Candy Apple Red Strat

[fdesalvo]

I just completed this tribute to my mom who recently passed away.  She used to love subjecting us to old 50's B Sci-Fi flicks - and we loved it, too!  I look forward to learning music fit for this beast, which has that iconic Strat tone.  My ability to play music fit for this is beyond my ability, but challenge accepted.  Gonna have to loosen up the ol' wrists that have been playing metal and rock for decades.

-Warmoth body/neck in Candy Apple Red/Tru-Oil
-Ilitch Noise Cancelling Backplate.  I fabbed up a bracket and drilled through holes, so I could adjust on the fly. These single coils are now quieter than the humbuckers on my other guitars with no change in tone.
[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/frankdesalvo/ilitch-backplate-with-rocketfire-total-60s-set[/soundcloud]

-Gotoh Locking Vintage Tuners
-Gotoh 510 Trem
-Graphtech Nut
-1-5/8" Graphtech nut
-22 SS6100s
-Rocketfire Total 60's Pickups (Honestly, these will end your search if you love iconic Strat tone)


Done!  Some minor tuning issues to sort out (bridge angle vs nut slots perhaps), but the fretwork is good enough for the action I like.  The only nut slots that needed to be lowered were the B & high E.  I may open up the width of the others a bit, but not hearing any pinging noises at all.  Just a bit of instability.

These Rocketfire Total 60's pickups...ICONIC Strat tone.  I was terrified taking a gamble on these, but I'm so glad I did.  They go from bubbly, to twangy, to quacky, and beyond.  Just can't believe I finally have the sound I've been hearing in my mind since I was a kid.  All noise free thanks to the Ilitch backplate.

The 1-5/8 nut width is AMAZING.  Now I need to go back and try all the profiles again with this width.  The 59 RB is sublime with it.  No cramped feel at the nut - it took away the blocky feeling of the 1-11/16 at the nut.  Pure comfort and speed.

 

[rgand]

This one is very cool. It sounds like the 1-5/8 nut is right for your hands. Glad to hear the Ilitch back plate works so well.

 

[fdesalvo]

It’s a really fun guitar to behold and handle

 

[rgand]

Don't you love it when everything adds up like that?

 

[fdesalvo]

Rare!

 

[rgand]

Be sure to enter this one for GOM.

 

[bagman67]

You could get lost in that candy-coated goodness.  A beautiful axe in its own right, and as a tribute to the gift of cheesy B-movie joy that your mother shared with you, it is a world-beater.  Beautiful work.  May she look down and smile to see you playing it.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

This forum continues to remind me that concepts I would not initially embrace can turn out to be exceptionally badassical. I really, really dig everything about this axe.

 

[fdesalvo]

Thanks for the kind words. I know she’d love this guitar without a doubt. I’ll enter in to the next GoM for poops and giggles.

 

[Bikertrash2001]

Ok, I'm late to this party. Did you do the neckplate or have that done custom?

 

[fdesalvo]

Ok, I'm late to this party. Did you do the neckplate or have that done custom?

I had greasy groove do it.

 

[Bikertrash2001]

Ok, I'm late to this party. Did you do the neckplate or have that done custom?

I had greasy groove do it.

Cool, thanks. Awesome Strat BTW. Love the B-movie Sci-Fi stuff myself. Was it an off the shelf design or was it custom?

 

[fdesalvo]

Ok, I'm late to this party. Did you do the neckplate or have that done custom?

I had greasy groove do it.

Cool, thanks. Awesome Strat BTW. Love the B-movie Sci-Fi stuff myself. Was it an off the shelf design or was it custom?

Always a pleasure for a fellow Weird Al fan.  The design was in stock.