Guitarnut- Stratocaster Build

[Mark Crenshaw]

Well, I went crazy this weekend. I've had the build bug for a long time but have been holding off until I finished current projects. I have them all done except for the prototype but it's getting closer all the time. So, while waiting on parts for it, I decided to dive in.

I haven't built a Strat since I started making my own necks. The 2 Strats I built 8 years back have StewMac necks on them. So, it's time.

The plan:
3-piece basswood body, flame maple cap.
Flame maple neck/fretboard, black dots, 2-way Hot Rod truss rod.
HSS, standard vol and tone, series/coil cut/parallel switching on the HB.
Bleached white frost burst.

I started with a 1.75" 3-piece basswood blank. I planed it down to 1.50", cleaning up the glue joints in the process.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body01.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body02.jpg

Here's the top glued up and rough trimmed. Ready for clean up in the planer. I used the same technique of taping it to the back of the body and planing the mating surface to not only clean up the glue joint, but also do final thicknessing.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body08.jpg

Clampzilla!

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body09.jpg

Trimmed up and ready for edge sanding and routing.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body10.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

Some progress shots on the neck build. Mmmmm, flamey!

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body03.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body04.jpg

Check those truss rods!!!

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body05.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body06.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body07.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body11.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

This is the finish I'm considering. I came up with this during my StraTelecaster build but didn't use it. This is the mockup from that build.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/stratele/white_burst.jpg

Peace,
Mark

[Seth Dolcourt]

Mark,

Boy, howdy, it's good to see your builds again. The maple's figure is incredible! This will be fun, watching all three projects come together.

Cheers,

Seth

[Mark Crenshaw]

Here's a more accurate Photoshop mockup.
http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/frost_white_strat.jpg

[Bryan Morgan]

I am really digging that flame white. I've never seen that before.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Thanks Bryan. If I can pull it off, it will be unique for sure.

Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

My goal last night was to get the front routed. I started off by making sure the neck fit the PG. It only took a bit of sanding to pop it right in.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body12.jpg

Then I marked the center of the PG. I used calipers and a straight line on another piece of wood to do this. I measure the width of the HB route, halve that and slide the PG side to side until I have equal spacing either side of the line, front to back of the route. It's a quick, accurate way to find the center of an oddly shaped object.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body13.jpg

Then, with the back of the neck pocket marked at 3:, I set everything in place. The neck and PG had to be adjusted a bit after this pic but I got it dialed in. Then I traced the HB route onto the top.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body14.jpg

Using a HB route from another template I lined it up and centered it.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body15.jpg

After the first pass with the router, I checked to make sure it all lined up. Good to go. Then, using the first few passes as my template, I took it to just over .75".

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body16.jpg

Then it was just a matter of using the regular Strat template to route everything else to depth.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body17.jpg

Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

This build is coming along nicely. I've made good progress but don't have any pics since my camera is in for repair.

I've inlaid and radiused the fretboard and fit the neck to the pocket. This was bit of a challenge since the templates are inaccurate. The maker has long stood by his decision to undersize the pocket to allow for various vintage and current combinations but I just find it a pain in the a@@.

I used my Tele template, which is sized correctly, to open up the Strat template...I set it to the corners of the Strat template and widened the sides of the pocket without affecting the end. Worked great. I also had to slightly widen the top of the output jack bore so the plate would settle in.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body19.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/lpj/all02.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

The tummy cut was next on the list for the body. I may have done it the hard way but even then, it only took an hour or so.

Not having a factory Strat to go by, I guestimated the start and stop points, then used a band saw blade to draw out the curve. I had to pull it into an oval a bit to get the curve I wanted.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body20.jpg

You can see in the pic above that I started the process with a rasp but it seemed too slow so I went with an Ibex plane. I've used the plane enough for carving that it went really fast...carving basswood is a snap.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body21.jpg

After hogging most of the wood out, I laid out the curve with tape so I could have a good visual reference while using the rasp to flatten out the carved area and true it up at the edges.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body22.jpg

I finished the rough shaping with a 1" dowel and 80 grit.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body23.jpg

I used the same dowel to cut a bevel along the top of the carve. This works for me because the corners catch light and guide me as to how much to take off and where.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body24.jpg

Then it's just a matter of rounding out the corners left along the bevel...the dowel works great for this step too.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body25.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

Here are some shots of the carve from various angles. I'm pretty happy with the way it came out. Not Fender issue, but neither is my tummy. :shock:

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body26.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body27.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body28.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body29.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body30.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body31.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

I have all the goodies in to start loading the PG. It just occurred to me that I didn't list the PUs in my first post with the rest of the specs. I was going to use an on/on/on bridge PU switch for series, coil cut, parallel but then I realized the bridge PU would always be on in some form. So, I need to look at doing a series, off, coil cut instead.

Bridge: Seymour Duncan SH-6B Dist
Middle: Seymour Duncan SSL-52 RWRP
Neck: Seymour Duncan SSL-5T Custom Tapped

This weekend I'll get the thru holes drilled, bridge mounted and the neck carved...maybe even start on the bleaching of the top. I'll do some tests on scrap first.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body32.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body33.jpg

I need to shorten the HB screws a bit.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body34.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

I've had the SD PUs sitting around for a year or so and didn't remember the specs on them so I put a meter on them and got the following DC readings.

Bridge:16.3K 8.8K
Middle: 6.6K
Neck: 12.8K, 6.8K

Now, I now DC resistance doesn't tell me what the PU will sound like but it's a good indicator of output. So, I'm rethinking the wiring yet again.

To get the most out of this set of PUs, I'm going to use this setup...at least if I have it diagrammed correctly, I will.

It should give me:

Bridge: HB, Off, Coil Cut
Middle: RWRP, Off, Phase Reverse
Neck: Full, Off, Tap

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring.jpg

With volume, bridge tone and neck tone added. I'm not sure about how I'm feeding the tone controls. Any input or corrections welcome.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring%202.jpg

[Larry Fox]

Looking great Mark. Are you going to include the arm relief that Strats have or are you going without one on this build? You are really cranking out some really nice guitars.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Hi Larry. Thanks! I won't be cutting the arm relief on this one. It would reveal the laminate top's edge and I don't want the burst to be as deep as it would take to cover it. It's not a huge problem since I play seated most of the time.

[Mark Crenshaw]

After posting my control layout over in the Project Guitar Electronics forum, Ripthorn was good enough to confirm my suspicions about how I was feeding the tone controls.

Feeding them from the output side of the switches placed the 2 circuits in parallel which meant they would combine their results, as well as affect all pickups...not good.

So, I created paths from the input side (green traces) of the respective switch to feed each tone circuit independent of the other. If I understand it correctly, this is how it's done with a 5-way blade switch which has 2 banks, each with 3 inputs and 1 output. The output feeds the vol control but the tone feeds are taken from the input side thru internal connections in the switch.

So, applying this to my setup...The North coil of the bridge PU is always in play when the bridge PU is being used, so I took a path from the input side of it's switch location. The second pole on the coil tap switch of the neck PU was unused so I jumped each state of the PU across and used the output of the switch to feed the tone circuit. I think I'm on the right path here...comments and corrections welcome.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring%204.jpg

[John Coloccia]

re: neck pocket templates
I gave up on using templates a long time ago, even ones that I make myself. Instead, I build the neck however I wish and then use the neck itself to build a template in place on the guitar. I use straight pieces of wood clamped to the neck, and then clamped to the body. Unclamp the neck and viola, you have a custom template clamped in place on the body which will perfectly fit whatever neck you happen to have, tapered vs square, etc.

David Myka has posted on his website a technique to do this using a jig that will set a neck angle as well. I've used it and it works well, though these days I've started incorporating the neck angle into the heal of the guitar, not the body. I did that for aesthetic reasons. My neck pocket is angled, so a neck angle incorporated into the pocket gives a tapered look that makes everything look crooked, but now that I'm angling the heal it is SOOOO much easier IMHO.

I can't wait to see this one finished...should be hot.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Hi John. Thanks!

I've used that technique on my first bound neck. With the addition of the bindings, I miscalculated the width of everything and ended up with a neck that was wider than normal by .060". The technique worked quite well for a glue in neck but I'm not sure that tight a joint would work between two finished surfaces. You ever use it on a bolt on neck?

I've never put an angle in a neck pocket. I've always angled the heel. Like you said, it just looks better and it's easier to accomplish.

Thanks for the input!

[John Coloccia]

Hi John. Thanks!

I've used that technique on my first bound neck. With the addition of the bindings, I miscalculated the width of everything and ended up with a neck that was wider than normal by .060". The technique worked quite well for a glue in neck but I'm not sure that tight a joint would work between two finished surfaces. You ever use it on a bolt on neck?

I've never put an angle in a neck pocket. I've always angled the heel. Like you said, it just looks better and it's easier to accomplish.

Thanks for the input!

I usually don't finish at the neck joint...maybe oil on the neck. That said, there is a simple solution. Take a piece or two of masking tape and place it on the neck before clamping the straight edges. That will give you the width of the tape as clearance. Often time, I do the opposite...I put a layer of tape on the side of the jig, giving me a layer of tape interference fit. Sometimes I don't glue the neck until a couple of weeks later, so that lets me fine tune it for environmental changes, finish sanding, etc.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Brilliant! Thanks!

[Mark Crenshaw]

Next thing was to mount the bridge and drill the string thru holes.

After drilling the tuner holes in the neck, I started by installing the E string tuners and setting up a simple jig that lets me put tension on the strings while I slide the bridge into place. The piece of MDF is drilled at Strat string spacing if you continued the lines past the bridge, and countersunk on one side to keep the string balls from digging into the top.

The neck is clamped into the pocket. I line it up so it looks best visually to start. If all works from there, then I know I'm good later on without having to wiggle the neck around in the pocket to line things up.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body35.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body36.jpg

After locating the bridge, I remove the jig and drill the mounting holes for the bridge. Before screwing it down, I open up the string holes to make sure I can get an 1/8" bit thru them. Then screw the bridge down.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body37.jpg

At the drill press I can use the bridge as a drill guide and drill the thru holes half way thru the body.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body38.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body39.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

I used the pin register method of lining up front to back. I always place tape over the mounting holes to keep the pin from settling in one of them by mistake.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body41.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body42.jpg

Still using the pin in the front holes, I widened the back for the ferrules.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body43.jpg

I also took care of the HB screw issue by cutting 2 pockets under the screws with a Forstner bit. You can see them in the last pic below.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body44.jpg

I also drilled paths for the output wiring and bridge ground wire.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/body45.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

I have the rough carve of the neck done. This one's getting close to prep for finish.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk01.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk04.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk02.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk03.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

Not much to report on this one but it's ready for finish prep. I have made some changes to the electronics design. With the help of some very knowledgeable folks, I've corrected some major design flaws.

First, I decided there would be functionality in 2 volumes and a master tone. So, I have a volume on the bridge PU and a shared volume for the mid/neck PUs.
Here's the first revision of this approach.

The biggest issue I had was the 2 volume pots were inteacting to the point that if one was turned all the way down, the other would be at zero also...not good...guitars are supposed to make noise. :rolleyes:

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring 5.jpg

Second revision... The bridge volume pot was placed before the switch to eliminate the interaction with the other pot.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring 6.jpg

Next issue: the way the tone is connected, it was shorting the volume pots together. So, the tone is now fed from the output jack which is after both volume pots.

Other than the possible addition of a treble bleed on the HB, I think this is the final revision...Of course, now that I said that, I'll get some bad news. Fingers crossed.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring 7.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

I decided to simplify the wiring. It now has a 2 volume setup similar to a Les Paul where the 2 controls interact when 2 or more PUs are on. Either of the 2 controls will silence the guitar which is good for volume swells...tough to do with 2 separate controls.


http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/wiring 8.jpg


I installed the frets and applied the first few coats of Tru-Oil. I love the color that TO gives to maple...and it makes the flame pop! Isee the camera caught some scratches on the HS face that need attentions. Oops.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk05.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk06.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk07.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/strat02/nk08.jpg

Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

The heat has been a bear lately and the shop has uninhabitable so I have made any progress on finishing. I've been able to spend a few hours in the mornings working on getting all my builds ready for finish. Here's the state of things. This build and the others are ready for grain filling (as needed) and finish.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/all12.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all13.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all14.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all15.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all16.jpg

More soon.
Mark