"The Raven" - flametop mahogany Strat build

[Cagey]

Nice! You must be very pleased!

 

[Updown]

OH .... YES YES YES  :blob7: ..... Gorgeous indeed !!

Now you need this one to go with it  :icon_biggrin:
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseItem.aspx?Body=2&Shape=1&Type=1&Paint=1&Path=Stratocaster,Standard,Finished&i=ps6118

 

[Just Another Smith]

Very nice!!! :guitarplayer2:

 

[Johnfv]

...Now you need this one to go with it  :icon_biggrin: ...

I have to take a break... let the credit cards cool down a bit 

 

[MJRiley]

Man, that is very close to what I am planning on building. I'm going to go with Humbuckers instead. Please let us know how it sounds when it is complete. She's a beaut!

 

[stubhead]

I hadn't seen those Chrome Dome singles before - they are way,way cool. Got a nice home to hunker down in, too :laughing7:

 

[Johnfv]

Been playing the crap out of it for several days and also let my band mate play it some at practice last night. I really like the chrome domes in the middle and neck, you can get singles (on Amazon of all places) for a decent price. The GFS VEH is a great bridge pickup, and with the parallel/series wiring and variable split on the "tone" pot I have a ton of variations available.  It turned out like I hoped, still very much a Strat but something about the heavy chunk of mahogany and the maple top really makes it sing with a nice fat tone.

Here is a recent pic with final details done (strap buttons, string tree, etc.). I had a DiMarzio Evolution in there as a test but it was too hot to balance with the Chrome Domes, the GFS VEH is back in there now.

 

[Updown]

This is very very tasty indeed. Bet it soars  :laughing7:
But I need to ask ....  :icon_scratch:  why did you put sting tees on it ?

Notice you have locking tuners on it ....

I've always used Lok Tuners & Graph Tech Nut 'without' string tees ... Am I doing something wrong ?

 

[Cagey]

I've always used Lok Tuners & Graph Tech Nut 'without' string tees ... Am I doing something wrong ?

No. I never use string trees, either. They're a compensatory move for a bad nut cut. Fender started doing them way back when because in a production environment, they couldn't spend the time it took to file the nut slots properly. The practice caught on, and now the myth is that you need them for "good tone". That's bullshit, of course, but trying telling that to a zealot.

Bad nut cuts can cause dead open strings, strings that pop out and go places they shouldn't during/after bends or pull-offs, funny buzzes, and worst of all: tuning problems. The string trees never solved the tuning problems, and in fact exacerbated them, but the rest of those things could be mitigated to a large degree. For a .10 cent fix, it was hard to ignore, considering the expensive alternative - doing things right with a skilled worker. Although today, given the degree, accuracy and price of the automation that's available, it's tough to justify using a skilled worker.

 

[AutoBat]

That's basically why I have a string tree on my guitar.  I already had one, and my G string wasn't happy, and I'm a tightwad most of the time.

 

[Johnfv]

I have one of the best techs in town do my nut work, that is one critical area that I do not have the tools or skills to work on. That said, I am very heavy handed player and have  been known to make a high E pop out even on a well adjusted nut. This nut is not well adjusted (has not yet been to my tech) but it will be several weeks before I can get on his schedule. The E was popping out so much it was driving me crazy so I put a tree on (it is a nice roller tree at least).  Warmoth does a decent job on the nuts but IMO there's really no way to do a proper nut setup on a neck alone (and no idea what string gauge). The main reason I get nuts installed from Warmoth is so I can do the assembly, testing and crude setup before I hand it to my tech for the expert work.