My First Frankenstrat

[WhiteStrat]

Put together my first Frankenstrat this weekend. Compared to my '94 whitey, its an ad hoc tour of the decades: transparent natural body (which for some reason, says "70's" to me), some funky overwound 60's grey bottom pickups, and a 50's reissue neck (from '06). Just finished it and did a basic set up tonight--I love it already!

 

[Smogger]

I like. Very classy. Is that a Ken Smith hanging next to it?

 

[WhiteStrat]

I like. Very classy. Is that a Ken Smith hanging next to it?

Thanks! Nope--no Ken Smith. That's a Schecter Diamond 5-String.

 

[rayc]

Nice one.
Post a sample soon.

 

[true-eurt]

Did you take pictures of the process?

 

[heatmiser]

Very nice whitestrat

The natural finish is my favorite for these guitars...

 

[WhiteStrat]

Did you take pictures of the process?

For once--I didn't. The body came loaded--I used all the hardware except the pickups; I soldered three different ones in; The neck even came with the tuners. So it was really just mating up two "half-guitars." Funny thing is that didn't go as planned--I had to take the chisel to the neck pocket and the pickguard on the body to get the neck to fit. That might have been worth a photo or two--but it was late and I was mad!

It all worked out though.

 

[WhiteStrat]

Nice one.
Post a sample soon.

A sample, you say? Drums & guitars--no bass. Through a blues jr. with a bit of OD from a pedal:

Frankie Sample

 

[ez_willis]

Put together my first Frankenstrat this weekend.

nice clean looking guit.

 

[RejectionNinja]

Nice lookin guitar. I think the white pickups and white pickguard is a little plain, but that's just my opinion.

I've always thought that the "Franken-strat" or "Franken-bass" term is ludicrous. (I've always heard is spoken with a roll of the eyes or a slight sneer.) All Fender does is assemble parts. You assembled parts. You made a guitar by the exact same process that Fender uses. Except yours is CUSTOM.

 

[ez_willis]

I've always thought that the "Franken-strat" or "Franken-bass" term is ludicrous.

perhaps you've got something that rest of the world should be using to associate with this type of guit?

 

[WhiteStrat]

Nice lookin guitar. I think the white pickups and white pickguard is a little plain, but that's just my opinion.

I've always thought that the "Franken-strat" or "Franken-bass" term is ludicrous. (I've always heard is spoken with a roll of the eyes or a slight sneer.) All Fender does is assemble parts. You assembled parts. You made a guitar by the exact same process that Fender uses. Except yours is CUSTOM.

I hear ya, but I don't start from the position that a Frankenstrat is a negative thing--in fact, I usually assume it's gonna be better. Obviously the neck is a Fender, and who knows--the other parts may be better than they source--but it's just a way of distinguishing between "they made it" and "I made it."

 

[WhiteStrat]

nice clean looking guit.

Thanks ez. I'm a bit traditional when it comes to this stuff--I like 'em nice and clean looking! (Not a single sticker on any of my guits or cases either...)

 

[RejectionNinja]

yeah I'd call it "a strat that I put together".

If you have no problem with "Franken-strat" then by all means go crazy.

But it always seemed to me that ALL strats are "Franken-strats".

 

[rayc]

How about a "lab out in the shed with some parts I found down by the grave yard & based on the DIT Utub vid uploaded by Francis" n "Fender copyrighted shape as used by countless other knock off merchants - some better than the original" guitar?
I like the tones - the lead sounds like a strat for certain. The rhythms are cool but I couldn't pick 'em for any model based on the recording so you've a nice looking self assembled guitar that looks and sounds like a strat.
Cool!

 

[DrewPeterson7]

Thanks! Nope--no Ken Smith. That's a Schecter Diamond 5-String.

That caught my eye a half second after the Strat, actually. Really great bases, especially for the price. I fully intended to buy one to celebrate my last promotion, but instead ended up messing around on a Rectoverb for most of the afternoon and ended up taking that home with me. Oh well.

 

[Zaphod B]

Very nice, WhiteStrat.

 

[Dani Pace]

Cool build!!! I've never built a Frankenstrat although I do think it would be fun. I did revive an ancient Gretch (my son has laid claim to it) which we lovingly call Gretchzilla.

 

[daav]

Looks very purty. I took my old white CIJ strat from the late eighties, stripped it to the wood, sanded for a week, and finished the body, then switched out the pickups with a set from Bill Lawrence, new white pickguard and i have the twin to yours, maple neck as well. Maybe i will take a quick pic tonight and post it just for the fun of seeing how simliar they look.

Daav