Cheapy Strat copy refinish / customization project

Danele

Hi guys,

So i bought this Wharfedale Strat copy off a dude on Gumtree for R250. It has a nice maple (if it is maple..) neck with smallish frets, and to be honest, the only reason i bought it was the neck. it even has a nice large Fender type headstock on it.

So the plan is - refinish the body in Sky Blue (paler than sonic blue), like the Strat on the left in the below pic. I will leave the neck as is, no staining or so on. I will however strip the finish off the neck and recoat it in clear lacquer.

Sky Blue Strat motivation pic..

[img width=339 height=509]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--zNNv0zvWac/T3Q_cWlKBvI/AAAAAAAAAKE/wV1iSeAf9Qw/s509/blueStrat.jpg[/img]

So here is the guitar as i bought it. It had a few dings and paint chips in it, but nothing that cant be fixed.

Body..

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Emh7zkvyZDI/T3Q-XToUKwI/AAAAAAAAAI8/7Pn3UNmS_js/s500/1.jpg[/img]

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WZDmbmkFMvw/T3Q-YE2ChPI/AAAAAAAAAJU/etaE79tJarw/s500/3.jpg[/img]

Neck and headstock..

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3gSR5DYKb8M/T3Q-XwK3A9I/AAAAAAAAAJI/DZqp7QTCg7k/s500/2.jpg[/img]

So i got to stripping the hardware out, then sanded the flat areas. Took about 10 mins to sand it down to the wood (plywood..), a great testament on how nice these cheapies are finished..

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vn_kifxS05E/T3Q-ZLLA4DI/AAAAAAAAAJk/60wIx6ARW08/s500/7.jpg[/img]

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wLgifrFVpak/T3Q-ZfSSzoI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/mJw4qVmJsrQ/s500/8.jpg[/img]

Also sanded the neck and headstock, also went quick, and i got it fine sanded to 1000 grit in about 20 mins. its looking and feeling very nice. i went over the fretboard with some very fine steel wool, the frets are nice n shiny and the little bit of clear on the fretboard is now gone as well. i will redo the steel wool again once the new coat of clear is on, with taped off fretboard, as to get all the clear off the frets.

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o9N5wKba-04/T3Q-Yz9td1I/AAAAAAAAAJg/a-dNNEAVoiI/s500/6.jpg[/img]

The truss rod route fillet was a bit raised toward the heel, so i removed the dab of glue at the heel's end and whacked it in lightly with a hammer and a block on top, not to damage the neck. sanding took care of the rest.

[img width=375 height=500]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EA3A0fWAigo/T3Q-X6V-mrI/AAAAAAAAAJE/nGlwKUwr5s4/s500/10.jpg[/img]

So thats where this project is at at the moment. other plans include installing a MOP pickguard, updating the hardware (found this fully loaded Squire pickguard for sale for cheap that i might just pick up), and installing a Les Paul Stoptail and bridge. BUT then i'd have to fill the trem cavities in the back and the front. Guess ill just fill it as best i can with wood and wood seal the lil gaps its bound to leave.

Thats it for now, wont do any work on this puppy for the next 2 weeks. I'll update once i make some progress.

(old forum) Poll Results: What color should this guitar be refished in?

Pale Sky Blue like the left guitar in the 1st post?: 8
Off white like the right guitar in the 1st post?: 9

Manfred-Klose

...........and new tuners as well

while your at it, why not make yourself a new body, it might turn out to be a great guitar

Danele

the tuners are actually not too bad.. ?

i want to treat this guitar as my test run for refinishing, and i will probably (only waaay later tho) use the neck when my Jazzmaster or full scale Mustang body comes in. i can always slap another neck on this one when i use the neck for that project.

EDIT - full scale Mustang with Jazzmaster routes pics below. Drooool..

Zulublues

Hi D, If you intend fitting a Tunomatic or ABR bridge, you will have to shim the neck to give you the correct neck angle. Look at a Gibbo and note the angle of neck to body. I think it is about 15 degrees. This is due to the fact that the ABR type bridge is just so much higher off the body than a Fender style trem bridge. I've always wanted to do this with a Tele with two HBs. I have a SX Tele mmmmmmmmmmmmmm?? Now see what ya done !! Another project !!

Good luck with the Washburn.

Danele

yeah ive noticed itll take a bit of tinkering here n there to fit the LP style bridge, but im sure it can be done. i dont really wanna angle the neck so might play around with dropping the bridge into the body a bit.

drew some outlines on the body last night, will need to fill the trem cavity to make the LP bridge work. o well, i suspected i would have to do it anyway.

haha, sorry dude, didnt mean to make you wanna rip up your Tele. i think the next ime i find a SX Tele on Gumtree im gonna get it, n mod it too. never liked the Tele look, but its kinda growing on me at the moment.

make your Tele look like this, i would..

Danele

Guys im kinda torn between colors.. both those Strats in the 1st post look verrry nice, and seeing i've got a Lake Placid Blue Mustang and a blueburst strat copy already, i think having another blue guit is a bit daft..so please answer the poll at the top.

so the next thought is to do it in that off white / cream color. also decided its matching headstock time.

also decided against the stop tailpiece, not in the mood. haha. i will however, just to do a bit of modding, lock down the trem and cover up the recess in the back and make it a string through, or at least see how it works out after locking the trem down.

Danele

ok so got a lil done tonight. masked off the neck so i can paint the headstock.

here it is with white primer on it, waiting for it to dry.

must say, applying the primer thinly the 1st 2 coats allowed the grain to come through slightly, looked awesome, but since the body isnt exactly high end, its pointless..

will sand it a bit later n apply the 'Broken White' paint i bought. saw the can at Mica and bought it right away.

here is the color reference (you have to look closely, haha, but on the can its a tad more cream):

Broken White:

Danele

so the headstock turned out sweet! wetsanded the primer a bit, then blaster a few coats of the color on. the result is awesome, well i think so anyway.

the shine..

player's view, kinda..

against a white sheet of paper to show off the color..

just need to wait for the paint to dry properly then i can clean up around the edges.

Danele

managed to get a tortoise shell pickguard from TerryD for an AMAZING price. R134 including postage from CPT to JHB. gonna look sweet!

Neon-Gecko

tortoise shell on that colour is gonna look about the best me thinks...

Danele

Neon Gecko wrote tortoise shell on that colour is gonna look about the best me thinks...

yeah, indeed! was gonna put my pearloid one on but a buddy at work said itll look like a pimp's guitar.. haha.

Lloyd at TerrD said its more brown than red, so itll prob look something like this:

Danele

primer on.. going slowly but getting there..

Stubbs

I've played one of those before - you'd be surprised that they're actually not total rubbish. Interested to see how yours turns out ?

Danele

Stubbs wrote I've played one of those before - you'd be surprised that they're actually not total rubbish. Interested to see how yours turns out ?

yeah theyre not too bad, i love the neck on this thing. cool, i'll keep posting progress. i painted the 1st layers of color on it yesterday, but got a bit impatient with the spray and now i have to sand down a couple or paint runs.. o well.

Danele

small update before i get to sanding again. the 1st few coats of color. looking good already. prob needs another can of color after, then its clear coat time!

pickguard should be arriving tomoz. cant wait to do a little mockup on how its gonna look.

anyway, here are some pics..

quick one with the neck and old pickguard..

DonovanB

Every time I start reading a refinish thread I think, "Oh no, not another."

But I swear they always turn out to be so cool. I should have posted progress on my white paint job. Will do so when I fix her properly...

Nice one Danele. I'm keen to see her finished.

Sean

Donovan Banks wrote Nice one Danele. I'm keen to see her finished.

+1 ?

Danele

yeah i know what you mean, its a bit of a tedious process, so can imagine not many ppl see it through. thanks for the words of encouragement. pickguard just arrived from cape town, looks awesome! will post a little preview mockup pic later tonight.

Danele

got the pickguard, did a quick mockup when i got home (just the neck on with the guard and the trem plate and jack).. i nearly fainted! it looks sooo sweet. well, in my opinion anyway. ?

now just to get the paintjob finished and then i need to source cream / aged knobs and tips for the hardware.

still to do:

sand 1st coat of color
shoot color again
clear coat - lots
wetsand
final buffing

here are some pics.

Jacques_nasi

It all comes together nicely with that pickguard man! Looks great!