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Thread: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

  1. #1
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    I've been working on this for a few months now. The hardest part was finding the right body. Found several but kept getting sniped. Finally scored one. MJT candy apple green in the lightest relic they put out, no checking or dings, slightly cloudy and yellowed. Or it used to not be relic-d before I got my clumsy paws on it. While installing the springs to the trem claw, I properly gouged the back. Then I dinged the round over by the arm cut. Oh, well. Neck is a mim Fender rosewood fingerboard Robert Cray model, 9.5 radius, 21 medium jumbo frets, heel truss rod adjustment screw. Bridge & trem block is mim '70s Classic series after I found out the modern spec bridge and trem block wouldn't match the holes in the body. Fender plastics back plate, mint green 3 ply pick guard, switch tip, trem bar tip, knobs, and pickup covers. Tonerider pickups, CTS pots, cloth push back wire, fender output jack & ferrule, neck plate and screws, trem claw and springs.

    Here's a mock up, still got to finish the wiring and then assemble the rest. Then the fun begins in trying to set it up:



    trem claw installed, gouged back trying to install spring. Now I know to back the trem claw so the spring slips on easily.



    the computer desk with the hard square edges is not a good work bench:



    pick guard assembly parts:



    I went with a 2 cap split tone pot bridge tone control wiring diagram



    First I soldered the tone caps. Found out later that the long leg of the chiclet cap going to the lug needs to be insulated from the body of the pot. I'm going to put a piece of electrical tape under the cap wire. Next time I'll dress the leg, bend it and then solder it to the lug:



    grounded the pots together:



    solder volume pot to 5 way switch:



    connect first tone pot to neck and jumper to middle pickup, this has the chiclet cap on it (.022):



    connect second tone pot to bridge, this has the .01 musicap on it:


  2. #2
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    soldered the grounds to the volume pot. The pickup grounds were already twisted and soldered together, not my doing:



    attached the hots of the pickups to the switch:



    ready for the white wire (hot):



    white wire attached to the volume pot:



    didn't get to work on it today, hope to tomorrow. I want to get this finished and start playing it.

  3. #3
    Forum Member CoyotesGator's Avatar
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    Oh Yeah!
    What happend?
    Who let the magic smoke out?

  4. #4
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    Mint green would definitely work well here.

  5. #5
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    Thanks for the excellent photos. Candy Apple Green is a beautiful color. Nice guitar.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  6. #6
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    Nice color! I was going to point out the lead on that cap but you're on it.

    BTW, for future reference, you don't need to scrape or sand those pots before soldering- they're pre-tinned and will take solder well.
    Last edited by Don; 10-29-2015 at 11:14 AM.

  7. #7
    TFF Stage Crew
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    Great build!

  8. #8
    Forum Member Stoj's Avatar
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    Re: introducing my Candy Apple Green stratocaster build

    Looking very cool - love the color

    Guitars:
    2014 Gibson Historic 1960 Les Paul Reissue
    2011 Gibson Les Paul DC Junior '58 Reissue TV Yellow
    2013 Fender CS Team Built '69 Reissue "Heavy Relic"
    2008 Fender Custom Shop 50's Esquire "Relic"
    2006 Fender Custom Shop 1951 Nocaster "Relic"
    2013 Martin DX1AE

    Amps:
    Fender '57 Tweed Twin
    Fender '57 Tweed Bandmaster

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