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Thread: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

  1. #1
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    $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Ok, since many of you have given me a lot of good reading, I'm going to show you how to build a 60's "Strat" for less than $50.00. When youre done, I will do a double blind testing with a genuine 60's Fender Stratocaster and the $50.00 "Strat". I believe many of you will have a hard time telling the difference. The action on my $50.00 "Strat" is very very good. Here's how its done; Salvage a 1960's Norma guitar body. Route out the cavity and replace the pickgaurd with a set of old japanese "Strat" single coils from a cheap 1980's copy.Fix the bridge on the Norma by taking off the two nuts affixing it to the body , which puts the bridge pretty flush with the body and lowers the action to a great playing action. Finally play the hell out of it, cause this 5 pound "Strat" will sound better than any damn reissue ever made, and play pretty dog gone good also. Looks cool or like hell depending on your P.O.V... I love mine. It's my main 'Strato, till I can afford a nice older Strat . Here she is- love her or hate her, she pretty much nails that SRV tone dead on! Resonant as all get out! http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n...g1/jerr124.jpg http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n...g1/jerr126.jpg
    The Deville might add a little credibility!
    Last edited by jerryjg; 08-10-2006 at 12:43 AM.

  2. #2
    Forum Member curt1lp's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    You can't do a double blind test unless the player themselves does not know which guitar they are playing. I think even with a blindfold it'd be obvious which guitar one was holding. None the less bring on the sound clips (what about some photos of your 60s Strat comparator guitar)

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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    I would never have guessed that's not a vintage '60s Strat.

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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Quote Originally Posted by curt1lp
    You can't do a double blind test unless the player themselves does not know which guitar they are playing. I think even with a blindfold it'd be obvious which guitar one was holding. None the less bring on the sound clips (what about some photos of your 60s Strat comparator guitar)
    Well, I got a "little" carried away. I should never say it sounds better than a reissue.It does probably sound more like a $10,000 60's Strat than anything Ive heard and a WHOOOOOLE lot cheaper! Its cheap enuf to try it , if you dont like it. Forget the "double blind" thing. I wasnt sure what exactly that meant. EDIT- This probably belongs in the "CLONE ZONE" if this can be moved there? Thanks
    Last edited by jerryjg; 08-10-2006 at 01:29 AM.

  5. #5
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Do you work for Ed Roman?
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

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    Forum Member telecast's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Well, like mom said, "If you can't say anything nice...."
    A friend in need is a good reason to screen your calls.

  7. #7
    Forum Member curt1lp's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    JerryJG
    I understand you're pretty stoked with your guitar but I have a few problems with what you're saying.

    1. Have you tested it personally against an expensive vintage strat. If not then it would be hard to make a claim like that based on what you have heard on records and cds, because a whole lot of other variables are involved there making a comparison "apples and oranges"

    2. I have never come across any Japanese pickups of any sort (humbucker or single coil) that sound at all good. Are the pickups on your guitar ceramic magnet as many Japanese pickups are? If so then definitely it will never sound any near as good as a vintage handwound alnico pickup.

    3. Vintage strats had vintage (wax-paper) capacitors and 250K pots and specific wiring style. You cant' replicate or even IMO hope to improve on the old strats without these items either. I admit to not having personlly played an expensive vintage strat, but I have experimented heaps with old capacitors and vintage style wiring and I believe it can make a huge difference to a guitar's 'sound beauty' to have those things.

    4. Main one: Everyone has a different idea of what sounds great.

    P.S. Apologies I meant 'definitely'in point 2. 'in my opinon definitely'. (otherwise I would be not heeding my own point 4.)
    Last edited by curt1lp; 08-10-2006 at 05:55 AM.

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    Forum Member TonsofBlues's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Quote Originally Posted by telecast
    Well, like mom said, "If you can't say anything nice...."

    "Fool me once, shame on..... shame on me... fool me twice... shame on ... shame on... IF YOU GET FOOLED ONCE YOU CAN'T GET FOOLED AGAIN".-Our Good bud George W.

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    Forum Member stratcat55's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    I guess beauty's in the eye of the beholder. Not too sure about the 60's reissue statement though. Was the Texas Chainsaw dude the tech?

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    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Looks kinda' ab-Norma to me.
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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    Forum Member flintpunk's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    OOOOH, darn...I got here to late. I was going to tell you to make sure you're wearing a flame-proof suit! I hope it didn't burn too bad! Devilles aren't highly regarded round these parts either. Anyway, dude...If you dig your gear, I'm very happy for you! I'm not exactly conventional either. The world needs more folks to step out of the box and you've got that covered!
    ...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!

  12. #12
    Forum Member TonsofBlues's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Quote Originally Posted by flintpunk
    OOOOH, darn...I got here to late. I was going to tell you to make sure you're wearing a flame-proof suit! I hope it didn't burn too bad! Devilles aren't highly regarded round these parts either. Anyway, dude...If you dig your gear, I'm very happy for you! I'm not exactly conventional either. The world needs more folks to step out of the box and you've got that covered!

    Yeap... deville = Hate ...... 'cause they screw up all the time.. just look down the amps page... every other one is "HDLX Problem" or "My Deluxe blew up and burned my house to the ground" or "My cat ate my Deville and now she's shitting caps"

    But don't worry... I have one...
    "Fool me once, shame on..... shame on me... fool me twice... shame on ... shame on... IF YOU GET FOOLED ONCE YOU CAN'T GET FOOLED AGAIN".-Our Good bud George W.

  13. #13
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Are the neck and body both Norma?

    Sure, it doesn't really look like a Strat, but some of those old MIJ and funky brands had some nice chunky necks. Flat-ish boards but comfy profiles.

    If you dig your home-brew abNorma, that's all that counts.



    If you really want to be cool, it's never too late to paint it pink.
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    Forum Member curtisstetka's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Just as Leo envisioned it!
    s'all goof.

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    Forum Member frank thomson's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    dood, that's probably the ugliest guitar i've ever seen.

    just sayin is all.
    Imanidiot.

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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    One things for certain. The old wood is nearly everything. If someone were to find a nice vintage hunk of ash or alder, then throw some older strat pickups on - because i think those need to be aged also, then they could really make a fantastic Stratocaster clone. I think a new neck would be just fine.Some experts claim that it does not matter the age of the wood, as long as it is Kiln dried and not covered over with the heavey paint. I would doubt that. I think there is no subsitiute for aged wood, but I dont know for certain. Yes, it would be nice to have some better pickups on this guitar, but I'm not out to make a silk purse outta sows ear here. Its really great for just what it is-no more or no less. It is pretty amazing the resemblance to the tone of the 60's Strats . Again, it really doesnt play as nice as a reissue Stratocaster of course, but the action is fairly low and quick and it plays pretty well.This would be pretty good for recording, and the first thing people would think when they heard it is -"he's playing an old Straocaster".Also as far as looks, Ive seen some pretty ugly ol Stratocasters-SRV's for instance.
    Last edited by jerryjg; 08-11-2006 at 06:49 AM.

  17. #17
    Forum Member curt1lp's Avatar
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    Re: $50.00 vintage 1960's "Strat"

    Jeryjg:
    I know what you mean about old wood. When I got my Cimar hardtail it looked like it might have been sitting in a basement for the last 30 years. A very resonant guitar.

    http://www.thefenderforum.com/forum/...ad.php?t=27165

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