poplar body (nothing exciting)
- Thread starter dbw
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ildar
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I LOVE my poplar Strat-this one: http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=2702.0
It is my number one over a mahogany/zebrawood and a swamp ash/quilt. I like it so much I ordered a poplar body with a traditional rout for a full vintage treatment.
Don't dis the poplar, dude. :laughing3:
It is my number one over a mahogany/zebrawood and a swamp ash/quilt. I like it so much I ordered a poplar body with a traditional rout for a full vintage treatment.
Don't dis the poplar, dude. :laughing3:
I'm sure it will sound fine... I just bought it because it's cheap. :laughing7: The Squier parts are from that Indonesian Bullet you sold me, by the way. The stock pickups were weak (~3k each) so I replaced them with a slightly nicer set (still no-names, though). They sound OK but the plywood body and top-mount bridge are getting me down... so this one's getting the Warmoth treatment :guitaristgif:
I'm just not sure how I'll finish it... might go crazy on it with some acrylic paints, that's always fun.
I'm just not sure how I'll finish it... might go crazy on it with some acrylic paints, that's always fun.
Fender made a lot of poplar Strats in the mid to late 70s, even early 80's. Alder went by the wayside for a while.
I think you're gonna like it - especially if you dont like an overly bright axe. Not the same as switching to a mahogany neck, but it does take the edge off just a little.
I think you're gonna like it - especially if you dont like an overly bright axe. Not the same as switching to a mahogany neck, but it does take the edge off just a little.
I'm not fussed... like I said, it's bound to improve over the plywood. It's actually decent-looking wood for poplar... but it will get some sort of opaque finish.
Oh, and it was only $129, which brings the total for this project to a little less than $300.... $75 for the Squier, $15 for the pickups, $130 for the body, $40 for the bridge, $25 for the tuners ("EZ Lock" tuners sold by guitarfetish... they do not work as advertised but they work fine as ordinary tuners) plus ferrules and shipping.
Oh, and it was only $129, which brings the total for this project to a little less than $300.... $75 for the Squier, $15 for the pickups, $130 for the body, $40 for the bridge, $25 for the tuners ("EZ Lock" tuners sold by guitarfetish... they do not work as advertised but they work fine as ordinary tuners) plus ferrules and shipping.
spauldingrules
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DBW - I think we are kindred spirits with our penchant for basic, functional guitars.
No pics because I don't have the body.
tfarny, here's how:
Poplar ody: $145 (mine was cheaper off the showcase)
Paint: $10 (I'm going to use spray paint)
Unfinished maple neck: $157 (I'm using one from a Squier)
Bottle of tru-oil for neck: $7
Bridge: $40
Ferrules: $5
Prewired pickguard from guitarfetish: $40
Tuners from guitarfetish: $25
Shipping, sandpaper, misc stuff: $30
= $459 if my math is correct.
You can upgrade to swamp ash for $25, in which case you can finish the body clear.
And everything will be top-quality except the pickups, which you can upgrade at your leisure. Done!
I mentioned the guitarfetish tuners... these are the ones I got: http://store.guitarfetish.com/wiezlotu6inf.html They seem nice, smooth, and stable but the "locking" mechanism doesn't really work as well as advertised... give them at least a full wrap before going back into the other hole. I've experimented some and I recommend using the top hole for E and A and the bottom hole for the rest, even if you have string trees. If you have an angled headstock you can do whatever you want
tfarny, here's how:
Poplar ody: $145 (mine was cheaper off the showcase)
Paint: $10 (I'm going to use spray paint)
Unfinished maple neck: $157 (I'm using one from a Squier)
Bottle of tru-oil for neck: $7
Bridge: $40
Ferrules: $5
Prewired pickguard from guitarfetish: $40
Tuners from guitarfetish: $25
Shipping, sandpaper, misc stuff: $30
= $459 if my math is correct.
You can upgrade to swamp ash for $25, in which case you can finish the body clear.
And everything will be top-quality except the pickups, which you can upgrade at your leisure. Done!
I mentioned the guitarfetish tuners... these are the ones I got: http://store.guitarfetish.com/wiezlotu6inf.html They seem nice, smooth, and stable but the "locking" mechanism doesn't really work as well as advertised... give them at least a full wrap before going back into the other hole. I've experimented some and I recommend using the top hole for E and A and the bottom hole for the rest, even if you have string trees. If you have an angled headstock you can do whatever you want
Yeah DBW, but for $550 I can do it with all-warmoth parts and the better "premium" GFS pups, as long as I use leftover paint and sandpaper. And I'm sure that the GFS pre-wired PG isn't 'top quality' when compared to a nice Warmoth PG with CRL and CTS switch / pots.
As far as the fetish tuners, the gotoh sg38s from warmoth are $28 and they're great, premium, name brand tuners. Same with the Gotoh vintage styles. Last year I bought a set of GFS tuners and they were fine, totally better than the squier crap, but the same price as the name brand stuff.
My suspicion is that that site draws people for the pickups and makes its real money off the hardware.
As far as the fetish tuners, the gotoh sg38s from warmoth are $28 and they're great, premium, name brand tuners. Same with the Gotoh vintage styles. Last year I bought a set of GFS tuners and they were fine, totally better than the squier crap, but the same price as the name brand stuff.
My suspicion is that that site draws people for the pickups and makes its real money off the hardware.
dbw I can't wait to hear your review of your cheap guitar, I bet it will sound and play well,
I think half or more of what makes a good guitar, is the pups and the setup. Tonewise, I don't think a $500.00 neck is better than a $150.00 neck, as long as it can be setup properly with the trussrod, then holds over time, within reason.
Keep us posted on your progress
I think half or more of what makes a good guitar, is the pups and the setup. Tonewise, I don't think a $500.00 neck is better than a $150.00 neck, as long as it can be setup properly with the trussrod, then holds over time, within reason.
Keep us posted on your progress
Sounds great, dbw! Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
I too picked up a poplar strat body for $129. I found a finished quartersawn maple neck on the showcase for $257. I could've got the whole thing together with leftover pieces-parts I have at home for less than $500, but I decided that I was getting off so "cheap" that I had to get a set of Rio Grandes to put into it. Oh well.
I too picked up a poplar strat body for $129. I found a finished quartersawn maple neck on the showcase for $257. I could've got the whole thing together with leftover pieces-parts I have at home for less than $500, but I decided that I was getting off so "cheap" that I had to get a set of Rio Grandes to put into it. Oh well.
