Suggestions, old body, new build(first build)

Found this body down in the basement, I bought it about 20 years ago for $20.
First question is what to do about the rout and repair that was there when I bought it.

I'm not much of a woodworker but have access to an experienced friend with a shop.

If I can fix the tremolo rout, then I could use a template to figure out the rout in back of the guitar.

I want to have a whammy bar, but I'm sure it would be much easier to build a hardtail version.

What do you think?

am i wrong that this one has had a floyd routing?

personaly i would go 1 of 2 ways
ore route a recktangle complety to the back end of the body an glue in another contrasting peace of wood like mahogani.

ore make a wood block that big to cover from the pickup cavity to the end of the old block.
wider than the old on , rout it out and glue the new on in.

I've done a few of these conversions over the years. That is a Kahler style trem rout from the looks of it. They only go down an inch or so deep. Have your buddy rout out a larger rectangle down into some fresh wood. He can then make a matching plug to cover the entire area. You can then put on a hardtail bridge easily. The hardest part of that would be drilling string and ferrule holes.
A decal of some type will cover most of the rout to hide the new wood if you aren't going to repaint it.
Marty

I've done a few of these conversions over the years. That is a Kahler style trem rout from the looks of it. They only go down an inch or so deep. Have your buddy rout out a larger rectangle down into some fresh wood. He can then make a matching plug to cover the entire area. You can then put on a hardtail bridge easily. The hardest part of that would be drilling string and ferrule holes.
A decal of some type will cover most of the rout to hide the new wood if you aren't going to repaint it.
Martyif one would use a topmount topload bridge even the drilling problem is gone

I would get a tune o matic roller bridge which is pretty straight forward to fit and have a bigsby as a trem. bigsbys are very easy to fit, You just need to make sure everything lines up, although the neck may need to be shimmed but that is a very easy job.

You may need to have a bigger area routed where that piece of wood is and have it filled with a piece that will fill the whole hole, as the little hole at the top looks to deep to be filled with filler. the bit just above the bridge pup route could be left as there will be a pickguard over it.

Great suggestions, I'd like to try and install a conventional whammy, but maybe that's a bad idea. I would like to go string through, but again if you think that's a bad idea considering the fixes, I would go with a Bigsby.

Here's what I'm wondering-

Could I rout out a larger area, then fill it with a block as suggested. I will be painting this (surf green with rosewood neck), so hopefully you wont see all this carnage.

Then do you think I can rout out a normal tremolo area through the body and in back assuming I have a template and skilled partner?

Or, because of the "Kahler style" rout and repair should I forget a conventional whammy bar all together?

Thanks again for your help.

not to be rude, but if i see you want a normal strat config, why not buy a eden body.
if your friend works for free, than you can't beat the price but if you have to pay for routing and fixing a woodblock into it, routing again for the wammy, i would go for a eden body because it is verry time consuming.
but it can be done.

you have to figure out where srewa of the sixpoint wammy has to go.
is that the spot between the hole and the first pickup cavity ?
than there is no problem, but would the srews have to be on the place where the hole is, than you have a serious problem.

but also that can be fixed, but takes al lot of work and time

Makes sense, thanks for the help

use one of these man
http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1lg/0577/Schaller_Non-Tremolo_Roller_Bridge_Detail.jpg
its a schaller roller bridge - very easy to install and they work really good

Great suggestions, I'd like to try and install a conventional whammy, but maybe that's a bad idea. I would like to go string through, but again if you think that's a bad idea considering the fixes, I would go with a Bigsby.

Here's what I'm wondering-

Could I rout out a larger area, then fill it with a block as suggested. I will be painting this (surf green with rosewood neck), so hopefully you wont see all this carnage.

Then do you think I can rout out a normal tremolo area through the body and in back assuming I have a template and skilled partner?

Or, because of the "Kahler style" rout and repair should I forget a conventional whammy bar all together?

Thanks again for your help.


David Gilmour did it on his black Strat, there's no reason you can't. With enough filler and with the oles cut right, there's no reason why you couldn't fit a standard tremolo.

David Gilmour did it on his black Strat, there's no reason you can't. With enough filler and with the oles cut right, there's no reason why you couldn't fit a standard tremolo.

Filler???? That will never work. Wood MUST be glued in.

What I meant was that with enough good filling and sanding you'd never know there was ever a routing there.

He's one more option I'm considering; What about a Jazzmaster tremolo?
The rout looks about right, assuming I could find the right place for the rout it might work.

Whats wrong with removing the block and putting a Kahler in it?

Another good idea. I don't know anything about them, but maybe it's time to learn.

They're a cam system with roller saddles. Had one on a Les Paul copy I had. She got stolen, but I loved that trem

any news on this?

any updates?

Yeah, any updates? That body looks really nice, just a little cleaning up on the bridge pickup routing and bore out for a real tremolo, the only option as i see it.