I had this dream, so I built a Strat

[HellraiserJohnny]

I had a dream of a strat on steroids, ya know, EMG 81, original FR Trem but I wanted the old style paddle headstock . . . Oh wait. . . Old style reverse paddle headstock. I should weigh something substantial so it should have a solid mahogany body and a nice wide but slim neck. This Dream Strat only has 1 PU and 1 Vol knob. Ok, plenty of Strats with a FR but not a original with a big block. Can't find one with just one PU and 1 Vol Knob. Most of the Strats I find don't even come close to the wide slim neck or the Jumbo frets I like . . . . Hmmmmmm.

Guess I'll have to build it myself.
So I ordered a block of mahogany and and a neck blank and started cutting, routing, drilling, sanding, shaping, filing, filling, sanding some more, sealing and then . . . yup . . . sanding and got to the part where ya really sand a whole lot . . . the finish. Final touch-ups and finish sanding. Traded in my sandpaper in for 0000 steel wool and shot 22 coats of Nitro laquer.

I have never built a axe from scratch before and I got in way over my head but I stuck it out and finished it. Not what others may like or appreciate but this is one of a kind and I built it in my basement. I guess dreams really do come true.

 

[Monkey Man]

Nice Johnny!

Did you make the neck too? The headstock suggests you did...

 

[HellraiserJohnny]

Nice Johnny!

Did you make the neck too? The headstock suggests you did...

Yes, I did. I had help cause I bit off way more than I could chew. My current rhythm (or co-guitarist if you will) is a termite and does sh*t with wood I could never dream of doing. He has a house full of all the tools I needed and provided the guidance while I made chips and sawdust out of a block of mahogany and maple neck blank. I got the fingerboards from a luthier I know who had it pre-made.
It wasn't the math that threw me, it was how to cut wood once and do it right the first time. I'm very thankfull he showed me just how intricate and painstaking it can be and to be patient.
I look at it and play it with all it's flaws and scars and I just love it to death. It's something I always dreamed of doing one day. That being said . . . . I don't think I'll ever do it again starting with only a couple blocks of wood.

 

[Monkey Man]

Great effort man.

 

[Wayniac3]

Nice work!

 

[Robostyle]

That's amazing!

 

[Floyd Eye]

Nice.

 

[311boogieman]

Wow - great job.

You should move this thread to the mains so everyone can see it

 

[Monkey Man]

Agreed Brother 3.

Moved to main sub-forum.

 

[ChurchHill]

Damn impressive, that's just cool AF! While I've built a few from parts, I can't imagine the satisfaction of playing that after shaping it from a few blocks of wood. That's gotta be so cool.