1961 strat build.

Here is a 1957 factory tour advance to 10.47 to see how they painted a strat.


You can see the nails in the body that acted as legs to allow it to dry on a shelf.
You stand it on it's back ( on a small riser) paint the front and as soon as you can flip it on to the nails and paint the rest.
 
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Interesting stuff. I’m just in the process of having my 63 strat refinished. Lovely guitar but was re-finn’d in some awful plastic type finish in the 70’s. Here’s the stripped body:
 

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The whole wiring loom and pickups are original and intact. I have asked for the 3 way switch to be replaced with a 5 way and for the second tone pot to also control the bridge. I was advised against doing this but I’m doing it for myself, not to simply preserve a relic. Possibly a contentious point of view - any thoughts?

We thought it had been re-finn’d in polyester and would be a hell of a job to strip, but it was some weird plastic stuff that just broke off in large pieces and was 0.9mm thick and weighed 0.5lb!! It can’t look worse and surely has to sound even better with a proper thin nitro aged finish. I hope you don’t mind me posting, but it’s a really interesting thread and very timely from my perspective.
 

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The whole wiring loom and pickups are original and intact. I have asked for the 3 way switch to be replaced with a 5 way and for the second tone pot to also control the bridge. I was advised against doing this but I’m doing it for myself, not to simply preserve a relic. Possibly a contentious point of view - any thoughts?

We thought it had been re-finn’d in polyester and would be a hell of a job to strip, but it was some weird plastic stuff that just broke off in large pieces and was 0.9mm thick and weighed 0.5lb!! It can’t look worse and surely has to sound even better with a proper thin nitro aged finish. I hope you don’t mind me posting, but it’s a really interesting thread and very timely from my perspective.
A well done relic refinish and everything else stock guitar is still pretty collectible and holds value. BUT when a refinish is only the first in the list of replaced or altered parts the value drops considerably.
If the guitar is going to look right with the refinish and the rest is basically all there I would probably have to leave it stock.
Good luck with your refinish. You should start a thread and shows all how it goes and what you decide to do.
 
Interesting stuff. I’m just in the process of having my 63 strat refinished. Lovely guitar but was re-finn’d in some awful plastic type finish in the 70’s. Here’s the stripped body:
What does it weigh stripped ?
 
Here is a 1957 factory tour advance to 10.47 to see how they painted a strat.


You can see the nails in the body that acted as legs to allow it to dry on a shelf.
You stand it on it's back ( on a small riser) paint the front and as soon as you can flip it on to the nails and paint the rest.

Who spotted Abigail Ybarra?
 
This is such a cool build. I love seeing how you are approaching the research and implementation. Tasty stuff!
 
What does it weigh stripped ?

The stripped body is a hair under 4lbs and we reckon the finished guitar will be around 7 3/4 lbs, or just a bit under. I can’t wait to get it back, and your thread hasn’t helped my patience. ;)
 
This thread is making me want to build a Strat....

After my house sells, I’m buying one stupidly expensive guitar, most likely an older Silverburst LPC, after that, I’m just slapping a bunch of partscasters together. Andy and I already discussed my Gilmour CAR Strat replica, but I also have a huge hard-on for Joe Holmes/Mick Mars Strats with the CBS headstocks and a Floyd.
 
After my house sells, I’m buying one stupidly expensive guitar, most likely an older Silverburst LPC, after that, I’m just slapping a bunch of partscasters together. Andy and I already discussed my Gilmour CAR Strat replica, but I also have a huge hard-on for Joe Holmes/Mick Mars Strats with the CBS headstocks and a Floyd.
I like your approach. I bought a Silverburst also, because I felt everyone needs to own a Les Paul.....or at least I needed to :tonguewink: . I bought in 2007 and at the time had a MIM Fender strat and my first 'real' guitar - my Ibanez RG550 which I bought in '87. Those three pretty much cover all the bases. I've since added a few because I don't have any self discipline but that's a whole other issue.

I'm so envious of @Andy Eagle who seems to be able to build whatever he wants. I didn't see where Andy mentioned what pickup selection he's going with. I'm looking for pickup replacements for my strat and the suggestions are all over the place which have me more confused. I just want it to sound like a strat and I want the volume knob to function like we all expect.....not a muddy mess. Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread. I'm curious as to what pickups he will choose. I'll scroll back thru to see if he stated it already.

My bad - SD Antiquities. Are these true to the era or just a personal preference?
 
I like your approach. I bought a Silverburst also, because I felt everyone needs to own a Les Paul.....or at least I needed to :tonguewink: . I bought in 2007 and at the time had a MIM Fender strat and my first 'real' guitar - my Ibanez RG550 which I bought in '87. Those three pretty much cover all the bases. I've since added a few because I don't have any self discipline but that's a whole other issue.

I'm so envious of @Andy Eagle who seems to be able to build whatever he wants. I didn't see where Andy mentioned what pickup selection he's going with. I'm looking for pickup replacements for my strat and the suggestions are all over the place which have me more confused. I just want it to sound like a strat and I want the volume knob to function like we all expect.....not a muddy mess. Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread. I'm curious as to what pickups he will choose. I'll scroll back thru to see if he stated it already.

My bad - SD Antiquities. Are these true to the era or just a personal preference?

Yeah, I just figure if I have some cash to throw around, it’s not a terrible investment piece that I’ll be able to play because I won’t be buying one in mint condition. 15-20 years down the road who knows what they’ll be going for.

Andy’s no joke, man. I’ve gotten to enjoy his wisdom on forums/FB for quite some time. He ruffles some feathers here and there, but the dude is a wealth of knowledge and doesn’t fuck around.
 
I like your approach. I bought a Silverburst also, because I felt everyone needs to own a Les Paul.....or at least I needed to :tonguewink: . I bought in 2007 and at the time had a MIM Fender strat and my first 'real' guitar - my Ibanez RG550 which I bought in '87. Those three pretty much cover all the bases. I've since added a few because I don't have any self discipline but that's a whole other issue.

I'm so envious of @Andy Eagle who seems to be able to build whatever he wants. I didn't see where Andy mentioned what pickup selection he's going with. I'm looking for pickup replacements for my strat and the suggestions are all over the place which have me more confused. I just want it to sound like a strat and I want the volume knob to function like we all expect.....not a muddy mess. Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread. I'm curious as to what pickups he will choose. I'll scroll back thru to see if he stated it already.

My bad - SD Antiquities. Are these true to the era or just a personal preference?
They are within the range of output that fender made and I like the tone of alnico 2, so not strictly accurate but they sound it.
 
I have asked for the 3 way switch to be replaced with a 5 way and for the second tone pot to also control the bridge.
They're useful changes and are easily reverted. No big deal. Just get the original 3-way back.

We thought it had been re-finn’d in polyester and would be a hell of a job to strip...
Years ago I had an ES-345 with PAFs in it that someone had taken to a van paint shop and had a van mural sprayed on the back, pin stripping on the front, and then they used some terrible lacquer paint on the neck that didn't cure right so it was always soft and sticky. They used enamel paint and it was absolutely fugly and weighed a ton. I sold it soon after. :-/
 
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Haven't decided whether or not to clear coat this as most of the ones I see in this colour are not (some are though.)
At the bottom of this article you can see a typical early fiesta red, sealer, white primer then red with no clear.
Common later is the yellow stain directly on the wood ( inner sunburst colour) nitro sealer (63 onward Fullerplast) then colour. Most late 62/3 have no clear if they could avoid it (ie flat custom colours).

Edit; I forgot to put the link in.(sorry)
http://www.guitarhq.com/59strat.html
 
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