Basswood Strat - I might go for a Transparent Finish

[Schneidas]

This Body probably won't win any popularity contest, because it being Basswood and having the Swimming Pool Route, but some of the best Strats I played in the past were Basswood - and I really love how it looks!
It's been more than 20 years since I last had a Basswood Strat (back then it was a 2001 Fender Japan Iron Maiden Signature Strat).

Anyway, saw this body back in early December and really liked it. Was also nice and lightweight. Felt the itch...
A few weeks later I come across it again. I said, ok, I'll pass for now and see if it is still around by January.
So, yesterday it was three times a charm and I pulled the trigger.
Apparently, it was waiting for me!

I love the Alder-like looking grain and the discoloration. Thinking of going transparent light Blue with this one.
I'm having it shipped to my finisher in the US for a Nitro finish.

Not decided on a neck yet, nor the pickup config. Probably HSS or H-H.
I have like three dozen different pickups lying around in drawers waiting for builds...

 

[supertruper1988]

I have a basswood jazzmaster finished by warmoth in transparent turquoise. Basswood looks great with a transparent finish if you have a nice white piece without green streaks. Which it appears you have!

 

[Strat Avenger]

I say "why not?". There are no knots in it, or any green discoloration.

 

[Hodgo]

Heck yeah basswood makes for a nice light guitar and that’s a nice looking chunk of it for a transparent finish.

 

[Schneidas]

I have a basswood jazzmaster finished by warmoth in transparent turquoise. Basswood looks great with a transparent finish if you have a nice white piece without green streaks. Which it appears you have!

Transparent Turquoise, now that's another one I'd love to do.
Do you have a picture of it? Would love to see it...

 

[supertruper1988]

Transparent Turquoise, now that's another one I'd love to do.
Do you have a picture of it? Would love to see it...

Its on the back only but looks great

https://imgur.com/mMPJnlu

https://imgur.com/2piLeBm

 

[Schneidas]

Looks awesome indeed! I'm considering it for this body

 

[Rick]

Nice piece of wood to start with!

I've dyed alder with turqoise and over time the green shows up more than the blue if that makes any sense ... I think somehow the wood shows thru overtime, or if like me, you use a poly based top coat it gets more yellow, thus moving the blue more towards green. At least it did for me, and it's just something to consider.

Another color to consider is a deep red dye, I haven't tried that yet, though that's off from where you want to go. Amber or brown is also a good possibility, I don't think there'd be a color change. Maybe your finisher has some ideas?

Of course, wood is a living thing, or was. For example both purple heart and blood wood change colors over time, so maybe that's something to celebrate.

For me, when I see how the turquoise has changed it makes me smile ...

 

[Schneidas]

Nice piece of wood to start with!

I've dyed alder with turqoise and over time the green shows up more than the blue if that makes any sense ... I think somehow the wood shows thru overtime, or if like me, you use a poly based top coat it gets more yellow, thus moving the blue more towards green. At least it did for me, and it's just something to consider.

Another color to consider is a deep red dye, I haven't tried that yet, though that's off from where you want to go. Amber or brown is also a good possibility, I don't think there'd be a color change. Maybe your finisher has some ideas?

Of course, wood is a living thing, or was. For example both purple heart and blood wood change colors over time, so maybe that's something to celebrate.

For me, when I see how the turquoise has changed it makes me smile ...

Thanks for this, Rick, that is a great post and some great points to consider!
Personally, I love changes and growing with something, that's why I always like to start with guitars that are not aged or much aged to begin with and then in time they get beats, dings etc.
So an evolving color will be something I'm looking forward to.

 

[Heavy Rock]

This body looks awesome, great wood grain following the contours etc.

Turquoise would look great I think.

Another favorite of mine which I'd like to do one day is a deep/dark sunburst with wide black and brown areas and a smaller lighter center. I've seen some Fender Custom Shops like that and loved the way they looked.

 

[Schneidas]

In the end I went for Teal/Turquoise.
Here's are the first pics from my painter. I really like how it turned out. Very unique...

 

[Strat Avenger]

Nice. I never knew basswood could look so good.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

In the end I went for Teal/Turquoise.
Here's are the first pics from my painter. I really like how it turned out. Very unique...

Wow! That finish highlights the wood unbelievably! Kudos to the finisher and congrats on a gorgeous body to you!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

The Ibanez FRG7620 in my avatar to the left is a basswood body, with woodburned artwork by the forum’s own Great Ape.

Come to think of it, haven’t seen him on here for a bit.

 

[Schneidas]

Ok, here's my finished Strat. Assembled it myself and it was super easy!
Plays perfectly and with superb action, right out of the box!

I'm a sucker for strange configs, so that's why I went with an SHS route.
And it has worked out surprisingly well. (the middle pickup is an 80s DiMarzio Super 2, stilll with shiny Butyrate bobbins, screwed way down low)

Ever since seeing the "We are Stars" video in the 80s, I wanted a similar config to Vivian Campbell's SHS Strat in the video (just don't like True SingleCoils due to the noise and also don't like red colored Strats!). I finally got an inspired by Warmoth-Viv-Caster!

Bill Lawrence L45-S in neck, DiMarzio Cruiser Bridge in bridge. 250k's VTT - the middle humbucker is only wired to the 250k volume pot with no tone control for extra presence!

 

[Rick]

That came out great!

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

The color came out well. Did you try having cruisers in both neck and bridge? I guess the L45 may be more suited to 250k pots, but I’d like to ask your experience.

 

[Schneidas]

The color came out well. Did you try having cruisers in both neck and bridge? I guess the L45 may be more suited to 250k pots, but I’d like to ask your experience.

Actually no. I only had the Cruiser Bridge model lying around. I tried real singlecoils first but after about two weeks, decided that I couldn't deal with the hum, especially since I prefer playing with distortion.
The BL L45 is super close to a SC sound, so I went with this one for the neck. The Cruiser was the next best thing.
I previously had great experience with the Cruiser Bridge in the neck spot (like Andy Timmons does) but with 500k pots throughout. So I figured to try it in the bridge this time, since it was 250k pots throughout.
It worked out really well.
The Cruiser Bridge is a bit chunkier sounding than a true singlecoil but still very nice. I'd say 70% like a single and 30% like a humbucker, so it fit this project really well.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

Then I understand the L45 was a deliberate choice and it makes sense to me. I agree with you about the cruiser not being totally equivalent to a single coil strat pickup.

EDIT: I have both of Dimarzio DP186 and DP187 cruisers, but so far I did not try them in the same guitar! I used DP186 as neck pickup with 500k controls and HSS config. DP187 as bridge pickup in SSS config, combined with true single coil neck & middle, and 250k controls. Fast Track 1 is also a good bridge pickup for a SSS Strat.

 

[Schneidas]

Then I understand the L45 was a deliberate choice and it makes sense to me. I agree with you about the cruiser not being totally equivalent to a single coil strat pickup.

Yes, absolutely. I had the L45 in my parts drawer and had tried one in the neck and the bridge before. I liked it in the neck but not so much in the bridge position. It's just a bit too weak and low-output for the bridge IMHO. I wish they would do a slightly higher output version of it, specifically for the bridge pos.

I had a few other potential candidates to take the bridge spot, like an L290, L298 and also a DiMarzio Fast Track 1 but ultimately settled for the Cruiser which fitted best for the rail look but also Tone wise... I'm quite pleased with the outcome as it was a pure experiment born out of an old nostalgic idea...