Finally got my hands on something exotic...

[rapfohl09]

Well hello everyone. Its nice to FINALLY be able to post some pictures for you guys of a completed guitar  :laughing7:. Not too long ago I played a friend of mine's strat and it reallllllyyyy made me want one. I'm not really sure why, but it felt really good sitting in my lap, and I had been gassing pretty hard for a pretty classy strat.

I went online and got this from theStratosphere (which I HIGHLY recommend, they post some slammin deals sometimes)

A CAR alder body squier classic vibe body with just about everything except the electronics. It came with the trem bar, neck plate, neck screws, and jack plate as well.

Then since I didn't actually have any money for this build, I went and got (once again from the stratosphere) a Mighty Mite Loaded pickup for like 45 bucks. It is loaded with 3 rail humbuckers. You gotta love strats too, screw the pickguard on and make 2 connections at the output jack and one at the trem.

And finally, the piece de resistance, I got this absolutely beautiful Wenge/Wenge Warmoth Pro neck from Cagey, I'll let that just speak for itself  :icon_biggrin:

(I actually kind of like the mint plate on the back, it's just kind of quirky, but eventually I'll get a black one)

My opinions? My god the neck is fantastic. It feels like heaven in your hands. So incredibly smooth and just effortless to play. Cagey did quite a bit of work on the frets and they are absolutely perfect, super smooth and easy to slide around on. The mighty mite pickups sounds astonishingly good. I was really surprised. I took a risk on getting a loaded guard for so cheap, but I love the sounds. I am really only a neck pickup guy, and it sounds damn good. I had planned on switching it out when time and money permitted, but I don't really know if I will.

Seriously a HUGE shout out to Cagey on this one. Obviously he made the neck happen, but he is just an absolute stand up guy, and really knows how to make a neck super playable.

 

[Updown]

Cool  :icon_thumright:

Yeah your gunna love that neck    :toothy10:  ............... stupid Cagey for selling it  :laughing7:

I've bought a few things from Strato  ie: Loaded Roland Ready Body.
Did you have a good look at the trem ?
I had to replace one.
Screws were worn and saddles shot.

When buying from there, just wait for the discount to roll around, it comes and goes.

 

[Cagey]

That's a very nice attractive combination of parts/colors/etc. I like it! Ought to be a lotta fun to play.

Thanks for the kind words on the neck work. One of my brothers was looking at it before it shipped and thought I was nuts to let it go. I told him to buy his own <grin>

 

[NQbass7]

That Wenge is gorgeous. And I'm really liking the overall look of the thing... that's a hell of a guitar for not having any money.  arty07:

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Love the look of that. Nice execution!  :icon_thumright:

 

[JonatanOTG]

I've grown to like red guitars... Very nice one!  :icon_thumright:

 

[kurcatovium]

Excellent piece of wenge here!

 

[CrazyGrain]

Wow, looks great. Love the Wenge with the red.

So how's it sound overall? Bright, dark, just right...etc.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

:headbang1:

 

[bbl4ck]

Great lookin' strat and yes, da Wenge do rock :headbang:
:kewlpics: :rock-on:

 

[Strat Avenger]

'Looks good.  I don't understand why the neck pickup rout is smaller than the others.

 

[crash]

Cagey, what exactly did you do with the neck?

 

[Cagey]

Cagey, what exactly did you do with the neck?

I leveled, crowned, dressed and polished the frets, installed tuners, installed stainless steel threaded inserts in the heel, gave it a finish sanding, applied the Warmoth emblem, oiled the fretboard and set the relief to .008".

 

[rapfohl09]

Thanks everyone, its a serious player. Very simple in execution, but very powerful. It just sounds good. I am not a extreme tone searcher so I can't really describe it with a million adjectives like some people do, but the neck pickup, which I have played for about 95% of the time I have had it plugged in, is extremely warm and clear without being dark and muddy. That's all I got  :laughing7:.

The body is alder by the way, and the pickup routing scheme had me scratching my head too :laughing7:.

Its a beautiful guitar. I find myself staring at it quite a bit. My friend has already offered to buy it from me :laughing7:.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

A custom guitar on budget?  Impossible!

Are you sure the neck and tuners came from Cagey?  They're vintage style.  :icon_jokercolor:

Great execution and proof one can do great things without throwing money at a project.

 

[Corey P.]

'Looks good.  I don't understand why the neck pickup rout is smaller than the others.

My MIM Strat has the same pickup routes; I don't understand it either - the flexibility to swap in a bridge humbucker without needing to route was nice, but no clue why the middle is larger thank the neck/almost large enough for a P90...

The finished guitar looks great!

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Beautiful Strat!

 

[bagman67]

That is a very handsome guitar, and it screams ROCK'N'ROLL.  And it's totally cool that you got it on a budget.


Cagey,why did you sell that neck?  I mean,it wound up in a wonderful circumstance; I just don't recall what induced you to let it go in the first place.

 

[Cagey]

I hadn't intended to let go of it, but I originally bought it on a whim because it was a good example of Wenge in a form and with specs I like, I had no Wenge in the collection, and I got a great deal on it. So, it wasn't dedicated to anything; it was just sitting there contemplating its fretwork.

I've had it in the back of my mind to try my hand at binding and was sorta on the lookout for a flat-topped body. When his L5S showed up brand new in Mahogany looking to trade for a neck much like that one, things clicked. I've done wood binding before on cabinet work, but never on a guitar. This ought to be fun. Or, I'll wreck a perfectly good body. Either way, I'll learn things and if it turns out well, I'll have a unique guitar.