[Voxshall]

Looking to build my dream strat, already have the neck, which i pre cbs and sounds and feels incredible, so want to do it justice.

[Molly]

You going for ash or alder? Fill in the details. How do you picture the finished thing?

I could spec a Strat but I think it'd drive the builder to distraction. Presently own two great Strats that are nothing like each other and that just confuses things.

[Voxshall]

I'm after alder SSS configuration and a vintage trem, prefer light to medium light and finished in nitro.

Dream spec color would be a dark lake placid blue with yellow clear coat on top so it has that is it blue or black or green thing going on, below is close to what's in my head.

[Voxshall]

I'd love to understand the art of matching components, I want snap in the bass but don't want the treble to get to hard sounding. I want the straty thing with the mid scoop but not so much I can't get the flutey sustaining unencumbered free flowing thing as well. I guess like a fine wine I need the right balance in my strat. I have the neck, need to find a great body to match the tone, that gets a snappy low E and then i'll tweak the eq balance with pickups.

[Molly]

It's a black art, eh. Well, it can seem that way. There must be some logic to it though; a recipe you could follow. Have you seen That Pedal Show on YouTube? The presenter, Mick, recently started a similar project. It's worth a watch. In the second installment he fits a Callaham trem. To my ears it doesn't sound as good. The assumption that 'superior' materials and whatever other factors must somehow equal better tone isn't borne-out.

I've had dozens of Strats. Some lifeless and others that really have something about them. I'm not sure what all the factors were in either but I think the good ones tended to be lighter.

Anyway, good luck with the project. Keep posting so we can see how it's going.

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

It's a black art, eh. Well, it can seem that way. There must be some logic to it though; a recipe you could follow. Have you seen That Pedal Show on YouTube? The presenter, Mick, recently started a similar project. It's worth a watch. In the second installment he fits a Callaham trem. To my ears it doesn't sound as good. The assumption that 'superior' materials and whatever other factors must somehow equal better tone isn't borne-out.

I've had dozens of Strats. Some lifeless and others that really have something about them. I'm not sure what all the factors were in either but I think the good ones tended to be lighter.

Anyway, good luck with the project. Keep posting so we can see how it's going.

I watched that episode a couple of days ago, couldn’t really notice any difference between the two trems.

I think for Voxshall though it all depends on whether he’s comfortable mixing old with newer materials (sounds like he is)? I suspect that some people who had a pre-CBS neck wouldn’t feel right pairing it with a new body and a Callaham trem. All the best with the build, can only imagine how excited you’ll be with the finished result

[Zaulkin]

I know a guy...

[olegmcnoleg]

I know a guy...

LOL

Is that what they call a "floating Bridge"


I have an MJT Strat body, that I keep meaning to build into a Strat, but am not getting round to it--ironically because it really needs a vintage or relic neck. It has an MJT relic finish in pink--it has been listed on here a couple of times, as it moved between the usual forumites(!). The pink is rather too bright for vintage Fender, IMHO, but if you are planning to refinish, this might be a good place to start. It is light, alder, vintage bridge, SSS. You just need to make it blue. The current finish is nitro and very thin indeed, so it will be easy to remove.

[twangnsnarl]

I have an MJT Strat body, that I keep meaning to build into a Strat, but am not getting round to it--ironically because it really needs a vintage or relic neck. It has an MJT relic finish in pink--it has been listed on here a couple of times, as it moved between the usual forumites(!). The pink is rather too bright for vintage Fender, IMHO, but if you are planning to refinish, this might be a good place to start. It is light, alder, vintage bridge, SSS. You just need to make it blue. The current finish is nitro and very thin indeed, so it will be easy to remove.

I was just about to suggest an MJT body. They become excellent guitars.

[Voxshall]

Yes I'm interested in it send me pictures please jlohnz@gmail.com

The best sounding strat I ever played was a 1964 which was so light i thought it might have been made of pumice, had the most incredible neck pickup I've ever heard, SRV chops just made sense on this thing it was so different to any strat I've ever heard.

But then again the second best strat I've ever heard was heavier not in the heavy class but on the upper heavy end of medium weight. That thing didn't sound particularly resonanent unplugged but you plug it in and it has everything and makes some very nice strats just seem like toys in comparison.

I'm in the middle of finalizing a deal on another 60's strat which is amazing and I don't need two strats so was going to sell my 63 neck but I just can't, it's so addictive to play, worn in and comfortable, twice I picked it up after work and all of a sudden it's 4am and I hadn't even thought of dinner ha ha. The necks in 63 seem to be thicker which I think is why they are a favorite of John Mayer, I love how they are a medium C shape up top and get thicker as you go down the neck. Mine is pretty chunky from the 7th fret but not silly chunky. My favorite les paul has the same neck shape a standard from 92 that blows away all the historics I compare it two it terms of the feel on the neck. My favorite fret wire is .103 wide a bit wider than Gibson but narrower than jumbo wire, I first discovered it on a LR-10 Lee Ritenour signiture ibanez from 1980, I was learning songs and struggling then pick up the Ritenour and it was so effortlessly easy to play.

Would love to hear about your strat journey molly or any others and what to your learnt along the way

[Molly]

Yes I'm interested in it send me pictures please jlohnz@gmail.com

... I love how they are a medium C shape up top and get thicker as you go down the neck....

Would love to hear about your strat journey molly or any ithers and what to your learnt along the way

My relics are profiled that way. Can 'thumb-over' on my '66 reissue but it's a meaty handful nearer the body (LOL). That one's a maple two piece with a really great 'snap' to it. Big, ringing, piano bass. GrantB on the forum here did a great refret for me. I hate the colour though so sacrilege or not I'm going to paint it. Faded Surf Green (if I can get it to fade under UV light) with some relic work to match the neck.

I've never had or really played a pre-CBS (maybe for a brief moment here and there). I get nervous around questions like provenance and the kind of figures involved.

[olegmcnoleg]

Yes I'm interested in it send me pictures please jlohnz@gmail.com

... I love how they are a medium C shape up top and get thicker as you go down the neck....

Would love to hear about your strat journey molly or any ithers and what to your learnt along the way

My relics are profiled that way. Can 'thumb-over' on my '66 reissue but it's a meaty handful nearer the body (LOL). That one's a maple two piece with a really great 'snap' to it. Big, ringing, piano bass. GrantB on the forum here did a great refret for me. I hate the colour though so sacrilege or not I'm going to paint it. Faded Surf Green (if I can get it to fade under UV light) with some relic work to match the neck.

I've never had or really played a pre-CBS (maybe for a brief moment here and there). I get nervous around questions like provenance and the kind of figures involved.

Hey Molly, can you please point us to the pics of that pink MJT body, I can't seem to find them on here... cheers!

[Molly]

Hey Molly, can you please point us to the pics of that pink MJT body, I can't seem to find them on here... cheers!

I'll trawl my Gmail folder and see if I can find them.

Edit: All the way back to Feb 17 and nothing but about a dozen guitars I shouldn't have sold... Will check my emails.

[Voxshall]

My relics are profiled that way. Can 'thumb-over' on my '66 reissue but it's a meaty handful nearer the body (LOL). That one's a maple two piece with a really great 'snap' to it. Big, ringing, piano bass. GrantB on the forum here did a great refret for me. I hate the colour though so sacrilege or not I'm going to paint it. Faded Surf Green (if I can get it to fade under UV light) with some relic work to match the neck.

I've never had or really played a pre-CBS (maybe for a brief moment here and there). I get nervous around questions like provenance and the kind of figures involved.

I see you have had a bit of experience repairing bodies and getting out the uv light. Did you notice any change in sound after a change of paint? Faded surf green sounds awesome, with strat colors my favourites seem to constantly change all the time, I used to hate black now I love it, used to love Olympic white and sunburst now I'm wanting something a bit more unique. My current customshop strat looks feista red but its coral under the pickgaurd. This was my favorite for years but now I'm to used to it, at least it pops off my wall nicely.

[Voxshall]

Ha ha thanks for the efforts in finding the photo

My tuner comparison for interest sake.