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aowen
April 6th, 2012, 08:25 AM
Hi folks,
I've been looking for a guitar forum to join since assembling my own custom guitar and this seemed like the most appropriate one after I got a lot of the information I need right here. So first off, thank you to everyone here for all the great advice.
The guitar is a mirror image of the one that Hendrix played at the Newport Pop festival in Devonshire Downs in 1969. I've got a lot of very nice professionally built guitars, but I was always curious to see what the deal was with a reversed strat. The answer is, as I suspected, it's better to just use a reverse headstock. But it was a fun project and it is a unique guitar (until someone else builds another one).
Given that I'm not a luthier, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on the project. The starting point was a lefty Indiana strat that I got for US$99. By the end I'll have spent about US$475, but probably about half of that was shipping to the UK and UK tax (they even tax the shipping).
So here are the specs of the finished instrument:
Model Name: IE1-L-WT
Color: White
Body: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster (left hand reversed)
Body Finish: No idea but it's thick and fairly tough.
Neck Shape: Telecaster C shape (left hand reversed)
Number of Frets: 22 (jumbo)
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Neck Material: Quater Sawn Maple (maple cap)
Neck Finish: Satin Urethane
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Headstock: Mirror Image Decal
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt Neck Plate
Truss Rod Nut: No idea. Can't get at it without taking the neck off anyway.
Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Indiana Spitfire (crap, like the original 60s ones)
Middle Pickup: Indiana Spitfire (but it does sound vintage)
Bridge Pickup: Indiana Spitfire (and the cavities are individually routed)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Special Electronics: None, but I'm going to shield the cavities with kitchen foil.
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1, Tone 2
Hardware: Chrome
Tuners: Vintage Inline (left handed)
Bridge: Vintage Synchronized Tremolo (the body hardware is all original)
String Nut: Genuine Bone
Switch Tip: White Switch Tip:
Tremolo Arm/Handle: American Vintage Tremolo Arm
Truss Rod Wrench: 1/8" Hex (Allen) Wrench
Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench: .050" Hex (Allen) Wrench
Strings: Ernie Ball 10-46 pure nickel Rock'n'Roll (closest I could get to 10-38s)
Unique Features: I've re-reversed the bridge pickup back into the standard position using a custom pick-guard.
Control Knobs: White Plastic Knobs
Given that Fender never built a strat with a reversed tele neck, I think I got a pretty good deal for the money.
So how does it play? Well surprisingly well. I modified the neck to fit the pocket and I've got it properly intonated. The action is pretty low, but with no buzz. The reverse headstock and jumbo frets do make it slightly easier to bend the strings (I don't use the trem so I don't really care that it's in the wrong place). I find the reverse body quite comfortable. My only gripe is that the control knobs do get in the way a bit. I've never owned a telecaster but I've played a few over the years and there's definitely a telecaster-ish feel to this guitar.
I plan on using this guitar for gigging as insuring my professionally built guitars would be prohibitive. I know you all want to see the photos but I'm still waiting for the custom pickguard to arrive (with the re-reversed bridge pickup slot ... the cavity is for a humbucker so I don't need to do any routing). When it's finished I'll take some high quality shots.
-Andrew
I've been looking for a guitar forum to join since assembling my own custom guitar and this seemed like the most appropriate one after I got a lot of the information I need right here. So first off, thank you to everyone here for all the great advice.
The guitar is a mirror image of the one that Hendrix played at the Newport Pop festival in Devonshire Downs in 1969. I've got a lot of very nice professionally built guitars, but I was always curious to see what the deal was with a reversed strat. The answer is, as I suspected, it's better to just use a reverse headstock. But it was a fun project and it is a unique guitar (until someone else builds another one).
Given that I'm not a luthier, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on the project. The starting point was a lefty Indiana strat that I got for US$99. By the end I'll have spent about US$475, but probably about half of that was shipping to the UK and UK tax (they even tax the shipping).
So here are the specs of the finished instrument:
Model Name: IE1-L-WT
Color: White
Body: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster (left hand reversed)
Body Finish: No idea but it's thick and fairly tough.
Neck Shape: Telecaster C shape (left hand reversed)
Number of Frets: 22 (jumbo)
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)
Neck Material: Quater Sawn Maple (maple cap)
Neck Finish: Satin Urethane
Nut Width: 1.650” (42 mm)
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Headstock: Mirror Image Decal
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt Neck Plate
Truss Rod Nut: No idea. Can't get at it without taking the neck off anyway.
Pickup Configuration: S/S/S
Bridge Pickup: Indiana Spitfire (crap, like the original 60s ones)
Middle Pickup: Indiana Spitfire (but it does sound vintage)
Bridge Pickup: Indiana Spitfire (and the cavities are individually routed)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup
Special Electronics: None, but I'm going to shield the cavities with kitchen foil.
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1, Tone 2
Hardware: Chrome
Tuners: Vintage Inline (left handed)
Bridge: Vintage Synchronized Tremolo (the body hardware is all original)
String Nut: Genuine Bone
Switch Tip: White Switch Tip:
Tremolo Arm/Handle: American Vintage Tremolo Arm
Truss Rod Wrench: 1/8" Hex (Allen) Wrench
Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench: .050" Hex (Allen) Wrench
Strings: Ernie Ball 10-46 pure nickel Rock'n'Roll (closest I could get to 10-38s)
Unique Features: I've re-reversed the bridge pickup back into the standard position using a custom pick-guard.
Control Knobs: White Plastic Knobs
Given that Fender never built a strat with a reversed tele neck, I think I got a pretty good deal for the money.
So how does it play? Well surprisingly well. I modified the neck to fit the pocket and I've got it properly intonated. The action is pretty low, but with no buzz. The reverse headstock and jumbo frets do make it slightly easier to bend the strings (I don't use the trem so I don't really care that it's in the wrong place). I find the reverse body quite comfortable. My only gripe is that the control knobs do get in the way a bit. I've never owned a telecaster but I've played a few over the years and there's definitely a telecaster-ish feel to this guitar.
I plan on using this guitar for gigging as insuring my professionally built guitars would be prohibitive. I know you all want to see the photos but I'm still waiting for the custom pickguard to arrive (with the re-reversed bridge pickup slot ... the cavity is for a humbucker so I don't need to do any routing). When it's finished I'll take some high quality shots.
-Andrew