BigWheeledWagon Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 So, I've got an early 80's Japanese strat. I now have several guitars that outclass the thing, but it has sentimental value, and I just can't seem to part with it. My wife and I just bought a new house, and there's room for a workshop (in addition to my studio above the garage), so I'm thinking about undertaking a project. I'm going to put some new pickups in the strat and install a new tremelo (I hard-tailed it years ago) and pickguard. I was also considering taking the paint off and refinishing the body with some kind of wood stain. Has anyone here ever done something like this? Any suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Sounds risky to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyjimmy Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 So, I've got an early 80's Japanese strat. I now have several guitars that outclass the thing, but it has sentimental value, and I just can't seem to part with it. My wife and I just bought a new house, and there's room for a workshop (in addition to my studio above the garage), so I'm thinking about undertaking a project. I'm going to put some new pickups in the strat and install a new tremelo (I hard-tailed it years ago) and pickguard. I was also considering taking the paint off and refinishing the body with some kind of wood stain. Has anyone here ever done something like this? Any suggestions? I did it this past Spring w/a early 80s Warmouth body that is part of a "Frankenstein" Strat I too have owned forever and am reluctant to part with. Assuming that your body is already routed to accept the vibrato, basic assembly of the new pickups, bridge etc wont be a big deal. Things to consider: Pickguard.If your gonna change it, check the hole patter against the new one. If your going to strip the body down, now's a good time to fill any extra holes you've got. This goes ditto for any around the bridge area. Wanna shield the control cavity? Now's a good time for that too. Don't skimp on shielding the body or pickguard. Re-Finish: Paint, or Stain? What's the body made of? Ash looks great with a stain or a transparent finish. Alder, IMO not so much. And any body mods; (Like old plugged holes) are gonna show if not covered by the bridge or pickguard. The deal on my project: Went from a metallic Candy Apple Red to a Daphne Blue; ( actually called something else as a Dupont color but it's damn close). Stripped the body myself with an "environmentally friendly" paint remover and had it sprayed by a kid at a local body shop; ( I have botched paint jobs before and wanted this to actually look "NICE"). Added a parchment single ply pickguard and a set of Lindy Fralins. Already rocking the vibrato I left the nasty old rusty saddles and simply replaces the worn out adjustment/"set" screws. Didn't touch the finish on the neck, it's a old soft "V" Dimarzio with a nice yellowed patina and burn marks on the peg-head that sports a Fender Spaghetti logo; (don't ask, I've no idea...). There's not a Fender component on this instrument. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sean Patrick Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 its alot of fun.take your time and it will be a great guitar. and will add to the sentimentality.i have a tele that i have been playing/ working on for years and i love it to death. see you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rileykill Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 My USA Strat of 10+ years is pretty heavily modded. It is one of the best sounding Strats I have ever played - I think you can do waaay better than the stock pickups. My suggestion is a set of Van Zandts. They work wonders for Strats and Teles. Mine were hand wound by W.L. before his death. Great, great Texas pickups. http://www.vanzandtpu.com/index.html One of the advantages of standard Strats/Teles IMO is that you can mod them without feeling too bad about it. Here in Austin, most of the shops won't even take one in trade because there are simply too many around. I'd take a Fender that has lived through a few well planned surgeries over one off-the-rack any day of the week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 Thanks for all the advice so far -- I think this project is going to be lots of fun. I neglected to say in the original post that I've already modded the guitar somewhat (I've changed out the pickups before, changed out the string trees, and removed the original trem set-up and hard-tailed it), so it's not like I'm modding a guitar that's all original. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 Jimmy Jimmy!: thanks for the advice on shielding -- I hadn't thought about it, but it's a great idea and the perfect time to do it. Rileykill: do you know of any online retailers who sell Van Zandts? I was thinking of putting in Texas specials, but I'm intrigued by the Van Zandts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I have a wood shop and refinish instruments often...if you refinish rather that paint it, you're in for a LOT of hand sanding, which is not fun. Id never use an electric sander---one mistake and youll have to live with it. The type of wood matters for not only the finish, but also any woodsealing you'll need to do. Ash is pretty, Alder is easy to work with, but basswood is really soft and the stain (assuming thats what you use) will tend to soak in, meaning several permenant applications. Painting is hit and miss unless you have the right sprayer, the previous post about have a body shop paint it is a good on provided you pick the right paint. Theres always home-spray polyurathane finish. Good luck sounds like fun j Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rileykill Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Jimmy Jimmy!: thanks for the advice on shielding -- I hadn't thought about it, but it's a great idea and the perfect time to do it. Rileykill: do you know of any online retailers who sell Van Zandts? I was thinking of putting in Texas specials, but I'm intrigued by the Van Zandts. These guys carry them - saw some in their shop last week: http://www.southaustinmusic.com/ Decent selection of effects and amps, too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I have a wood shop and refinish instruments often...if you refinish rather that paint it, you're in for a LOT of hand sanding, which is not fun. Id never use an electric sander---one mistake and youll have to live with it. The type of wood matters for not only the finish, but also any woodsealing you'll need to do. Ash is pretty, Alder is easy to work with, but basswood is really soft and the stain (assuming thats what you use) will tend to soak in, meaning several permenant applications. Painting is hit and miss unless you have the right sprayer, the previous post about have a body shop paint it is a good on provided you pick the right paint. Theres always home-spray polyurathane finish. Good luck sounds like funj Haha. I love how you point out what a pain in the ass this process is then you say it sounds like fun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CBERRYH2O Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 So, I've got an early 80's Japanese strat. I now have several guitars that outclass the thing, but it has sentimental value, and I just can't seem to part with it. My wife and I just bought a new house, and there's room for a workshop (in addition to my studio above the garage), so I'm thinking about undertaking a project. I'm going to put some new pickups in the strat and install a new tremelo (I hard-tailed it years ago) and pickguard. I was also considering taking the paint off and refinishing the body with some kind of wood stain. Has anyone here ever done something like this? Any suggestions? Done lots of stuff like this...piece of cake, just take your time and do your research...Don't even need a workshop, though it will make your wife happy to not see you doing this on the dining room table! Beware that even japanese strats have some resale value, so refinishing will take it down a few bucks probably. Also, they often are made of three pieces of wood, so they don't look that great without paint...not a single slab o wood with nice grain like the american strats, though you could put some veneer over it too...lots of stuff on the web about this stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 I've been thinking of stripping the paint from my Tele. It currently has a thick polyurethane finish that will probably still look brand new 1,000 years from now. I'd prefer a stain or paint that is more like that found on older Fenders that will show some well earned wear. Anyone know of a site (other than Fender Forum) that has the info I'd need to get started? Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 UPDATE So, I've made a little progress. Upon doing a little stripping away of the finish, I am not happy with how the original body wood might look refinished with a stain so . . . I'm getting a replacement body. Swamp ash with a flame maple top and black pinstripe between the top and the body. I'm going to put a clear amber laquer over it. Oh, and a decorative leather pickguard. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 I've been thinking of stripping the paint from my Tele. It currently has a thick polyurethane finish that will probably still look brand new 1,000 years from now. I'd prefer a stain or paint that is more like that found on older Fenders that will show some well earned wear. Anyone know of a site (other than Fender Forum) that has the info I'd need to get started? Thanks!tdpri.com/forum Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hollow Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 My husband's first guitar is a Japanese strat from the 80s. The paint is still in excellent condition, but he did replace a lot of worn plastic on it because the white plastic yellowed over the years. He ordered the pickguard from a guy who custom cuts them - sent in a template to make sure it would line up and fit. It's a nice guitar, we have nicer ones, but it has sentimental value for him as well Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 I just got a shipping notification from Warmoth for the guitar body. It should be here in about a week. The only problem now is that my stepmother got the pickguard for me for Christmas, and it is still on backorder, though it is supposed to ship on Friday. If it doesn't ship, she's going to order from a site that actually has the pickguard in stock and can ship immediately. The engraved neckplate still hasn't arrived yet after the previous debacle where they shipped it to the wrong address but I can make do with the original (oh, and another company I ordered a custom trem bar -- chrome tip as opposed to the normal white -- from shipped the wrong kind, but I have one that will work in the meantime). Anyway, if all goes well, I should have pictures in a matter of weeks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 It's finished (well, mostly -- still need to work on the intonation a little, and I will be replacing the neckplate when I finally get my custom engraved one). Here are a few pics: Oh, and the pickup covers, bridge, etc. are chrome even though they look a little black in the photographs. The knobs are chrome with mother of pearl tops. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 nice job...how 'nashville' it looks j Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimjiminy Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Looks nice, B! Looking at your avatar, I can only think that Duffman is standing there, arms folded, proud of a job well done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 WOOO HOOOOO!!! That came out great! That pickguard really sets it off. It looks super awesome. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks for all the kind words. I'm really excited with the final results. Not only does it look great, but it sounds amazing. I don't know if it's the leather pickguard allowing for less dampening than plastic or the tonal quality of the chrome parts or the quality of the tone wood, but when the guitar is played unplugged, it resonates and sustains like a semi-hollowbody. I was really surprised the first time I played it. When plugged in, the new electronics have made a real improvement in the tone (as have the aforementioned increased sustain and resonance). I installed a mid-range boost, a new volume pot that prevents the treble "roll-off," and a "woman tone" capacitor. Also, I shielded the thing very heavily, and there is now zero interference. While I had my tools out, I finally went ahead and updated my American Vintage '52 Telecaster to the modern wiring scheme (unfortunately I had lost the original replacement .022 uf capacitor and had to use a radio shack capacitor of the same value -- sounds fine, though). I really wish I'd ordered more copper shielding, because after playing the tele and my project strat back-to-back, I realize how badly the tele needs shielding. Anyway, this project has been so much fun, that I'll be moving right on to another. I'll be upgrading my Epiphone Dot and will also be using the spare parts from my strat project to make another (lower-quality) guitar. I've managed to pick up a very cheap Fender Swinger/Arrow-type neck, so I may try to recreate a Fender Swinger to some extent -- it will require some reshaping of the body. Should be fun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I think you'll find that this becomes your favorite guitar because it is truly yours. The mojo factor is so thick on homebuilts that you could cut it with a knife! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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