Candy Red Strat - UPDATED PHOTOS!

[Jumble Jumble]

Pretty basic this one really. It started life as an American Series Strat in Chrome Red that I got in about 2002. Over time, nearly every single part has been replaced with the exception of the bridge plate, nut, frets and neck plate.

Finally this year I decided I didn't like Chrome Red - it's a poor man's Candy Apple. So I got a gorgeous new body from Warmoth (a pound lighter, and ash instead of alder) and rebuilt the guitar around it.

The details:

Body
Warmoth Extra light swamp ash, 2012
Candy Red
SSS rout
American Standard Trem routing
Single battery compartment

Neck
Fender American Series Strat, 2001
One piece Maple
9.5" radius
"Medium Jumbo" frets (6150?)
Satin finish

Hardware
American Series (original) bridge plate
Callaham saddles
Callaham block
Callaham arm
Callaham springs
Jim Dunlop Dual Design Straploks
Schaller SureClaw
Sperzel locking tuners
Black Tusq XL String retainer
Fender (original) neck plate
Parchment 3-ply pickguard

Electronics
EMG DG20 set:
    3 x SA pickups
    SPC control
    EX-G control
    Master volume
SPC and EX-G controls switched
Switchcraft stereo jack
5-way switch wired regular Strat style

Pictures
Sorry these pictures aren't great, I did them with my phone as soon as I finished the guitar. Will try to get some decent ones when we get a day without rain.



EDIT:
Here are some better pictures. Click to enlarge.

 

[swarfrat]

Don't apologize, Strats are ubiquitous for a very good reason.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

I'm not apologising! This guitar was my #1 for years. Now it's joint #1 with a couple of others.

 

[Cagey]

That looks great! I'm a huge fan of candy finishes. They really draw the eye without being gaudy at all; they're simply attractive.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Yeah, they have kind of a "luxury" vibe to them.

 

[anorakDan]

Everything looks great in Candy Red, especially Stratocasters! Nice job!

 

[drewfx]

Looks sweet! Love candy (apple) red.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I want Candy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMICD3aMZpw

:glasses9:

 

[Updown]

:icon_scratch: what ya mean 'pretty basic'

I like very much :blob7:

After my Yella Graffiti, I really love the bright colours  :icon_thumright:

:dontknow:  something not linking when I click on pic's thou ..........

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Links fixed, I think.

When I said "pretty basic" I didn't mean that in any kind of negative way. If it wasn't the guitar I wanted I wouldn't have built it! What I mean is, it's pretty basic as Strats go: ash body, maple neck, SSS pickups, that kind of thing. The only things really that mark it out are the EMGs, and I guess maybe the Callaham stuff.

However, I have this and one other black Strat that are "basic" in this way because I consider them the kind of baseline sounds for Strat tone. The EMGs are for modern sounds and the other has vintage-output pickups (although I recently switched them to noiseless ones: Duncan STK-S4/STK-S4/STK-S6).

I do have a plan for a very posh Strat but that probably won't come together until nearly the end of 2013.

 

[leo12.]

It looks posh enough to me, got to agree with the other guys on the candy it always looks great.
It has that "DON'T touch its still wet" look. Like the parchment before white too.
Thanks for fixing the pics I wanted to get a look at the Sure Claw was reading about the
install in another thread. Like your cordless drill too. :icon_thumright:

 

[Jumble Jumble]

That hand drill was my only drill for years and years. I bought it to install Sperzels on my first Strat.

 

[Tonar8352]

Nice job!

 

[bluestometal]

That looks beautiful and wanna-be-palyed  :icon_biggrin: Good job!

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Love it!!  ccasion14:

The DG20 is great.  :headbang1:

 

[swarfrat]

One day I must try the EX. If it's half as much fun as the SPC it'll be worth it, but I suppose I might have to find the footswitch to my amp to take advantage of it.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

I'd say it probably is half as much fun as the SPC. I play quite bright anyway and it really brightens it up a lot more.

One thing I do find though, is that in the 2 and 4 positions the EMGs are, perhaps surprisingly, very quacky. The EX-G is very very good at toning that quack down, meaning that you get both the vintage quack sound and the more modern smooth sound, and anything in between. Position 2 with the EX-G on 5-7 and a bit of chorus is a lovely sound.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Just updated the first post with new photos.

 

[JaySwear]

Matching Tele! Matching Tele! I've heard the EMG Telecaster pickup set is awesome.

Strat looks great! I'd love a nice Candy Red Strat myself

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Thanks! Photos don't do it justice really - you have to see it moving. It can look almost black in some light!

I used to have the EMG T set in a Tele for a while. I didn't get on with it. It smoothed out the Tele character so much it may as well have been a Strat. No twang at all. Went back to the stock pickups for a while, which was an improvement, and then finally ended up with a Duncan-made Jerry Donahue signature pickup in the bridge, which nailed what I was looking for perfectly.

That guitar is in bits at the moment, so when it's back together I'll post some pics. It doesn't match though - it's Sonic Blue!