Pele fade Strat build

[docteurseb]

Couldn't resist and bought this today:
https://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?Body=2&Path=Spotlight&bFinish=299&i=PS14725#.XneVWohKhhE

I haven't figured the neck yet aside from it having a quilt peghead veneer I'll stain, and roasted maple back.

For the hardware I'm not sure between black, cosmo black, or chrome. Leaning towards black for once since the pickups will also be black.
If I were to use vintage-style single coils I could try using curly maple covers stained to match, but that could turn gaudy real quick :laughing11:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Awesome! Definitely looking forward to this one.

 

[Axkoa]

Good job picking up that body! One of the nicest ones in my opinion. As for the neck, I think going something subtle like a dark ebony would work best. Full black hardware I think, so you can focus on the finish more, definitely not maple covers :laughing7:

 

[vetteman]

I'm not so sure that gold hardware might not look good on that one.  Black would be good also.  Just looks like the center of that thing is on fire! :headbanging:

 

[rgand]

This will be one spectacular one to see come together. I'm looking forward to this one a lot.

I'd be tempted to do black hardware as you mentioned. Maybe a wenge neck on it. This is one of the builds that might even look good with one of the necks that have been painted all black, like you see occasionally as an in-stock item.

 

[VinceClortho]

Yep, roasted maple neck to match the back of the body, black hardware, and dark fretboard.  Keep the components dark so they don't detract from the incredible body colors.  I'm very excited to see this one finished out.  :headbang:

 

[guitarstv]

Man, that's a gorgeous dye job!  Roasted maple feels lovely but I think it would look better with either a bright regular maple neck, or a dark black ebony one.

 

[BigSteve22]

Nice pick up, Doc!

I'm not so sure that gold hardware might not look good on that one....

I'm no big fan of gold hardware, but that might be just the thing on that body. I'm thinking the gold would blend into that gorgeous center, and effectively disappear. Just, IMHO....

 

[docteurseb]

Gold didn't cross my mind initially but would definitely look great on this one. However I already bought a new black Gotoh 510 bridge which was a decently good deal ($90) and the last one in stock; if it turns out to be sold out I might very well switch to gold.

Pickups-wise, this may just be what I need on a build like that :laughing7:

I like Lace sensors so that could work, if not couple dimarzio Area pickups for the neck/middle, and a hotter output bridge pickup.

In the past I've always wood-mounted pickups using the tele neck pickup mounting screws, it's worked decently well but limits me to pickups without metal plate/threaded mounting holes.
There are single coil pickups rings but they're a little bulky and I'd hate covering this top at all.

 

[stratamania]

Use some inserts to mount the pickups then you can height adjust them also.

The alternative is just to put it into a nice box type frame with LED lights around the edges and mount it on the wall and admire it.

 

[Axkoa]

I was actually looking at some Bareknuckle's with covers like that totally unrelated. But I think they would work great, not super gaudy and I think they'd match very well.

 

[docteurseb]

Use some inserts to mount the pickups then you can height adjust them also.

The alternative is just to put it into a nice box type frame with LED lights around the edges and mount it on the wall and admire it.

The inserts seem nice to have a less flimsy way of mounting pickups than just a wood screw+foam; however wouldn't that force me to enlarge the mounting holes of pretty much any pickup ?

 

[stratamania]

Use some inserts to mount the pickups then you can height adjust them also.

The alternative is just to put it into a nice box type frame with LED lights around the edges and mount it on the wall and admire it.

The inserts seem nice to have a less flimsy way of mounting pickups than just a wood screw+foam; however wouldn't that force me to enlarge the mounting holes of pretty much any pickup ?

The idea would be to use a mounting screw and insert size that fits the normal thread of the pickup. I have an eighties Hamer and that is how the single-coil size pickups are mounted.

There is a thread on the forum which was recently updated with the approach for humbuckers but the principle would be the same. For a strat pickup a #6-32 UNC insert would be needed.


Here it is... https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=21361.0

 

[JaySwear2]

Would that PMS system work the same for a humbucker of a single? I can't see why it wouldn't but it would be an expensive screw up to find out they didn't work for my new Strat build!

Also never been a fan of either black OR gold hardware, but this Pele body calls for something other than chrome!

 

[stratamania]

Would that PMS system work the same for a humbucker of a single? I can't see why it wouldn't but it would be an expensive screw up to find out they didn't work for my new Strat build!

The PMS system is made for humbuckers which have different size screws than a single-coil strat size. I don't think they offer it for single coils.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Dumb question of the day: what are inserts?

 

[Hendrix]

Gold didn't cross my mind initially but would definitely look great on this one. However I already bought a new black Gotoh 510 bridge which was a decently good deal ($90) and the last one in stock; if it turns out to be sold out I might very well switch to gold.

Pickups-wise, this may just be what I need on a build like that :laughing7:

I like Lace sensors so that could work, if not couple dimarzio Area pickups for the neck/middle, and a hotter output bridge pickup.

In the past I've always wood-mounted pickups using the tele neck pickup mounting screws, it's worked decently well but limits me to pickups without metal plate/threaded mounting holes.
There are single coil pickups rings but they're a little bulky and I'd hate covering this top at all.

that great looking Pickup , don't use  pickups rings , they do look  bulky and coved beautiful top .

 

[DangerousR6]

 

[stratamania]

Dumb question of the day: what are inserts?

Threaded inserts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threaded_insert

 

[Cactus Jack]

Dumb question of the day: what are inserts?

Threaded inserts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threaded_insert

Ahhh... Those appear to be a perfect solution for wood mount pickups.