Mod Shop Strat Porn

Father's Day gift to myself. My company just got purchased and all my stock liquidated. So I had me some fun...it just arrived:

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-1sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-2sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-3sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-4sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-5sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-6sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-7sm.jpg

Daphne Blue, Hard Tail, Modern C Rosewood Neck, Vintage Tuners, TX Special Pickups. Channeling my inner Nile Rodgers. What do y'all think?

:headbange

Nice!

Wheeee! Not only is the guitar purty, but the case is bananas, too!

I was surprised at the quality of the case since it was included with the purchase.

The setup of the guitar is good as well - it's in tune and very comfortable to play.

That looks like a sweet score. What does it weigh?

Interesting that they put the "with synchronized tremelo" decal on the headstock of a hard tail model. Looks sweet though!

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Originally Posted by Michael Smith

Interesting that they put the "with synchronized tremelo" decal on the headstock of a hard tail model. Looks sweet though!

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Hahaha! I noticed the same thing. I guess hard-tails aren't common enough for their own decal.

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Originally Posted by Cogs

That looks like a sweet score. What does it weigh?

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It feels pretty light actually. I weighed it at 6.9 pounds on my bathroom digital scale (very scientific). Feels lighter than the MIM Strat for sure.

Can't wait to get a chance to fire it up through my Deluxe Reverb Repro

Beautiful guitar and perfect choice of specifications.

How long did it take for delivery?

I went to the Mod Shop and built one exactly the same but a different color. The neck plate had an adjustment hole on the lower edge, whereas your did not.

Did you order online, or speak to someone at Fender to place your order.

Again, outstanding guitar in every respect!

This is going to be fun when I get a chance to fire it all up!

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-8sm.jpg

For those that don't know or remember, my Deluxe Reverb is a faithful reproduction that I built back in my amp building hey-day:

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/DRRP/DRRP-39.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery...RP-final04.jpg

:dude

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobbyMac

Beautiful guitar and perfect choice of specifications.

How long did it take for delivery?

I went to the Mod Shop and built one exactly the same but a different color. The neck plate had an adjustment hole on the lower edge, whereas your did not.

Did you order online, or speak to someone at Fender to place your order.

Again, outstanding guitar in every respect!

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Thank you, sir!

I just whipped it up online. I ordered it on the 6th and it came yesterday (the 24th).

I never thought I'd be able to get a high-end Fender and this one has not disappointed so far. Even if the electronics are faulty, I can fix that. :biglaugh:

Man that fingerboard is DARK

I've always been a maple neck kinda guy with Strats so this is my first rosewood Strat, but I hear ya'. It's very consistent in its wood color in regular light.

I got real close to show some of the wood characteristics here which you can see close up, but it's not so obvious from a normal distance:

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-9sm.jpg

Oh, and I didn't realize that the pearl inlays were so nice either. I feel like a kid in a candy shop!

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Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar

I've always been a maple neck kinda guy with Strats so this is my first rosewood Strat, but I hear ya'. It's very consistent in its wood color in regular light.

Oh, and I didn't realize that the pearl inlays were so nice either. I feel like a kid in a candy shop!

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I'm a maple fingerboard guy on Fenders, too. What made you decide on rosewood? Most of my acoustics have rosewood, but my favorite fingerboard wood is ebony.

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Originally Posted by OldStrummer

I'm a maple fingerboard guy on Fenders, too. What made you decide on rosewood? Most of my acoustics have rosewood, but my favorite fingerboard wood is ebony.

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It was just a diversifying thing. I have two maple Fenders, two rosewood Ibanez hollow bodies, and a rosewood acoustic too. I don't subscribe to the rosewood vs. maple tone argument much (I think it's all in the hands), but I like to mix things up personally.

Plus it looked sexier with the Daphne Blue in my opinion. :lmao:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar

I've always been a maple neck kinda guy with Strats so this is my first rosewood Strat …

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar

It was just a diversifying thing. I have two maple Fenders …

… Plus it looked sexier with the Daphne Blue in my opinion. :lmao:

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You made the right choice for the Daphne Blue and Rosewood 60's surf vibe, nice job, it’s beautiful! I’ve done two Mod Shop Strats in the last year and have been happy with both.

Oh, the Deluxe is a beauty too!

sweet. I asked in another thread if it was a hardtail but know it is certain :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Michael Smith

Interesting that they put the "with synchronized tremelo" decal on the headstock of a hard tail model. Looks sweet though!

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I wouldn’t have noticed if you didn’t mention it, but it started me down a small rabbit hole. I’ve built two Mod Shop Strats in the last year, both have tremolos, but neither have the ‘with synchronized tremolo’ decal, I think one should have gotten it.

My newest has has a newer tremolo and solid rosewood neck, it’s headstock has no decals and is engraved with “Fender Stratocaster” only.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/B4...pyRK97agA=w400

Then about a year ago I built a ‘50s look Strat, 2 color sunburst, single ply pickguard, late 50s pups, vintage tuners and tremolo, roasted maple neck (the current maple looks too pale or white to me). When I ordered I didn’t even think about it, but it came with a Spaghetti logo, which is perfect for this build, but no tremolo logo, if a ‘60s hard tail gets one, why not a ‘50s w/trem?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xb...3AcR9eq5g=w400

There should be photos in this post, but I don't seem to have linking to Google Photos down yet, and they've been disappearing.

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Originally Posted by AudioHTIT

I wouldn’t have noticed if you didn’t mention it, but it started me down a small rabbit hole. I’ve built two Mod Shop Strats in the last year, both have tremolos, but neither have the ‘with synchronized tremolo’ decal, I think one should have gotten it.

My newest has has a newer tremolo and solid rosewood neck, it’s headstock has no decals and is engraved with “Fender Stratocaster” only.

Then about a year ago I built a ‘50s look Strat, 2 color sunburst, single ply pickguard, late 50s pups, vintage tuners and tremolo, roasted maple neck (the current maple looks too pale or white to me). When I ordered I didn’t even think about it, but it came with a Spaghetti logo, which is perfect for this build, but no tremolo logo, if a ‘60s hard tail gets one, why not a ‘50s w/trem?

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Fender's guitars have always been "modular" in construction, with one shop within the plant building necks and another building bodies. Thus, Pedro (in the neck shop) doesn't necessarily know that Jorge (in the body shop) is building a hardtail Strat. However, in the '50s there was an attempt to mate the correct neck with an appropriate body. I've seen several examples of hardtail instruments where the "WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO" was deleted from the headstock decal by merely snipping it off with scissors. Of course that also meant the loss of the patent numbers but that was considered of no import to Fender (or apparently its customers). The only modern example of this that I'm aware of is the Robert Cray artist model. The headstock decal lacks any mention of the tremolo or the patent numbers.

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Originally Posted by phantomman

Fender's guitars have always been "modular" in construction, with one shop within the plant building necks and another building bodies. Thus, Pedro (in the neck shop) doesn't necessarily know that Jorge (in the body shop) is building a hardtail Strat. However, in the '50s there was an attempt to mate the correct neck with an appropriate body. I've seen several examples of hardtail instruments where the "WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO" was deleted from the headstock decal by merely snipping it off with scissors. Of course that also meant the loss of the patent numbers but that was considered of no import to Fender (or apparently its customers). The only modern example of this that I'm aware of is the Robert Cray artist model. The headstock decal lacks any mention of the tremolo or the patent numbers.

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So it sounds like you’re saying that someone recognized that by my choices I was doing a “50’s build”, and chose (or made) a roasted maple neck with a Spaghetti logo; whereas if I had chosen Daphne Blue (a ‘60s color) I might have gotten a Transition Logo (like the OP)? I’m sure it’s not always so clear cut, but if this is the case it’s a nice attention to detail.

Actually, in the website build specs and photos when piecing it together, the images showed the spaghetti logo.

But I'm not picky, I think the 60s logo decal has better tone. :wah: :roflmao

The transitional logo is more "correct" with the rosewood cap fingerboard

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Originally Posted by Cogs

The transitional logo is more "correct" with the rosewood cap fingerboard

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+1

The guitar bear a close resemblance to a '64 Strat.

Yup. The dot positions at the 12th fret is a nice detail, too

I think it's pretty cool that you can just spec it out online and the folks at Fender get some of these details correct even though it wasn't specified in the configurations.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cogs

Yup. The dot positions at the 12th fret is a nice detail, too

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So this is lost on me, I have six Fenders (including a vintage ‘65 Strat) and best I can tell the 12th fret dot positions are all the same (though I haven’t measured them). What’s the subtlety I’m missing?

Edit: Ah, just googled, didn’t know about the 63 spacing change (hence the 64 comment).

Edit 2: Just looked more closely at my ‘58 AV Tele, it has the wide spacing, dots almost directly under the A & B strings.

It's one of those things that you never notice until you do, & then you can't help but see it every time

My first Strat ever was a '66. Then I had another '66. Years later I bought a '61 & the dots looked "wrong" to me for quite awhile

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cogs

It's one of those things that you never notice until you do, & then you can't help but see it every time

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Yes, and now that I know, even though I got a Spaghetti logo on my ‘50s Mod Shop, it won’t be quite right.

Here's some of my naiveté - I'm assuming the comments on the 12th fret markers has to do with them spaced closer than those on a 50s style neck?

The side fret markers are also pearl...so nice:

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-10sm.jpg

While we're at it, I picked up a strap from Guitar Center and had some banter with the guys there - I think the strap is a good match. It spoke to me. Just a production Ernie Ball strap but I feel it will add to the tone :biglaugh: I was noodling with this beauty today on the sofa and the lighting was nice:

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-11sm.jpg

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-12sm.jpg

This has been fun. I so appreciate everyone's perspective so far.

Finally got some time to fire it up through the Deluxe Reverb. Running the Strat -> MXR Dyna Comp -> RAT -> Deluxe Reverb

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-13sm.jpg

Sounds SO good! :dude

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar

Finally got some time to fire it up through the Deluxe Reverb. Running the Strat -> MXR Dyna Comp -> RAT -> Deluxe Reverb

http://tjadamowicz.com//amps/gallery/ModShop-13sm.jpg

Sounds SO good! :dude

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hmm, dirt into squeeze? I haven't tried that yet, I usually put the squeeze after the dirt. Can't articulate why I do it that way.

I may try your approach next. I'm not picky at all - I like to experiment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cogs

My first Strat ever was a '66. Then I had another '66. Years later I bought a '61 & the dots looked "wrong" to me for quite awhile

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+1

My first Strat was a '66 then I traded my way into a '63 after playing Gibsons during the intervening years. Not only did the 63's dots appear wrong but it's headstock and spaghetti logo looked wonky as well. So little I knew back then......

:biglaugh:

:biglaugh:
Almost the same experience when I got that '61. I thought to myself, "well it doesn't have that cool big headstock like the ones Hendrix played, but I bet it sounds the same"
:biglaugh:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cogs

I thought to myself, "well it doesn't have that cool big headstock like the ones Hendrix played, but I bet it sounds the same"

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I'm certain that it did. Just like mine.

If only we sounded like Hendrix......

:spin:

Proof of my belief that it's all in the hands! :yah: