Can I get your feedback on this look/modification?

baimun

baimun

Funkasaurus Rex
I have a new super strat on it's way with a solid rosewood neck.

rosestrat0.jpg


Now I love a good superstrat, but I've got my Charvel with two humbuckers, and my Luczak does a damn fine job in the rock department.... what I don't have is a good versatile strat. (usually because I end up frankensteining the crap out of them, and they don't stay strats)

So... before I go mad and slap a floyd on this or something... I'm thinking of routing a center pickup spot and then mounting a vintage pearl pickguard on it.

rosestrat4.jpg


The pickguard would basically be cosmetic because the routes would still be separated by wood and I'd have to solder up the controls from the back anyways. I'd mount the three pickups to the guard... feed the wires through, and it would be like attaching ONE bezel to the face of the guitar containing all three pickups... but it would still be a rear-routed guitar.

On the plus side, I could easily add a 5 way switch for the controls, but I'd keep the master volume and master tone where they are, and the 3 way switch would become a Vintage/overwound switch (I'd put Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound singles in all three positions and the switch would simultaneously knock all three pickups down from hot overwound to vintage wound. :thu:

Thoughts?
 
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Maybe a black or black perloid pickguard would make it pop more?

But yeah, i dig that a lot. :thu:
 
Phil513 said:
Maybe a black or black perloid pickguard would make it pop more?

But yeah, i dig that a lot. :thu:
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I'm a sucker for vintage pearl (I like the aged look) but I am considering 3 ply so it would have the white/black/white edge.
 
baimun said:
I'm a sucker for vintage pearl (I like the aged look) but I am considering 3 ply so it would have the white/black/white edge.
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Sure, that would make it stand out more. Either way, i like that a lot.

Just stay away from the belt sander.
 
I'm also kind of thinking it would be my version of a Rory Gallagher the way my contoured esquire it the non-beat-to-hell version of a Jeff Beck Esquire.

R42395.JPG


Phil513 said:
Just stay away from the belt sander.
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I don't really have any Belt Sander mutilations planned.... unless I can find a Les Paul gold top with soap bars for a good price. I'm aching to contour the hell out of one of those. :thu:
 
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I am probably the only one who will say this, but I think it looks pretty hot just natural. I'd change the bridge pickup to an all black as opposed to the zebra, but I wouldnt touch anything else.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
don't do it. nobody really uses the middle pup by itself anyway.
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I should specify... when I install a 5 way I use a super switch and the selections are as follows:

pos 1> Bridge only
pos 2> Bridge + Middle
pos 3> Bridge + Neck
pos 4> Middle + Neck
pos 5> Neck only

The middle pickup is never used by itself... only for the 2 and 4 sounds that you can only get on a Strat. Overdriven, that #3 position should sound similar to 2 humbuckers... tapped vintage it should sound kind of tele-ish.

Also... If I didn't already have THIS guitar, I'd probably leave it as is.

charvel5.jpg
 
Chihlidog said:
I am probably the only one who will say this, but I think it looks pretty hot just natural. I'd change the bridge pickup to an all black as opposed to the zebra, but I wouldnt touch anything else.
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You're not the only one. Another vote for natural. Looks nice both ways, though.
 
Prages said:
I like it with the pickguard more than without.

I think the 3 ply pearloid would look great.
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Thanks. Good thing... because I just ordered the pickguard... and white pickup covers for the neck and middle duncans. (the Quarter Pounder is oversized and no cover fits it. Black only).

I'll play around and see if I like 2 white and 1 black pickup or all three black (I ordered 3 white covers for the Duncan Alnico Pro II set I have... If I like the all black the best, I may put Quarter Pound pickups in all three positions.)
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
baimun, is there a reason you're stockpiling rosewood necked and superstrat guitars?
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I'm basically fleshing out my guitar collection with the variety of tones I want, but with each one of those being an example made from various unique woods, oil finishes, and cool natural finishes. If nothing else, it will curb some Gas because each of my guitars will be a vital part of the whole collection, and any new guitars I see will have to fit within certain guidlines before I'd break down and buy it.

Strat, Esqurie, Dual Humbucker, Superstrat, Mini Hum.... with Rosewood, Mahogany, Limba, Ash, Koa, Pau Ferro, Birdseye Maple, Canary, Spalted Maple, etc.

Once I have all of the cool natural guitars I want, I'll unload all my painted Charvels (oh hell... I think I only have two left anyways besides the Koa one), my White Ernie Ball, and any that survive the frankensteining process.

As a heads up....

Any of you with Squire '51 models.... DON'T try to strip and refinish. If you want to paint it, scuff the outer coat and then paint over it. The basswood in those bodies is SO SOFT that once you break the poly coat under the color... it's like STYROFOAM. messedup0
 
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