# Strat assembly for dummies...



## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Before I start putting my first Strat project together are there any special things I should do (or not do). I'm a newbie at this so tell me any and all tips. :smile:

I don't even know which order to assemble the parts. Neck first? 

Cheers!


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

If it comes out looking like this, you might have done something wrong:


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## martyb1 (Aug 5, 2007)

bobb said:


> If it comes out looking like this, you might have done something wrong:


Haha.......I like that:smilie_flagge17:


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

bobb said:


> If it comes out looking like this, you might have done something wrong:


That's kind of what I am afraid of.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Sneaky said:


> Before I start putting my first Strat project together are there any special things I should do (or not do). I'm a newbie at this so tell me any and all tips. :smile:
> 
> I don't even know which order to assemble the parts. Neck first?
> 
> Cheers!


Are you buying a kit, piecing it together from a bunch of separate parts that you sourced or are you starting from scratch i.e., building the neck and body? Are you finishing it yourself? Putting one together is pretty easy (except for the wiring if you've never soldered) but painting a guitar is difficult.

matt


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Are you buying a kit, piecing it together from a bunch of separate parts that you sourced or are you starting from scratch i.e., building the neck and body? Are you finishing it yourself? Putting one together is pretty easy (except for the wiring if you've never soldered) but painting a guitar is difficult.
> 
> matt


A bunch of parts... MIJ body, custom neck, Callaham trem & bridge, etc. Just looking for helpful hints from those who have put one together before. I realize it's not rocket science, but sometimes you can spend half a day putting something together and then realize that you did the first part wrong and you have to back up and start again. I'm just trying to avoid that. :smile:

Pete


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm sure everybody has thier own method.....but here's what works for me.

I mount the bridge first, get it all lined up and perfect (if the holes aren't already there). Then I mount the pickguard, get it perfect. I find I very often have to trim the pickguard around the neck to get a nice fit between the neck hole and the bridge. Once I'm happy there, I do the electronics on the pick gaurd, wire it all up and screw it down for good. Then I put the tuners on the neck, then mount the neck on the body.
I string it, and look how the strings line up at the base of the neck. If they're too far to one side, you can loosen the neck screws slightly and put pressure in the direction you need to go while re-tightening the screws.
After that, it's matter of doing a good set up. :smile:

If you're using parts from the same company (all Fender stuff for example) it ususally goes pretty smooth. If you're mixing parts, it can get pretty funky. You can end up shaving or shimming the neck pocket to get the neck at the right height or shaving the neck or pocket to get your scale right on.


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