GUITAR BUILD PROJECTS, DRUM FETTLING, CUSTOMISATION & DIY TECH
There seems to be a problem when pairing a Fender American Vintage Telecaster bridge pickup, with a Fender "Nocaster" '51 re-issue neck pickup. Looks like they're out of phase. Here's how I fix it...
Stringing, and setting up my DIY replica, Wilko Johnson Fender Telecaster. Do heavier-than-usual strings make a difference?
Soldering up a "modern" wiring circuit for my Wilko Johnson Fender Telecaster
Fitting a neck pickup, custom-cut all-red scratchplate, and chrome control plate to my Wilko Johnson Fender Telecaster
As I've gradually grown my collection of completed builds - I think this natural Ash Stratocaster is the one which has taught me the most. Consequently - just about every component has been swapped out, at least once, over the last couple of years. With the latest modifications however... I think it might finally be where I want it to be.
I stripped this MIJ P-Bass down last year, and upgraded it to be a bit more representative of the classic "57" it was always intended to be. It's been a while, but I've now had plenty of playing time to appreciate how a little stylistic refresh, and general tidy up, can sometimes breathe new life into an instrument.
My version of David Gilmour's famous "Black Strat" has taken a long time to put together - but I've relished every minute of this project. Essentialy - it's a kit job, but many of the parts have taken a fair bit of investigation and sourcing. The build is a sort of, "New, Old Stock" approach - rather than a faithful, cosmetic replica. The guitar certainly has the look, but it's a bit of a player too!
Every Stratocaster I've put together has a slightly different tone and feel. This "Classic 50's" restoration gave me an opportunity to take a basic 50's-type specification, and then tweak it a little. The Hank Marvin styling is a purely cosmetic upgrade - although I think the gold hardware really suits this Dakota Red body. The Bareknuckle pickups are pure single coils - but given a slight overwind - so they drive really nicely.
The Ash Stratocaster I built last year has become one of my "go-to" guitars. As one of my first builds - I'm especially fond of it. However, with a few key components left over from other projects, I've had the chance to upgrade the guitar into something really special.
With the Precision stripped down to its' component parts, I can now begin to rebuild the guitar, using some upgrade components to transform it into the 1957 replica it never quite managed to be, before.
Garageland 