Hello everyone!
This is my first post on this forum, I am a deadhead living in France (unfortunately never had the chance to see the Dead live, I'm only 25)
I personally love all eras of Grateful Dead music, but Alligator tone is my favorite of Jerry's.
So I finally pulled the trigger and decided to build a replica of that legendary strat (V2 of Alligator actually). I have already ordered most of the required parts, it's so exciting to receive them one by one
I really want it to be very similar to the real one although I am a bit on a budget right now and cannot afford the most expensive parts (1-piece Swamp Ash body, Alembic Stratoblaster, exact same knobs and tail piece...)
So this is what I already have:
1) Swamp Ash 60's Stratocaster unfinished body made in UK with tremolo hole (it's a 3-piece body, Alligator has a 1-piece Ash body right? But it's ok since the grain of the wood is very similar to the real one as you can see it
2) 1-piece canadian maple neck nitro satin finish, 50's look, 21 jumbo frets, but with a modern C shape and 9,5'' radius. (the original has a V shape and 7,25'' radius having a '57 neck)
I also own an American Vintage Hot Rod 57 Stratocaster, and was thinking of using the neck instead of the other one since it's an original fender '57 made in US neck. But it also doesn't have the exact same specs (very soft V shape and 9,5'' radius). Plus I think it would be wiser to mod a relatively cheap neck (I guess I am gonna have to enlarge tuner peg holes to put a set of Schaller tuners like the original + Brass nut and the brass string tree) than an expensive fender made in US neck, and I prefer to keep the fender stock.
3) a set of Schaller Strat Tuners made in Germany
4) Gibson Tune-o-matic ABR-1 (Gold color) , I think the original has a chrome ABR-1? But it's ok I think it looks better in gold with the other brass parts, and the gold color will fade with time.
5) EMG PA2 as a buffer (not sure about this though, I know it's the exact same buffer as the old EMG JG2 with a switch, so it's very similitar to the buffer in Tiger, but is it the same type of buffer as the Alembic Stratoblaster used in Alligator? Is it a good alternative? I will obviously mod it to remove the switch if I use it)
6) Regarding the pickups, I own and have the choice between all of the following sets:
a) Fender 57-62 strat pickups
b) Fender 69 cs strat pickups
c) Fender 54 cs strat pickups
d) Bare Knuckle Mother's Milk pickups (Best pickup builder in the UK)
Which one do you think would be the more similar to the original Alligator pickups? the 57-62 set?
7) All the Alligator Strat Decals/stickers
A 60's style 11 screw hole pickguard in mint green (Was the original one a mint green pickguard since it was stock from 63? In most pictures it looks kinda white to me what do you guys think?)
9) An oversized brass nut
What I still need to do:
For the next steps I am currently looking for a good luthier in my area to build all the brass parts, assembly and finish the body with Nitro.
And I still have to find/ buy:
10) Black Top Hat knobs (I already found a lot of similar knobs but I am sure I can find the same one if I wait)
11) All the brass parts (And cut the pickguard)
12) Fender Strat Decal logo. Btw did you notice that Alligator doesn't have the countour body decal on its headstock?
13) The other electronic parts
14) The round string tree
15) Fill the tremolo hole with epoxy and wood
16) Wood part under the tail piece
17) A 60's style neck plate
And that's pretty much it! Sorry for the long post
This is my first post on this forum, I am a deadhead living in France (unfortunately never had the chance to see the Dead live, I'm only 25)
I personally love all eras of Grateful Dead music, but Alligator tone is my favorite of Jerry's.
So I finally pulled the trigger and decided to build a replica of that legendary strat (V2 of Alligator actually). I have already ordered most of the required parts, it's so exciting to receive them one by one
I really want it to be very similar to the real one although I am a bit on a budget right now and cannot afford the most expensive parts (1-piece Swamp Ash body, Alembic Stratoblaster, exact same knobs and tail piece...)
So this is what I already have:
1) Swamp Ash 60's Stratocaster unfinished body made in UK with tremolo hole (it's a 3-piece body, Alligator has a 1-piece Ash body right? But it's ok since the grain of the wood is very similar to the real one as you can see it
2) 1-piece canadian maple neck nitro satin finish, 50's look, 21 jumbo frets, but with a modern C shape and 9,5'' radius. (the original has a V shape and 7,25'' radius having a '57 neck)
I also own an American Vintage Hot Rod 57 Stratocaster, and was thinking of using the neck instead of the other one since it's an original fender '57 made in US neck. But it also doesn't have the exact same specs (very soft V shape and 9,5'' radius). Plus I think it would be wiser to mod a relatively cheap neck (I guess I am gonna have to enlarge tuner peg holes to put a set of Schaller tuners like the original + Brass nut and the brass string tree) than an expensive fender made in US neck, and I prefer to keep the fender stock.
3) a set of Schaller Strat Tuners made in Germany
4) Gibson Tune-o-matic ABR-1 (Gold color) , I think the original has a chrome ABR-1? But it's ok I think it looks better in gold with the other brass parts, and the gold color will fade with time.
5) EMG PA2 as a buffer (not sure about this though, I know it's the exact same buffer as the old EMG JG2 with a switch, so it's very similitar to the buffer in Tiger, but is it the same type of buffer as the Alembic Stratoblaster used in Alligator? Is it a good alternative? I will obviously mod it to remove the switch if I use it)
6) Regarding the pickups, I own and have the choice between all of the following sets:
a) Fender 57-62 strat pickups
b) Fender 69 cs strat pickups
c) Fender 54 cs strat pickups
d) Bare Knuckle Mother's Milk pickups (Best pickup builder in the UK)
Which one do you think would be the more similar to the original Alligator pickups? the 57-62 set?
7) All the Alligator Strat Decals/stickers
A 60's style 11 screw hole pickguard in mint green (Was the original one a mint green pickguard since it was stock from 63? In most pictures it looks kinda white to me what do you guys think?)9) An oversized brass nut
What I still need to do:
For the next steps I am currently looking for a good luthier in my area to build all the brass parts, assembly and finish the body with Nitro.
And I still have to find/ buy:
10) Black Top Hat knobs (I already found a lot of similar knobs but I am sure I can find the same one if I wait)
11) All the brass parts (And cut the pickguard)
12) Fender Strat Decal logo. Btw did you notice that Alligator doesn't have the countour body decal on its headstock?
13) The other electronic parts
14) The round string tree
15) Fill the tremolo hole with epoxy and wood
16) Wood part under the tail piece
17) A 60's style neck plate
And that's pretty much it! Sorry for the long post
