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Author Topic: Custom Stratocaster "relic"  (Read 9166 times)

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MikeB

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Re: Custom Stratocaster "relic"
« Reply #15 on: Time Format »

You know, it surprises me how much that pick guard has impacted on the look of that guitar.  I am not a big fan of those pastel strats and if this one had a white pick guard, I would have been pretty unenthusiastic.  However, you put that tortoise shell thing on and suddenly its transformed into something completely different and really quite interesting and beautiful.
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Harley Hexxe

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Re: Custom Stratocaster "relic"
« Reply #16 on: Time Format »

About tremolo block, I will have a look around.
This is an original Fender vintage bridge (no vintage, just used...) and I already swapped the block with a better one.
I still have to do a lot of work on this guitar, before I can hear her voice....then I'll see what could be improved.  :thumb-up:

    What kind of better one? Machined steel, or Aluminum?

    In the early days when Leo Fender was inventing the Stratocaster, he machined the bridge parts from steel since there there was no reference for it anywhere else. The first few Stratocasters were made with these steel blocks and had a very bright, biting sound, with enhanced lows, not much in the midrange area.
    When the Strat went into production, Leo had these blocks made from cast metal billets instead of steel ones. They were what we call "Pot" metal, or junk metal if you will. Leo always looked for a bargain wherever he could get one, and buying them like this averaged only a penny a piece. He saved money on quality steel bars, and labor costs because they only had to machine the threads for the Tremolo bar, and the mounting screws. So even the most collectible American Strats all the way back to the mid-50's had crap blocks in them.
   Brass was only a stock item on one model Stratocaster, and that was the "STRAT" introduced in 1980. That block is equal to the Mega Mass block they offer at KGC, but without the taper. It does interfere with the travel of the tremolo, and I'm torn between replacing that block with a Mega Mass block, or, routing out some of the wood at the end of the tremolo cavity where the block hits it. I believe this can be done carefully enough to not show on the back surface of the guitar, and I could keep the original Fender Brassworks block in there.
    I hate altering an original Fender vintage guitar, especially a limited one like this, but I've already done that to this guitar with the installation of the LSR roller nut, and gold locking tuners, so I might as well go for it.

   Harley 8)
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rnolan

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Re: Custom Stratocaster "relic"
« Reply #17 on: Time Format »

Hard choice Harley  :facepalm: :dunno: , changing the block is less mess (routing, makes lots of mess albeit fun LoL).  And also you can then restore it if you ever wanted to ? Then routing is cheaper (if you do it yourself), or could you reshape the block ? So just a bit of filing...
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Harley Hexxe

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Re: Custom Stratocaster "relic"
« Reply #18 on: Time Format »

Actually Richard, I've thought about just changing the block, but I would lose a little bit of the mass of the block that way. I would not even consider planing or filing the original Fender block. You can't see it when it's installed in the guitar, but it has the "Fender" logo stamped right in the center of the block on the back side of it.
  I would probably consider using a Dremel tool and routing some of the wood away from the back of the cavity where the edge of the block makes contact with it. But then again, I'm not too concerned about restoring it. I've already altered this guitar by replacing the original nut with a LSR roller nut, and replacing the original Schaller tuners with a set of gold Sperzel Locking tuners. (The original tuners were chrome since the gold ones weren't available at the time this guitar was put on the market). I have considered getting a set of the new gold Fender/Schaller locking tuners and putting those on there.
   This particular Strat, is very heavy, much more so than any of the others I have. The only Strat that would be heavier than this would be the Walnut STRAT. Routing a little bit of the wood out in a place where you wouldn't see it, won't really lighten this guitar to any noticeable degree, but it won't hurt it either.
    I've even considered buying a replacement body for this guitar made of Alder. That would lighten this thing considerably, and then it wouldn't be an issue doing the routing for the tremolo block. I'm sure I can get one in Candy Apple Red. That is another option...
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Iperfungus

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Re: Custom Stratocaster "relic"
« Reply #19 on: Time Format »

You know, it surprises me how much that pick guard has impacted on the look of that guitar.  I am not a big fan of those pastel strats and if this one had a white pick guard, I would have been pretty unenthusiastic.  However, you put that tortoise shell thing on and suddenly its transformed into something completely different and really quite interesting and beautiful.

Thanks a lot, Mike!  :thumb-up:

I love that look....and I'm sure I'll love the tone as well...once I'll finish it...  :lol:
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