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Post subject: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:51 pm
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Hello, I am new to the forum. I will be helping my 15 year old son build an HSS Stratocaster over the next year. We have a used 2013 American Stratocaster Alder body on the way. The plan is to strip it down and start from the bottom. I expect I will have a ton of questions in the future. Any help would be appreciated. Here are a few questions to start.
1) I am looking at a 2013 Fender American new old stock neck with Jumbo frets. The one that looks 70's style. Any thoughts on this neck?
2) My sons favorite Band is Alter Bridge. He also likes Iron Maiden and AC/DC. Any thoughts on pickups for the HSS style Stratocaster? I would prefer a loaded pick guard, but this is not a requirement.
3) Recommendations for tremolo?
4) Locking nuts vs. non-locking?
5) Anyone know a great guitar painter that will not break the bank?
6) Any other suggestions?
I have a budget of around $1200, not including the body that is already paid for. I know that I could have purchased a great guitar with this budget, but this is not about buying a guitar. We want to build an amazing one of a kind guitar together that sounds amazing.

Thanks in advance,
Barry 2112

PS. I do not play. I just listen to my son.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:18 pm
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Rock Star
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Welcome.

Mark Tremonti uses PRS guitars. Set necks. Mahogany bodies. Wide range humbuckers. Those design features will combine to form a guitar tone that a Strat will have a hard time replicating.
I think the pup selection will be the most crucial aspect to choose on.
Good luck with your build. I hope you plan to publicize your build here. We would welcome a build thread.

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:27 pm
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Rock Star
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Are you a Rush fan? (2112)

For trem use I like the LSR nut. It's been the subject of a number of conversations here. Some notable people don't care for them. I've been using them for a long time now and have not had any issues.

For a nice gritty hard rocking sound it's hard to beat the classics, in my opinion. Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates. Dimarzio Super Distortion. Those are both classic semi-high gain humbuckers. The Super is a little deeper and boomier than the Gates which is more midrange growly and cuts through well. You'll get lots of suggestions for buckers with much higher outputs. With the right amp you can get pretty much any style of rock tone you want with a classic bucker.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:57 pm
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Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
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Location: Province de Québec, Canada
I built 2 guitars ( not same time ) for the same customer who buy american parts from e-bay and Fender dealer .
Strat body and neck from 2 sources on E -Bay, body must be Fender but not sure

He bought all parts to reach the sound he want .

We had no success with those guitars . Tone was poor , is it the wood ( body or neck or both ) is it the floyd Rose , the pickups or the paint , he do the paint job himself ?

Cost to much money to know why those quality Part-o-caster are poor .

I have a lot of experience how to fix guitar .

I wish you good luck .


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:49 pm
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What I learned during my Strat Partsocaster build is that you don't build one thinking you're going to save any money. If anything mine cost more that it would cost to buy a new Strat comparably equipped, although I don't think you'd be able to find one equipped exactly the same as mine. That's where the real reason comes in. In my opinion you build one so you can get what you want without making any compromises. You cherry-pick. I want this bridge and that neck and that nut and those pickups and that body in that colour, etc.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 1:59 am
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IMO many of us built guitar for the look . For the tone , it is a like lotto , good luck .

And the tone is the sum of all the parts , even with quality parts you never know before.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:31 am
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Love a good project, here's a few goodies that will make a difference...

Pickups: Neck & Mid Seymour Duncan Classic Stack Plus STK-S4 (noiseless)
Bridge: Pearly Gates or Tone Zone. Both sound great in a strat bridge and can be auto split on 2nd pos.

Bridge: 2 point trem and a Brass Tremolo Block...
USA Strat- 2 Point Hardened Steel Upgrade
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-Steel-and-Brass-Tremolo-Blocks_c_219.html
I just bought 3 of these brass blocks, nice sustain and guts, not for looks.

Nut: roller nut, or an Earvana nut - like all nuts for tuning stability, you will have to cut every string slot to exact depth and width, then sharpen a pencil and lube it. See Youtube vids for trem setup.
Locking trems are just a pain in the butt

Neck: Fatter the better - "C" Shape or U Shape .830" min
USA Custom Guitars.
See my post here on "Best neck ever..."

Other: A killer Stainless steel Pickguard for next level bling
http://www.prosteelpickguards.com/

Hope that helps you both with some ideas that will work really well. Be great to see what happens...

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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:40 am
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Thanks for all of the good ideas. The body is due to arrive via USPS tomorrow. The next step is to strip the body down to bare wood. We realized that one of my sons baseball coaches and his family own a custom hot rod shop. We are going to talk him about painting the body. My son will be picking the paint.....I hope he makes better decisions than I did when I was his age. I will get some pictures and post throughout the process.

Thanks.......And yes I am a Rush fan.

Barry 2112


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 1:17 pm
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Some paint are better for the tone , be carefull on you choice .

http://www.stewmac.com/Items.aspx?searc ... ep-By-Step


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:38 pm
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How do I load pictures? I received the body, Tremelo Bridge and locking tuners. Everything else has been ordered and is on the way.


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:43 pm
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Barry 2112 wrote:
How do I load pictures? I received the body, Tremelo Bridge and locking tuners. Everything else has been ordered and is on the way.



Photos , how to ;

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52777


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Post subject: Re: Stratocaster HSS Build (Reccomendations)
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:54 pm
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Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:59 am
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Go to unofficialwarmoth.com and look up Tonar8353. Not sure how cheap he is but he does tremendous work.

That is also a good play to discuss what you want to do.


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