Need help piecing together my ultimate strat.

[arjepsen]

I have this hobby of building tube amps. Very addictive hobby!
Anyways, I have a nice guitar that covers the humbucker/LP department, but I don't have a strat.
My first thought was to buy an american standard strat. (it would have to be good quality, and have a great tone....right?) But then I came across all the different vintage models, and signature models, and started drooling...  :binkybaby:
And THEN I came across the warmoth site...  :icon_biggrin:

So what I'm after, is a guitar that basicly has the classic stratocaster tone, only much better sounding than what you can buy from Fender.
Since my experience with strats are limited, this is where I need some help.

For the body, I was thinking Alder, since that seemed to be the most commonly used, even in the signature Fenders, and then with some good flame maple on top. Probably amber dyed.
However, reading around in here, it seems the general opinion that the body wood doesn't have any particular effect on the tone? And I wouldn't mind going with a very nice exotic wood body.
I'm wondering about the "chambering". I actually don't mind the guitar being a bit heavy. Again the main thing is the classic strat tone, as good as it can possibly get
For the tremolo, I'm looking at the vintage bridge. It seems all Fender signature models use that one, so I presume it has an impact on the tone... And since I don't really use the whammy that much, I presume it would be a good choice.

For the neck, this is where I really need some good advice..
I want it to look really good, but first of all.... "the tone man. The tooone". :toothy10:
I'm thinking nut width 11/16, 21 frets and the warmoth pro, 10-16 compound neck. What they write sounds nice, but what are peoples experince with such a neck?
It seems that a thicker neck is essential to good tone (right?), but I also don't want it to be so thick that I can't play it. Originally I was thinking SRV, but after reading about good thick necks I'm thinking maybe '59 roundback?
I think the main place where I really need advice on getting the ultimate tone, is in the wood department.

For Pickups I was thinking about going with kinmans, since they've gotten some good reviews on the amp-building forums.

Ok, let me know what you think.

Anders

 

[DoubleG]

IMHO:

if you want the fender tone then you should buy solid alder body, no maple top, solid finish (or maybe ash with sunburst).

finish could be urathane or nitro laquer (one is used on standart the other on vintage models).

vintage modern maple neck maple or rosewood fingerboard with 22 6150 frets or total vintage with 21 frets. about neck profile i suggest you try standart thin, srv or clapton, here think about your hands and comfort.

fingerboard radii are 9,5 on standarts and 7,5 on vintage models but i would suggest you 10-16 if you play solo mostly. no sensible effect on tone but adds quite playibility. 

3 american standart pickups or 57/62 vintage pickups if  60-cycle hum disturbs you then dimarzio areas n:58 m:58 b:61 better than fender SCN. i dont know anything about kinmans.
(250k pots)

tremolo american standart or 6 hole vintage.

you can check the specs from fender website

 

[exaN]

IMHO:

if you want the fender tone then you should buy solid alder body, no maple top, solid finish (or maybe ash with sunburst).

finish could be urathane or nitro laquer (one is used on standart the other on vintage models).

vintage modern maple neck maple or rosewood fingerboard with 22 6150 frets or total vintage with 21 frets. about neck profile i suggest you try standart thin, srv or clapton, here think about your hands and comfort.

fingerboard radii are 9,5 on standarts and 7,5 on vintage models but i would suggest you 10-16 if you play solo mostly. no sensible effect on tone but adds quite playibility. 

3 american standart pickups or 57/62 vintage pickups if  60-cycle hum disturbs you then dimarzio areas n:58 m:58 b:61 better than fender SCN. i dont know anything about kinmans.
(250k pots)

tremolo american standart or 6 hole vintage.

you can check the specs from fender website

He really said it all to be honest, the typical Strat with a bit extra playability.

 

[tfarny]

Bah - you can get a lot more creative here, no need to avoid flame maple tops and such.
About the necks - I and most of the people on here have warmoth pros and the 10-16 compound radius, but there is a vocal minority who really prefer the vintage modern design, feeling that the heavy double truss rod in the pro neck detracts from the tone. I am certain you can get a classic strat tone from the pro neck, especially if you are just buying one strat and are not a strat collector or connoisseur. The 10-16 compound radius is great though. You might want to consider going hardtail, since you say you don't use a trem much. Hardtails stay in tune better, are simpler to set up and maintain, and have a more woody resonance to some extent. As far as neck thickness, it's a very personal choice and I would say put comfort ahead of any potential tone increase. The standard thin is almost the same as a new fender USA model, the 59 and SRV are noticeably thicker. The SRV is similar to Fender's SRV sig model, so you can play one and see if you like it. 59 is more like a typical older les paul neck, I think the PRS "Wide Fat" necks have almost the same dimensions so go play a PRS mccarty or similar model to get that feel.

There are lots of great classic strat tone pickups, both noiseless and regular, to choose from. Lots of ways to make a good choice. Generally I find Kinman's website to be filled with bogus BS claims about tone etc. and even if his pickups were great, there are others that I know are great as well. They are the most expensive brand out there as well. Fralin pickups are a very popular and well regarded choice for strats.

 

[arjepsen]

Thanks for the replies so far.

It's not important for me, that it's a true replica of a standard Fender strat.
The important things for me are, in order as listed:
1: tone. It has to sound like a Fender strat... only better  :toothy10:
2: playability. (good middleground between soloing and rhythm.). If the warmoth pro neck adds to playability, then that's a plus. And I also like the easy adjustable truss rod.
3: Looks. It will have a fender shaped body, but I would like it to look better than the average strat.

I guess the two things that I'm most vague about is the wood for the neck, and pickups.

 

[NLD09]

Thanks for the replies so far.

It's not important for me, that it's a true replica of a standard Fender strat.
The important things for me are, in order as listed:
1: tone. It has to sound like a Fender strat... only better   :toothy10:
2: playability. (good middleground between soloing and rhythm.). If the warmoth pro neck adds to playability, then that's a plus. And I also like the easy adjustable truss rod.
3: Looks. It will have a fender shaped body, but I would like it to look better than the average strat.

I guess the two things that I'm most vague about is the wood for the neck, and pickups.

1. pickups will play the biggest part, so just do a little research. I think we've got at least 3 threads going right now about strat pickups.
2. The compound radius is amazing. I personally find the most difference in playability comes from the nut width rather than the back contour.
3. Flame maple, quilt maple, or what i personally like is W's tobacco burst on black korina. Whatever looks the best to you. It's your guitar afterall, not ours.

for the neck wood i suggest canary. I've never used it myself, but have heard great things on here. It's supposed to sound like maple, only you can play it raw. So it'd give you the classic fender sound but feel so much better.

 

[drewfx]

Early (50's) strats = ash + maple fingerboard.
Later (60's +) = usually alder + rosewood (or maple) fingerboard.

A Warmoth figured top is very thin (on non-carved top body styles like strats), and probably has a negligible effect on tone, so go for it if you like the look.

You also might also consider a pau ferro fingerboard, if you like more figured woods.

If you want "classic strat tone", and aren't concerned with weight, I wouldn't go with a chambered body.

There are tons of strat pickups to choose from, depending on what variety of strat tone you like. And Fender pickups varied somewhat between eras, so you can't really just say "vintage strat sounding". But there are lots of good sounding strat pickups, so first decide if you want hum-cancelling or true single coil and then go from there.

I'd pick a neck profile that suits your hand. What kind of neck shape is on your other guitar(s)? You might want something similar if you're used to that.

drewfx

 

[yyz2112]

The wisdom around here, to which I subscribe for the most part, is that body wood has little to do with tone, but the neck wood is far more important. I accept that, but posit that the body wood will have an effect on sustain or resonance depending on mass. Also, scale length makes a big difference.
More than all of that though, it's the electronics that have the most impact on tone. That is, pickups, cables, and amp. Think about it: if you put 3 single coils in a traditional Les Paul, would it sound more like an LP or a Strat? and if you play it through a Fender amp, would it sound more like the Beach Boys or EVH?

 

[Mor Paul]

If you want strat, but better, I suggest this:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=7806.0

Exotic neck, classic-looking body, boutique pickups. Tasteful and unique.

 

[AprioriMark]

Vintage modern neck, imo.  You won't hate the double truss rod of the standard Warmoth, but I've been very happy with the Vintage modern.

I also like Alder as a core wood, and I do think it has an effect on tone.  Cap it with something pretty if you want.

Check out these pickups: http://roadhousepickups.com/  The guy who makes these (TroubledTreble) is a member here, and he does great work.  Check out his sound clips and shoot him a pm.  It's worth your time.

-Mark

 

[Mor Paul]

Alder is pretty standard. You might as well go with Ash.

 

[AprioriMark]

Ash is brighter and has less punch, in my experience.

-Mark

 

[DoubleG]

Thanks for the replies so far.

It's not important for me, that it's a true replica of a standard Fender strat.
The important things for me are, in order as listed:
1: tone. It has to sound like a Fender strat... only better   :toothy10:
2: playability. (good middleground between soloing and rhythm.). If the warmoth pro neck adds to playability, then that's a plus. And I also like the easy adjustable truss rod.
3: Looks. It will have a fender shaped body, but I would like it to look better than the average strat.

I guess the two things that I'm most vague about is the wood for the neck, and pickups.

dont get me wrong here im not against creativity but only better in what way?
ok if u want little bit WOW under the hood u can get some tops and the pro neck - but canarywood neck (which is quite warmer then maple) or someother bodywood or any combination of exotic woods here and there wont result in "the fender startocaster tone". it might have great tone but it wont be the strat tone.

mathmatically speaking, consider yourself at the origin of some coordinate system and strat tone is a solution space out there some where and guitar parts are vectors. addition of wrong vectors probably will end up at a point which is not in the solution space of fender strat tone.

or as in nuclear physics, just kiddin =P

 

[arjepsen]

Again, thanks for the replies so far.

Max:
Thanks for that suggestion. However for my personal taste, I wouldn't go with such a dark neck, to such a bright body... to me those two doesn't really seem to go together...
But again, that's just a matter of personal taste.
A more important matter is how it sounds?
Another thing about the neck, I've seen some suggestions for an unfinished neck. However Warmoth seems to warn against it, since there's supposed to be a bigger chance of wear and warp with an unfinished neck. Is that just being over causious, or??

 

[DoubleG]

some woods are ok without finish some are not. for example maple necks must be finished. such things u can check from warmoth website.

 

[arjepsen]

some woods are ok without finish some are not. for example maple necks must be finished. such things u can check from warmoth website.

Actually I did read up on their site, and this is why I ask.
They actually seem to suggest to ALWAYS finish the necks. Even the exotic woods.

 

[tfarny]

No, actually. They require a finish on Maple, mahogany, korina, and walnut necks in order to comply with their warranty. Some exotic woods such as rosewood are so oily that they don't easily take a finish and a finish is certainly unnecessary. I have three guitars with unfinished necks and they are all doing just great. An exotic neck with no finish is a real plus in my opinion if you are not stuck on a very traditional look. Maple necks are great, and satin finishes are nice, but not quite as nice as raw wood, at least to me.
My bass teacher, who plays for Poppa Chubby, just ordered an unfinished canary / ebony neck to replace his battle tested fender glossy maple neck, based on his experiences playing around with my wenge / ebony neck. Once he played raw he wasn't interested in satin maple any more. He spends a good portion of the year on tour throughout Europe. If Warmoth doesn't require a finish, they are definitely stable without a finish.

 

[arjepsen]

Ok.
Thanks again :

 

[Rouse]

I don't know if anyone has said this stuff yet, but if they have, I'll just say it again.

Go raw with your neck choice, I'm really close to finishing my strat project (my last part, the pickups, just got shipped today :toothy10: ) and I can say that Canary is so much smoother than any other satin neck I've ever played, virtually no drag. Plus, Canary Neck + Ebony FB = Maple tone, or at least thats what everyone around here says.

For pickups, Lollar is in the vintage-y range; you can read some reviews on the net and Harmony-Central, thats what really convinced me to buy to buy the "Dirty Blonde" set. I'll give a full review once I get them.

Here is a link to my project:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=10207.0

 

[koshersteel]

my recipe for classic strat,

Swamp Ash body (w/ a tobacco burst)
Maple neck with either a Maple (for brighter "snapy" sound) or Rosewood (fairly standard or "warmer") fretboard, Any contour will do but Standard thin would be most accurate
I think a strat without a trem makes no sense and just about any will do, I'm partial to the Hipshot Trem
There are TONS of pickups out there and almost all single coils are trying to recreate some classic fender tone or another, Duncan's, Franlin's, Lollar's, Kinman's, they're all good, go with what you like best

That's pretty much it as far as getting the classic Strat tone. There are lots of custom options you can add at this point that will have more effect on technique or looks then your tone and this is where you can have some fun. Consider a custom neck radius, comfort is the most important factor here but more mass = more sustain so you may notice a difference with a thicker neck, it won't necessarially change the tone, it will just give you more of it perhaps. Defineitly go for a compound radius fingerboard if your playing style includes and mix of low neck chord work and high neck leads and bending, you'll be able to get a lower action before you fret out. Any top wood less than 1/2 inch will have almost no substantial effect on body tone so if you want curly maple go for it since a non carved top will only be between 1/4" to 1/16" thick. Also, remember to get good tuners, locking if you get a trem. A bone nut is standard a graphite nut w/ a trem sometimes makes more sense.

Focus on the big stuff for tone (body, neck, fretboard woods, pickups) and just have fun with the little custom details. Cheers,