Build a Strat or Buy a Strat

[BoneNut]

Beautiful work!

[john_p_t]

The thing about Warmoth, based on the box of stuff I've just received from them, is that their workmanship is seriously accurate and thorough. The neck and body I've got from them fit together perfectly, and nut width and bridge are precisely matched and so on and so on. I'm not going to need tyo do any remedial work on them at all, which is handy, as that's not the bit I'm particularly interested in.

 

They also provide a useful checklist for things that could be wrong, which you go through before you start assembly, and if any of that stuff is off, they fix it for you no questions asked.

 

I'm no kind of woodworker, so I'm happy to pay a bit more for this level of service. I'm sure guys with only moderate woodworking skills could go for a less known reliable supplier and do fine.

[BoneNut]

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A Strat is very easy to wire, since you can work on the pickguard without it being attached to the body. You can use the standard diagram and five way switch but there are tons of variations... treble bleed, seven way, etc.

[Prages]

www.guitarelectronics.com has tons of wiring diagrams. Guitar circuits generally aren't very hard to follow, so if you want something that's not listed on their site, and you can't find a diagram elsewhere, you'd probably be able to either ask about it here and someone could tell you how to wire it, or you may be able to just figure it out yourself.

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/wiringresources.3_pickup_diagrams/

[newbuilder]

Good luck on your project!

Partscaster builds are some of the easiest and can be seriously rewarding. A warmoth neck and body will ensure a fantastic fit and easy setup. Alder, has a way simpler grain pattern and may or may not look as cool as some of the ash bodies that you have seen in this thread, I have a one piece Alder body that I got from JJ Pistols that is wonderful, but still a very simple grain pattern.

My BG V60 pups are the perfect strat pups, I would highly recomend those based on my experience...I rock them with my band almost exclusively, they are great for dirt or clean and have that strat sound.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

I talked the talk earlier, so here's the walk, and this was my first real Strta build and I've yet to find a better Strat at any price:cool:

[Stoneball Jack]

Good luck on your project! Partscaster builds are some of the easiest and can be seriously rewarding. A warmoth neck and body will ensure a fantastic fit and easy setup. Alder, has a way simpler grain pattern and may or may not look as cool as some of the ash bodies that you have seen in this thread, I have a one piece Alder body that I got from JJ Pistols that is wonderful, but still a very simple grain pattern. My BG V60 pups are the perfect strat pups, I would highly recomend those based on my experience...I rock them with my band almost exclusively, they are great for dirt or clean and have that strat sound.

 

 

Thanks...I have noticed that about alder but isn't alder supposed to sound more a bit warmer than ash.

 

And thanks for the pickup advise. I think the BG's have made it to the finalist in the pickup running. It just annoys me that i have to rely on clips and sound instead of actually hearing them. Anyway i think the pickups i've narrowed it down to are the BG v60's and the Van Zandt blues or vintage plus

[Stoneball Jack]

I talked the talk earlier, so here's the walk, and this was my first real Strta build and I've yet to find a better Strat at any price:cool:

very nice! That's ash right? How is the tone of ash compared with the tone of alder?

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

very nice! That's ash right? How is the tone of ash compared with the tone of alder?

 

 

Swamp ash indeed it is, ebony board and stainless frets, BKP Trilogy Suites, it does face removals:)

I've never kept an alder Strat I've built yet, and swapped out two Warmoth alder bodies for swamp ash.

To my ears it is simply livelier, and more to my taste, however some like alder, but it isn't surprising that sawmp ash is the choice of many high end 'Caster builders like Melancon etc.

[Stoneball Jack]

Swamp ash indeed it is, ebony board and stainless frets, BKP Trilogy Suites, it does face removals:) I've never kept an alder Strat I've built yet, and swapped out two Warmoth alder bodies for swamp ash. To my ears it is simply livelier, and more to my taste, however some like alder, but it isn't surprising that sawmp ash is the choice of many high end 'Caster builders like Melancon etc.

 

 

cool, i've always seen alder on the higher end strats so i assumed it was the better sounding wood. by livelier do you mean it sounds brighter and the alder sounds darker?

[Orange Jackson]

Thanks, and very nice strat btw. I like the way it looks i might go for something similar to that.

 

 

Just FYI, it's a Charvel body style from kne, a little more meat on the upper horn then a strat, and a touch more meat on the hips. Fits a stock fender case fine though.

Top mounted pickups, with the access to the electronics through the back.

 

If you get a regular strat body, it will have top route for all of this, and you'll need to use a pickguard.

[newbuilder]

Thanks...I have noticed that about alder but isn't alder supposed to sound more a bit warmer than ash. And thanks for the pickup advise. I think the BG's have made it to the finalist in the pickup running. It just annoys me that i have to rely on clips and sound instead of actually hearing them. Anyway i think the pickups i've narrowed it down to are the BG v60's and the Van Zandt blues or vintage plus

 

 

You win either way on those pups. I couldn't tell you teh difference of the sound of an alder strat vs ash. I hear alot of people say that woods matterand to some degree I guess they do, but I would bet the difference is minimal through an amp. The swamp ash is what I have on my mason strat and picket tele...sounds great, both are very bright, but that is common to strats and teles anyway and having a tone control helps roll off the highs if they are too bright.

[Orange Jackson]

Great looking guitar Ratae!

As for the KNE bodies. It is a two piece construction. If you look a my guitar, you will see that the big piece has the pickups and the neck pocket routed into it.
I think this is kind of cool way to do it versus just splitting it down the middle. I was very impressed with their work, nice guys to talk with. All the routes and holes were as they should have been. I drilled the volume and tone holes (don't mess that up!). The Warmoth neck fit like a tight glove, I needed to do a touch of relief sanding to make it fit, and that is just as I would want it. You will need to do a little finish sanding as well before you paint or stain.

I'm pretty confident that a warmoth body would be every bit as good.
KNE has also started to do necks, but I have no experience with that.

electronics are easy, just ask in your thread about that before you start in. Buy the right pot values and capacitors for your pickups. Are you going to to SSS or SSH? Decide if you want a volume and master tone, that is two knobs, or if you want a volume, tone neck/middle, and tone bridge, that would be three knobs.

Warmoth neck just might need to fret level, mine is in the gray area, it could use one, but I can get by with out it. Stainless steal frets really don't ever ware out, keep that in mind. You might have to pay for one fret level over the life of the neck, after that, the SS frets will generally not wear down like other frets will. SS is the way to go imo.

[Orange Jackson]

This can be helpful for wood tones,
http://www.suhrguitars.com/wood.aspx#body

Interesting to note their advice on neck wood not to use with Swamp ash, sounds like a maple neck is it for that type of body.




.

[Stoneball Jack]

Just FYI, it's a Charvel body style from kne, a little more meat on the upper horn then a strat, and a touch more meat on the hips. Fits a stock fender case fine though. Top mounted pickups, with the access to the electronics through the back. If you get a regular strat body, it will have top route for all of this, and you'll need to use a pickguard.

 

 

When i when to their site it says that the strat type body can be rear routed

[Stoneball Jack]

Great looking guitar Ratae! As for the KNE bodies. It is a two piece construction. If you look a my guitar, you will see that the big piece has the pickups and the neck pocket routed into it. I think this is kind of cool way to do it versus just splitting it down the middle. I was very impressed with their work, nice guys to talk with. All the routes and holes were as they should have been. I drilled the volume and tone holes (don't mess that up!). The Warmoth neck fit like a tight glove, I needed to do a touch of relief sanding to make it fit, and that is just as I would want it. You will need to do a little finish sanding as well before you paint or stain. I'm pretty confident that a warmoth body would be every bit as good. KNE has also started to do necks, but I have no experience with that. electronics are easy, just ask in your thread about that before you start in. Buy the right pot values and capacitors for your pickups. Are you going to to SSS or SSH? Decide if you want a volume and master tone, that is two knobs, or if you want a volume, tone neck/middle, and tone bridge, that would be three knobs. Warmoth neck just might need to fret level, mine is in the gray area, it could use one, but I can get by with out it. Stainless steal frets really don't ever ware out, keep that in mind. You might have to pay for one fret level over the life of the neck, after that, the SS frets will generally not wear down like other frets will. SS is the way to go imo.

Yeah i haven't decided yet if i want to SSS SSH. I'm pretty certain i want two tones and a volume though.

Thanks for the info on the neck. I probably will go with stainless steal. Although they are a bit more expensive

[Stoneball Jack]

This can be helpful for wood tones, http://www.suhrguitars.com/wood.aspx#body Interesting to note their advice on neck wood not to use with Swamp ash, sounds like a maple neck is it for that type of body. .

 

 

This is pretty helpful. Thanks

[Orange Jackson]

When i when to their site it says that the strat type body can be rear routed

Right you are.

I was just meaning most other strat bodies.

[golias]

One factor nobody here has mentioned: Resale.

Buy a used MIA Strat, and someday down the road when you want to change things up you can probably sell it for what it cost you, effectively meaning you rented it for free with a multi-hundred dollar deposit.

Build your own partscaster, and people will scoff at paying what you put into it. Anybody who wants to own a partscaster wants to own one with THEIR choice of parts, finish, and design.

So building makes a ton of sense only if you enjoy the process of building it and/or you're certain that you will keep the guitar forever.

[Orange Jackson]

^That said, and I agree, but if you want to unload it, you have to part it out.

Warmoth necks, from what I've seen, hold their value pretty well. And that is the biggest investment in the whole deal.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

cool, i've always seen alder on the higher end strats so i assumed it was the better sounding wood. by livelier do you mean it sounds brighter and the alder sounds darker?

 

 

Thats exactly what I was trying not to say

 

Alder Strats don't sound dark, but an ash Strat just sounds opener....aaaaah I don't like describing this stuff, just use ash:)

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

On factor nobody here has mentioned: Resale.

 

 

Yup mentioned that an age ago

 

In Europe, a Warmoth bodied and necked Strat will get you in exactly the same ballpark as an MIA Strat and in some cases give a better return, and as OJ pointed out, in your neck of the woods, parting the Warmoth out will do the same job, but it's as I said way back it's important that you get the neck right

[Stoneball Jack]

I'm not too too worried about resale because i don't see myself selling a guitar i put that much time into.

[Stoneball Jack]

Thats exactly what I was trying not to say Alder Strats don't sound dark, but an ash Strat just sounds opener....aaaaah I don't like describing this stuff, just use ash:)

 

 

haha ok.....i think i'll go to guitar center tomorrow and see if they have an ash strat and an alder strat and i'll play them both and see which i like. is there much of a difference between ash and swamp ash?

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

haha ok.....i think i'll go to guitar center tomorrow and see if they have an ash strat and an alder strat and i'll play them both and see which i like. is there much of a difference between ash and swamp ash?

 

 

Just try and make sure the ash guitar you play is light, as the light stuff gives the best idea