Manchester Guitar Tech
I’m building a Stratocaster using this beautiful one-piece ash body from GuitarBuild.co.uk. It is made from Phil’s special order only premium wood stock and weighs just 3½ pounds. I’m expecting the finished guitar to weigh in at about 6½ pounds (about 3kg). This premium wood might cost a little more but this is one of the nicest …
Here’s another recent build, again with a body from Phil at GuitarBuild.co.uk. This time it’s a commission for a customer, using a supplied neck. The pickups are from TV Jones, with two “Classics” in neck and bridge and a “Magnatron” in the middle position, selected by a 5-way switch. Each pickup has its own volume …
I’ve recently finished this La Cabronita style build, using yet another body from GuitarBuild.co.uk. It’s pretty much Fender specification, down to the USA Standard Stratocaster hardtail bridge, pearl button tuners and of course, TV Jones Powertron pickups. Rather than the S1 switch, I have used a normal push-push pot to bring in a tone circuit …
This guitar was built on commission from a customer. It features a two-piece ash body from Guitarbuild, an AllParts V-profile neck and P-90 pickups from Wizard Pickups. The body is finished in my dark “53” Butterscotch lacquer, and body and neck have clear satin lacquer top coats for a silky smooth feel.
I put this guitar together today for a customer. The body is from guitarbuild.co.uk and the owner finished it using my Butterscotch nitrocellulose lacquer. I fitted the Joe Barden pickups, with the bridge mounted to the body, G E Smith style. There is a 4-way switch fitted, giving in-series as well as in-parallel pickup combinations, …
I had a request to make one of these so made a few whilst I was at it! These pickguards are made from “Bakelite” sheet and lacquered in clear gloss nitrocellulose . They’re made to fit replicas of Leo Fender’s 1949 “Snake head” prototype that he used to take around to clubs for artist to …
I’m building myself a “La Cabronita” style guitar in black, with a very nice one-piece alder body from Phil at GuitarBuild.co.uk. I can’t stress enough the need for thorough preparation for a guitar finish to turn out well. Black lacquer is very reflective and shows every defect, so it is especially important here. Sanding sealer …
I received an email from a customer who has used my lacquer create tributes to a couple of Van Halen style guitars. Here’s what he wrote: Hi Steve,I finally finished my Van Halen guitars, painted with Nitrocellulose lacquer that you supplied. I attach a couple of pictures, as I promised I would when they were …
Here is the Telecaster assembled. I’ve used the bridge from a Fender USA 62 Reissue, Fender jack cup, AllParts parchment ‘guard and some great sounding hot AlNiCo V pickups from The Creamery. I’m considering giving it the freezer treatment once the lacquer has hardened sufficiently.
Preparation Finishing alder is much easier than painting an ash body as the wood is more tightly grained. The reduction in finishing costs is why Fender used alder bodies for their solid colours and sunbursts from the late fifties. As with any wood however, preparation is absolutely fundamental to achieving a good result. If you …