BBQ Floyd: A Roasted Maple, Floyded Strat

[fdesalvo]

Finally - this one is done.  Neck came out a little darker than I wanted (was expecting a light roast, but my fault), but she plays so well, all is forgiven.  The damn thing actually smelled like BBQ out of the box and while drilling the hardware pilot holes.  Pretty hilarious when the wife walked in and asked what I had cooked. Answer: my wallet?

It's been a long, long road with this guitar.  I was shocked when setting up the neck.  I usually lower the strings until they fret out, then back off a bit. That point came when the action was lower than my vintage Ibanez S's.  For the first time in life, I had to raise the action to make it more playable.  Unreal!  The fretwork is PERFECT right out of the box - never experienced this, but know it likely the exception more than the rule..still, I'm so impressed.  Literally installed the hardware, tightened the truss rod, placed one shim under the nut and it was just perfect!  I've never owned such a playable guitar.  A happy accident?

I may end up swapping pickguards and going HSS, but as is, it's just a joy to play.  My 1991 Fender USA Floyd Rose Classic is very nice, but there's something about a floating action on these guitars that makes them special.  10s feel like 9's - less tension during bending.  Less string breakage.  Sweet trem action.  You name it - it's all there with a perfectly balanced bandwidth - no thin tone here.

 

[Logrinn]

Sweet! ccasion14: I love it.

I like the pickup combination too. HS is actually what I have planned myself for the next build. What pickups do you have there? And how are they wired?

And will we get to here some tones from it? :icon_thumright:

 

[fdesalvo]

Hey, brother!  Many thanks for the kind words.

It's wired on a 3-way for bridge/bridge+neck/neck and there's a coil split set up on the push pull pot.

I have a set of Dimarzios in here - VV 54 Pro in the neck and Breed bridge.  Really amazing combo!  I've been on an BK bender for 4 years or so and have been impressed with the few domestics I've tried lately.  Especially the Duncan Texas Hots!

The neck gives me excellent noise free texas tones (very juicy with a little drive)- not as organic as real singles, but I am very, very impressed with this one.  The Breed is like a juiced up PAF - not too compressed and it splits for really sweet gritty tones.  Somehow have these out of phase in the middle position, so will have to swap some leads at some point, but I'm in no rush.  I've got 4 usable tones here and have to finish up my amp rebuild (more on this later!).

Note on these dimarzios
- not really very dynamic in that there's a bit of compression. Still they sound great, but I'll likely go back to HSS. I have another torsoise guard and a white one, as well. Kind of torn on which one to use.

This guitar will NOT go out of tune! Love this Gotoh 1996t!  The neck profile and compound radius is just perfect.  A blend of vintage strat and modern shreddy feel.  Just perfect for what this is. 

I've got a trem stopper that can be engaged or disengaged with a set screw. For string changes, you adjust it until it takes the spring tension off the block, then change strings.  Tune the. Stretch and back off the trem stopper. No "spring shock" or tuning drama.  Easy breezy.

Going home to visit my dying mom Thursday.  Not looking good on that end.  I will be leaning on music, family, and friends soon, so I hope to be able to vent through my fingers.

 

[rgand]

That really is beautiful. I love the dark roast neck. What a fine job. Certainly worth the roasted wallet.  :icon_thumright:

 

[fdesalvo]

RG - thank you sir!
SRV - Thanks, brother.  The Gotoh is stellar.  She's on the Floyd/Schaller bushings that W sells.  They don't route the extra mm required for the Gotoh bushings, which made me sad, but these are rck solid tuning wise.  Someday I'd like to have the locking stud option. 

Logrinn - I can't bring myself to replace these pickups - they are really nice!  They respond well to the vol pot, too, which is s pleasant surprise.  Best part is they don't sound over processed.  I was worried they would have that Vai tone.  Surprisingly neutral in that they do a great job of sounding organic and woody.  My mind is changing about these in a good way.

 

[stratamania]

Cool, and good to see this one end up with such a cool looking neck. The TO you mentioned in another thread really makes the grain pop.

 

[Tipperman]

Gorgeous build you got there, man. Love the color on the neck and fretboard. The F Hole is a pretty great touch.  ccasion14:

 

[zebra]

Beautiful build!  My vote for the HSS guard is that you go with the tortoise!

 

[fdesalvo]

Cheers dudes!

Yeah I'm sold on tortoise on this build!  Got enough spare pickups to make it work. Will repurpose a BK 63 neck pickup to sit in the middle. Gotta order the guard asap!

Can't lie pickguards suck for experimenting or mixing pickups. I haven't found a way to determine the phase relationships between the pickups without having it strung up. I usually just tap on the magnets with a little screwdriver and listen for signal strength, but that's no guarantee.

 

[pabloman]

Beautiful guitar Frank. I've had plans for something similar on the back burner for a while. Love your F hole!  :toothy12:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

What a beauty! The tortoise is perfect, and that neck is really a knockout. It was a bumpy road this one, but the result speaks for itself. I look forward to hearing what you do with her!

 

[fdesalvo]

VB - No truer words, my man.  It's been a rough road lol.  Cheers!

pabloman - You're gonna love what I do with this F-hole, brother!











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[MikeW]

That's a beauty Frank. Worth the wait and frustration in the end.

 

[BigSteve22]

Fabulous looking build Frank! Beautiful burst, works very well with the tortoise guard.  :icon_thumright:

I had never considered an f-hole strat, now ya got me thinking, (not good, since I'm still in the middle of a tele build), I have that tortoise guard I took off my strat....... Hate to see it just sitting there......  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[fdesalvo]

Fabulous looking build Frank! Beautiful burst, works very well with the tortoise guard.  :icon_thumright:

I had never considered an f-hole strat, now ya got me thinking, (not good, since I'm still in the middle of a tele build), I have that tortoise guard I took off my strat....... Hate to see it just sitting there......  :icon_jokercolor:

You've got enough good lookin guitars!  Save some for us!

Thanks, Mikey!  Cheers
That's a beauty Frank. Worth the wait and frustration in the end.

 

[fdesalvo]

Finally landed on an ideal ergonomic solution to the control layout.  As it turns out, I like the stock volume location with the Floyd.  Losing the push-pull pot for coil splitting the bridge, I am better able to work the switch with my pinky.  This allows me to keep my pick in position.  Both clear the trem arm.  Just waiting on the 5-way switch to arrive.

 

[rgand]

That tort looks darker than most. I like it.

 

[fdesalvo]

I think W has the nicest looking tort. Others look too red or brown. It's just right.  :bass:

 

[fdesalvo]

My flight home was indef delayed due to inclement weather through Houston.  $130 in Uber rides later, I arrived back home.  What else could I do, but pick up where I left off.  Make lemonade.

Added shielded cable

Almost complete

Hmm.  Which do you prefer?

 

[Logrinn]

Why, the black one, of course.