Restoration of a 1962 Fender Stratocaster

Part 3 - Deconstruction

The Body

Many pictures depicting the various routes and traits of a vintage Strat. There is much talk about "correct" tummy cuts, arm contours etc. This is largely BS spread by the ignorant. While there are certain generalities that stay consistent. These things also change from body to body. Much of the work is done by people on sanders. As such no two will be exactly alike. Only by handling several hundred can one start to get a feel for "vintage spec" and the overall feel changes year to year.

 A few consistencies such as hole sizes and telltale tooling marks are constant. These things are largely unknown to the forum "experts" and even many formal appraisal services. There is one hole on every authentic body that is a different size from all others. Perhaps you'll be able to see it. Its one of the details most fakers and so called experts miss.

Dowels (seen on the stripped body) are another largely misunderstood reality. They are always in the same place. Like necks the templates are attached this way therefore they will always be the same. Templates are attached to the opposite side being routed on the pin router. Hardtails will of course lack dowels on one side since the back is not routed.

 

Before Stripping Paint

001 - neck plate has been paired with this one awhile

002 - Overall back view

003 - Tummy contour

004 - Trem route

005 - 2" Trem claw screws

006 - Classic 60's line

007 - Full front view

008 -  Trem route front

009 - Jack route

010 -  Wire holes, control cavity

011 - Bit scars

012 - Pickup routes

013 - Close up

 

Finish Stripped pictures

001 - Dowels on back

002 - Close up

003 - Front dowels. With the extra holes on this one it'd be tough to make out without those red arrows of mine.

004 - the holes are always in exactly the same spot.

 

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