New Super Strat project

[warlok]

That bridge is pretty cool. Very different, but cool.. And IMO, going with the simple bridge and H-S, stay simple as possible with controls too. I did a vol and rotary pickup selector only on my Model 6 and it looks great.. Very classy!!

[Mazrim]

A subtle carve top would look the nuts on this baby too.

[veemagic]

Thanks guys for all the input. Control layout wise I am thinking Volume, and 2 way toggle only. I am looking into the Fernandes to be on or off with my bridge humbucker. Thats it! I can set all the pots inside and leave them be. I love the bare knuckles stuff and want to try a painkiller in this one.

Mazrim - As for the fingerboard it will be an all Brazilian Rosewood neck and fingerboard. He is going to do a long tenon set-neck for me. The subtle carve top is an interesting idea????

[Mazrim]

I can definitely recommend the Painkiller. Dont know how it would sound in Koa but in Alder its amazing. I would say it should work nicely in Koa.
As a nice alternative to the Painkiller, maybe a Suhr Aldrich? But a Painkiller will roar.
Like the idea of your control layout. The simpler the better. Ive seen guys go nuts on custom guitars and have every option they can think of and it ends up looking like a 70s super computer and its owner a complete arsehole.

Brazilian rosewood neck and finger board? Wow. Do you already have that too because that's going to be pretty pricey as you probably already know.
Maybe as a cheaper alternative you could use one of Elvis' leg bones?

[toejam]

That looks awesome! Can't wait to see it done. That bridge looks pretty cool, too.

[GuerillaPete]

That KOA wood is giving me wood. Nice one indeed. Good luck with it.

[Guitar_Symphony]

Hey all, I just got some progress pics back on a new strat project. A local luthier, Steve Benford (Benford Guitars http://benfordguitars.com/) is doing this for me. I had purchased an 8/4 60"x9" wide Koa board about 8 years ago and changed my mind on what I intended to do with it. It was just too crazy of a piece to just do any project. So I sat on it. Well I have known Steve for years and I finally showed him the board and we came up with some ideas. I had the board resawed, purchased a chunk of brazilian rosewood for a neck blank, and dropped them with steve. Here are the first shots of the body. I am way stoked!

At first Glance it looks like the body is on a mat on the ground,....it looked f'n Huge...lol....
Great Wood!!!!!!!!

[BallooTheBear]

Keep us posted,That should be badass when it's finished.

[veemagic]

Brazilian rosewood neck and finger board? Wow. Do you already have that too because that's going to be pretty pricey as you probably already know.
Maybe as a cheaper alternative you could use one of Elvis' leg bones?

I know that brazilian is pricey! I already purchased the blank. It measures 34" long, 3.25" wide, and 2.5" thick. It is quartersawn and freakin awesome. I have always wanted a PRS with a Brazilian neck so I decided that it would be perfect on this project. I was hoping for a neck through but the length isn't quite there so a long tenon set neck it is! I may actually get an extra fingerboard out of this blank so that would be a bonus.

[veemagic]

That looks awesome! Can't wait to see it done. That bridge looks pretty cool, too.

Thanks toe! You know that custom bridge is growing on me and I think I am going to go with it. I appreciate all your opinions. Its great to have such an awesome resource to throw ideas around.
Kevin

[Mazrim]

Yeah, the custom bridge FTW. Suits the shape of the body just right.

[veemagic]

Here are a couple mock-up shots with my Brazilian neck blank.

[warlok]

Not quite "Jackson thin" but.... lol

Design change - 10 string!!

[Hellbat]

That rosewood blank is awesome.

[Trem]

So far the neck is still a squared blank. We went over bridge ideas and pick-up configurations, as well as, neck shape and radius. I have a questions for you guys though. I had decided on a tuneomatic string through, but with that comes an angle neck with tall pick-up rings, or recessing the tuneomatic in about 3/8" and straightening the neck/ lowering the pick-ups. The other option is a custom bridge that he makes out of ebony. Any opinions???

Here is a pic of his custom bridge and a basic layout with a stock neck sitting for placement.

That bridge is sweet looking and unique i'd go with that myself. I'd say do whatever fits you functionally as you'll probably want to play that forever and never sell it so make it something your gonna want to use..and not just look at. If it were me i'd probably go with a rosewood or ebony board depending on the final finish, but rosewood just screams to me with that.


EDIT: oops didn't even see page 2, yeah man thats hawt.

Here are a couple mock-up shots with my Brazilian neck blank.