The Spalted Maple Strat (Completed). Thank God.

[vikingred]

When I say this build was HELL, it was hell.  Every step of the way.  The most frustrating of all builds yet.  But, strangely enough it's got some real magic in it.  I love all my guitars, but this one has something very different about it.  I can't tell if it's the BKP humbuckers, or the body, or the awesome VG300 bridge, but whatever it is, it's sounds so beautiful clean.  It also roars like a monster with the JHS Muffaletta (fuzz/overdrive pedal).  Finally got the knobs on right, had to replace the pots (lucky I bought 4).  Spalted Maple on Maple with a Vintage/Modern solid Canary neck/fretboard.  Bad to the bone.

Here are some pics:

3-way switch, master volume, master tone. Notice the homemade safety-pin ground lug.

BKP WARPIGS BAYBEE:

Cocobolo pickup rings, and Cocobolo switch knob, oh yeah...

My bed is my workbench, ugh.  Check out that Wilkinson VG300 tremolo.  Worlds apart from the VT100

Mixing black and gold hardware with elite tonewoods...

Oh yes, I did.  Old 50's Fender waterslide.  I love it. Rubbed a little too hard on the tiny numbers

The "Machine".  Man, it's a monsterfied meatstick of tonal drug-like bliss

Super sweet Cocobolo rings and switch knob

Here's the back.  Real men don't use trem covers. ;-)

And finally some side shots:

So proud how this one came out.  It's my favorite for now.  Something about a raw Canary fretboard feels like feather soft and different than anything else.  Love the gold frets.  Will have the setup done soon, may or may not put string trees on.  It seems to be ok without them.  The clean sound of this guitar through my Swart STR is bell-like sweet, especially in the middle position with both pickups.  It's crazy almost.  I'm just blown away.  In love again.  Lot of tedious work on this one.  Did the neck burnishing, and tried the BLO on the back exactly as Tonar discussed but it just didn't work for this wood and this builder, so I washed it off with mineral oil, and it's back to slick again.  I love this guitar.  My daughter came in and said, "how much would you sell it for?" and I said "I wouldn't".  She said "what if we were homeless?" and I said, "We'd be homeless and I'd be playing this guitar.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Looks killer man, well done! I dig those pickup rings.

 

[Glimmer]

Well, that is one beautiful guitar! I'm impressed with the number of projects you seem to have going. How cool to be able to do several at the same time / in a row. Congrats on this one.

Gotta say, I really love the look of spalt maple. Did you order the body or did it turn up in the spotlight section?

 

[vikingred]

Looks killer man, well done! I dig those pickup rings.

Thanks man, found them on fleabay.  They were a little expensive but they seem to work for this build.  They bulge just a little but it's ok.

 

[vikingred]

Well, that is one beautiful guitar! I'm impressed with the number of projects you seem to have going. How cool to be able to do several at the same time / in a row. Congrats on this one.

Gotta say, I really love the look of spalt maple. Did you order the body or did it turn up in the spotlight section?

Thank you.  I love building guitars, and I'm hooked I admit.  Trying to slow down.  The body was in the spotlight section.  I'm drawn to it.  :glasses10:

 

[Cagey]

That is a gorgeous piece of work! Nice choices all the way around! I especially like the black binding around that spalted top. Nice finishing touch.

 

[Axkoa]

Very very nice! If only I had the money and resources to put one together myself...

 

[vikingred]

Thanks ya'll, much appreciated.  I've been hitting the plastic pretty hard, justifying it by earning points and miles.  I pay in full every month, but yeah it's been putting a dent in my wallet for sure.  Trying to slow down some building and just play more.  I have the Quilted Maple Strat with the Schaller Hannes bridge at the luthier now.  A little nervous because he's never done that bridge install before but I'm sure it'll be ok.  Then I've got this 2lb 13oz extra-light swamp ash body coming in that's going to Tonar for the Mary Kaye White treatment and will be coupled with the canary/bocote neck.  Lastly, I have a blank basswood body I'm going to try my hand at woodburning something nice.  So, yeah, it's getting ridiculous.  But fun, nonetheless.  What a great hobby.

 

[Glimmer]

That is a gorgeous piece of work! Nice choices all the way around! I especially like the black binding around that spalted top. Nice finishing touch.

I agree that the black binding really sets off the top. IIRC, somebody here built a spalt maple topped Tele that had black binding, too. Great look.

 

[MikeW]

Gorgeous. Nicely done. The mix of the black and Cocobolo and gold really works with that top.

 

[Cagey]

That is a gorgeous piece of work! Nice choices all the way around! I especially like the black binding around that spalted top. Nice finishing touch.

I agree that the black binding really sets off the top. IIRC, somebody here built a spalt maple topped Tele that had black binding, too. Great look.

Yeah, that spalted is sorta wild, so putting a boundary on it makes it "of a piece", if you will.

 

[Fat Pete]

Damn! That is quite something, to say the least. Might look better with the matte gold VS100 (joke).

Often it's the problem children that can be the most rewarding.

 

[Cagey]

Often it's the problem children that can be the most rewarding.

If nothing else, they tend to teach you a lot. But, I guess that's a reward, too. Makes for less problems in the next round.

 

[Glimmer]

Makes for less problems in the next round.

Next round...  ???

:icon_smile:

 

[Cagey]

Next round...  ???

Guitars are sorta like Lay's Potato Chips. No one can eat just one. There's always a "next one"  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Glimmer]

Phew, I thought you were talking about children.

:icon_smile:

 

[vikingred]

Phew, I thought you were talking about children.

:icon_smile:

Yeah, I'm done with the kids.  Guitars...there will be more.  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Surf n Music]

Ya buddy, that is a sharp one. That bridge is sick.

 

[rgand]

What a fine guitar. Nice eye candy.

 

[vikingred]

Ya buddy, that is a sharp one. That bridge is sick.

Thanks man.  Yeah, I consider the VT100 to be officially NIXED in my book.  Why have that when for $20 more, I can have a VG300 that looks so much better, and plays just as well.

I can't wait to get this thing set up correctly, set final nut height, truss rod adjust, action lowered, strings radius set, and intonated.  It's got a vicious bite on dirty can I tell you.  Vicious.  Those pickups are hateful.  :icon_tongue: