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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:38 am
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Rock Star
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Posting pics this morning from last night. It turns out I was right about those pots. With the over/under positioning of the terminals soldering connections while the pot is mounted to the guard is a little finicky. I decided it would be safer if I just pull the pots and make my connections and reinstall them. I also decided to change the orientation so they're facing each other. It just seemed to make more sense to me while I was working in it.

In case anyone is wondering about the blue tape I had decided early on in the build I would use coloured tape to identify the bridge pup as an aid to help prevent me from accidentally mixing up the wires of the neck and bridge while I was making my super-switch connections.

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Final connections are made. Pots are remounted to the guard and realigned. The lead from the jack is long enough that there is plenty of room to turn the plate over and move it around for maintenance. There's a lot of yellow wire there. At first I thought maybe I was going a little overboard making sure both pots were grounded to the switch, grounded to the shielding and grounded to the jack but now that it's done, I don't think so.

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I flip the plate over and wiggle it into place. Once it's in I feel carefully with my fingers into the neck pocket. I want to make sure I have the plate centred with regard to the pocket and the bridge.

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Having found my sweet spot location I mark the hole locations like before, drill my holes and mount the scratch plate.

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Having mounted the plate I flip the body over and mount the neck. Warmoth makes the perfect neck pocket. It's snug enough that you have to work the neck into the pocket and you're not sure it's going to fit but it does and once the neck is in it's perfectly aligned with the four holes. I found a Genuine USA Fender neck bolt plate locally here in my little town quite by accident so I won't use the plain unstamped plate I got from Warmoth when I bought the guitar body. With this body having the tapered heel option that Warmoth offers I have to be careful to select the correct screws from the Warmoth neck plate kit to prevent screw tips from popping through the fretboard. If you don't know about the tapered heel option go to the Warmoth site and go into the body builder part of the site and look for it to see a better detail.

I will leave the rear cover off until I get the guitar fully set up. I don't know yet if I will have to adjust the claw.

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Flipping it back over to admire the work of my hands I notice that I have forgotten two things. I did not order any strap buttons for this project. I also do not have a tip for the selector switch. Oh well, that is not going to stop me giving it a try.

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I strung it up and plugged it in and wonder of wonders, it works! Having never wired up a super-switch before I have to admit I was really in some serious doubt many times about whether this thing was going to work. You can't get a very good look at how it works inside. The connections made no sense to me at all but I forged ahead following the schematic on blind faith whilst reminding myself that I know nothing about these switches and who am I to question? To my amazement the guitar works exactly as I had hoped. The switch positions are as follows:
1) Bridge only - both coils
2) Bridge coil tap + middle
3) Bridge coil tap plus neck coil tap (Tele style)
4) Middle + neck coil tap
5) Neck only - both coils

So with the exception of the strap locks, the switch tip and the custom bend tremolo arm I ordered from Overdrive which still has not arrived the guitar is assembled. I now have my work cut out for me setting it all up.

First impressions:
The humbuckers are a little darker sounding than I was expecting and the middle is brighter than I was expecting. I will compensate for that somewhat in how I adjust my pickup height during the setup process, i.e.: lowering the treble end of the middle pup and raising the treble ends of the buckers. It likely won't make a whole lot of difference but we shall see.

I looked into buying a G&G case for the guitar but after searching around the shops and the internet it turns out G&G has reduced the quality and changed the design of their cases to the extent I no longer consider them to be worth the premium price they command. I found this extreme duty road case for less than half the price of an original Fender issue modern moulded case and it's a nice tight fit with a ton of protection.

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THE END.

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Last edited by BMW-KTM on Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:47 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Very nice! Lovely guitar.

No middle only setting? Did you consider push pulls versus the super switch?


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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:53 am
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It was my intention to keep it simple with regard to switching. I've been thinking about doing this project for a few years now and I had decided early on in the planning process that these were the 5 main sounds I wanted and that decision never once came into doubt in my mind. So, to answer your question, yes I considered it but I chose to go a simpler less complicated route.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 12:48 pm
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Gorgeous!!!

If you get the chance to do video, myself and I am sure everyone that has been watching this post would love to hear how it sounds


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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:43 pm
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Lovely work. And I am now entering a formal demand for a video.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 9:12 am
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BMW-KTM...Wonderful job and a beautiful guitar you have built. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

T2

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 8:03 pm
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Taking the liberty of bumping this beautiful thread in the hope of seeing a video!

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:24 am
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So where's the video :?: :lol:

Beautiful guitar BMW-KTM...great close-up shots...

...a worthwhile addition to the Build Thread...

...deserves a follow up...still got it?

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:29 pm
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chromeface wrote:
Are you also plan building a matching Telecaster to compliment this beauty to perfection? (just a thought! :roll: )


Needs a Tele twin!


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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:20 pm
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Rock Star
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fenderfan wrote:
chromeface wrote:
Are you also plan building a matching Telecaster to compliment this beauty to perfection? (just a thought! :roll: )


Needs a Tele twin!

Someday, maybe.
Maybe a Nashville style with a Strat middle pup and a P90 at the neck?

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:03 am
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I just came upon this thread. Thank you for posting all the pics and information on your build. She's a beauty. Fantastic job!

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:50 am
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danagos revived it from the archives
Likely because I added it to the build list thread
If you check out the OP date you'll see it's from fall 2013

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:48 am
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I didn't notice the OP date. I'm glad danagos revived the thread because I found it very interesting. I hope you have been getting much pleasure from your hard work.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:39 am
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Marky Forrest wrote:
I didn't notice the OP date. I'm glad danagos revived the thread because I found it very interesting. I hope you have been getting much pleasure from your hard work.

Marky...BMW-KTM is referring to the Build Thread Listing Rebuilt started by The Nutter who did most of the work.

There are 5 pages and nearly 50 build pictorials as of now...all by members who shared their hard work...

...and taught us how to get it done right and save money, sweat and fingers! :lol:


If anyone has a build...big or small...just post it...in the Build Thread Listing Rebuilt...kinda like the others...or ask me...HOW

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Last edited by danagos on Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Partsocaster Build
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:04 pm
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Beautiful job!

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