Very cool project! Well done!

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"There is more to life than increasing its speed." Mahatma Gandhi

Owner of:
-2008 American Standard Strat in Candy Cola Red
-Vibro-Champ XD
-Fender CD-60 Acoustic (Sunburst)

First of all thank you guys for all the amazingly kind comments, I really enjoyed reading them! Now to answer some questions...


After everything is said and done, around 1,100. But I did have some extra attention paid to it by a good luthier to finish it off. As for value, the luthier said that he thought this guitar was nicer than any custom shop he has seen, so that made me feel really good! Anyways, it is definitely worth it to build the guitar of your dream, having each and every piece exactly as you have it planned in your head as what you want.

I got the pickguard off of ebay believe it or not, it cost $65 and came unfinished but worth every penny!!! The link to the man's ebay store is below. All I had to do was sand, finish, and make some minor adjustments to the neck pocket area and now it's probably one of the highlights of the guitar.
http://shop.ebay.com/bhefnerco/m.html?_ ... rom=&_ipg=



When I ordered the neck I was told the skunk stripe is walnut, however I am not an expert on woods by any means so it's possible I guess that it's ebony. Doesn't matter much to me either way on that aspect.

And honestly I havent even thought about the pickup screws, they look fine to me and I dont even notice them but thanks for the link, I will definitely look into it!


Thanks again to everyone for the kind comments! Maybe sometime soon I'll try to figure out a way to post some auido so you can hear the guitar as well as see it!

Gday Ryan congrats on the guitar very beautiful indeed. I like it all especially the knobs, I am into gold hardware also. Are those knobs metal where did you get them from, are they Fender or what if I can please ask.
Thanks Vinny Pop

Ryan,
That is a beautiful instrument. I love the engraved neckplate. The pickguard just really sets off the rest of the guitar and ties in with the neck nicely. Tastefully done and I'd love to hear this instrument. Congrats on a job well done.

I`m quite impressed with that MM neck.
Plus a chance to bump this Fabulous build.

Ryan,

I think you got more than what you paid for because that guitar looks like one top notch quality instrument. That is certainly the finest looking strat I've seen.. Does Fender even make strats like this???

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http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

I've never seen a guitar like it either, that added to my excitement to finish it and then share the guitar with you Fender experts. Funny thing is that the reason I started the guitar was because my freshmen year of college I was searching around the internet late at night and fouind the tuners, which I fell in love with. I kinda based the entire guitar from the tuners. I like the look of gold on natural wood, especially well figured birdseye maple! I never wrote any ideas or designs down haha, just bought the pieces that I thought would would look the best and were the best quality I could find.

Only thing bad about the neck were the frets, which were not well finished, I had them dressed and leveled, but other than that I think mighty mite did an awesome job on the neck.

Most of the parts are Fender parts (i.e. bridge, electronics, switches, string trees, guitar body) the parts that are not Fender are: tuners, neck, pickguard, pickups(although I consider lace sensor fender), and the volume/tone knobs.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words, Im glad you enjoy it, I know I do!

Thanks! Im glad someone noticed the neckplate, I found a guy on ebay who engraves neckplates and I gave him the design I wanted and the font I wanted for the words and he did a great job on it. Hopefully I'll figure out a way to record something and post it, might have to go to my old digital camera and post a grainy youtube video haha

No they are not Fender, but yes they are metal. I got them off of the dreaded ebay! Im glad you like the gold hardware, I like the way it looks with the natural finish. And also on those green clapton strats.

Wow, that guitar is beautiful. Ryan can I ask you to post the link for the Neck Plate? I am just finishing up a build of my own would love to switch the neckplate with something that has my mark on it. Congrats, the gold hardware looks awesome!

As cool as that looks, odds are he overpaid (sorry!) You can get a blank neck plate, then look for a jeweller, or a trophy maker in your area that will engrave. Most can do anything you want.

I don't want to seem down on his axe. it IS awesome. But unless you are buying something photo engraved most cities, even small ones, should have a place you can get it done cheap. There's a kiosk in the mall down the road where I live.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I paid 30 for the neckplate, maybe that is "overpaid" for you but I think it was a fair price for a gold plated neckplate engraved with a custom design

And im sorry to say I dealt with the guy over e-mail, and deleted the emails so I no longer have it for you hamms, but search around and I bet you can find something you love.

That is a beauty! Nice work!

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SG.
"Walls" video from Zero in the Sun by Villains of Yesterday

wow thats beautiful, i would totaly buy that if it was a color option. very nice.