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xfatalherox
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Post subject: xFatalHerox's Budget Franky Build
 Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 06:51 AM
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Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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Hey guys. For years I've been wanting to build my own Frankenstrat and I have always been inspired and wow'ed by you guys on this board. Since I finally decided to take a hack at it, I chose to do it as cheap as possible considering its my first time building any sort of guitar. Here is the list of parts I chose:
Body - I went super cheap on this, but so far it looks good. There's some chinese seller on eBay who sells Basswood SSS Route bodies by the bulk. I managed to pick up 3 of them for 108$ shipped. Now what will I do with the remaining 2 you might ask? who knows! maybe build some more frankenstrats, maybe use them for another project, or possibly trade/sell them for gear lol. They arrived they looked pretty solid. Very clean, accurate routes. They already came sealed so they were ready to paint. This was my pick of the litter for this project
After a few minutes with the plunge router it came out lookin like this
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xfatalherox
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 07:00 AM
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Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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Before I delve into the neck, let me get to the rest of the parts. As I said I'm building this on the cheap, so my source for all my parts was random chinese sellers from the bay. I know I know sacreligous for a franky build, but hey I'm learnin 
Floyd - Went with a licensed floyd on this one from Dragonfire Guitar parts. Not too shabby lookin, had to sharpen the knife edges a bit with my dremel but other than that looks solid. - Cost: 36$
Pickup - Went with the GFS VEH. Heard great things, so I'm lookin forward to checkin it out. Cost: 35$
Pickguard, Tuners, Jack, Neck pickup, pots and knobs were all purchased for a total of about 20$ brand new, I kid you not lol. All on eBay.
The only thing I'm currently missing is the vintage CRL switch and the strap buttons, which should come soon |
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xfatalherox
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 07:20 AM
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Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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Now onto the neck, I decided to go with a GFS unfinished Strat neck, you know, one of those ones with a paddle headstock. Not bad for only 32 bucks! I havent actually gotten a chance to play it yet, but my impressions are pretty positive so far. Frets are pretty level for the most part, only one slightly high fret. Truss rod works, neck is pretty dead straight and no warpage. The only real downside is the fret ends are pretty sharp, but that can be taken care of. It is advertised as having a chunky profile, which got me worried it would be super fat like a baseball bat but it's more like a cross between a medium C and the EVH asymmetrical profile. Feels nice.
Here's a nice little template I drew up going off pictures as reference, you can see this in my other thread:
Cutting this sucker out was not something I wanted screw up on my own. Luckily my old man is a carpenter so he took it to work for a day and cut it out with a bandsaw and sanded it down with a drum sander. The end result is this
Still needs a bit of spot sanding to round out the edge but not too shabby.
Well in the process of learning with this whole guitar building stuff I already managed to screw up a couple of things lol.  Firstly, when tapping out the factory installed nut I hit it a bit too hard, causing a small piece of the fingerboard to be chipped out. No biggie though, I used some wood glue and put it back now its not really noticeable ha.
The other thing, I didn't realize the neck was drilled for 9mm tuner posts and I bought 10mm ones. Okay no big deal, I think to myself, I'll widen them no problem. Using a pencil and sandpaper on my hand drill I got to widening and I realize the holes came out lopsided with the back wider than the front. doh! After doing 5 holes I decided to stop and do it the right way. The tuners do fit now, but it's a really tight fit. So I picked me up a reamer and a round file for 5 bucks from my local harbor freight. This weekend I plan on getting that last hole widened as well as fixing up the other few than need help.
Other than that, The last thing I need to do for the neck is route for the Floyd Nut shelf, which I plan on doing this weekend. |
Last edited by xfatalherox on Apr 19, 2012 - 07:33 AM; edited 1 time in total
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xfatalherox
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 07:27 AM
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Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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Last night I got bored and placed all the parts on the body just to see what it would look like so far. I gotta say I'm getting excited! Still missing the Quarter ( which I have hidden safely) and the CRL switch. Oh and btw thats not the pickguard I'm gonna use, was just a practice one for cutting before I get to the real thing lol.
Yeah baby!
This weekend I'm gonna use my buddy's drill press and drill the neck and body holes as well as the holes for floyd posts. So I SHOULD have it in playing condition by next week. I'll keep you guys updated! |
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topsportsmanta1
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 01:43 PM
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Joined: May 17, 2011
Posts: 1042
Status: Offline
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| LOOKING GOD MAN KEEP THE PICTURES COMING!!!!! |
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nighto5150
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 01:52 PM
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Joined: Oct 27, 2011
Posts: 328
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| Looks great! Keep up the good work! |
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BoiledStrings
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 02:00 PM
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Joined: Aug 24, 2010
Posts: 214
Location: Maryland USA
Status: Offline
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Like that routing work! I think a "budget" Frank build is pretty interesting these days, since many of us delve into the Musikraft/KNE pieces to start and save time.
Need to use those other 2 bodies????? Hmmmmm.......Frank with Black Paint and White Pickguard, Frank with White/Black Stripes....possibilities are endless! |
_________________
"The turkeys are hitting the pavement like sacks of wet cement!"
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Nix5150
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 02:25 PM
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Joined: Aug 31, 2011
Posts: 1264
Location: indiana
Status: Offline
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I think its very cool your making one on a budget! I should have thought of that but it pays off to the builder when its all done. Keep up the great work!  |
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knisely
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 06:09 PM
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Joined: Sep 16, 2005
Posts: 554
Location: United States
Status: Offline
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| I think you're gonna end up loving that Guitar Fetish neck. I know I love mine! |
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Ya gotta take chances...
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xfatalherox
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 09:10 PM
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Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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Thanks for the comments guys.  Yeah I was considering going all out for a Musikraft/Kne build but like I said this being my first guitar build ever I didn't wanna risk ruining anything expensive lol. Plus I like to use my hands and do all the detailed work  |
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ECruz
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2012 - 11:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 28, 2010
Posts: 381
Status: Offline
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Very nice!
So, are you gonna cut the shelf for the Floyd locking nut? |
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Sc0rch
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 20, 2012 - 01:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 08, 2010
Posts: 782
Location: Halifax, Canada
Status: Offline
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 20, 2012 - 01:45 AM
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Joined: Dec 15, 2010
Posts: 1838
Location: NY
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| Welcome to the site xfatalherox! That is a great way to take a first crack at building Franky. I can't wait to see it progress along...your off to a fine start!! |
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www.JBMGuitars.net
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Sc0rch
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 20, 2012 - 02:17 AM
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Joined: Jan 08, 2010
Posts: 782
Location: Halifax, Canada
Status: Offline
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xfatalherox
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 20, 2012 - 10:07 AM
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Joined: Aug 03, 2008
Posts: 26
Status: Offline
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| Small Update: I just scored a floyd rose special on ebay for 60 bucks so I'm gonna go with that instead. I decided the bridge wasn't something I wanted to skimp on, plus I think i got a pretty sweet deal lol. The only downside is that since it's coming from overseas it's gonna push back the mock build to next weekend the soonest. However, If the weather permits I think I may just spray the black coats while I'm waiting for it to arrive and then install the studs after. |
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