59 Replica Strat

[Tonar8352]

I'm close to being caught up on other people’s stuff so its time to get going on my next build.  I thought I was done building guitars for myself and then Warmoth starts making vintage correct bodies and I could not help myself, so I ordered the body and neck to build a 59 replica.  The goal is to match this real 59 as far as parts and color as close as possible with a few modern conveniences like a 5-way switch, Warmoth Compound Radius, 6100 frets and measured pots. I like the look of this 59 with the faded red on the burst so that will be what I'm shooting for.  This will probably be months in the making as I will work on it in my free time but I'm going to have fun and I'll post progress pictures at each step.

Here is the Alder body, which the first step will be to drill the dowel holes, add the dowels and do some additional profiling on the forearm cut.

Here is the neck, which was ordered as a 1/4 sawn maple with a Brazilian rosewood board. For once in my life I was looking for plain maple and this thing shows up at my front door.  I had to laugh that I can't even get plain wood if I try, BUT I'm not complaining, it almost looks like 5A flame maple and thank you Warmoth for another fine piece! The next step on this is to get the original clay dots and side markers in it and roll the edges before finishing it. The neck is a Total Vintage, 1 5/8, 59 Roundback with a compound radius and 6100 frets.

 

[rapfohl09]

As always, I'm already anticipating this build  :icon_thumright:

And that neck is really good looking! Haha it's funny that you cant get plain maple. What are the dowels for?

 

[bbl4ck]

What a hoot that your plain neck showed up like that.  Gotta love it...  :icon_thumright:
I will be following this thread with baited bweath!!!

 

[Superlizard]

:icon_thumright:  Surely you will be going Callaham for at least the hardware?

...and don't forget the Buddy Holly glasses.

 

[dmraco]

Tonar...they probably saw your name on the order and had someone cut down a special maple that they have been saving for just the right occasion....

 

[Jusatele]

well well

nice to see a concept like this being featured here

nice neck by the way

keep posting pics

 

[NonsenseTele]

You're a damn lucky guy

Going to look mighty sweet!

 

[tfarny]

Putting myself on this thread in eager anticipation. Can't wait to see what the T-man has up his sleeves.

 

[B3Guy]

going to be rad fo sho.  :glasses9:

 

[back2thefutre]

1/4sawn flame maple. Holy cow!!!!!!! Never seen that before :icon_thumright:

 

[bigguspickus]

What kind of pickguard will you be using? You could get one from Warmoth and drill the little truss rod notch at the top.

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

All I can say is wow!

 

[Alfang]

A guy could filter through all of tonars posts and make a book on guitar finishing, of course you'd have to get his permission and give him royalties, just sayin.....

Some people pray to Jesus, some to budah, some to other mystical gods

I prey to tonar  Oh dear Tonar, I sinned today, I painted a guitar with a rattle can, please forgive me, and tell me how many scales i must practice to forgive my sin

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

A guy could filter through all of tonars posts and make a book on guitar finishing, of course you'd have to get his permission and give him royalties, just sayin.....

Some people pray to Jesus, some to budah, some to other mystical gods

I prey to tonar  Oh dear Tonar, I sinned today, I painted a guitar with a rattle can, please forgive me, and tell me how many scales i must practice to forgive my sin

+1

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Tonar, you're going to confuse the lurkers.  A '59 Replica Strat with a '59 Rounback profile?

BTW, what makes a '59 Strat a '59 Strat?  I know a little, but not a lot about some Fender model years.  Was that the 1st year for RW fretboards or a new burst color?

 

[Tonar8352]

The dowels were from where the template had been screwed to the body for routing back in the day before CNC machines.  Once they pulled the template they filled the holes will dowels.  If you get to handle vintage Fenders you can see it best on see through finishes like blonds but sometimes you can see the finish has shrunk in on the dark color of the bursts.  I know I'm going to drill holes in a perfectly good piece of wood. Remember this is going to be as exact a replica I can build.

What makes a 59 Strat a 59 Strat was that it was built in 1959.  :laughing7: Actually 59 was a big change year for Strats.  They switch from maple necks to Brazilian Rosewood fingerboards with clay dots and side markers and the necks got thinner than the earlier guitars. They Switch to 3-tone sunbursts but the red was not color fast and faded in UV light.  Many will have a brighter red on the back than on the front if the guitar was laid in an open case and some have no red left at all. The guitar in the picture I posted which I want to replicate still has some red but it is not very strong. That guitar in the pictures is in very clean condition, which makes it a good example to try to replicate beside it being a beauty.  They went to a laminate 3-layered celluloid pickguard, which tuned that slight mint green we all are familiar with now. The guard on the picture is still fairly white; mine will probably be more mint. The tone changed on Strats because of the Brazilian boards in 59.

I’m using the 59 Roundback profile on this build because that has become my neck of choice after handling all the different profiles. I love the tone monsters that Boats and Fatbacks are but the 59 Roundback is most comfortable for my hand and I’m sure this combination of wood will make a great sounding guitar. We’ll see how it stacks up to the others.

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

This is going to be awesome!

 

[bigguspickus]

Wasn't the truss rod at the end of the neck closer to the fretboard on the '59?

http://www.stratcollector.com/scn/base/59.html

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Is the one in the pick an actual '59?

 

[jay4321]

You probably can't get the plain necks because I buy them all. Next time you need one just let me put the order in