The Guitar Fetish bodies are pretty nice and I like the finish on them, BUT they are made of paulownia, which is not a wood that I, a seasoned professional woodworker, am familiar with. I know exotic woods can have different names for the same wood, but these bodies are so light, you won't believe it. The wood is fairly soft, too, you don't even have to drill pilot holes for pickguard and smaller screws, you can just punch a small hole with an awl and you are good to go.

The price is right, though, and the bodies are well made.





I was quite happy with this build - a partster Strat I put together for playing out. The used Fender neck was my largest expense - I had most everything else left over from modding other Fenders.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

Might be the way to go. Plus, the money I save can go into a good trem system and I can choose my color!

I would be wary of those bodies, if as GRguitarman described that pick guard screws only needed to be screwed in not pre-drilled.
I looked it up and it is a soft hardwood, has been in use for centuries as musical instruments stock in Japan, however I think that is misleading in that in this case or for that matter with Strats we have a tremolo bridge screwed into the body, but the way the trem route is routed out it does not leave a solid ( body thickness area for the trem screws ) enough area to be drilled.
Paulownia is a very fast growing tree, thus is a plantation grown timber. It dents easily, but is easy to apply finishes...

Bear in mind that resonant properties are not the most important in a solid body application, the body and neck have to withstand much stress, of that the tremolo area will be subjected to a lot of stress, much of which may likely result in the shearing or tearing of soft wood.

It's something to think about, a body all routed and ready for less than $100 gives me pause...

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Well, eBay might be they way to go then. I want something that's going to last as I don't get rid of guitars. If I going to put in all that work, why flip it! MIJ/CIJ or a MIM may be the way to go unless a good deal on a MIA pops up which would be my first choice. I don't want to spend more on a body than I could get a complete MIM for, that makes no sense whatsoever!

Did you look at the link I posted yesterday of B.Hefner...
They are reasonably priced and being licensed by Fender switching parts from a ( Fender ) means they will fit....

http://www.bhefner.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=1

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

I have my eye on a couple eBay prospects at the moment and I'm still goofing around with the old body. The ones on eBay I'm watching both already have the trem installed so that will help and they are both MIM's so I know what I'm dealing with. It will still be a parts-caster but at least I'll know which parts!

So I decided to give it one more try, otherwise I'm stuck with a bunch of parts. I got the bridge area squared away and the new pickguard showed so I started laying out all the upgraded goodies I've been stocking up on like CTS pots, Fender 5 way switch, etc. Good thing I tried it on before I wired it up, my 5 way switch is too deep for this body! The other annoying thing is that all the screws for the pickups are countersunk, my pickguard is not countersunk! Ugh!!! I just want to finish this thing up and move on!

Hang in there. The way things normally work with me is I get an idea of how long I think a project should take me to finish, then I multiply that time by 2 1/2.

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...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

I picked up the correct switch today and Mighty Mite has the better version of the import style switch that says COR-TEC on the metal housing. That was the same style that came in my MIM Telecaster and it worked really well. I really want to finish this thing up this weekend!

Well, I have it all together, now all I have to do it is string her up and adjust intonation. Strings, damn, got to go buy some. GC, here I come! I've given this guitar a name, "Two Bit Betty", seems fitting!

Okay, got the strings and got everything set up on it. It's plays pretty damn good actually, it's got to be that neck. Just go's to show you, if you spend enough time on something and a few bucks your going to have one of two things, an awesome playing guitar or one hell of a mini bonfire!