Rosewood Strat

[Mnemoflame]

Here are the first pictures of the raw body and neck.

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2 piece Indian Rosewood Stratocaster body, rear routed
Indian Rosewood neck, Ebony fingerboard, pearloid Celtic Cross inlays

I went with chrome Planet Waves auto trim tuners, the LSR roller nut, black metal mounting rings for all three pickups (all low profile metal), a Schaller 475 flat bridge, chrome flat top knobs (dome type are providing the general feel until I can find flat tops that will accommodate a 1/4" solid shaft), and flatted chrome on on on switches (series/single coil/parallel).

Pickups are white with black rails/polepieces:
DiMarzio D Activator Neck
DiMarzio Chopper Middle
DiMarzio D Activator Bridge

I'm thinking of an oil finish (Liberon Finishing Oil, is what my luthier suggested) on both body and neck.  Going to try to get it to the luthier within the week for the extra drilling and some of the hardware installation (tuning machines, nut, and bridge); I'm hoping he can do the finish and the installation in a reasonably short period of time.  Will post progress pics when I have more.

 

[Cagey]

Pretty snazzy! That's gonna be a fine guitar.

 

[Mnemoflame]

The only rain on the parade is the fact that holes in the middle pickup mounting ring are so close to the pickup that they scraped the sides of the cover when I screwed it in.  I'll probably see if I can get a new cover and some screws with smaller heads...

 

[Cagey]

There's always something trying to harsh your buzz.

 

[Disco Scottie]

I'm thinking of an oil finish (Liberon Finishing Oil, is what my luthier suggested) on both body and neck.

Any reason why you're considering a finish? I'd think you would want to keep that bad boy raw. And how much does the body weigh?

 

[Mnemoflame]

I'm thinking of an oil finish (Liberon Finishing Oil, is what my luthier suggested) on both body and neck.

Any reason why you're considering a finish? I'd think you would want to keep that bad boy raw. And how much does the body weigh?

I couldn't say the exact weight but UPS listed the package containing all the parts but the pickups, pots, and knobs at 10 pounds.

I'm still not totally sure about the finish but I'm paranoid about the wood getting scratched or the climate (I live the in the San Francisco Bay area) being damp enough to weaken glued joints.  On the other side of things, I'm hoping to get that sort of 3-d/shimmer effect that some woods get when oiled. 

Tru-oil vs. Liberon?  Anyone had experience with these?  I really need advice on that part.

 

[Updown]

Yummie  :toothy10: ..... this will sure rock the house down  :guitarplayer2:

 

[swarfrat]

Yummie  :toothy10: ..... this will sure rock the house down  :guitarplayer2:

If it fails, you can always knock the house down with that 10 lb monster. Nice

 

[bagman67]

I'm still not totally sure about the finish but I'm paranoid about the wood getting scratched or the climate (I live the in the San Francisco Bay area) being damp enough to weaken glued joints.  On the other side of things, I'm hoping to get that sort of 3-d/shimmer effect that some woods get when oiled. 

You are in absolutely no danger of the Bay Area climate weakening correctly formed glue joints.  The relative humidity is probably the most consistently livable in all of North America most of the year, and even the wet season is pretty forgiving.  Why do you think so many people migrate to California?

I live in Santa Clara and have been in the Bay Area for most of the last 35 years; I know whereof I speak.

Anyway - whereabouts in the Bay Area do you live?  Maybe we oughta have a local Warmoth enthusiasts outing or something.

 

[m4rk0]

that will be great!!
It needs a light oil finish!! I would suggest tung oil.

 

[Tipperman]

I say no finish. Let the oil from your skin darken certain spots. and bare knuckles.

 

[m4rk0]

No way, Oil will enhance the grain so much on rosewood, it will look so much nicer with some oil on:

I did this one with Danish Oil:

Tung on this one:

(vs the below without oil

true oil on Luke's Tele:

after:

Before:

 

[rapfohl09]

I'm with Marko on this one. While it is cool that it doesn't need a finish and it looks great, I think unfinished wood just looks dry and well...unfinished.

 

[jrbird1138]

I would say do an oil finish on the Rosewood. I will bring out the grain really well and I really like the way oil finish looks on woods like Rosewood.

 

[Mnemoflame]

Bagman - I'm up near Richmond.  If there's not too many interested, a good fall back would be to introduce you to my luthier up here.  He makes the most amazing acoustics I've heard...just don't play them unless you're ready to commit $10,000; GAS is not the word at all, it's more like your soul will demand the instrument and leave you writhing in pain if you can't (I know, I made the mistake).

I'm really liking the idea of oil finish on this beast.  What sort is likely to give me the shimmery, 3-d effect and just a little darkening?  Can anyone elaborate on different sorts of oil and what sort of results they produce?

 

[m4rk0]

There are some side by side pics in the below topic of my tele and strat. both have just a rosewood top, so that may be different than an all rosewood body.

anyway, the tele has a Tung oil finish, which creates more of a "heirloom" finish (per the words of CB) please note that tung oil requires a lot of drying time inbetween coats

the strat has a danish oil finish, which is similar to True Oil and will build an actual protective coat over the rosewood, and will be a bit more shiny, depending on how you polish it.
both were finished with a coat of wax.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=9329.msg122787#msg122787

 

[Mnemoflame]

I definitely like the Danish Oil better than the tung oil.  Over in the finishing forum, Ivar posted a picture of his Strat, which is rosewood finished with Liberon.  I really think it's between Liberon and Danish oil at this point, barring some kind of gods-spawned awesome alternative.

 

[Cagey]

There are some side by side pics in the below topic of my tele and strat. both have just a rosewood top, so that may be different than an all rosewood body.

How is that volume + blender control scheme working out for you? Still happy with it?

 

[m4rk0]

There are some side by side pics in the below topic of my tele and strat. both have just a rosewood top, so that may be different than an all rosewood body.

How is that volume + blender control scheme working out for you? Still happy with it?

Yes, love it... maybe I will add a tone knob next time

 

[Mnemoflame]

What's the story on necks/fingerboards and oil finishes?