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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 2:04 am
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Peter S wrote:
.....
It seems to be difficult to buy good bodies and necks secondhand. Do you or anyone else have any experience of Hosco, incidentally? They seem to do cheapish bodies and necks...

Cheers - Peter.


I'm in a Partscaster group on Facebook and Chinese necks seem to get a lot of love (regrettably so do fake Fender decals but that is another story).

The neck is by far the most difficult part of a Partscaster IMHO. Not because the neck is good or bad but because you can't feel what it is like to play until the guitar is finished.

If a neck is true and the truss rod works there is a lot you can do with a neck sorting and dressing the frets and rolling the fret board. What you can't address though is the Mojo. If the fettling goes well you start to introduce that indefinable something but it is a very fragile flower. The merest hint of a buzz or sitaring, real or imagined, can be enough to break the spell.

I love Fish Face but am still at odds with the neck. I keep considering a MIM replacement but it is all money and I will have to cut the nut, or replace it ....and will it be any better than what I have currently?

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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 7:09 am
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Useful info, John; I clearly need to pay more attention to the neck.

The neck I bought with this semi-Squier dog is a genuine old Squier (RW board) with the big headstock and large 'Stratocaster' logo. Looked good on the photos and actually feels nice in the hand, but the frets - while playable - are too low for me. Like they've been crowned/levelled a few times too many. And it's just not worth the cost of a refret, I don't think.

I like the idea of a partscaster, just been put off a bit by this particular attempt!

I think Hosco bits are Japanese, but I'm leaning towards Fender MIM stuff. With a decent body and neck, I have nearly all the other bits and pieces to assemble something nice. Although it might still be cheaper to buy a used MIM and swap my nicer parts onto it - I suppose this is always the dilemma. Not that I care about the final value - or I wouldn't consider a partscaster at all!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 7:01 pm
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Peter S wrote:
....big headstock and large 'Stratocaster' logo. Looked good on the photos and actually feels nice in the hand, but the frets - while playable - are too low for me. Like they've been crowned/levelled a few times too many. And it's just not worth the cost of a refret, I don't think.
............
Although it might still be cheaper to buy a used MIM and swap my nicer parts onto it - I suppose this is always the dilemma. Not that I care about the final value - or I wouldn't consider a partscaster at all!

If you are happy with everything you have except the frets, a new MiM neck is between $200 and $250 US, and the big headstock has the bullet adjuster.

MiM neck is the way I went for my Tele build:
Classic 50s Lacquer, one of my Strat builds is getting the Classic 70s

Image
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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 1:13 am
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I was thinking Classic 50's lacquer would be the way to go.

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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 4:03 am
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Quote:
a new MiM neck is between $200 and $250 US
If only, Rich! A used one over here is all of that - in £!

But there is a poor-man's Stratosphere not too far from where I live; has quite a selection of good-looking used MIM bodies and necks, which is all I need as I have the rest. If he actually has premises, I'll probably go have a look.

A 21-fret neck isn't something I've had for donkey's, but as long as it has medium jumbos, no doubt I can get along with it. And using all-MIM / Fender at least means everything will HOPEFULLY fit...!!!

Both pieces would be around £450 (less any discount for cash, perhaps), and yes, you can buy a complete MIM Strat for that, but it probably won't be in great condition. Plus it won't be in a colour that I want. This way, I can use up my spare US bits - trem unit, loaded scratchplate, tuners etc - which are otherwise sitting around doing nothing.

Sorry for wandering rather far away from OP's topic!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 5:17 am
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Peter S wrote:
A 21-fret neck isn't something I've had for donkey's, but as long as it has medium jumbos, no doubt I can get along with it. And using all-MIM / Fender at least means everything will HOPEFULLY fit...!!!

Both pieces would be around £450 (less any discount for cash, perhaps), and yes, you can buy a complete MIM Strat for that, but it probably won't be in great condition. Plus it won't be in a colour that I want. This way, I can use up my spare US bits - trem unit, loaded scratchplate, tuners etc - which are otherwise sitting around doing nothing.

Sorry for wandering rather far away from OP's topic!

Considering OP hasn't been on the forum in over 2 years, I don't think he minds :D
I know shipping and import duties add a lot to the cost of items from the US, but another alternative is a new MiM. Every month or two, Adorama runs a sale blowing out their remaining inventory. I don't know if they have any left because I don't monitor, but last month (and every few weeks this year) they were running NEW MiM H-S-S "Standard" Strats, which of course are last year's model... for $399.

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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 6:07 am
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Peter S wrote:

But there is a poor-man's Stratosphere not too far from where I live; has quite a selection of good-looking used MIM bodies and necks
...Details required! :-)

There is also a guy on eBay that sells genuine Fender parts, including new MiM necks for under £200,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/johnnyguitarfirstavenueguitars I bought a number of parts for Fish Face from him. Great guy to deal with.

I wish I'd found him before I bought the neck for Fish Face second hand.

The only issue with new necks is you then need to spend £50+ on a set of good nut files. Fighting with cheap ones is beyond a pain.

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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 9:04 am
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This is the link, John - https://reverb.com/uk/shop/john-s-shop-120. He's also on Fleabay but I assume you can message/visit via the Reverb ad. He's at Spalding, which we do occasionally visit, so wouldn't have a wasted trip even if I didn't buy anything.

Don't you dare buy the LP Blue, though!!!

Had a look at your link - he seems to only have bits at present, but I've 'saved' him as he looks good. Edit: Had another look at his shop and I see what you mean! The necks look very good, and if I go ahead with a build, I can see myself buying one from this chap.

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Home made strat.(copy)
Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 1:21 am
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Peter S wrote:
..... if I go ahead with a build......
Cheers - Peter.


No "if" about it. It has to be done. You wont be happy until you do and wont be happier than when it is done :-)

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