Stratocaster

[farisdayoff]

So a buddy of mine knows I started making pens. He's a big guitar guy and had a strat body lying around that someone did a hack job refinishing. Solid curly maple, and who ever this genius was stained it in this terrible pinkish purple stain.

He had started sanding it to refinish it had about 10 hours into it and was still a LONG way to go. Gave up and its been sitting in his garage ever since.

Untill the other day, when he drops it of at my place and says here cut this up and make me a pen.

At first I said hell no, let me take a crack at refinishing it for you and you can slap a neck and electronics in it and sell it. He's rather instant that he wants me to cut it up. lol.

Have any of you done this before? I'm sure it will make a pretty pen or bottle stopper. And would be a good conversation piece I'd imagine for selling them.

 

[Andrew_K99]

There are lots of options on refinishing it, cutting it up would be a last resort if there was unrepairable damage.

AK

 

[farisdayoff]

I realize that. And like I said, I don't want to cut it up. I'd much rather re-finish it.

 

[alamocdc]

Unless the body was significantly damaged, I wouldn't be cutting up a strat. I'd try to bleach the stain that won't come off with light sanding, and cover the remainder with a proper stain and refinish. But that's just me.

 

[Haynie]

If it is a real strat don't cut it up. If he is insistent go get a small piece of curly maple make a pen then fix the strat. After you are done give him the strat back and tell him you could not murder it.

 

[thewishman]

The owner obviously knows the value of the guitar and wants a pen made from it. Who else would have a Strat pen? Give him what he wants and asked for. What a great story for him to share!

 

[skiprat]

LOL, here is my version of a Fender Strat Pen

Instead of making a Strat look like a pen, why not make a pen look like a Strat, like I did:biggrin:
In that thread I even show you how to do it:wink:

I wouldn't cut up a real working instrument as any nice grain would be lost on a pen and it would probably look dull. IMHO:wink:

 

[Steve Busey]

How about: cut an inch out of the middle lengthwise, glue in a replacement curly maple block, then fit refinish. That way he can still get a pen from the heart of the original body and have most of the original guitar to boot, with most of the replacement block covered by the fretboard, strings and pickups!
:laugh:

 

[ghostrider]

Curly maple isn't exactly a rare commodity.

 

[Andrew_K99]

Curly maple isn't exactly a rare commodity.

No, but in the shape of a strat body it isn't cheap. Have a look [here] for price ranges.

The body could be bleached and stained a dark colour and put back into service. Sanding it away probably isn't the best approach at this point.

AK

 

[farisdayoff]

I'm pretty sure that it isn't an actual fender. We aren't talking like a pre-cbs vintage piece or anything.

Like thewishman up there said, he knows the value of it.

Be cool to do a few and put them in those guitar case pen boxes.

 

[farisdayoff]

Also it's not a working guitar. there are no electronics and no neck. He had just bought the body as a project guitar.

 

[PenMan1]

A (real) Fender Strat body is made from Alder Ash. Those pieces were specifically selected because of the hardness of the wood and LACK of grain, to make the wood ""invisable" when the instrument is finished. The FEW exceptions to the Alder body is the "flame maple" tops, and those bodies are priceless (even damaged ones) to guitar collectors and luthiers. The Ash Stratocaster body will make an AWFUL looking pen with no definition or character. DAMHIKT!

 

[ghostrider]

Curly maple isn't exactly a rare commodity.

No, but in the shape of a strat body it isn't cheap. Have a look [here] for price ranges.

The body could be bleached and stained a dark colour and put back into service. Sanding it away probably isn't the best approach at this point.

AK

That was my point. Why destroy something like that just to make a pen out of a material that is easy to find? (it would be nice to see pics BTW.)

Let's see. $200+ strat sacrificed to come up with a $1 pen blank. I can understand if the guy just wants to be able to say that, "My pen came from a strat.", but ...:befuddled:

 

[dexter0606]

As Andy said, a Fender Strat is typically either ash or alder body. And solid maple isn't a common wood used for an electric guitar body. Are you sure it's not just a veneer?
If it is solid maple chances are, IMO, that it would be just a cheap strat style copy.

 

[MrWright]

Building a Strat' isn't that hard. Do like the others say, make him a super curly maple pen, make a decal picture of the Strat' and CA finish it. Go ahead and clean out the area for the electrics and laquer it Black, with CoCoBolo Fret Board. Then you both can be happy.

 

[chriselle]

OK...I'm a guitar builder and I dabble in pens, too..:wink: Post a picture of the body. There is no such thing as a curly maple guitar. As Andy mentioned the curly maple is just a cap and it's usually over ash, alder or basswood. The cap isn't thick enough to turn into a pen so you'll be turning just a bland piece of tone wood. Again, post a pic.

IF...it is solid curly maple..... cut it up because I guarantee it sounds like dead dog and weighs a ton unless it's chambered. Again, find out for sure. Just look in the neck pocket or electronics route.

 

[PenMan1]

If you can send me the serial under the chrome finish plate where the neck attaches to the body, I can likely tell you exactly which wood it is.

This number should be tattooed into the body.

 

[PenMan1]

Does it look like this?

If the "curly maple" guitar looks like my 1962 flame maple Strat, you should charge about $25,000 for the pen. Mine IS pristine, but $25k won't buy it. The pot controls have yellowed a bit, but I'll bet you won't find another 50 year old guitar that looks better Notice the original hang tags in the case

 

[Dalecamino]

I built a Telecaster a couple of years ago, with Chriselles guidance. Been wanting to build a Strat since then. And, you talk about cutting one up?

I'd like to see pictures also.

 

[Dalecamino]

Dang Andy!! 'at's PURDY!!!:biggrin:

 

[PenMan1]

I built me a tele, too, Chuck. I'll see if I can get a photo of it. I used "flip flop" Imeron paint on it. It's hard to photo.

 

[PenMan1]

My 1995 Custom

I made this tele back in 1995. It was my second electric build. One of those bands from Athens, GA (where I lived and played music at the time) that bites the heads off of live bats and stuff, wanted to use it in an MTV video. I saw where and how they lived and said "no thanks"

This one changes colors under stage lights (flip flop paint). This was my second electric guitar build. I still like it. It plays like a dream.

 

[Dalecamino]

Awesome work Andy. Maybe this will detour our friend from cutting up the Strat body. :wink:

 

[chriselle]

If the "curly maple" guitar looks like my 1962 flame maple Strat, you should charge about $25,000 for the pen. Mine IS pristine, but $25k won't buy it. The pot controls have yellowed a bit, but I'll bet you won't find another 50 year old guitar that looks better Notice the original hang tags in the case

Hey Andy, Is that an original '62?? The reason I ask is I have never seen a flame top AND/OR a tobacco burst from a '62.....If it is you have a very VERY rare and special guitar there. Every single burst I have seen of a 62 is the standard 3 color sunburst (for that year). I would love to know more about it.