The Cost of Building Your Own...

Sp8ctre

Sp8ctre

Ambassador of Steel
Country flag
...is not cheaper, but you get what you want.

I just tallied up the bill for the Black Hole Stratocaster and it was over $1000. Granted I used some good parts, but what started out as a cheap guitar ended up
being upgraded to a not so cheap guitar.

I started out with a slightly worn Squier body, a Korean neck and some low cost pickups. As we all know upgrades commenced.

I ended up with a brand new MIM replacement body, a brand new Warmoth neck, a set of expensive Mojotone pickups, an upgraded bridge and the list goes on!

What I now have is a super nice guitar that I will NEVER be able to sell for near what I have in it...good thing I love it!

IMG_0528.jpg

IMG_0428.jpg
 
Sp8ctre said:
...is not cheaper, but you get what you want.

I just tallied up the bill for the Black Hole Stratocaster and it was over $1000. Granted I used some good parts, but what started out as a cheap guitar ended up
being upgraded to a not so cheap guitar.

I started out with a slightly worn Squier body, a Korean neck and some low cost pickups. As we all know upgrades commenced.

I ended up with a brand new MIM replacement body, a brand new Warmoth neck, a set of expensive Mojotone pickups, an upgraded bridge and the list goes on!

What I now have is a super nice guitar that I will NEVER be able to sell for near what I have in it...good thing I love it!
Click to expand...

I try not to recall what I spent on this...two sets of Thro-Bak SLE-101's (stupid, I know) alone were over $1,000.000

DoubleNeck April 2018.jpg
 
Sp8ctre said:
It's not stupid if it works out for you, it's those ones that cost a lot and are still dogs that suck!
Click to expand...

I listened to a studio colleague about how great the Thro-Bak's were. I tried them. Big disappointment. Not a bad pickup, and quite well made, but nothing stellar, TBTH. The Epiphone H8BN/H6BN's that I use in my Les Paul Replicas are actually much more articulate.

Currently, in the six string side of the doubleneck, I am using an Artec Classic Standard with an AlNico IV magnet and it has a really great sound. I'm using an Artec GVH-59 in the neck, also with an AlNico IV magnet....

https://soundcloud.com/id%3Drobert-h-herndon%252Fvon-herndon-doubleneck-pickup-test%3Btrack_id%3D679097502
 
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Robert Herndon said:
I listened to a studio colleague about how great the Thro-Bak's were. I tried them. Big disappointment. Not a bad pickup, and quite well made, but nothing stellar, TBTH. The Epiphone H8BN/H6BN's that I use in my Les Paul Replicas are actually much more articulate.

Currently, in the six string side of the doubleneck, I am using an Artec Classic Standard with an AlNico IV magnet and it has a really great sound. I'm using an Artec GVH-59 in the neck, also with an AlNico IV magnet....

https://soundcloud.com/id%3Drobert-h-herndon%252Fvon-herndon-doubleneck-pickup-test%3Btrack_id%3D679097502
Click to expand...

Got to tell you, I am not that surprised. I've found that pickups like the SLE-101's, that are such slavish "PAF" clones, don't work that well with high gain. They get mushy. I like more of a "hot PAF" kind of thing for a more old-school sound, but even those types don't work as well as more modern style pickups for high gain/metal IMO.

Buddy of mine dropped some Manlius Asphalts into his Les Paul, and I gotta say, they are the best compromise I've heard yet...they can do metal all day without losing any punch or detail, and if you roll the volume back a bit they drop right back into a more "vintage" kind of tone profile. So good, they have me rethinking my no-mods stance.
 
Sp8ctre said:
...is not cheaper, but you get what you want.

I just tallied up the bill for the Black Hole Stratocaster and it was over $1000. Granted I used some good parts, but what started out as a cheap guitar ended up
being upgraded to a not so cheap guitar.

I started out with a slightly worn Squier body, a Korean neck and some low cost pickups. As we all know upgrades commenced.

I ended up with a brand new MIM replacement body, a brand new Warmoth neck, a set of expensive Mojotone pickups, an upgraded bridge and the list goes on!

What I now have is a super nice guitar that I will NEVER be able to sell for near what I have in it...good thing I love it!
Click to expand...


Your experience with your Strat is similar to mine when I built up my Les Paul Studio.

In the end, I don’t really think I saved any money versus just buying a complete used guitar. But, the guitar has what I wanted in it, the way I wanted it.

Beyond that, there is just the enjoyment of going through the process.
 
Sp8ctre said:
...is not cheaper, but you get what you want.

I just tallied up the bill for the Black Hole Stratocaster and it was over $1000. Granted I used some good parts, but what started out as a cheap guitar ended up
being upgraded to a not so cheap guitar.

I started out with a slightly worn Squier body, a Korean neck and some low cost pickups. As we all know upgrades commenced.

I ended up with a brand new MIM replacement body, a brand new Warmoth neck, a set of expensive Mojotone pickups, an upgraded bridge and the list goes on!

What I now have is a super nice guitar that I will NEVER be able to sell for near what I have in it...good thing I love it!

View attachment 32986

View attachment 32984
Click to expand...
Spinal Tap called they want to use it on SMELL THE GLOVE II :)
 
smitty_p said:
Your experience with your Strat is similar to mine when I built up my Les Paul Studio.

In the end, I don’t really think I saved any money versus just buying a complete used guitar. But, the guitar has what I wanted in it, the way I wanted it.

Beyond that, there is just the enjoyment of going through the process.
Click to expand...

This is the deal for me too. I wanted something special made the way I want it! And I wanted something unique that no one else had. I mean everyone
has a Strat, but not everyone has a Black Hole!
 
Sp8ctre said:
This is the deal for me too. I wanted something special made the way I want it! And I wanted something unique that no one else had. I mean everyone
has a Strat, but not everyone has a Black Hole!
Click to expand...

Your experience interests me, as well, because I, too, have a Strat project in the planning stage, right now.

A thousand dollars is in the ballpark of what I was expecting to spend by the time all is said and done.

But, mine won’t be a black hole!

I’m considering a “white tuxedo” scheme, sort of as a companion to my LP Studio.


1571265853856.png

Or, maybe a Silverburst to match my Les Paul Custom...

1571267110752.png
But, to be honest...if I built one of these from the parts I want to use, I’d spend nearly as much as if I just ordered it through Fender’s Mod Shop. I made the images above using Fender’s Guitar Building tool.

Hmmm.....so, maybe a thousand dollars isn’t in the ballpark, after all!

If I started saving now.....
 
smitty_p said:
Your experience interests me, as well, because I, too, have a Strat project in the planning stage, right now.

A thousand dollars is in the ballpark of what I was expecting to spend by the time all is said and done.

But, mine won’t be a black hole!

I’m considering a “white tuxedo” scheme, sort of as a companion to my LP Studio.


View attachment 33010
Click to expand...

The good thing is it didn't seem like I spent $1000. I built the guitar over time and upgraded things over time. I had no idea I spent that much until I added up the pieces
after I was completely finished and satisfied!

It still needs a good set up, but I'm too busy with the horn.
 
I built a Super Strat....24.75" scale, Tuxedo Theme with a Floyd Rose...

Von Herndon Number 1.jpg

Von Herndon #1 Fretboard.jpg

Von Herndon #1.jpg

Von Herndon First One.jpg

....Now, I know i can do it, but i don't have the desire to build anything else - it interferes with my practice and performance regiment.

But, i do love my custom double neck with my stage name on the headstocks and custom serialization...

FB_IMG_1556224768518.jpg

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But from here on out, I would much rather buy a quality instrument that I can perform with immediately without needing to devote time to repairs/customization...
 
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smitty_p said:
Your experience interests me, as well, because I, too, have a Strat project in the planning stage, right now.

A thousand dollars is in the ballpark of what I was expecting to spend by the time all is said and done.

But, mine won’t be a black hole!

I’m considering a “white tuxedo” scheme, sort of as a companion to my LP Studio.


View attachment 33010

Or, maybe a Silverburst to match my Les Paul Custom...

View attachment 33015
Click to expand...

I've done the conservative approach, but I really like the more ornate guitars. What about a transparent quilted top???

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