stratocaster SRV build

david C · Post by **david C** » Fri May 25, 2012 5:55 pm

I thought it might be interesting to start a thread about the building up of this SRV body I bought
here's what I've got so far, the body the trem and the Mighty Mite neck

most of the kit is on the way from the US so there will be a delay before I can get on

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Fri May 25, 2012 6:25 pm

Things are lookin' good there.
Now where did that transfer come from....?

david C · Post by **david C** » Fri May 25, 2012 8:03 pm

I cannot tell a lie
http://www.croxguitars.com/decals.htm
I thought it was a bit of fun, it's even got the SRV signature

one thing that has me confused is if you look carefully at the bridge pickup hole there is a black painted screw in the bottom with a channel going to it'
anybody know what it's for?

ed · Post by ed » Fri May 25, 2012 8:48 pm

grounding point?

david C · Post by **david C** » Fri May 25, 2012 8:59 pm

that's what I sort of thought, it's just I haven't seen one before,

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Fri May 25, 2012 9:39 pm

The lead is for soldering to the tremolo claw.
It's a ground connection.

david C · Post by **david C** » Fri May 25, 2012 10:29 pm

thanks Chris
does that mean all the grounds go to the screw?

I know I should have bought modern tuners but I've ordered some Fender 57 style ones as the SRV has, the interesting thing is that I paid Â£41, I was quoted Â£124 by Fender UK, even allowing for shipping and tax I think I've had a result,
actually Fender were very helpful running through all the parts for me,sadly there's a lot they won't sell me without the serial number,as is my luck it's only on the neck, the bit I don't have,

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Fri May 25, 2012 10:35 pm

All grounds should ultimately go to the ring connection on the output socket.

I'd check the hole diameters very carefully - modern tuners have a different diameter drilled hole compared to the vintage tuners.
You need some special adapters to make a vintage tuner fit properly in a modern hole (modern tuners will not fit a vintage hole).

david C · Post by **david C** » Sat May 26, 2012 9:30 am

The Stratmangler wrote:All grounds should ultimately go to the ring connection on the output socket.

I'd check the hole diameters very carefully - modern tuners have a different diameter drilled hole compared to the vintage tuners.
You need some special adapters to make a vintage tuner fit properly in a modern hole (modern tuners will not fit a vintage hole).

thanks Chris
sorry should have mentioned I have ordered the correct adaptors as well

david C · Post by **david C** » Mon May 28, 2012 10:31 pm

I've found some more money
so the thought is put the Mighty Mite on ebay and get something better

this has appeared on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120907770324? ... 1423.l2648

anybody got any thoughts, does Musikcraft ring any bells,
on the face of it it looks OK, 57 profile, quite nice birds eye maple

other than that it'll be a Warmoth, they do a nice standard profile maple/rosewood compound radius one worth the money

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Mon May 28, 2012 11:03 pm

That's a nice looking neck - just one problem, and that is that the truss rod is tightened at the body end of the neck.
OK, so that's vintage Fender, but it's a PITA if you're making seasonal adjustments, and it's also why Fender themselves changed to adjusting things at the headstock end.

I think your best bet might be a Warmoth vintage modern neck.
This one is a roundback (ie similar size and shape to Stevie's No.1) http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/Showcas ... &Path=Neck
I think this is the one I'd be inclined to get http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/Showcas ... &Path=Neck - quartersawn maple is probably the best sounding wood you can get (Eric Johnson stipulated that the necks on his signature model be quartersawn), and couple that with the mass of the '59 roundback neck you'd have a real tone machine.

david C · Post by **david C** » Tue May 29, 2012 9:35 am

thanks Chris
this is the one I'm looking at
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/Showcas ... &i=SN12002

it seems to have all I wanted, OK it's a standard modern profile but I don't mind that, it's also compound radius,
to be honest it's been a long time since I played a fat neck Strat, it must be 1960

david C · Post by **david C** » Tue May 29, 2012 11:15 am

God this is getting confusing, so many options it's doing my poor old head in

here's one that gets closer to the quarter sawn 57 spec except it's in clear gloss and I would prefer a vintage finish

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/Showcas ... &i=SN10834

it's looking like this could be the one, there are a couple of others but they're not quarter sawn

The Stratmangler · Post by **The Stratmangler** » Tue May 29, 2012 2:49 pm

david C wrote:God this is getting confusing, so many options it's doing my poor old head in

here's one that gets closer to the quarter sawn 57 spec except it's in clear gloss and I would prefer a vintage finish

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/Showcas ... &i=SN10834

it's looking like this could be the one, there are a couple of others but they're not quarter sawn

Looks good

david C · Post by **david C** » Tue May 29, 2012 3:31 pm

I must admit I looked at this for a while
I'm a bit of a sucker for birdeye maple

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261029135754? ... 1423.l2648

PS if anybody want a Mighty mite neck worth the money let me know

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