Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: gwEm on November 16, 2012, 11:41:13 AM

Title: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: gwEm on November 16, 2012, 11:41:13 AM
Its a bit of an ebay bargain. Planning to just use the body, if it turns out to be decent. Made in Korea hardtail strat. Pretty heavy, good setup. Late 80s manufacture probably. Low-end hardware not a good sign though, but then it was a complete gamble. I'll take it apart later and see whats what.


edit:
mmmm... non-standard neck plate dimensions
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 16, 2012, 12:35:17 PM
Picture?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 16, 2012, 12:38:31 PM
See below.

I have a feeling this one might end up back on ebay, or gifted. Actually, its not bad, but I'm thinking the non-standard neck plate is going to make my modification plans difficult.

I'll be interested in your thoughts Philly..
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: AndyR on November 16, 2012, 12:49:53 PM
Looks pretty :)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Brow on November 16, 2012, 12:54:38 PM
I really like that. I've always been a sucker for white strats  :lol:

Any idea what wood the body is?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Kiichi on November 16, 2012, 12:58:13 PM
I like the looks of it. Is it a Fender or a Squire?
I wonder how good it sounds acousticly.

Gotta keep my eyes out for something like this, have been Gasing for a strat to load with sultans for quite some time favoring the Jimmy Vaughan one which feels amazing.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 16, 2012, 01:05:51 PM
Its definitely neither a Fender or a Squier.. although it has neatly a neatly applied Fender decal.

Not sure on the wood, but its fairly heavy(!) - useless comment I know.

Its not complete sh!t thats for sure, but it may ultimately be useless to me. I had planned to put a 22 fret, rosewood, CBS neck on.. which now may be harder than I'd originally thought.

More later when it gets pulled to bits.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: TheyCallMeVolume on November 16, 2012, 01:51:48 PM
At least it's a cool looking guitar, hope you can make something work.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 16, 2012, 03:01:07 PM
I have a feeling this one might end up back on ebay, or gifted. Actually, its not bad, but I'm thinking the non-standard neck plate is going to make my modification plans difficult.

Is it a 3-bolt fixing, or just a non-standard 4-bolt plate?

If it's the latter you should be OK just plugging the existing screw holes in the neck and drilling new ones.

If it's a 3-bolt, I think there's a possibility the truss rod on a "regular" neck may get in the way of the centre bolt.  And it's messy converting a 3-bolt body to a 4-bolt one.


(Incidentally I have, of course, got a white hardtail Strat body somewhere under my bed.....  :wink:  Great minds think alike.)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 16, 2012, 03:59:46 PM
it is a 4 bolt one. so i guess i could plug the holes in the neck and redrill.

it all rests on what the body wood is of course..
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 16, 2012, 04:38:28 PM
Might be hard to tell what the wood is - are you going to route it at all?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 16, 2012, 05:18:43 PM
Might be hard to tell what the wood is - are you going to route it at all?
I've had a little peer at the edge of the pickups, and it looks like it /might/ be a swimming pool rout. Anyway, the plan is to keep single coils. I'll throw that Paul Gilbert Injector in the bridge to start with.

It might indeed be hard to know what the wood is, but hopefully I should be able to tell pretty quickly if its plywood, or made of 100 pieces.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Andrew W on November 16, 2012, 05:47:06 PM
I do have a terrible weakness for a white Strat so visually that's looking good to me. Hope you can make it work.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: dave_mc on November 17, 2012, 12:28:05 AM
very nice :)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Telerocker on November 17, 2012, 01:00:45 AM
Looks great! I have a Hondo II strat that weighs a ton and is made of plywood. I hope yours is ash or something similar.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 17, 2012, 10:51:30 AM
Looks great! I have a Hondo II strat that weighs a ton and is made of plywood. I hope yours is ash or something similar.

Indeed, my worries were realised and it did turn out to be plywood, no swimming pool rout though. But anyway, it looks nice as people have pointed out, and plays quite well so it will be a good gift.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 17, 2012, 12:05:04 PM
I must admit I didn't even realise people made plywood guitars any more.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Telerocker on November 17, 2012, 11:57:03 PM
Looks great! I have a Hondo II strat that weighs a ton and is made of plywood. I hope yours is ash or something similar.

Indeed, my worries were realised and it did turn out to be plywood, no swimming pool rout though. But anyway, it looks nice as people have pointed out, and plays quite well so it will be a good gift.

How's the tone? My Hondo is just so so, though it has been upgraded in the eighties with vintagehot SD-singlecoils. Can't remember which ones.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 18, 2012, 11:37:28 AM
Looks great! I have a Hondo II strat that weighs a ton and is made of plywood. I hope yours is ash or something similar.

Indeed, my worries were realised and it did turn out to be plywood, no swimming pool rout though. But anyway, it looks nice as people have pointed out, and plays quite well so it will be a good gift.

How's the tone? My Hondo is just so so, though it has been upgraded in the eighties with vintagehot SD-singlecoils. Can't remember which ones.

Frankly i didn't plug it in, I pulled it to pieces as soon as I got it home ;) the body does vibrate with the strings, but sustain is indeed so so..
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 18, 2012, 07:52:43 PM
Have just ebayed another similarly cheap and cheerful white hard tail strat.. Watch for the NGD soon, hopefully no plywood this time(!)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Telerocker on November 18, 2012, 11:06:43 PM
You can make a nice gallery on the wall, but are you gonna play them much? I stopped collecting cause I always come back to two, three guitars that I gig with. At a time I had 22 guitars. I brought it back to 7, some acoustics included. The only thing that gives me gas is a P90 loaded LP and an ES295.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 19, 2012, 12:22:23 AM
At a time I had 22 guitars. I brought it back to 7, some acoustics included.

Well done!  :o  I could never do that.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 19, 2012, 10:11:21 AM
You can make a nice gallery on the wall, but are you gonna play them much? I stopped collecting cause I always come back to two, three guitars that I gig with. At a time I had 22 guitars. I brought it back to 7, some acoustics included. The only thing that gives me gas is a P90 loaded LP and an ES295.

I don't really feel that way in this case, since I'll be gifting the plywood strat before the other one comes.

In anycase I like pulling apart guitars and tinkering with them. I might even use this as an excuse to buy a router  :twisted:

And in fact I do play all my guitars and they all inspire me in a different way.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 19, 2012, 12:47:12 PM
In anycase I like pulling apart guitars and tinkering with them. I might even use this as an excuse to buy a router  :twisted:

Routers are great!  :D   The only power tool I've ever got value-for-money from.

Just wish I had more time to.... I'm gonna say it....... complete some projects.  :oops: :roll: :P
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Telerocker on November 19, 2012, 05:45:33 PM
Good you play them all. Let us know how you´re floating with this one.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 23, 2012, 11:51:46 AM
A somewhat grubby white Tom DeLonge strat has arrived. Its already in pieces or I'd have taken some snaps for you all ;)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 23, 2012, 11:56:14 AM
Can't remember, is that a Squier model or a Mexican one?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 23, 2012, 12:06:01 PM
Can't remember, is that a Squier model or a Mexican one?

Indeed, both were available. This is certainly a Squier which has had some pimpage done on it. I can see straight away that the wood is quite nice on it - looks to be pukka alder, 3 piece.

I plan to discard everything except the body, jackplate and bridge baseplate.

Its arctic white, which is tempting for a black plate, but I might go with white.

edit: (think it might be 4 piece in fact)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 27, 2012, 11:41:02 PM
Progress:

Some very neat routing work from Feline, and a replacement neck on the way!
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: dvorak on November 28, 2012, 09:03:34 AM
Nice! But we need to see some pics!  :D

Were did you get the neck?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Telerocker on November 28, 2012, 08:16:21 PM
Progress:

Some very neat routing work from Feline, and a replacement neck on the way!

I guess it's fun to upgrade, but is this guitar worth the investment?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on November 28, 2012, 11:10:29 PM
The body was pretty ok on the Tom Delonge - was a nice bit of alder
It routed well and it should sound great
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Telerocker on November 28, 2012, 11:47:57 PM
The body was pretty ok on the Tom Delonge - was a nice bit of alder
It routed well and it should sound great

Ah, so promising... and it kept you of the street too.  :)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 29, 2012, 12:15:08 AM
Progress:

Some very neat routing work from Feline, and a replacement neck on the way!

I guess it's fun to upgrade, but is this guitar worth the investment?

Yes.

It's a four piece alder hardtail strat body. Fender USA made worse in the 70s ;)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 29, 2012, 01:29:07 AM
It's a four piece alder hardtail strat body. Fender USA made worse in the 70s ;)

And in the late '90s, just before the American Standard Series became the American Series - if I remember right, they were often using up to five pieces, veneered front and back to hide the joins.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 29, 2012, 01:03:09 PM
Nice! But we need to see some pics!  :D

Were did you get the neck?

You are clearly right!

I ebayed the neck ;)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 29, 2012, 01:06:35 PM
It's a four piece alder hardtail strat body. Fender USA made worse in the 70s ;)

And in the late '90s, just before the American Standard Series became the American Series - if I remember right, they were often using up to five pieces, veneered front and back to hide the joins.

Good knowledge Philly! From the 80s I've even seen "string through back of bridge" Fender USA hardtails
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 29, 2012, 01:49:58 PM
Like this one?  Never seen one "in the flesh", but what a misguided idea!  I bet most of them have been converted to string-throughs now.

(http://www.stratcollector.com/images/smith/83version2.gif)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 29, 2012, 02:12:51 PM
I've not seen a Strat like that, but I have played around with a Tele from the same period which has just the same bridge.

Apparently Jeff Buckley really likes that design(!)

(http://1484.bz/shibuya/item/image/31/fender_japan/311399400/1.jpg)

edit: the bridge pickup on that guitar was very poorly made too - no baseplate!
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on November 29, 2012, 02:18:20 PM
Yeah, I've seen those Teles before.  I imagine the Strats are extremely rare.  I don't like the saddles on those early '80s Fenders, what were they thinking?

Apparently Jeff Buckley really likes that design(!)

Liked, presumably!  :?  :P
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 29, 2012, 02:20:49 PM
Yeah, I've seen those Teles before.  I imagine the Strats are extremely rare.  I don't like the saddles on those early '80s Fenders, what were they thinking?

Apparently Jeff Buckley really likes that design(!)

Liked, presumably!  :?  :P

indeed(!) i was just about to edit it, but I'll leave it now
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: dvorak on November 29, 2012, 03:34:12 PM
Nice one! I'm kinda surprised that it has the HSS routing. I would take a guess at the swimming pool routing on the cheaper bodies.

The Gilbert pups, are they the hum canceling single coil ones?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on November 29, 2012, 03:43:59 PM
Nice one! I'm kinda surprised that it has the HSS routing. I would take a guess at the swimming pool routing on the cheaper bodies.

The Gilbert pups, are they the hum canceling single coil ones?

Almost all the routing you see is actually from Jonathan at Feline. Originally it came with a simple rectangular route for a humbucker and volume pot only. Looks pretty factory now though doesn't it? ;)

The PG Injector is a hum canceling single coil yes.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: dvorak on November 29, 2012, 03:58:04 PM
Nice one! I'm kinda surprised that it has the HSS routing. I would take a guess at the swimming pool routing on the cheaper bodies.

The Gilbert pups, are they the hum canceling single coil ones?

Almost all the routing you see is actually from Jonathan at Feline. Originally it came with a simple rectangular route for a humbucker and volume pot only. Looks pretty factory now though doesn't it? ;)

The PG Injector is a hum canceling single coil yes.

Aha! Now the coin dropped. I remember reading about it Jonathan routing, I just didn't connect.

Looking forward to the finished result and I must say that I really like Gilberts tone with his Iceman.

Edit: Fixed the quote and reply
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Andrew W on November 29, 2012, 07:52:00 PM
Yeah, I've seen those Teles before.  I imagine the Strats are extremely rare.  I don't like the saddles on those early '80s Fenders, what were they thinking?

Apparently Jeff Buckley really likes that design(!)

Liked, presumably!  :?  :P

Some of the early Mexican Fender Teles had that bridge, like this one I suped up a few years back. It's from 1996 so they were using the string through the back of the bridge design quite late on:

(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2534/3870705963_14c08e5287_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_atrocity/3870705963/in/set-72157609995640417/)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on December 10, 2012, 06:45:12 PM
The neck arrived while I was on a short tour. I'll try and whack it on this week if I can.

Feline has given me a few good tips which should make things a bit nicer. Can't recommend him and his business enough.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: gwEm on December 11, 2012, 05:22:35 PM
here we go.. faster than Philly Q ;)

not quite happy with it yet, but it plays well.

pickup configuration is: injector, mustang pickup cover (just a blanking plate basically), area 67. I've fitted a three way switch.

it looks a bit too friendly and Blackmore-like. I'm thinking about making it look a bit more aggressive. I also wonder about trilogies. Anyway, this was intended to be a cheap beater project, so I'll play it like this for a bit. Sounds good and stratty ;)

the neck is a 70s MIM reissue, and the body as we know is a Squier Delonge with routing by Feline.

The plastics are allparts, and the pickguard is a WD. I've put in a neck plate washer just as I fancied it really. The 2nd tone control is a dummy for now. i also threw on some axesrus steel saddles. the ferrules are still the non-ferrous squier ones, but its probably not worth changing them. BKP/CTS pots, and a paper in oil cap.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: itamar101 on December 11, 2012, 06:05:39 PM
That look awesome. I love injectors as well, which makes it even better.
I agree it looks to friendly...
Get a mirror pickguard and put some stickers on it :D
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: Telerocker on December 11, 2012, 06:09:06 PM
I actually like the Blackmore-look and would not change that.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat
Post by: Philly Q on December 11, 2012, 06:18:40 PM
here we go.. faster than Philly Q ;)

Is that even possible?  :o


Looks good, but very Blackmore as you say.  I'd have a tortoise scratchplate or white pearl, but that's just me.... maybe black pearl?
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: _tom_ on December 11, 2012, 06:26:05 PM
That looks great, probably my favourite strat look. The fact it's hardtail makes it even better!
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: gwEm on December 11, 2012, 06:30:43 PM
the Blackmore look is a cool one, but it is a bit 'fan-boy' :) at first I thought it would be cool to do a Blackmore tribute thing, but now I see it finished its a bit too close. i like blackmore, but not *that* much  :D

myself i wonder about a plain black plate. i have a strat like that already though. a mirror, dark tortie or the other suggestions could definitely work.

i will just enjoy it as it is for now, since it is a perfectly fine guitar. perhaps the sound/character will suggest a look later. or perhaps i will sell it(!) when/if my Yamaha SGV returns.
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: _tom_ on December 12, 2012, 11:23:33 AM
Black pg/pickups looks good on white as well :) same colour as my bass actually, looks suitably cool!
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: bucketshred on December 12, 2012, 11:36:01 AM
I think that Strat looks ace. Can I have a go?

Paddy
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: AndyR on December 12, 2012, 12:08:47 PM
Looks mighty fine...

Platform shoes, shiny black shirt/blouse and trousers, a hairy-bald wig, and you'll be away :D
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: dave_mc on December 12, 2012, 03:59:41 PM
that looks really nice :)
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: richardjmorgan on December 13, 2012, 03:26:48 PM
Yeah, looks great. Bit mad I didn't spot that on ebay myself though, as I'm looking for a cheapo white Strat hardtail body at the moment and had kind of resigned myself to having to block off a trem. Now this has made me want a proper ht again!
Title: Re: NGD - cheap and cheerful (hardtail) strat (now with completed pictures)
Post by: GuitarIv on December 14, 2012, 07:16:10 AM
Turned out really nice, now if it had a maple fretboard this would be absolutely my thing. But then again I'm obsessed with maple boards haha :)