2010 American Special Stratocaster® | Part 3

1 | 2 | Part 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Electronics Work

This post mainly highlights what was done to this American Special Stratocaster® electronics-wise . We'll start off with the owner's specific request that (i) the brass base/grounding plates be removed, (ii) the pickups be rewired with Gavitt wire; and (iii) the pots, switch, jack and hardware beyond saving be replaced.

And so out went the old electronics, and in went 100% Gavitt wiring, new CRL five-way switch, CTS 250K pots, 0.022uF tone cap, Switchcraft #11 jack socket, pickup tubing, miscellaneous screws; and a set of vintage-style bent steel saddles. Besides all this, the owner, desiring a "fresh new look," had me replace the stock off-white pickup covers, knobs; and switch tip with black ones.

Frankenstrat Partscaster Build

I was handed the components for this partscaster build in a cardboard box, no kidding. The beat-up natural-finished body was solid wood capped with an ash-like veneer on the front and back. The body cavities appeared to be shielded with conductive paint, but further inspection revealed that it was just plain old black paint.

The preloved 22-fret maple neck was scalloped and sported a '70s-style big headstock. Those decals? They were already on there when I got the neck. It was clearly another one of those notorious Chinese "replica" necks. Don't nobody sue me now, you hear? I just put parts together so my clients can have a guitar to play on.

The client had provided me with a battered white pickguard, new Chinese single-coil pickups with cream covers; and replica vintage-style tremolo bridge with bent steel (read: pot metal) saddles. Putting everything together took a very long time, with "measure ten times, drill once" being the word of the day. Basically, the whole process mirrored what I went through on the Candlewood Strat Kit Build.

The bottom of the pickguard was shielded with aluminium foil, and body cavities with conductive carbon paint. New electronic components included Alpha A250K pots, a K73-16 0.022uF cap, generic five-way selector switch; and NYS229 output jack socket. This guitar was strung with 10s, and required a little truss rod tweaking and neck pocket shim to get it playing like it should.