me to put the multimeter to ensure everything is connected properly. Ps. In place of the pickups there are just wires that will be soldered to the pickup wires shortly.

I just got some Wilkinson PAF reissue pickups, but they didn't come with a wiring diagram. All I need to know is the hot wire from the ground. They aren't color coded, but there is a more "middle wire that is coated, and a wire that isn't coated towards the outside of the coating that keeps them together. I'm assuming that the middle coated one is the lead and the exposed one is the ground, but I'm just checking. Anyone have these pickups?

I have never used DEFT other than the spray (which I learned the hard way that sucks). Experiment with different ratios, I use almost a 50-50, for most my coats, and then after the last level sanding I might shoot a coat or 2 at 25 nitro-75 lacquer. If you can trow away that thing and buy you some good lacquer from Stew or any other place. Unfortunately I live in Canada and can't order from stewmac. I'm very limited on nitro choices here so i'll make the best of it. You referenced leveling sanding, Deft says no sanding needed between coats (I don't really trust that) how often would you recommend I level the finish. (I'm going for a vintage 6-8 coats of lacquer)

What is the best ratio for mixing nitro lacquer I am using deft.