USACG strat project w/conversion neck

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 6:47 pm

my USACG strat project

USACG custom strat #2 (2nd version, more on that at end of post)

Original version:

tall version:
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9003 ... deedit.jpg

(headshot)

(side headshot)

(jackplate)

(bill lawrence pickups, and the hipshot trem)

(backshot)

guitar shielding:

USACG body and neck.

body: lightweight Alder 2-piece, with a contoured heel, side jack, tummy route, fall-away cut out on the back side of the bottom bout for upper fret access.

neck: hardrock maple neck, with a pau ferro fingerboard. 6150 frets, 1-5/8" nut width. small fender-style headstock.

--Gibson scale length neck, 22 frets, fingerboard radius, of 12". the shape of the neck is a thin "C" shape, with a .78" neck thickness at the 1st fret, up to .85 at the 13th, mother of pearl dot inlays.
vintage truss with access at face of headstock.

headstock: tiltback design, 13 degrees, graphtech nut.

Bridge:Hipshot 6 String US Contour Tremolo Chrome with stainless tone bar.

pickups: humbucker-single-single, Bill Lawrence L-500L and L-280s (n & m)
Q filter for master tone, and a master volume. (500k pots)

Scratchplate: done by Warmoth, it's a slightly custom shape, with the 1st volume knob hole removed, and my luthier cut the hole for the Lawrence pickup (not a standard size) to match.

Paint: originally done by a local luthier. later slightly damaged in a flood.

the lighter version, done by USACG custom guitars, it's all NITRO, and very very thin. I instructed them to make it as thin as possible, wear is not a concern to me.

cost breakdown:
neck-$246
body-$170
pickups-2x40 + 1x50=$130
Q filter- $20
bridge w/steel sustain block-$120 (luthier's price)
custom warmoth scratchplate-$35
odd hardware- $40
custom finish-$300
Sperzel tuners-$65
sheilding - $20
__________________
$1146

the reason the 1st body looks lighter than the 2nd, is because it is!!
LOL

the original 'cream machine' got damaged in a flood.
only paint damage, but still, insurance covered the cost of a replacement body.

i had usacg build me an identical body to the first, and rather than have the local luthier do another paint job, i paid USACG to do it in house, and went with a vintage white that was lighter.

i still have the original cream body, and plan on turning it into a 'tele'.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:44 pm

I can never get along with how strats and les pauls play, but the idea of lp specs on a strat body does sound like good fun. Hows the hipshot bridge? never liked any of the 2-point bridge designs but then again I've only played ones that come standard an never a higher quality after market one.

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:28 pm

it sounds as good as any 6 screw trem i've heard.

smooth as silk....
with the stainless tone bar on it, it has a wonderful clarity.
i use big bends lube in the graphtec nut, but still put a TREMSETTER on it, i'm on the fence as to whether or not it is better or not.
heheh

i had the neck shaped to be similar to my Carvin, which i had shaved at Zion Guitars back in 1984........

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:53 pm

nice! Totally approve of the headstock angle and removing the first volume position. I always knock it when rocking out.

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:14 pm

dave

the headstock angle works.
it has an obvious improvement in sustain.

i don't know why they don't make them all this way.
no string trees to get the pitch hung up on.

it isn't perfect, but it is an improvement over the original design.

i never used the 3rd knob on a standard strat setup, so why not get rid of it!!
LOL

i don't use my pinky on the knob like lots do.....

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:00 pm

I seem to remember reading on some acoustic forum a disparaging comment about Fender in that avoiding the angled headstock made production easier and cheaper. It really doesn't bother me at all however I do like it on the guitars I have that have this feature. Lack of volute was gibson's saving plan and look how that impacts their guitars on a regular basis...so I think Fender were pretty wise really.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:50 am

Creamy!

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 3:42 pm

Here's the first song i recorded with the 'cream machine'

it's called "First Tracks" (skiing phrase)

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/56312-1STTRACKS.mp3

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:37 pm

got another clip, that features the custom strat build.

all guitar parts done with the usacg build, and lawrence pickups.

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/80823- ... esolve.mp3

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:19 pm

When I was looking for a neck for my Batwing ideally I would have liked an angled headstock, but I couldn't really find any within my budget.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:31 pm

Dave wrote:I seem to remember reading on some acoustic forum a disparaging comment about Fender in that avoiding the angled headstock made production easier and cheaper. It really doesn't bother me at all however I do like it on the guitars I have that have this feature. Lack of volute was gibson's saving plan and look how that impacts their guitars on a regular basis...so I think Fender were pretty wise really.

angled headstock increases string tension. it's fine for gibson scale but for the longer fender scale (especially w/ a trem) it's too much IMHO.

Post by **Doog** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:00 pm

Retainer bars work pretty damn for adding tension. I've got one on my superstrat build and it works grand. PLUS, it can offer more tension than an angled 'stock depending on how far down you screw it.

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:34 pm

ekwatts
you know, usacg quit making the tiltbacks.
my guess is, they just didnt' have enough requests for it, to make it worth doing.

warmoth has one tho.
i don't like those necks, with the double expanding truss rod.
to me, they kill the tone of the neck. it's dead feeling.

mages
it totally works on my setup, that's for sure.
i can't imagine why it wouldn't work for a strat scale length, assuming tensions are all standard.
i actually downtune a half step, go up a notch in string width to compensate.

doog
i tried a retainer bar on a previous build, i experienced hangups all the same. did not work for me.
i think the tiltback is a more elegant solution.

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:25 pm

some more clips to add to the ones already posted soon...
almost done mixing...

batsbrew · Post by **batsbrew** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:30 pm

albums' out, with a lot of this strat all over it.

getting ready to take my 2nd cream strat body, the other alder one, and put a tele neck on it, and a tele bridge/pickup setup......
more on that soon...

another conversion neck job, 24.75"