Chambered or Solid body Stratocasters?

[Chriscross]

I'm thinking of building a strat, and was wondering if anyone else on the forum has a chambered stratocaster, especially one with a f-hole. Are there a lot of pros and cons that are really noticeable, other than weight? 

 

[m4rk0]

My Chambered Strat has a much fuller tone than a solid body strat! not sure if an f-hole makes any difference. I can tell you in a couple of weeks when my strat is done

 

[Who?]

I have a chambered strat body that is mahogany and routed H/S/H.  It does have a much fuller sound than my solid body strats and is surprisingly light.  I really enjoy mine. 

 

[Warfan68]

Chambered bodies are cool but for a Strat,solid all the way imo.  :headbang:

 

[Chriscross]

Hey guys, I think I've decided on a solid strat not because of its tone or anything, but because of the cost of the chambered strat I'm looking at. The f-hole also really bothers me since it doesn't really fit on a strat, but thanks for your guys' insight!

 

[chrisg]

Warmoth do chambered bodies without an F hole, if you want it to look like a solidbody.  Best of both worlds IMHO

 

[Chriscross]

Warmoth do chambered bodies without an F hole, if you want it to look like a solidbody.  Best of both worlds IMHO

Ya, but I was worried about how long it takes them to build a custom ordered body or neck. If it doesn't take too long to build or ship, I would be happy for warmoth to build me a chambered strat!

 

[Nando Vallart]

Warmoth do chambered bodies without an F hole, if you want it to look like a solidbody.  Best of both worlds IMHO

Ya, but I was worried about how long it takes them to build a custom ordered body or neck. If it doesn't take too long to build or ship, I would be happy for warmoth to build me a chambered strat!

They say usually takes 2-3 weeks if you order thru this:
http://www.warmoth.com/Pages/CustomBody.aspx?style=1

 

[Chriscross]

Warmoth do chambered bodies without an F hole, if you want it to look like a solidbody.  Best of both worlds IMHO

Ya, but I was worried about how long it takes them to build a custom ordered body or neck. If it doesn't take too long to build or ship, I would be happy for warmoth to build me a chambered strat!

They say usually takes 2-3 weeks if you order thru this:
http://www.warmoth.com/Pages/CustomBody.aspx?style=1

Hmmm, that would be all right I guess. I just want to be able to have all my pieces ready by Thanksgiving, which is when I'm going to start building.

 

[chrisg]

If you go to the Warmoth Body showcase and click on stratocaster - http://www.warmoth.com/Pages/ClassicShowcase.aspx?Body=2&Shape=1&Path=Body,Stratocaster, you can then use the advanced search filters.  Select 'Construction type' then 'chambered' and you will come up with about 7 pages of choice - some with F hole and some without.

Happy hunting!

 

[Return of Guitlouie]

I have a chambered Strat, no F hole, and I love it.  It weighs less, certainly, but  there is also a vibe to it that is hard to explain.  When I was young, and first learning to play guitar, sometimes I would be playing my electric guitar without plugging in, and I noticed that if I touched the end of the headstock to a desk, or table or something, there would be this slight amplification of the vibrating strings.  The chambered Strat is like that on it's own.  PLugged into a raging, distorted amp, you probably can hear no difference, but playing clean I definitely think there is more "sing" to the tone.  I think it was worth it, and I would do it again.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Ya, but I was worried about how long it takes them to build a custom ordered body or neck. If it doesn't take too long to build or ship, I would be happy for warmoth to build me a chambered strat!

Get a chambered one then.  The turn around time for them is really short (and inexpensive) when you consider the 9 to 13 month wait for a custom ESP, Schecter, Fender, or Gibson.  An extra few weeks for a guitar that you could conceivably play for the next 20 or 30+ years or longer is nothing.  I would never settle for less than what I wanted for what is really a few $ more and few more days.  Besides, the ordering has a ballpark window.  A scratch build can take as short as 8 weeks or 12 plus weeks.  Sometimes shorter, sometime longer.  Whose to say how long it would take anyway?  I would bet $ to donuts, Warmoth has shipped chambered scratch builds in under 8 weeks before and solids after 12 weeks.