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Photos...done at last, nearly. The Pine guitar.

Hi, I can't believe that I posted about this project back in 2019, and it's still not finished. It's been twenty years or so since I started this build. I could not work out the wiring for the active pickup set I had, so I replaced them with regular Strat pickups and wiring.

It's a bit of a Frankenstein-type of build, a mix of everything: black and white, chrome and gold, Fender and Gibson style pickguards, with a pine neck and body.

A few minor jobs and it's done. I don't like the pine as it marks too easily.
Taff

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Permalink Reply by Carl Floyd on October 30, 2022 at 4:06am

Hardtail!

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on October 30, 2022 at 10:31am

SRV had a pine body strat too, Bill Kirchen played an all Pine Tele on “hot rod Lincoln”, back in the days of dial-up internet there were Pine Strat & Tele groups, too bad the old Tripod server doesn’t exist anymore, all of the 1st online diy forums were created there? That’s way kool, Taff!!

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on October 30, 2022 at 2:13pm

Hi, thanks for that info BrianQ, I had no idea. Twenty-odd years ago a guy I knew had ideas about a guitar he wanted me to build, but before going ahead I did a mock-up of the smaller body strat he wanted, I had been bitten before so before using expensive timber I did this. Glad I did as the deal fell through. Waste not want not, as the saying goes.

Here's a photo for comparison, it's 30mm narrower across the lower bout.
Taff

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on October 30, 2022 at 4:24pm

Yea, I saw that, reminds of late 60’s- 70’s Japanese strats like Aria pro & Guyatone?

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Jordan on October 31, 2022 at 1:24am

Xcellent!

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Jordan on October 31, 2022 at 1:25am

That is super cool, I love the sound of Pine. Nice and resonant. Great looking build!

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on November 5, 2022 at 10:51am

Great job Taff! I like the pickguards. Some Pine does scratch & dent easy, hard clear poly is best for soft wood. Some Pine can be hard and heavy too.
Which is why so many cheaper brand guitars have a thick layer of poly, soft wood. Soft woods can have great tone, but the dents and scratches can be a hassle.

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Permalink Reply by Blues Frog on November 5, 2022 at 3:00pm

I like it Taff. The mix of colors works for it.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on November 5, 2022 at 4:47pm

Hi, thanks for the comments guys. The pine guitar is 2grams heavier at 2.8kg than the black squire which also has a sustain block and tremolo fitted at 2.6 kg. But a fair bit lighter than my 1984 JV series Squire '57 re-issue at 3.1kg.

There you go a bit of useless info.

I wouldn't mind the easy dent issue if it was for me, But I can't hang on to all my builds... Can I?

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on November 11, 2022 at 10:23am

Depends on how much space you have. Hahahaha

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 7, 2023 at 12:49pm

Hi, here is the last of the Pine project posts… finished at last? Hmmm.

I could not get the Reds pickup to work after all, not smart enough in the wiring department. I could not find a switch that would work with the active pickup system, So... I went back to old faithful single coil Fender style pickups and wiring. A cheap Chinese set from the parts drawer, if the guitar plays well I get something better down the track.

I had to re-route the pickup cavities to take the different pickups.

Also shown is how I transferred the control cavity shape to a plastic cover plate.

Now that I have become used to the wider fingerboard and neck profile I enjoy playing this guitar, although I have to revisit the pickups etc., for better tone and balance. I can’t judge what difference a Pine body has made as so many other components come into play too.

The Pine Project only took twenty years, now I’m working on a twelve-string acoustic… started nearly thirty years ago. I had better get a wiggle on I think.
Cheers Taff