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Post subject: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:35 am
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I am looking for something so specific its almost impossible to find it without spending major coin. I am looking for a surf green with a maple neck and 9.5 radius neck (or a thick vintage radius one) . I prefer the 50s vibe . Two of my strats are 59 RIs with 9.5 and 6105 frets with rosewood board. I like vintage specs for the most part. Unless I am willing to spend quite a bit on a custom shop( I already have a CS 59 reissue ) there arent alot of choices unless I am willing to go with a more modern strat.

So I am looking at a Mexi 50s classic and a Mexi 60s Classic Lacquer edition. I for sure would swap out the pickups and the trem block . I would possibly even swap out the neck if I found a nice one with a 9.5 and tall skinny frets. I looked at used and there arent alot of surf green ones out there.

I picked the Mexi Classic series because it has the best foundation for what I am looking for and they can be had for a good price (plus resale isnt a big deal either).

How many of you decided to go this route rather than settle for what is out there?


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:58 am
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budglo wrote:
I picked the Mexi Classic series because it has the best foundation for what I am looking for and they can be had for a good price (plus resale isnt a big deal either).

How many of you decided to go this route rather than settle for what is out there?


That's the tack I took when building this guitar......

Image

It was originally a 1999 Classic Series '50s Strat in Surf Green. Bought on the cheap from Ebay for less than $365. In this instance I used both the body and neck since they had the desired specs.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:59 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
budglo wrote:
I picked the Mexi Classic series because it has the best foundation for what I am looking for and they can be had for a good price (plus resale isnt a big deal either).

How many of you decided to go this route rather than settle for what is out there?


That's the tack I took when building this guitar......

Image

It was originally a 1999 Classic Series '50s Strat in Surf Green. Bought on the cheap from Ebay for less than $365. In this instance I used both the body and neck since they had the desired specs.

Arjay
Thats what I am thinking about. Even though I have never had a Vintage radius neck before , I would be willing to give it a shot. I think it will be ok. That is a beauty Arjay. Io me the 50s strat is my favorite era . Its everything a strat should be.


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:09 am
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Try out several Strats with vintage-spec necks before you decide to ensure that you'll be comfortable with it. A 7.25" radius and vintage fretwire is what I learned on back in the day so that neck is second nature to me but they're not everyone's cup of grog, especially for folks weaned on Gibsons.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:17 am
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Good advice . I had the pleasure to play a Classic 50s and a Classic 60s that were in special colors at GC. They felt fine to me. I cut my teeth on Fenders 9.5 Modern C. After I found my AVRI Thinskin I have been less than impressed with the Modern C. I like a chunkier neck . The Modern C feels like I am playing a plank.


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:20 am
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In that case, it sounds as if you're ready to start shopping. Good luck with the hunt!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:16 am
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budglo wrote:
How many of you decided to go this route rather than settle for what is out there?


To be honest, I really don't understand why some folks feel that "off the rack" is somehow supposed to be better or preferable to building or modding your own.

Not even looking at the cost of Custom Shop (which is ridiculous in my own opinion), the main reason I mod, build and repair my own instruments is so that I have instruments that play, sound and look the way -I- want. I've also found that modding and building gives me a much better understanding of my instruments...it allows me to get the most out of each and every instrument that I own. For example, of the 10 Strats I currently own, 9 have been modded to one degree or another and 1 is a complete custom build...i.e. a partscaster (including my own finish). In fact, the ONLY one of the electrics that's 100% stock is my Ibanez Artcore...I've only had her for a few months, but even there I'm already thinkin' a Bigsby trem for her. Some of the mods are pretty basic...replacing trem blocks or adding roller T's on my MIM Strats for example. In my mind, replacing pickups isn't really that big a deal either. Others however are more involved...I've done a couple of refinishes (including the restoration of a fairly rare Yamaha Motion B bass that had been in a fire), on my '96 MIM Standard I added an LSR Roller nut (had to shave the nut area of the neck for that), my '95 MIM Standard is rigged for midi and in the case of my Kramer, I routed the body for a second pickup and modified the trem cavity to accept a Kahler (to this day I -hate- Floyd Rose trems). I've also re-glued the bridge on my Seagull acoustic (including having to build my own clamping jig), replaced countless tuners/machine heads, replaced the frets on one of my basses, did a custom laser etched pickguard for my little Squier Tele and recently rebuilt a scrap Vinci into a pretty decent little acoustic. My '93 Strat got new pickups, new bridge, new tuners, new plastic and a refinish...the body, neck and frets are all original, but everything else has pretty much been replaced/upgraded.

Of course with all of that I should probably add that along with having "custom" instruments, setup (or built) to my own specific needs and desires and the obvious advantages of doing my own repairs, yes...I do very much enjoy working on my guitars! I admit it...one of my favorite past times is sitting in my living room with the wrenches and screw drivers scattered about and the soldering iron sitting there burning away, as I build, tinker and tweak my instruments. Perhaps it's that some people are afraid of making a mistake or that some folks are simply content with whatever they can get stock and certainly there's some folks who shouldn't be allowed around "tools" to begin with, however whenever I get a new/used guitar, it's not long before I sit down and take it apart just to see what makes it tick...and decide if there's anything that will make it tick just a bit smoother 8) .

Perhaps I just take it for granted that I know how or have the courage to do these things, however I've always felt that my guitars should suit -me-...after all, I'm the one who plays them. Why play a guitar that's just like 1000's of others? After all, that $1300 American Strat up at Guitar Center is pretty much the same as the one at Sam Ash, which is the same as the one online at Sweetwater or Amazon, which is the same as the one the guy down the street owns.... Why would I want something so boring and generic (let alone pay so much extra for it)? In general, I feel my guitars should be as individual and unique as I am. 99% of the time when I'm considering a new or used guitar, I'm not only looking at what it is...how it plays and sounds...but what it could be.

So yea...this is my own opinion of course, but as far as I'm concerned, if you know what you want - go for it! With a bit of luck, practice and experience, when you're done you'll have a one of a kind instrument that's truly yours.

Enjoy...just be forewarned that it can be rather addictive!


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:13 am
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Well I can say that for me time is a big factor. My life is pretty busy and if possible it is better if I could find what I want off the rack so to speak. I work with my hands , so I am not intimidated by a guitar for sure. In this case there isn't anything outside of spending custom shop money that fits my bill. The classic 50 comes the closest , with the exception of the pickups , the trem block and some wiring modifications.


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:06 pm
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I went the Warmouth route, because I couldn't find what I wanted in a stock Fender. It didn't really save any money, but I got exactly what I wanted. It's the one on the left in the photo.

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:39 pm
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Beautiful guitars, Drew!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 7:07 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
Beautiful guitars, Drew!

8)

Arjay


Thanks, Arjay. I wish I still had the one on the right. But you can't have everything, or so my wife likes to tell me. :lol:

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 8:35 am
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There are several members here who have gone the DIY route and put together some absolutely beautiful instruments. I've thought about doing the same just so that I can get the specs I want but when I add up the numbers the bottom-line is way up there. Of course not everything is about the bottom-line and making your own guitar (or putting one together) has its own reward.

Just for grins and giggles I checked out the Warmoth site to get an idea of pricing for "build your own" and things came out to around $600 for neck & body with the basic hardware not including tuners, bridge, and pups. Add these plus tax, shipping, and we're not far from $1,000 USD. A lot cheaper than a CS but for this amount of coin one could find something off the rack with most of the desired specs?

Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 8:52 am
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IIRC, my Warmouth cost me $1,375 or so, including the pups, no case. But that included a birdseye maple neck that was about $200 extra. I didn't see the purpose of trying to save a couple of hundred dollars and not having the guitar I wanted. Too big of a possibility that the cheaper guitar would get sold at a loss because it wasn't what I really wanted.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue


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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:20 am
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Drew365 wrote:
I didn't see the purpose of trying to save a couple of hundred dollars and not having the guitar I wanted.


+1000

Life's too short to settle for "close", "almost", or "nearly so". Trump doesn't buy off-the-rack suits from JC Penny and discriminating guitarists who are handy with tools no longer have to settle for off-the-rack instruments from Guitar Center.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Thinking of making my first partscaster and here is why
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:42 pm
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+1 on going the Warmoth neck and body route. They are excellent and IMHO better than cannibalizing and Frankensteining Fender parts from other guitars.

Mine is Warmoth swamp ash body with compound-radius rosewood neck with ebony fingerboard. Added stainless steel frets which you cannot get from Fender.

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Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
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Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


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