Oops... I did it again...

[fender3x]

Funny how things work. You didn't think you needed another Strat. I didn't really think I needed any Strat. I went so far as to put a hard tail and Tele electronics in my one-and-only Strat body. I did not want to be bothered with three pickups and trem system. My last project was a P-bass. I am trying to simplify life.

So to pay for my sins... My daughter decided that as a school project we should build a guitar. This one:

https://www.bargainmusician.com/inc/...r_kit/116/3954

More of a Jazzmaster shape, but where it counts it's all strat. So I will be VERY interested in your pickup choices and what you go with for a trem and tuners.

Congrats on your new Strat! Couldn't come at a better time for me to follow your build ;-)

[McCreed]

Hah! The Universe has spoken!

As for pickups and hardware, I can tell you this so far:
Tonerider Classic Blues SC set
Wilkinson Vintage (6-point) Vibrato w/ push-in bar
Gotoh tuners (#SG381)

I've had the brand new pickups and tuners sitting in drawer forever, so that's what I'll use. I ordered a new vibrato because all the spare bridges I have a 54 or 56.5mm, and I prefer 52.5mm.

I do have a set of MIC locking tuners (I think they're Ping) that may go on simply because I have them and I don't have any guitars with lockers. The good thing is the Gotoh and Ping will just drop in either way.

Other bits will be: TUSQ nut, one roller string tree, and I'll be wiring the PTB tone circuit. Again, I have all those parts on hand.

[fender3x]

This will certainly show my ignorance. The only guitar I have ever had with a trem is an ancient Fender Coronado, which would go out of tune if you gave it a hard look. That one I replaced with a non-trem tailpiece.

It looks like you replace the trem because of the size, not because of the quality... Is that right, or is quality also a factor? Or is it just the string spacing?

[fender3x]

I just checked. I have two hard-tail strat bridges, both 52.5mm I didn't even know they came in larger sizes.

[McCreed]

It looks like you replace the trem because of the size, not because of the quality... Is that right, or is quality also a factor? Or is it just the string spacing?

In this case it was the string spacing, but also having the pop-in vibrato bar was a bonus.
If I'd had a 52.5mm bridge in my parts drawer with a traditional screw-in bar, I probably would have just used it (and added a tension spring in the hole).

[McCreed]

Well the body and bridge both arrived this morning! (insert Homer Simpson "Woo-Hoo!!!")
11 days from order to door. Not bad from the PRC.

Body is nicer than I anticipated. All the measurements are as specified in the listing, so no surprises to contend with. I was fully aware that I would have some extra work to accommodate the pocket for my neck heel, but that's a nonissue for me.
The Poplar body weighs in at 1.93kg (4.25 lbs for you Imperials!) so a good medium weight IMO.

This is what I got for $110AU:





The white streaks here & there are just dust, presumably from when it was polished. It wipes off easily, I just hadn't done a very thorough job before I took the photo.

Just waiting on my white pearloid pickguard and back plate now!

[RocknRolf]

That is quite amazing for that price ay! Congrats.

White perloid will look great on that I'm sure.

Poplar compares to basswood right?

[Bakersdozen]

Looks great and fast delivery too. Score . Look forward to seeing this one come together.

[McCreed]

Poplar compares to basswood right?

Just going by hardness, the Janka rating for Poplar at 2400 N, is harder than Basswood at 1800 N, but softer than Alder at 2600 N.
Comparing density: Basswood = 320-590 kg/m3; Poplar = 350-500 kg/m3; Alder = 420-680 kg/m3.
Poplar has a nicer grain than Basswood IMO. It's used quite a bit these days. I have one other guitar (my heavily modded Squier Affinity Tele) and I have no problems with how it feels and sounds. Which is why I didn't hesitate to buy the strat body.

Looks great and fast delivery too. Score . Look forward to seeing this one come together.

Thanks BD. I'm unusually excited about doing this one for some reason

[Simon Barden]

Maybe because the body's all done and you just have to fit the bits?