Old Strat Day!

[Grandturk]

Well, not too old, but I've had it (mostly) for the last 6 years. This is a modified MIJ 54 RI. Originally had a Foto Flame body. I've replaced the body with a light ash (3.5 lbs) body from Warmoth in vintage white, with some added distressing to match the neck and hardware. All the hardware is original and naturally aged (mostly) as well as the neck. I did just have some giant railroad tie feeling frets added (at great cost to me) and installed the tortoise shell guard with Dimarzio YJM neck and Super Distortion Bridge.

Its got a Fender Custom Shop 54 in the middle. I think I wired something wrong, so I'll have to trouble shoot the neck pickup - seems too low in output and muddy - think I crossed a wire to the tone pot - when in doubt, snip it out. In retrospect, I should have just left the tone control out altogether.

Anyway - enjoy the pics!













My "upstate" rig:

[mccullpl]

Cool strat! How does that Super D sound in there?

[Grandturk]

Cool strat! How does that Super D sound in there?

A little bit brighter and springier than the full sized 'bucker - probably due to the ash body and the tight single coil sized magnetic field. Certainly shred worthy.

[Alvin_Wilson]

That tortoise pickguard looks great with that white. That is one beautiful guitar.

[Grandturk]

That tortoise pickguard looks great with that white. That is one beautiful guitar.

Yeah it turned out looking pretty good. I didn't know what way to go. I had a white guard on it. I was thinking gold anodized with black pickup covers and knobs, then I was thinking black with white knobs. I briefly toyed with aged pearl white, but I really don't like the pearl pickguards.

I think the tortoise shell offsets the white and the maple colors nicely.

[DonP]

Big Frets are definitely worth it if you plan on keeping an axe.

My first Les Paul was a 72 fretless wonder. Excellent tone, but I hated those frets. I sold it (back in the late 80s) and always regretted it. So I go into GC Hollywood and try another fretless wonder. I still hate those stupid low frets!!!

[WarPig]

I gotta give you a LOT of credit. I'm a big "relic'd" hater (I won't spout off here), and I think what you did looks GREAT

Perhaps it's because the rest of the guitar comes by its battle scars naturally that it was "ok" to relic the body. Kinda like paint matching the fender of a classic car...

The pickguard gives it a really nice vintage look. Had you said "this guitar was used at Woodstock" I'd probably had believed you

Nice work!

[Grandturk]

Big Frets are definitely worth it if you plan on keeping an axe.

Let's see - I bought the guitar for $400 originally, and the fretjob cost me $350. So, yeah - if the neck shape on this was not absolutely killer, it would have been a waste of money!

[Grandturk]

I gotta give you a LOT of credit. I'm a big "relic'd" hater (I won't spout off here), and I think what you did looks [B]GREAT

Thanks - I did choose the best photos - there are some areas that don't look as convincing. Mostly I just whacked the body with my keys while my wife said "didn't you just buy that?" There was some sandpaper and polishing compound involved as well.

One thing to note if you're thinking of doing this to a Warmoth body - they use a clear sealer on these things, so even if you chip the paint off, you've got a layer of clear sealer that's tougher than the top coat. I guess its possible to get down to wood, but that would take some doing.

[Outlander]

Here's my 74/75 with natural wear.35 years old, I don't see how some guitarists can beat their instruments up so badly.

[WarPig]

Here's my 74/75 with natural wear.35 years old, I don't see how some guitarists can beat their instruments up so badly.

It depends on where you play and how much you drink

In the deep past (when I was an active musician) we played dives that made the place in "The Blues Brothers" look tame. All it takes is one drunk trucker (or biker, or businessman) to get punched, pushed or stumble into the "bandstand" (floor area where the band is set up). If they do it when you're on break, it gives true meaning to the phrase "domino effect"

Another cause of rapid guitar aging is when you make the mistake of letting a bandmate use your axe because his was ripped off/in the shop/don't have an electric that's worth anything/he doesn't want his messed up so he'll borrow yours.

I don't think anyone intends to hurt their guitar (anyone sane, that is), but some take less precautions to keep it from happening.

[Grandturk]

I don't think anyone intends to hurt their guitar (anyone sane, that is), but some take less precautions to keep it from happening.

But you know its going to happen when you start whacking cymbols with your headstock!