New Guitar Day (Page 2 of 2)

Russell, we're seeing the exact same pressures on "Made in Canada" ... the whole thing is consumer driven. A free market economy is the purest form of democracy there is. On a moment by moment basis, we consumers vote on our supplier of choice with our $$$. If we tell the market place that lower prices (regardless of country of origin) are more important than domestic production values, then they get the votes i.e., money.

Savvy consumers will go to the next level, to make sure the quality + price = best value. Or they may be motivated by more wholistic factors, like buying local, ethical sourcing, sustainable production practices, etc. Unfortunately, a great many consumers only look at the price tag, and don't bother to educate themselves about the quality issues. For most people today - dealing with limited disposable income - hard choices often have to be made, involving a compromise of some sort. Those consumers will almost always opt for a lower price at the expense of quality, because they cannot afford the better one.

So that's my "macro economic" rant. In short, each of us as consumers is responsible for the dwindling domestic manufacturing sector. However, we pretty much had limited options ... it's that simple.

Ok a follow up I am ordering the Jeff Beck Fender hot pickups, Fender tuners and a maple neck total cost to update this puppy is $216.00 which includes free shipping I can use the existing wiring (I have the wiring diagram) that should complete the deal basically I will have a new strat without the name Fender on the headstock,  who cares

I changed the strings to regular Slinkys I like the sustain and increase in volume I did some adjustments to the string height, intonation truss rod and removed a spring from the tremolo system and put some Guitar grease on the saddles and nut I will be happy when the new tuners and neck arrive the frets are too small for my tastes

The wiring harness was out of stock so I had to order the 250k pots,orange drop capacitor and selector switch I may also have to replace the existing wiring so in effect I am assembling a guitar to my specifications the list of parts include

maple neck
Fender locking tuners
Wilkerson tremolo
body
3 pickups (wiring diagram included)
new pots and wire
I orange drop capacitor

I can use the existing string trees and neck mounting screws back plate and chrome input cover but that's all I am going to video tape my progress and I have a friend who will assist me with the wiring so I don't mess it up the total cost of all the parts is in the $340 range but compared to the cost of a American built standard Stratocaster with my equipment ($1700.00) its a bargain it will be a fine instrument when completed
I decided to order three of these for the control knobs and today I mount the neck and tremolo still waiting for the last items a new 5 way switch and chrome jack input cover these are the control knobs I am getting
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Chrome-Bell … p_154.html

Nice touch Russell,and nice price too!

You're going to have that Rondo "Strat" tricked out in real style, Russell ... can't wait to see the finished product. When you say the frets are too small, are you speaking of the distance between them (i.e., the scale length) or the height / size of the fretwires themselves?

Finely finished just have to set the intonation I played it a little WOW! those True coil tex pickups are really hot and the Wilkerson Tremolo is everything and more I took a lot of photos of the construction and I have some original music to add to it right now I have a miserable head cold so it will be a few days before I can assemble everything  record and edit the video but it was really a worthwhile project I love this guitar

This is how it got that way time and patience but its was worth all the work
https://plus.google.com/photos/11243624 … 4614692529

Thanks dino, I found out after I finished assembly the fun was just beginning I started putting it  together around noon and what I didn't know was there was a buzz on the 10th and 12th frets I checked the neck it was straight and true I adjusted the saddles to raise the string heights nothing seemed to work I took a wild shot I filed the 12th and 13th frets buzz gone! this let me lower the action to where I like it I am using regular Slinkys and the string height is about a credit card width from the bottom of the string to the frets I finshed everything about a half hour ago its 11:45 now long day but I am really pleased with the results those True coil Texas pickups are REALLY hot! love the tones I am using 250k pots instead of the 500k because there single coil and the treble would be way to much with the larger k pots it was a good day