VSD - Vintage Strat Day! (now the truth comes out)

[WezV]

Lovely grain in that ash but you need to get rid of the bridge (or at least the saddles) ASAP.

i think the modern block saddles work better than the original 70's ones.

[Philly Q]

Lovely grain in that ash but you need to get rid of the bridge (or at least the saddles) ASAP.

i think the modern block saddles work better than the original 70's ones.

Yeah, reminiscent of an old Schecter!

It's lovely, I always liked that natural ash, maple and black parts look.  It's the quintessential '70s Strat for me.

[PhilKing]

Lovely grain in that ash but you need to get rid of the bridge (or at least the saddles) ASAP.

They look like a replacement saddle, not the cast ones that the guitar would have shipped with (if you want a set, I have one around - but they are tone suckers!).

[gwEm]

Well, now the regulars have chipped in, I guess its time to reveal the truth about this guitar.. Its a little something Wez and I have put together ;)

Body is a real 1972 body I got for a great price on ebay
Pickguard is a 1974 item
Knobs and jackplate are 70s items of unknown year
Neckplate is a '73

And after that everything is reliced:
Screws are old ones from my MIM 70s reissue
Jack is a switchcraft item, aged by Wez
Trem block is a steel ebay item, aged by Wez
Springs and string trees from an ebay seller specialising in aged parts
Trem plate is an old steel MIM I had, already looking pretty aged
Trem claw is Wez aged
Decided to go with milled steel Gotoh saddles for tone, aged by Wez
Straplocks are cheap dunlop copies from Axes R Us

The neck is the one from my MIM reissue, completely stripped, reprofiled, refinished, refretted and aged by Wez
The tuners are Schaller 70s reissues, again aged by Wez

Electronic-wise its loaded with a uber Sinner / overwound Trilogy set. Its wired for master volume and tone, with neck pickup blend.

Except for the saddles (which was clear, and not much I could do about it and keep tone) you guys all seem to have been taken in - except maybe those of you in on the secret - woo!

[WezV]

here is the neck as it started

[gwEm]

more detailed one of the headstock

i have to say it was a pretty mediocre neck before - thick poly varnish, worn vintage frets, 7.5" radius.. though I liked the back profile

now its a real players tool - 9.5", gibson frets, nicely worn edges, and Wez tells me he re-worked the back as well

[Philly Q]

Haha, you conniving gits!  :lol:

Nice relic job on the neck - did you even yellow the face of the headstock to give it that nitro-over-poly look?

[TheIronBeast]

Really like the look of that reliced neck! Wez has made a fine job.  8)

[gwEm]

Haha, you conniving gits!  :lol:

Nice relic job on the neck - did you even yellow the face of the headstock to give it that nitro-over-poly look?

the whole thing is nitro, but with the face of the headstock as a darker tint.

[Oli]

Very nice indeed! Unusual look, but a really great one, maple boards all the way :)

[dave_mc]

hehe :lol:

[Will]

Looks cool. Strat and slowhand GAS is back though

[WezV]

as gwem says the neck is completely nitro.  but we did the back and fretboard in a light tint to look a similar shade to poly.  the headstock was done with darker nitro to give that 70's dark headstock look.  its unauthentic to go completely nitro but feels a better guitar for it

same thing with the saddles.  they are unauthentic, but bent steel saddles would be unauthentic too.  the 70's ones have cast blocks that look a bit like the bent steel ones... thats the weakness, they are too thin and that just doesnt work out too well with cast metal.  we did have some in the 70's style but they felt insubstantial in comparison so i went with these (although if gwem wants those ageing so he can test himself i am happy to do it)


its been fun playing with relicing recently - i dont think bravewood has anything to worry about yet but i think my wear and dirt is better than fender, they definately do better nitro crazing though!!

[gwEm]

Looks cool. Strat and slowhand GAS is back though

If you want a meaty Strat set, wait till you try the Sinner.. makes the Slowhands sound insubstantial(!)

the milled steel block saddles existed as upgrades in the 70s:
http://cgi.ebay.com/70s-CHARVEL-MIGHTY-MITE-BRIDGE-SADDLES_W0QQitemZ110428462476

Suffice to say I won't be fitting any sort of cast saddles to this one ;)

[AndyR]

Ah... you young cheekie chappies :D

Good job I don't go for vintage stuff - I wouldn't stand a chance out there :lol:

Lovely job, chaps.