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Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster..

Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 8:22 am
by Justinm1789
The guitar started out as a 1994 MN4 serial Squier Series Fender (the ones with American bodies/necks/etc. assembled in Mexico)
Not too long into owning it, I loaded it with the Billy Corgan Dimarzio blade humbucker prewired pickguard. Really fantastic pickups. Easily among the best-sounding pickups that I've ever personally used, and the switching options in it are pretty great. neck, split neck + middle, middle, split bridge + middle, bridge.
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So, around January I found out that a professional luthier lives 20 minutes up the road from me.
I brought in my stratocaster and commissioned the following work:

-Repaint/refinish in midnight blue
-Neck restoration
-Neck refret with medium jumbo fret wire
-White neck binding added
-Internal shielding installed
-Black Babicz tremolo bridge installed
-Jaguar switchplate installed in pickguard with switching options for volume/tone bypass, hi-pass filter, and bridge pickup phase reversal
-Compensated brass nut
-Roller string trees

It's almost finished. He sent a pic of the painted body yesterday:
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Out of curiosity, I drafted in photoshop something like what the finished product will look like:
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I was going for something moody, and I really like the contrast of black hardware against midnight blue paint. Will post pictures of the actual finished guitar when it's done. You like?

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 9:23 am
by Chankgeez
I like it both ways.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 9:23 am
by Justinm1789
Chankgeez wrote:I like it both ways.
That's what she said.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 11:32 am
by Justinm1789
My hand is always vigilantly hovering over the button.
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Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 12:14 pm
by Chankgeez
I like that button.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 10:33 pm
by spacelordmother
Chankgeez wrote:I like that button.
TWSS.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 12:03 pm
by nixhex113
Those Jaguar switches are nice!

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 4:12 pm
by Justinm1789
nixhex113 wrote:Those Jaguar switches are nice!
Thanks, I thought it was a good idea. Between vol/tone bypass, HP filter, and phase switching, and the 5-way, I'll have a lot of tonal options.

I might like to do the same thing to an EMG-loaded telecaster one of these days, with the same color scheme.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 4:32 pm
by ChetMagongalo
awesome! the only thing I would have done was have the volume knob moved. I don't like how close it is

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 7:34 pm
by Justinm1789
ChetMagongalo wrote:awesome! the only thing I would have done was have the volume knob moved. I don't like how close it is
It is what it is. Some people hate it. I think its position is useful for roll-off/ons, but it can be easy to accidentally whack a strat's volume control and throw off the volume if you're not careful.

That's partially why the jag switchplate has vol/tone bypass. This way, when the switch is on, the volume and tone will be fixed at a level that is greater than the knobs allow. Not only will I not have to worry about the volume knobs, but I could engage it when I need extra push.

As for the positioning of the jag switchplate, I was hesitant at first, but I wanted to discipline myself to be a bit more articulate with my strokes anyway. If I'm playing properly, I shouldn't need to worry about whacking anything down there. That's what she said.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 12:18 pm
by Justinm1789
ChetMagongalo wrote:awesome! the only thing I would have done was have the volume knob moved. I don't like how close it is
Oh, and uh.. yeah. That's what she said, also.
That would have worked so much better if you would have just said "knob" instead of "volume knob".

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 12:29 pm
by Chankgeez
Justinm1789 wrote:
ChetMagongalo wrote:awesome! the only thing I would have done was have the knob moved. I don't like how close it is
Oh, and uh.. yeah. That's what she said, also.
That would have worked so much better if you would have just said "knob" instead of "volume knob".
Feel free to edit people's quotes.

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 12:47 pm
by Justinm1789
Chankgeez wrote:Feel free to edit people's quotes.
As someone who studied journalism in college, I couldn't bring myself to. I was tempted, though. :excellent:

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 1:34 pm
by Swordfishtrombone
Justinm1789 wrote:
Chankgeez wrote:Feel free to fuck with people's quotes.
I was tempted. :excellent:
That's what she said.

That color is sick. Can't wait to see finished pics + hear demos with that wiring setup. :drool:

Re: Having a boatload of custom work done to my stratocaster

Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 4:07 pm
by ChetMagongalo
Justinm1789 wrote:
ChetMagongalo wrote:awesome! the only thing I would have done was have the volume knob moved. I don't like how close it is
That's partially why the jag switchplate has vol/tone bypass. This way, when the switch is on, the volume and tone will be fixed at a level that is greater than the knobs allow. Not only will I not have to worry about the volume knobs, but I could engage it when I need extra push.
.
that's way tight. I wish I had a switch for that on my strat! maybe someday :)