Oh, lord ... why must it be possible to make Strats so beautiful?

[reluctant-builder]

there's also a unique choice Pau Ferro lam top that's only $50 extra

I actually didn't want the top and neck to be the same wood. I wanted similar though slightly different color, and different grain.

Edit: Besides, I don't see that Pao Ferro top option in the body builder...

@Corey: Thanks! I hope I've made a good choice tone-wise with the combo of P90s and Ash.

 

[Tipperman]

I say solid walnut body. It's really hard to beat Walnuts tone, imo.

 

[hannaugh]

Oh okay, it's not all rosewood.  I thought you were talking about a rosewood body.  The wood alone on a 3 piece rosewood Strat body STARTS at $500 without any extras.  $600 for a 2 piece.  A full Warmoth build where the body starts that high for under a grand would be almost impossible if you're using decent hardware and not getting anything for free that you just had around the house.  And that is why I don't have a rosewood guitar yet.  :sad:

Walnut is pretty cool too though, I hope to have one of those someday as well.  You design looks really nice.  :icon_thumright:

 

[tfarny]

1. Do it.
2. Use real P90s.
3. Consider a five-tone tele switching system - the tones available are actually all distinct and similar in volume, and there is no silly pushing and pulling of pots.

 

[kboman]

1. Do it!
2. Real, high quality P90s.
3. 3-way switching. Even this is overkill for myself at the moment since I only use the neck pickup...


Edit: cool, post 2222!

 

[tfarny]

Is there an echo in here?  :icon_thumright:

Wait till you get to post 4206, it's wicked awesome. Just don't ever look at the "total time spent on forum" number...

 

[Cagey]

Wait till you get to post 4206, it's wicked awesome. Just don't ever look at the "total time spent on forum" number...

That doesn't matter. My total time at the moment is ~84 days, 16 hours and 17 minutes. But, that's just because I run Linux so I rarely have to shut down or reboot my computer. Usually, that only happens with a major kernel update or some hardware maintenance like adding/changing a HDD.

 

[reluctant-builder]

1. Do it.
2. Use real P90s.
3. Consider a five-tone tele switching system - the tones available are actually all distinct and similar in volume, and there is no silly pushing and pulling of pots.

By "real P90s" do you mean:

A) No stacks, just any single coil P90 made by a reputable pickup manufacturer?

or

B) Made only by Gibson?

 

[Cagey]

I'd be very surprised to find Gibson makes any of their pickups. They're just not that kind of company. I'd wager they deeply resent what little work they do here now. If they didn't have to worry about competing with Agile on patriotic terms, they'd probably move the few CNC machines they have left to Korea.

 

[reluctant-builder]

I only said "Gibson" because I saw a P90 on Musician's Friend that was being sold under the Gibson brand ... a "Gibson P90" ... as to its origins, I'd wager it's not from Nashville.

 

[reluctant-builder]

Yes you have.

true. i guess i don't even think of it is a strat if it's not top-routed, really

Yeah, me neither ... the pickguard is such a part of the aesthetic that a "Strat" without it just looks like a less severe Soloist.

 

[rockskate4x]

The more recent gibson 90's are wound too hot. www.lollarguitars.com and www.fralinpickups.com are both excellent sources of beautiful sounding p-90's. If ya want to support a forum member and have a great sound to boot troubled tele at www.roadhousepickups.com has what ya need and more. Can I hear an amen?

 

[reluctant-builder]

If ya want to support a forum member and have a great sound to boot troubled tele at www.roadhousepickups.com has what ya need and more. Can I hear an amen?

Amen, indeed. I've been talking to Ken about just this very thing.

 

[dNA]

If ya want to support a forum member and have a great sound to boot troubled tele at www.roadhousepickups.com has what ya need and more. Can I hear an amen?

Amen, indeed. I've been talking to Ken about just this very thing.

ha. I'm a little torn on this one, because normally I'm all about promoting Ken. But i also have a  set of Lollar P90's that i've been trying to sell. So if you want to buy a set of Lollars from me you can always do that. Otherwise, get something from Ken. He's the man. and honestly, I haven't been more in love with playing my electrics since I got his pickups in both my axes.

 

[hannaugh]

Waiting on my second set of pickups from Ken.  You won't be disappointed. 

 

[reluctant-builder]

Bah, true to my name, I'm having second, third and fourth thoughts.

I need a new mattress. I need a new computer. I don't need a new guitar. However, buying the needed items would not financially preclude me from buying the unneeded guitar.

Additionally, I have only the option of a clear gloss or satin finish, or no finish ... if I get the walnut top with the swamp ash body. I've got misgivings about how the mystery ash grain will look when Tru-Oiled.

I am, though, teetering perilously close to continuing to be the one-man economic boom I've been all year. It's been a record-setting year for me blowing money on things, though none of those things have been wasteful; I'm not a frivolous consumer. I buy only things I know I'll use. But, with three electrics (and a fourth on the way from Warmoth already), an electric bass, an acoustic, a classical, a piano and a drum set. Jesucristo, do I really need another frickin' guitar? Even if it would be the only one in my harem with two P90s.

#$%&. :help:

Edit: Jeez, I forgot to include the Heritage. Four electrics already ... fifth is on its way.

 

[dNA]

I'm going to have to side with your rational thinking. Because i'm going through the same situation. I just sold a guitar and a whole handful of other small parts and my wii and have all this extra cash.. I'm thinking of buying another guitar or a rhodes electric piano... but I need money for a dozen other things. So i feel you. The question is, will having this guitar really improve your quality of life or happiness that much, or is it just entertaining some fantasy of wanting nice things?

 

[reluctant-builder]

The question is, will having this guitar really improve your quality of life or happiness that much, or is it just entertaining some fantasy of wanting nice things?

Wisdom. It is surely the latter.

I can accomplish nearly the exact same thing as building this new guitar by buying a pickguard blank, routing it for P90s, wiring it and dropping it in the Strat I already own. That would likely cost me south of 200 bucks (most of which would go to Ken, for his Roadhouse pups), as opposed to just south of 1,000.

Of course, I won't have the Walnut top, Swamp Ash body and beautiful Pao Ferro neck with its Ebony board ... but, as nice as they would be, and despite any tonal variations they would provide, they are mostly aesthetic. I've heard it said that pickups and other electronics, wiring + one's amp has the lion's share of influence on the guitar's sound, with fancy wood just gravy.

 

[reluctant-builder]

It's truly a sad day.

I bought the bed. A practical move, to be sure, but hopefully also a very lasting and worthwhile move.

However, the bed has yet to be delivered. And, in the meantime, someone bought that devastatingly beautiful Pao Ferro neck with the Ebony fingerboard, which I'd used in my mockup.

Note to self: when you see a showcase neck you love and CAN AFFORD, even if you're not going to immediately embark on the build for which it's suited .... BUY THE DAMNED NECK!

:sad:

 

[Cagey]

A bed is a Good Thing. Nothing to be sad about. You need a good bed. They'll make more necks. Ebony over Pau Ferro is a popular combination, so another one will show up. I remember when I bought mine, I had my choice of three of them.