vintage contoured body with HSS modern routing

[TheQuantumHelix]

Would this be possible, by chance, to custom order from Warmoth? It's probably very unlikely as it's so specific, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I've been in the market for a custom guitar for a long time now, and I've considered all three of the major builders. I've narrowed back down now, however, to Warmoth, due to the 50/50 reports of quality from USACG and Musikraft. Everything for the neck looks perfectly fine- vintage construction, (matching headstock) quartersawn maple / pau ferro, 1 5/8" nut, 12" radius, etc. Hardware will be from Callaham, and I'll be sending it all to MJT for an aged lake placid blue finish. I should mention, before I go into the body's issue, that I'm not going for vintage accuracy under no circumstances. I simply like the look of checking / light wear.

The kink, though, is in the body. I'd love to have the vintage body's contours, especially after getting a chance to play a strat (That was well out of my price range by a few thousand unfortunately) with the deep contours. Felt like almost nothing was there, at least to me it did. I'd like to put a humbucker in the bridge, though. So, would there be a way to get the HSS, or even universal routing on a vintage contoured body? Could I perhaps take it to my shop's luthier and have it routed down to 3/4" depth with a humbucker route, or would the diagonal single / wiring channel interfere?

 

[Vallhagen]

I did such a routing job recently (on an allparts strat body), and it works just fine. I'm not perfectly sure about the difference between W's standard strat vs vintage strat (is some of the contours different? body thickness?), but i cant see why it shouldn't be possible to do this routing job on a vintage strat body too.

Some "before and after" pics:

 

[stratamania]

Another option would be to get the normal non vintage body and adjust the contours to taste prior to sending it for finishing.

Good luck with your project.

 

[dmraco]

What whammy is in the bridge Vallhgen? 

 

[Vallhagen]

What whammy is in the bridge Vallhgen?

Thanx for asking. It's an older (80-s) Kahler fulcrum tremolo. I have a thread about the project here:
http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=24870.0

Cheers

 

[TheQuantumHelix]

I did such a routing job recently (on an allparts strat body), and it works just fine. I'm not perfectly sure about the difference between W's standard strat vs vintage strat (is some of the contours different? body thickness?), but i cant see why it shouldn't be possible to do this routing job on a vintage strat body too.

Some "before and after" pics:

Thanks for the reply! And lovely guitar, by the way. Have any finished pictures, or is it not yours?

The main difference seems to be routing depth (On the vintage body, it's routed to a shallower 5/8" instead of the standard 3/4" , which is an easy fix anyway with a simple 1/8" depth bearing router pass) and slightly deeper contours. Think 50's / 60's strat contours. Belly contour extends all the way down to the trem cavity. The forearm contour I'm not quite sure of on the vintage body, as there aren't really any angles (Suggestion for the site might be lined vectors of the bodies?) but it seems to be a 60's style contour, which is closer to the modern forearm contour. Not too picky on that, but I might sand it further down and deeper.

As a reference point, think Eric Johnson's strat for contours and all.

 

[TheQuantumHelix]

Another option would be to get the normal non vintage body and adjust the contours to taste prior to sending it for finishing.

Good luck with your project.

I've considered that just the same, but it seems like it'd be harder than just routing the top. Getting a "straight" belly contour would be somewhat hard. (I say straight in respect to it being properly circular, instead of an off-center, jaggedy mess.)

Another option may be to get the body without the forearm contour, as the belly contour should be fine, and then taking a rasp to it to carve out the contour with a bit more control.

 

[Strat Avenger]

While I'm a Warmoth fan (wouldn't be here if I wasn't), but you can't beat the quality of USACG. If I wanted the vintage body, I'd go with them.

 

[Vallhagen]

Thanks for the reply! And lovely guitar, by the way. Have any finished pictures, or is it not yours?

Thanx. Sure yea i have finished pics, check the link in my previous post. It is my favourite guitar. As i take a little closer look, my body seems quite "vintage" when it comes to bellycut and routhe depth. So i guess: if i could do it, you sure can do it too. It must be easier to just "open up" a SC to a HB size than making a belly cut deeper by hand... Just be careful not to route too deep. you dont want the pickup cavity to meet the tremolo cavity for some unnice seethrough.

***

Disclaimer: Hey, I'm a semi-noob too (with just some 3-5 builds experience), so take my advice for what they are! There are guys around here who really knows what they are talking about!

Cheers

 

[TheQuantumHelix]

While I'm a Warmoth fan (wouldn't be here if I wasn't), but you can't beat the quality of USACG. If I wanted the vintage body, I'd go with them.

Haven't really seen any clear pictures of USACG's contouring. They're always head on, no back pictures (Which is totally reasonable) but I can't even see the forearm contour most of the time. I'm considering all of them- musikraft is holding in a decisive purgatory right now because of their set neck S-style (I'd LOVE an all mahogany, set neck strat in cherry burst- best of both worlds.) but I have to hear more about quality from them. Over on strat-talk, a guy is talking to me about his musikraft builds. USACG is behind Warmoth, as they have a hollow S-style and generally high reviews. Warmoth is leading right now as they offer most things I'm after in a body and neck- I sorta have to play push and shove with the other two.

Also, just as a broad side message; this forum seems to be full of really nice people. Glad to see you all around.

 

[TheQuantumHelix]

Thanks for the reply! And lovely guitar, by the way. Have any finished pictures, or is it not yours?

Thanx. Sure yea i have finished pics, check the link in my previous post. It is my favourite guitar. As i take a little closer look, my body seems quite "vintage" when it comes to bellycut and routhe depth. So i guess: if i could do it, you sure can do it too. It must be easier to just "open up" a SC to a HB size than making a belly cut deeper by hand... Just be careful not to route too deep. you dont want the pickup cavity to meet the tremolo cavity for some unnice seethrough.

***

Disclaimer: Hey, I'm a semi-noob too (with just some 3-5 builds experience), so take my advice for what they are! There are guys around here who really knows what they are talking about!

Cheers

Love the blue hardware and red guard. Little things like that that give a guitar really distinct character. Wouldn't be the same with the chrome on it, I don't think!

Yeah, I might go with musikraft because of their set neck strats. Getting more and more tempting as I hear better reviews on them. Along with that, I might just solidly go for a HH pickup routing and order some '57/'59's from the Creamery, since MK can route for that without the single in the middle. We'll see what happens, I've got a good bit of time to sit and ponder this all.