GUITAR BUILD PROJECTS, DRUM FETTLING, CUSTOMISATION & DIY TECH
Continuing the saga of the repair, re-fit and preparation of two Jaguar necks, for a couple of my project builds. Lacquer repairs, finishing, hardware installation, and fingerboard toning
After a prolonged lay-off - the weather's finally right for nitro spraying again. Time to catch up on some long-running repairs to the lacquered headstock, for my natural blonde Jaguar build
After deciding to swap around the necks on my Jaguar projects again - I need to swap the hardware out on this lacquered AllParts JGRO neck. There are also a few areas of damage I need to clear up...
Swapping out the nickel hardware on a Fender '65 Re-issue Jaguar neck, for a replacement set, in gold.
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.
Setup time. A "Classic Vintage" tremolo arm would finish off the 50's retro look of this Fender "Classic 50's" Stratocaster perfectly - but there's an opportunity to follow the Hank Marvin inspired stylings even more. Hank, himself, pioneered the development of the "Easy-Mute" tremolo arm, and I'm delighted to find they're still in production, here in the UK. Just the job. And once it's sorted - I can setup the guitar.
I'd originally intended to fit out the 50's Stratocaster with Bareknuckle, "Apache" single coils, and had sourced them before I got the inspiration to make the Hank Marvin connection. The pickups seem to be a little bit overwound from the norm - so I'm going to hook them up using a wiring modification which should hopefully bring out a little more of their celebrated character.
The Dakota red Stratocaster body looks like it'll take the Hank Marvin styling well enough. The body came to me without it's original neck, so I'll need to source a replacement. I've already fitted gold hardware to an all maple Mexican Fender neck for the, (now repurposed), Gold leafed Strat body I was working on. It's not quite the all-vintage specification I envisaged - but it'll do a job.
Garageland 