I've been thinking to customize my Strat and was wondering what other forum members have done and would recommend.

A custom pickguard is one idea that came to mind. Easy, inexpensive, and allows for a Cntrl-Z undo.
I found this site in a Google search but have never ordered from them. Greasy Groove

Other suggestions as well as pictures of your custom jobs are most welcome

Thanks and Cheers!
BM

_________________
This is the Blues. Are you listening?

It depends on the color of the guitar. What's yours?
Those Rosewood pick guards look nice with a Rosewood fret board, not cheap though.
...Mark.

Pickguard, knobs, switch tip, strap buttons, pickup.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I had thought about some custom art work on the guitar itself but found out that it's rather expensive and doesn't come with an "undo" option.

This seems the way to go. I'm thinking to start with the pickguard / back plate and go from there.

Cheers!
BM

_________________
This is the Blues. Are you listening?

Customizing your guitar to your taste is fine. I would save the original parts, in case you decide to sell or trade-up at a later date. It could effect the value of your guitar. I put S.D pick-ups on my 2009 American deluxe strat, Lil' 59 at neck and Hot rails at bridge.

_________________
2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

Thanks, Dutchy. Keeping the original parts is always a good idea.

Your comments made me realize that I was unclear in my original post and should have specified that by customization I meant looks not sound.
Sorry about that.

For now I'm still looking at changing the pickguard, pickup covers, and back plate. Maybe knobs. We'll see. ...

Cheers!
BM

_________________
This is the Blues. Are you listening?

Callaham
All Parts
StewMac
Warmoth
WDMusic Custom Pickguards


That should be enough to get you started. Browse those sites and see if anything strikes your fancy.

_________________

Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

The only customising I did to my 63 strat was this:

Sorry the picture isn't very big.
Someone dropped an object on the scratchplate so I just cut it off.

_________________
Gear:
White Squier Stratocaster
Royale 12 String.
Epiphone Dreadnought.
Tanglewood Semi-acoustic Classical.
Stagg Jazz Cello.
Marlin Dreadnought
2 Peavey Rages
Musicman
Fender G-DEC 30
Aria semi-acoustic classical

American flag decal from "paint your own guitar". Black Wilkinson bridge, black chicken-head knobs, black strap buttons and pads from WD guitar parts. Black tuning buttons from Mighty Mite guitar parts

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

That's arguably the most American thing I've seen all week.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I've bought a pickguard from this online store; http://www.dragonfireguitars.com/index. ... 667f35d5c7
I purchased a 3 ply Aged White Pearloid for a HSS Strat. Perfect fit. Quality product and great price. Shipped fast.
At least that was my experience with them.

_________________
2012 American Standard Precision V - Candy Cola Red
2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazz V - Surf Green
2011 FCS Custom Classic Special Jazz Bass V - Violin Burst
1996 MIM Stratocaster HSS - Black
1975 Precision Bass - 3 Tone Sunburst

I have a natural Tele with Black pickguard. Looks nice with the rose wood neck. I am considering the black pearl though.

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz

Thanks for the replies. They are quite helpful.

Some very nice things on these sites. The more I'm looking the more I'm zeroing in on a pin-up motif for the pickguard. So far I've only found those at Greasy Groove.

WOW Not only impressive but I think very tasteful.

I'm not sure how the black pearl will look, modwiz but as she is now, your Tele is a beauty. The black against the natural blonde along with the gold hardware give her what I'd describe as classic elegance. Just MHO.

Cheers!
BM

_________________
This is the Blues. Are you listening?

A while back I was looking for images of cut-down tele bridge plates for a cigar box guitar I was planning and having found out that both Parfitt and Rossi from Status Quo used them, I stumbled upon this website:

http://www.guitarfacelift.com/home.htm

I've no idea whether these transfers are any good, but it's a cool idea if you fancy a reversible 'paint job'. It also reminds me of a "bright idea" I read in a magazine when I was a kid...

"If you wish to repaint your car but are unsure of the colour, simply wrap it in kitchen film before you begin. If, having completed the work, you are unhappy with the new colour, simply peel it off and start again"

Greasy Groove has some neat stuff, I bought a pair of thier etched humbucker pickup covers, those were really cool. I also bought a truss rod cover with a pin-up girl on it... The art looked great, but it was cut out with 90 degree edges, no bevel at all. I'd be leery of a pickguard from them, as it would probably come the same way.

Likewise, thier pickup rings are not molded, they're cut out of thick flat stock material on a CNC table... so any finish on the top is likely not to look right on the sides. I don't know how I'd feel about those either, but that doesn't really apply to a strat.

They should be fine for knobs though... and you might get lucky on a pickguard. I wasn't overly impressed with the TRC, but it was only for an Agile LP copy that I was dressing up with a "Vegas" theme, for my band, Vegas Alibis. I ended up selling it to my other guitarist, LOL...