SRV Project Diary

[bluesblooded]

Hi everyone,

In this thread I will share how I did my two SRV #1 replica.

As you will see, the second one is better than the first. Nevertheless, I will detail as much as possible with pictures. Feel free to ask any questions you might have on this project. I will try to answer them as they come.

At first, I wanted my guitar to sound and look like the Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan's artist series Stratocaster.

srv.jpg (18.99 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

My budget was rahther limited. So I bought a used Sunburst Squier Bullet with a rosewood neck that I've paid 75$. I was honestly surprised by the quality of this guitar. Maybe I was lucky. Nevertheless this was a decent guitar for 75$

1.JPG (51.43 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

I then purchased Custom Shop Texas Special Pickups on Ebay, A black Fender 57 pickguard, an SRV decal and some Fender American Standard chrome tuning keys. Finally, I decided to change all the electronics of the guitar, so I got a Fender 5 way switch and CTS pots.

2.JPG (48 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

3.JPG (52.92 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

4.JPG (61.95 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

5.JPG (51.77 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

The first step was completed. My budget was entirely spent. I played six months with this guitar and was very satsified of the sound of the guitar. Of course, I was far from what I was aiming for. But it was a start.

6.JPG (60.91 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

8.JPG (60.39 KiB) Viewed 19513 times

I will post other steps as soon as I can over the next few days.

[bluesblooded]

One of my friends was telling me from the start of my transformation that I should go all the way and replicate the Number One guitar, not the Signature stratocaster. Never I answered him.

Sometime around the middle of june 2009, this friend bought a Fender Custom shop Rory Gallagher Tribute Strat.

rg1.jpg (60.37 KiB) Viewed 19507 times

Well at that point, the idea of getting my strat to look worn out like Stevie's was making its way into my head. Honestly, what did I have to loose. I did pay only 75$ for the guitar. In the worst case scenario, I would still have my fully loaded pickguard I could install on another guitar.

So I decided to look around the web to collect pictures that would help me make a good replica.

In 2004, Fender Custom Shop created a 100 replicas of SRV's Number One Guitar. They sold them 10 000$ each. Today some are for sale at prices that varies between 50 000$ et 60 000$. Here is what I was now aiming for :

2.jpg (62.67 KiB) Viewed 19507 times

4.jpg (65.25 KiB) Viewed 19507 times

5.jpg (62.86 KiB) Viewed 19507 times

[VikingBlues]

I see what you mean about your electrics / pups / tuning keys being the jewels of the guitar as first built. Having a fully loaded pickguard on a strat does make it much easier to transfer the hardware to a new body.

I think, if its within your budget, it's useful to have some part(s) of the build that are around the quality you're hoping to end up at. The thought of having to upgrade everything sounds too much like hard work.

Some prices those for the SRV Customs! Classic supply and demand I suppose - big demand, small supply, price skyrockets. There seem to be so many limited edition specials recently - I can't help but feeling the customers being ripped off.

Thanks for posting these - very interesting and looking forward to seeing the full story unfolding.

[bluesblooded]

Thanks for posting these - very interesting and looking forward to seeing the full story unfolding.

I'm glad your enjoying it so far.


The transformation now begins. I started by messuring the size of an actuall Stratocaster body to create a template of the body. I then took the best high quality picture I had found on the net and loaded it into photoshop. I resized the image of the body to the actual size of a strat body. I then splited the image in 4 parts that I printed. I assembled the images togheter than cut the template I used on my body.

1.JPG (53.14 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

2.JPG (64 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

With the use of double faced tape, I installed the template over the body of my Squier.

3.JPG (64.45 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

With a Dremel rotating tool, I outlined the template. (You can see on the picture above the sanding a line in the finish, this is the mark left by the dremel)

4.JPG (70.36 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

I then used a sander to remove the biggest part and finalize with the dremel. Finaly I removed the glossy of the finish with steel wool size 000.

5.JPG (82.7 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

6.JPG (50.93 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

7.JPG (42.37 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

Now, starts the application of the color. I first applied a coat of pre-tint to make sure the actual tint goes in evenly.

8.JPG (80.75 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

Then I applied a custom tint "Charcoal Grey".

9.JPG (78.17 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

10.JPG (84.83 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

[bluesblooded]

Horror, It came out Blue Gray instead of an old charcoal look.

11.JPG (78.83 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

I this point, I decided to apply a brown colored tint. I'm not happy with the result. It seems like the pre-tint stuff is not doing it's job properly. The tint did not set in the wood.

12.JPG (86.31 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

13.JPG (73.67 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

I let it dried but the result was way to pale. The day after, I decided to buy ebony tint and apply a lot. After many coats of tint, I finallly got the look I wanted. It now looks like an old dirty guitar.

14.JPG (63.2 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

15.JPG (63.39 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

16.JPG (71.92 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

17.JPG (66.81 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

18.JPG (68.2 KiB) Viewed 19475 times

Next step tomorrow.
Take care!

[Golfxzq]

BluesBlooded.... A very interesting project indeed. It takes a lot of guts to take a perfectly great looking guitar and abuse it like this to get a specific look. It is amazing to me that some people are paying so much for a copy of the #1SRV, so it looks like you are actually adding value... especially since you got such a great deal on the original guitar. I like your idea of making a template so that you could reproduce the actual look, that seemed to work out very well.

Isn't it amazing how difficult a finish is to achieve? In my opinion, it is more difficult to get a desired look and finish than it is to build a project. In the end, it seems like you have reproduced the #1SRV look very closely.

I have a couple of questions... in photo #1 and #3 I would like to know a little more about the (aluminum?) shielding beneath the selector switch and pots. Was this original, something which came with the new electrical, or something you added yourself? Is it for grounding?

Also, what size capacitors did you use and how did you decide on your selection?

Great post... keep it coming.

[12bar]

It takes a lot of guts to take a perfectly great looking guitar and abuse it like this to get a specific look.

Agree - I would never do that to one of my guitars , maybe because I'm not a fan of "artificial worn out" looks.

Anyway, the way you did it is great and the result looks perfect!

And compared to my Sheraton a strat is really a great guitar for mods. It's so easy to disassemble and put it together again...

[VikingBlues]

Woweeee!

Brave man - not to mention patient and determined.

It's great to see the way it takes shape with such a detailed photo record. As has been said the template idea was a brainwave.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

[bluesblooded]

I have a couple of questions... in photo #1 and #3 I would like to know a little more about the (aluminum?) shielding beneath the selector switch and pots. Was this original, something which came with the new electrical, or something you added yourself? Is it for grounding?

Also, what size capacitors did you use and how did you decide on your selection?

Thanks Goldfxzq.
It's some kind of aluminium tape that my luthier gave me to ground the electronic and reduce hum. The pots are CTS 250k(that you probably knew already), but unfortunately, I dont know the value of the capacitor as it was given to me by my luthier when I bought the pots and volume. Sorry.

[bluesblooded]

maybe because I'm not a fan of "artificial worn out" looks.

Thanks 12Bar, I agree with you. "Artificial worn out" looks... artificial. Although Fender makes pretty nice road worn guitars, they basically look all the same. But I really like the fact that a guitar looks like it as been played a lot. To get an original worn out guitar would be a dream but they are out of my price range. And I have to face it, today's guitar finish will take more hours of playing to worn them out than I have left. So what can a poor man do?

[bluesblooded]

It's great to see the way it takes shape with such a detailed photo record. As has been said the template idea was a brainwave.

Thanks VB, I had an even better idea for a template the second time around. You'll see

[12bar]

And I have to face it, today's guitar finish will take more hours of playing to worn them out than I have left.

Exactly. If I polish my guitar it looks like new. No signs of heavy use
In order to look like a true worn out guitar you have to play several hours each and every day, be on the road, doing gigs - nothing a hobby player like me can do.

[vancouverois]

Great technique for relicing the finish
Did you let the original Squier logo on the headstock or did you also relice it like SRV's #1?

[bluesblooded]

Great technique for relicing the finish
Did you let the original Squier logo on the headstock or did you also relice it like SRV's #1?

Hi Vancouverois, I replaced the neck. I will get to that shortly... keep reading...

[HalfBlindLefty]

And I have to face it, today's guitar finish will take more hours of playing to worn them out than I have left.

Exactly. If I polish my guitar it looks like new. No signs of heavy use
In order to look like a true worn out guitar you have to play several hours each and every day, be on the road, doing gigs - nothing a hobby player like me can do.

Or let the HalfbBlind-(bumping in to everything around)-one have it for a month

BTW: BluesBlooded, I admire the job on the guitar, just remind me I should not allow you close to my "first lady"

[bluesblooded]

BTW: BluesBlooded, I admire the job on the guitar, just remind me I should not allow you close to my "first lady"

HBL,If your not planning a trip to Canada anytime soon, your "first lady" should remain safe.

[bluesblooded]

Any good fan of Stevie Ray Vaughan knows that his guitar was fitted with a left handed tremolo in honor of Jimi Hendrix. This means that any self respecting replica requires a gold left handed tremolo bridge. So with the proceeds of the sale of an other guitar, I purchased a Fender Gold Left Hand Tremolo System on ebay

1.JPG (55.41 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

2.JPG (61.85 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

At this stage, to install the left handed bridge, I needed to fill out the six holes of the previous bridge and cut the body to suit the lefty bridge. I fitted the new bridge, drilled six new holes and installed properly.

3.JPG (63.5 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

4.JPG (82.05 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

5.JPG (57.68 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

6.JPG (48.23 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

I then fitted a small wood piece to the right of the bridge. I finally signed the back of guitar and applied a Custom decal under the bridge.

7.JPG (37.17 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

8.JPG (33.09 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

9.JPG (44.52 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

10.JPG (68.61 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

[bluesblooded]

With the benefits of the sale of an other guitar, I purchased all the missing parts I needed to complete the setup. After the Bridge, I received the neck that I bought at wdmusic.com.

1.JPG (37.12 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

I selected the SRVJUMBO model neck. It's a neck that has a 12 inches radius a rosewood fretboard and 21 jumbo frets. This is a Fender licensed neck. It also comes with a vintage yellow tint look.

2.JPG (36.84 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

3.JPG (34.71 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

My only deception, is that it is not a Fat C but a modern C shaped neck. I was expecting a fatter neck with a model name SRVJUMBO. Well my mistake. Nevertheless, this is beautiful neck well made and very straight with a truss rod at the heal of the neck.

4.JPG (38.1 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

5.JPG (30.48 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

[bluesblooded]

This is a really nice neck, but it looks way too good compared to the body. I now need to make this neck look old. Off I go with sanding paper 500 grit and an hour or so of rubbing. I then burned the headstock, smack it with a screwdriver and applied decals. I finally applied ebony tint on the wear to give it a vintage look and smeared some tint on the headstock and the heal.

8.JPG (29.04 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

9.JPG (46.85 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

10.JPG (43.23 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

11.JPG (45.81 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

12.JPG (41.54 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

13.JPG (37.25 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

To be honest, I was not happy with the back of the neck. After looking at several worn neck, none looked that way. I should have remove more of the finsih, not leave some finish all over the place. I really dont like the back of the neck. This would be have been a more convincing/natural wear.

rory_gallagher.jpg (41.02 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

Well I guess this is what "learning by your mistake " means...

[bluesblooded]

I ordered all the missing parts from guitarpartsresource.com and on Ebay

Here are some pics of the installation

1.jpg (45.89 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

2.jpg (50.32 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

3.jpg (35.67 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

4.jpg (31.14 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

5.jpg (54.89 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

6.jpg (50.07 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

7.jpg (51.3 KiB) Viewed 19418 times

8.jpg (48.19 KiB) Viewed 19418 times