Homing in on my parameters - so many!
Me: not really picky (ouch, bad pun), I'm the kind of player who picks up a guitar and either loves it or goes "meh" but I also put most challenges on me, not the instrument. I'm actually a bass player, but have played guitar longer, like for 45 years. I am a Fender guy, like rhythm and bluesy lead a' la Steve Cropper, but I'm a Jazz musician and I play standards, too, though not building this instrument for that.
The goal is the mythical Strat Partscaster that my friend owns, likely Warmoth parts. We call it the "John Raymond Guitar" and John, if you see this, chime in!
Neck will be either roasted maple with ebony or all rosewood.
The Model - see attached photos. Per my friend who measured, nut width is 1-9/16th, but I think he mis-measured and it must be 1-5/8" - vintage narrow.
Here are some photos of the frets, I'm thinking these must be Vintage Wide?
Full photo is to just show the relationship of the fret wire width to the neck - I bet some of you can determine what this is just from the visual. Looks like wide "old Gibson" to me.
My trepidation is that I really don't like Gibson feeling guitars, and I'm leaning to the 9.5" - 14" compound radius, because I like Fender feel - what I think of as "fight back" where the guitar feels tight and strings aren't moving around on the fingerboard, unless I'm bending them. I'm a strong player, so lightness isn't a requirement. But... the John Raymond has a slinkiness that I like.
I sincerely hope the above is helpful in getting some guidance or opinions. This is a crazy exercise for me!
Thanks,
John
Me: not really picky (ouch, bad pun), I'm the kind of player who picks up a guitar and either loves it or goes "meh" but I also put most challenges on me, not the instrument. I'm actually a bass player, but have played guitar longer, like for 45 years. I am a Fender guy, like rhythm and bluesy lead a' la Steve Cropper, but I'm a Jazz musician and I play standards, too, though not building this instrument for that.
The goal is the mythical Strat Partscaster that my friend owns, likely Warmoth parts. We call it the "John Raymond Guitar" and John, if you see this, chime in!
Neck will be either roasted maple with ebony or all rosewood.
The Model - see attached photos. Per my friend who measured, nut width is 1-9/16th, but I think he mis-measured and it must be 1-5/8" - vintage narrow.
Here are some photos of the frets, I'm thinking these must be Vintage Wide?
Full photo is to just show the relationship of the fret wire width to the neck - I bet some of you can determine what this is just from the visual. Looks like wide "old Gibson" to me.
My trepidation is that I really don't like Gibson feeling guitars, and I'm leaning to the 9.5" - 14" compound radius, because I like Fender feel - what I think of as "fight back" where the guitar feels tight and strings aren't moving around on the fingerboard, unless I'm bending them. I'm a strong player, so lightness isn't a requirement. But... the John Raymond has a slinkiness that I like.
I sincerely hope the above is helpful in getting some guidance or opinions. This is a crazy exercise for me!
Thanks,
John