Strat Build Project (starting with neck replacement)

My goal is to keep cost effective, have great playability, be historically accurate and relic'ed look.

The building Block is a 50's style Mexican Road Worn body with Texas Specials - I want to replace the neck with one a little smaller in diameter and a rosewood finger board. There seem to be hundred's of replacement necks out there. The 'Stratosphere' and 'Ilovesmesomestrats' seem to have the most inventory.

A nitro finish and original looking decals are important. I'd like to 'soften' the back of the neck by sanding it down if it doesn't come that way - and ideally have a yellowed look. I see a lot of 'Squire' Necks re-decaled that look good. I've played some friends Squires in the past and they were fantastic players, albeit, very little 'Mojo'.

Does anyone of have any suggestions in Neck choices?

Squire (Japanese)?
Chinese?
Mexican?
*I think the American's and Custom Shop necks are beyond my budget

The '50 Classic neck should accomplish your mission -- it features vintage frets with a 7.25" radius. The MIM edition shouldn't cost more than $225, the MIJ version a skosh more. The Fuji-Gen neck offers the benefit of having the string tree correctly located on the headstock (the Ensenada counterpart is about 8.0 millimeters too far towards the "ball"). Both necks are drilled for vintage-style (ie: Kluson) tuners.

HTH

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Get a real Fender product, or your guitar will never be a "Fender". If I were you, I'd just find a classic series 50's neck on the cheap, and sand the finish off the back of the neck, like you seem to prefer. That will give you the "look" you are after. Having correct nitro finishes and "proper" decals would only be desired by someone wishing to build a forgery, or to pass something off as something it's not.

I agree. I already have a forgery guitar - A Chinese Gretsch, it's a great player but I'm sort of embarrassed about it. I would never gig with it.

I found a good Squire neck - Larger headstock like the 70's strats.

Will it 'fit' the Road Worn body?
Is it possible to take down the 'Poly' finish on the back of the neck? (no biggie - that one).

Seratone

"My goal is to keep cost effective, have great playability, be historically accurate and relic'ed look."

The Squier neck will look as out-of-place with your body as 20-inch alloys on a '59 Edsel station wagon.



Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Ouch. True.

Still, is adding an American decal'ed Indonesian licensed neck to an Mexican imitation of an American body....too 'United Colors of Benneton'?

I don't quite understand your metaphor but regardless, no -- I'd stick to quality components from the US, Mexico, and/or Japan.

Six of my nine Strats were built in this manner and they all turned out swell.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY