Timmsie Custom Shop Strat Body Options?

[Timmsie95]

I'm building a Strat from warmoth parts, with a maple/maple neck, with vintage tint gloss and hipshot griplock tuners, and barrel style string trees, with 6150 stainless steel frets, and my own custom logo. heres a mock up of my logo on the headstock:

the body will have a wilkinson VS100 trem, black pickguard, and SD Rails pickups, in aged white (aged white knobs too)

I'm undeciided on body wood/finish though. I definitely want a swamp ash body, but should I stick to just swamp ash with a gloss black finish, or should I get a quilt maple cap with trans black dye and a natural masked edge?

any input would be great.

Also, I'm getting a neck plate engraved with my logo, heres the layout:

Here's what they would look like
Gloss Black:

Quilt Maple/Trans Black:

 

[Cagey]

If it was me, I'd go with the solid black. But, that's just me. Also, I'd reduce the font size you're using to say "Custom Shop". Looks a bit ostentatious to me. I'd not use string trees, either, unless you have a hack making your nut. Here again, that's just me.

 

[Timmsie95]

Personally, I like the look of the barrel string trees, and I don't use the trem often enough to worry about the tuning issues. Plus, the barrel string trees (in my experience) tend to be a bit better with the trem than te standard bent steel ones.

As for the font size of "Custom Shop", I was thinking of that, but I like the way it lines up with "Timmsie", and the thinner font style makes it  tad less noticeable.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Surf n Music n Ski n Bike]

Man either will look great. That black dye on maple is pretty sweet. One thing to remember is that vintage tint is a bit orange compared to your mock up. Just something to think about. It is always so hard to decide  :laughing7: Good luck!!

 

[Timmsie95]

I know, holy crap, I can't decide.. haha. I'm even thinking about going with clear gloss neck, after seeing my mock up... I have a month or so to decide, before I have enough to order it.

I did a complete mock up with the quilt maple top and a clear neck, and damn... I think I've decided...

 

[Surf n Music n Ski n Bike]

I'd be happy with that. Freakin sick!!

 

[stratamania]

Solid black, because I think the transparent black looks better when it's rear routed and with a darker fretboard.

But either will look good really.

If you are using the Hipshot griploks with the staggered heights you really don't need the string trees. When you put it together try it for a couple of sets of strings without and see how you get on with the look and so on. That way you don't end up screwing the things into the neck only to wonder later what it might be like without them.

 

[Timmsie95]

Yeah, I considered that, but as I said, I prefer the look of the string trees on a strat. it gives it the classic strat look to me. Plus, the barrel ones have a bit more substance to them, so they don't look like a cheap piece of bent steel, IMO. I could have also gone with a tiltback headstock, but I'm going for a modded strat, not quite a super strat... a great strat.  :headbang:

 

[stratamania]

At the end of the day it's your guitar  ccasion14: we just like to inform folks of options.

As a point of trivia interest the two string trees didn't appear until the early 70s prior to that a single tree was used.

The Fender Elite Strat just released at NAMM has a single tree. And a spoke wheel adjust truss rod.

 

[Timmsie95]

Yes, I saw those new Elite Series strats. I love the look of them, except for the spoke wheel adjustment... It reminds me too much of my very first Peavey Raptor Plus guitar... aah the memories...  :laughing7:

Honestly, that's the only reason I don't like the spoke wheel. That Peavey left a bad taste in my mouth.

Looked like this, but in 2-tone sunburst. (interesting 3-to-a-side headstock)

 

[stratamania]

I think the only Peavey I ever tried was a bass. So I can't comment on the guitars. I like the spoke wheel adjustment my Musicman Morse has one and it makes it really easy to adjust if needed.

 

[Timmsie95]

It's funny, as I typed that out, I realized that my Sterling by MusicMan Ray34 has a spoke wheel adjustment, and I love that bass! I just prefer the look of a clean end on the fretboard, I guess.  ccasion14:

 

[stratamania]

It's funny actually how the tiniest thing can alter the look of something. On one instrument it can work visually and on another not so much.

 

[Timmsie95]

I've had way too much time on my hands today, so I decided the neck will be quartersawn maple one piece, with a warhead headstock. I just wish the modern construction had a skunk stripe, because I love the look of it.

 

[Glimmer]

Out of curiosity: why not black pup covers and knobs?

 

[Timmsie95]

I don't know, really... haha  :laughing7: I thought about it, but I just like the contrast with the aged white.

 

[Cagey]

Contrast is good. Warhead is good. Now, if we can keep you away from vintage tuners and string trees, we'll have made some real progress  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Timmsie95]

Haha, yeah... I don't know why I like the string trees so much, but you'll have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands :icon_biggrin: And I'm going with the Hipshot Griplocks, not the vintage ones though, so you got me on that one!

 

[Timmsie95]

Now... should I add this beauty to the back?  :laughing7:

 

[stratamania]

The backplate would clash with the string trees.

Other than that it's your guitar.