# Strat weight with 4+ lb body?



## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

Howdy,
I had a great experience a few years ago building a Tele and have decided to tackle a hardtail Strat project. I don't yet have the body or neck but in doing some research most bodies seem to be in the 4.1 to 4.5 pound range. I've seen a few super light weight but they are not from my the suppliers that I prefer.
My plan is to put a maple neck on and what I am trying to figure out is with a body of say 4.2 pounds, what will the total weight of the guitar be when completed? I suppose I'd save some weight on the hardtail bridge but may be balanced out with the extra weight from lack of trem rout on the body.
Is there any rule of thumb as to what the neck, pickups and hardware weigh?
Thanks!
PS: Swamp ash is the preferred wood.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

hard to tell. a 4 pound swamp ash body would be kinda heavy. average swamp ash body might be close to 3 to 3.5 pounds. total weight for a hardtail would be between 6.5 and 7.5 pouds i'de say. Who is your supplier?


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

al3d said:


> Who is your supplier?


Well, I had great luck on my Tele with USA Custom Guitars. I also like what I hear about Musikraft. Any recommendations?


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ampaholic said:


> Well, I had great luck on my Tele with USA Custom Guitars. I also like what I hear about Musikraft. Any recommendations?


send me a PM..i can help you out to get better deals..


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## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

if i recall i think my swamp ash hardtail strat i built last summer the body was 4.1 lbs unfinished .the completed guitar was a good comfortable weight .just a little heavier than my alder body US fender strat


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

copperhead said:


> if i recall i think my swamp ash hardtail strat i built last summer the body was 4.1 lbs unfinished


Happy with the guitar? Where did you get the body?


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## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

i love the snappy sound .one thing is i find a ebony board a little bright
http://www.guitarscanada.com/guitar...5-new-hardtail-fender-stratocaster-build.html

shes lovely i was planning on swapping the tuners & bridge with gotoh hardware but its been a tough year but its comming real soon
haha it say it in the post she was around 4 &1/4 lbs


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

Wow! Looks great! I'm leaning towards a maple neck, which could be on the bright side too, but I'm after that snap in the wound strings.


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## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

i like maple for a fretboard on a maple neck,to me its a different kind of bright ,a little more pleasing sound than ebony . but nothing that a little roll of the tone knob cant fix


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## Leif H (Dec 16, 2009)

My tele body is 4.2lbs, I ended up at 7 lbs 1 oz
I did an esquire for my daughter out of African Mahogany, it ended up coming in at 6 lbs 9oz

A strat should come in at around the same, the rout's are bigger and the added pu's make that up.


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

Exactly what I wanted to know, thanks! Anything under 8 lbs is ok with me, assuming I've got a nice, lively, resonant guitar of course.


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