Building a Strat??

[trader56]

Ok, so in looking over Ebay, I see lots of Stratocaster bodies, necks, and all kinds of other parts.

 

How much work would it be to "build" a Strat from parts like these?

Is it even worth it to consider (yes, budget IS a big issue!)?

 

Thanks again to the resident experts!

 

Dave

[Mudcat]

Assembling a Strat is realtively easy if you can spin a screw driver and handle a soldering iron. The most difficult part is the final set-up. If you have experience with that, the rest should be a piece of cake.

 

Now as far as expense goes, building one from the ground up with parts purchased at retail is usually more expensive than most pre-assembled Fenders. The beauty of E-bay is that if you are patient you can find parts at bargain prices and assemble a Strat to your own specs on the cheap.

 

The most expensive and most critical part you will purchase is the neck. They can run a pretty penny, especially if you are lusting after a vintage or reissue real Fender neck or a Warmoth Fender licensed neck. If you can live with a Squier neck or a Fender knock-off you can probably find a good deal relatively easily.

[Guitar Geezer]

ANd while it is not a Fender, a lot of people have had great success with the Carvin Bolt On Kits...

 

FWIW

[MILLO]

I have a Carvin kit. All mahogany (ebony fretboard), rear-routed, two humbuckers. Pretty neat axe.

[mdrs]

Mudcat hit the nail on the head. The assembly is fun, and not particularly demanding. If you can solder, you got it made.

 

The set up is the toughest part. I've built a strat and a tele, and love them. I'm still working on the set ups, over a year after I've finished them!! I think I'm gonna cave, and bring it to a set up guy.

 

Here they are;

 

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m114/mdrs1/NewmanStratincase.jpg

 

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m114/mdrs1/StratPauaKnobs.jpg

 

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m114/mdrs1/CIMG1649.jpg

[caprae]

Also check a few sites like Seymour Duncan. Folks selling bodies, necks and pickups all the time.

 

Or just get the, what is it?, the 51? and modify it yourself.

[Guitarzan]

try to do a better job than this guy.... http://www.subtlemon.com/images/SidGuitarSubtLemon.jpg

[Strategery]

Whoa...he's got WOOD!! Uhh-huh-huh-huh. :grin:

[The Geoff]

Here's one I made earlier.....

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/geoffbyrne/P2260754.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/geoffbyrne/1a706a50.jpg

 

Hand made neck from Belfast, alder body from Ca., DiMarzio TDS-1 neck & SDS-1s middle & bridge. Vol push/pull for other pickup combinations, middle control is a Varitone & 3rd knob is a 5 stage mid cut/boost. Actually, now it's got a T/shell scratchplate and cream covers on the pups.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/geoffbyrne/P1010002-2.jpg

 

Does it for me

 

G.

[mdrs]

Those are nice Geoff

 

Did you finish the body yourself? It's a beaut! In the photos, it's finish reminds me a bit of the old cherry finishes on LP Jr's.

[Chad Thorne]

I built this Strat (and heavily modded the Tele) and also this J-Bass copy. Cake.

 

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/cft3/gtrs4sale.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/cft3/bass1.jpg

 

I'm in the middle of building yet another Strat with 2 humbuckers instead of 3 single-coils. Ebay has been my friend in all of this; none of my instruments has cost me more than 300 bucks.

[The Geoff]

Those are nice Geoff

 

Did you finish the body yourself? It's a beaut! In the photos, it's finish reminds me a bit of the old cherry finishes on LP Jr's.

 

'Fraid not, Don, the body came that way.

 

G.

[trader56]

Thanks, guys!

 

And you guys that have built yuor Strats - Wow! That's very impressive!

 

For the builders:

How much soldering time is involved?

I'm not such a hot solderer...are there directions somewhere one could follow on that part of it?

 

Thanks again!

 

Dave

[mdrs]

Trader...soldering is easy, and quick. The main thing is following the wiring diagram that you'll get. If the wires are connected properly, you've got it made.

 

Someone here likely will be able to direct you to a soldering instructional. It is truely simple. You'll get it in no time.

 

Perhaps Google soldering, and see what comes up.

[trader56]

Hi Don,

 

Ok, that doesn't sound too bad!

 

Where do you get the wiring diagram?

 

Thanks!!

 

Dave

[mdrs]

If you buy pickups, they will come with the wiring diagram. It'll usually show you where to connect which wires, including the pick up switches.

 

Seymour Duncan's website has wiring diagrams that you can check out as well.

 

Radio Shack will get you a soldering iron often for less than $10 bucks....and they have the solder too!

[A String]

Trader. When you solder, the trick is to heat up the wire, not the solder.

 

Using a device to hold the wire (tweezers, needle nose pliers etc.), hold the wire against the contact point. Touch the soldering iron to the wire. After a few seconds, touch the solder, to the wire at a point, other then where the soldering iron is touching. The solder should shoot right down the wire, onto the contact point and make a connection. Remove the solder and the soldering iron, being sure to hold the wire in place for a second or two, as it cools. (I like to blow on the connection to help it cool faster.) finally, remove the holding device.

 

The main problem folks have with soldering, is touching the solder to the soldering iron. This creates what is called a "cold solder joint". It will not be very well attached and, chances are, it will snap free one day.

[trader56]

Thanks, Don!

 

I was just looking at Ebay again, and saw that there are some "loaded" Strat bodies for sale with the pickups, bridges, and all - just add neck.

 

I'll check out Seymour Duncan's, and thanks again!

 

Dave

[A String]

I should add the info about what you are holding at certain points as you've probably noticed, you need three hands to solder.

 

I start by holding the wire (with needle nose pliers) against the contact point. Then I hold down the end of the wire with the soldering iron. Now that the wire is held down, I set down the holding device and pick up the solder. Once the solder is added, I put down the solder and pick up the holding device. Then, I remove the soldering iron, still holding the wire in place with the holding device. Finally, I remove the holding device.

[Trucks]

Trader...soldering is easy, and quick. The main thing is following the wiring diagram that you'll get. If the wires are connected properly, you've got it made.

 

Someone here likely will be able to direct you to a soldering instructional. It is truely simple. You'll get it in no time.

 

Perhaps Google soldering, and see what comes up.

 

haha It is easy, but I have seen some very very bad soldering :-) Of course you being an eye cutter, I would be dissappointed (to say the least) if you couldnt use a soldering iron :grin: But some people just cant do it.

[trader56]

Ok, here's another one, guys:

 

People have mentioned that different Strats play differently, and that it's a good idea whne buying one to sit down and play several, and then buy the one that YOU feel is the best.

 

How does building one play (no pun intended, LOL!) into that?

Do yuo just build, then hope for the best?

Can you change things after yuor construction to get it to play the way you want it to - I'm assumming you'll need something to compare to, right?

 

Thank you again, everyone, for yuor time and help with my many questions!

 

Dave

[mdrs]

You can continue to swap out parts, pickups, etc. Hell, with a Strat you could get another neck if you don't like the one you got. Leo Fender designed it to be very easy to work on.

 

 

[Darcy H]

This is a do it yourself;

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/darcyhoover/NumberOne01asm.jpg

 

Hwy 1 Body, American Vintage 57 neck (love the V shape and 7.25" radius), Custom Shop Fat 50's, gold American Vintage hardware and tremolo. Pretty easy to mix and match parts, wiring and soldering after the first one is under your belt, and there's tons of how-to info on the internet.

 

Just stripped another one and refinishing it in black lacquer (tomorrow), going for that Clapton "Blackie" look.

[stamplicker]

haven't you picked it up off the ground yet BUzz!!! Sheesh. hehe

She's still a beauty. like to see soem shoot's of the new one your working on =)

[trader56]

Ok, another one, hopefully not too dumb as I know this has been discussed, but here goes.

 

Would you guys stay with only the American bodies, necks, and parts, etc?

I see a fair number of Mexican bodies for sale on Ebay, for example.

 

Thanks for all the great repiles to this thread from everyone - I may just have to give this building thing a try!

 

Dave

[Darcy H]

I prefer the american bodies as they tend to be two or three pieces of alder, whereas the mexicans have a veneer on the front and back with many pieces in the middle. The cheapest to get are the Highway Ones (American), and the latest versions are finished in lacquer, as opposed to the thick polyurethane finishes of most models. Polyurethane is indestructable (almost) and wears very well, but some people like their guitars to show some wear. If you plan on stripping it and refinishing, you'll have your work cut out for you with polyurethane, whereas you can strip the Highway Ones in minutes. Of course you can always get unfinished bodies at various places.

 

With necks, they are various shapes, like a hard V or a soft C, and the vintage models have 7.25" radius fretboards, most have 9.5", and I believe they have some 12", and the Americans have rounded edges.

 

It's not cheaper to build them yourself, but you can build exactly what you want if you have specific requirements, but don't do it as a cost-effective way to get yourself a Strat. The above Strat of mine cost far more than a Highway One off the shelf, but still cheaper than the American Vintage '57RI I was pining for, but not by much.

 

If I could afford a Black thin-skin American Vintage '57 I'd buy one, but I'm making this one up from traded parts with friends, and some from ebay. The neck for example is from a Japanese 57 reissue, and the seller had attempted some artificial "relicing", so I got it quite cheap, and cleaned up the relicing to be more "believable". I orginally finished it in lacquer direct on the wood, but alot of it "lifted", and the relic look wasn't believable as the wood underneath was very light coloured, so I restripped it, sealed the wood with a dark walnut stain, and will apply a thin-coat of black and clear lacquer tomorrow, polish it up to a high shine, then if it lifts anywhere, it'll look nicely worn underneath. The neck is already quite beat up so I'm hoping for a nice relic look, although relicing is a hotly contested issue (phoniness, posers...) but considering the neck I have and the body is already abit rough, I thought I'd give it a try.

[trader56]

Ok, one more then I'm pretty sure I'll leave yuo guys alone. Actually, my wife thought this one up. She's the "mechanically-inclined" one in our house. Picture changing a car starter out, in our driveway, in January, in MN, 8+ months pregnant - true story!

 

Anyway...How do yuo know the parts you buy are genuine Fender-made parts?

Are there serial numbers on bodies, neck etc?

 

Thanks again for all the help and patience with my questions!

 

Dave

[Chad Thorne]

Many are not Fender-made, but Fender-licensed, e.g. Warmoth and Mighty Mite. These companies make parts to Fender spec and with Fender's permission (paid for) so they fit. I have parts from both companies in my guitars and they're fine. Other companies also offer Fender-compatible aftermarket parts.

[LPCustom]

There is one trick that makes soldering work that hasn't been mentioned. You need to use soldering flux. It helps the solder flow into all the little crevices of the joint and will give you a super joint. If you don't use flux, you will find that the solder doesn't flow well until you've gotten the metal TOO hot.

 

When holding the wire you want to use something metal as a heat sink so that you don't melt all the insulation off the wire and so that you don't overheat electronic components. Be careful you don't overheat pots, too. Some of the wiper disks can melt if you overheat them. Another good reason to coat the parts you are going to join with flux. I use paste flux.

 

Done properly, a soldering joint should not take more than 10 seconds to make. If it's taking you longer than that, you're doing something wrong.

 

Other soldering tips:

 

Keep the tip of your iron clean. Use a damp sponge to clean the tip regularly (while the iron is hot).

 

Don't use a large soldering tip. Use one that's no bigger (wider) than what you are soldering. You want to concentrate the heat into a small area.

 

Tin your wires before trying to attach them. Tin the connection point, too. Tinning means to apply solder to the item by heating it then touching solder to it so it flows onto it. Joining two tinned items usually requires no further solder.

 

Don't put too much solder on a joint. You'll almost always get a weak joint.

 

[Dr. Ellwood]

HAY HIYA BUDDY!! GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!