The perfect guitar?

In the early eighties, another guitarist phoned me saying he wanted to sell me this guitar he got a good deal on, and he thought I could play it upside down, this Gibson 345. He described it as a gold-plated version of a 335, and I had played his 335 at a couple of local matinee jams, standing up even. I got it for $300, kept it for a few months, and sold it to another guitarist who was into his 335, for $300. So I owned and played one for over three months, just not onstage.

I liked the tones available with the switch, the gold looked a little too heavy, and it seemed to be a better guitar than an ordinary 335. It was fun to feedback experiment with, getting the semi-acoustic thing going with those big humbuckers. In my musical world, Alvin Lee and Ten Years After, at Woodstock, it the last time a hard rock lead guitarist was making it using a 335, or any semi-acoustic onstage.

Today, my ideal guitar would have to be playable outside in a snow storm, with a heated neck as a handwarmer. reitze! Where are you?
 
paulskirocks said:
Are you saying that particular body is smaller than a regular strat?
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Yes, it is a bit smaller. I have owned a few of each (I have a Lead now, but the body is wrecked and it weighs a ton). The horns are smaller, it is smaller across the wide part of the body and there isn't as much behind the bridge.
 
Chad said:
Yes, it is a bit smaller. I have owned a few of each (I have a Lead now, but the body is wrecked and it weighs a ton). The horns are smaller, it is smaller across the wide part of the body and there isn't as much behind the bridge.
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If I can get a hold of a pdf file of one, I'd be happy to make you a body... I have regular strat blueprints, but not the Lead...
 
I'd add my Les Paul to last years verdict ...which was my Strat and my Hamer...:embarrassed:..depends on the job.

The thing that's surprised me the most in the last year is just how versatile the Les Paul is. I always thought I knew what it was good at.
 
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Chad said:
Yes, it is a bit smaller. I have owned a few of each (I have a Lead now, but the body is wrecked and it weighs a ton). The horns are smaller, it is smaller across the wide part of the body and there isn't as much behind the bridge.
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What about the messed up body you have? Can you trace it, along with the neck, pickup, and control cavities? Pick guard, as well... If so, you can take it to a copy store and scan it to pdf file and email it...
 
paulskirocks said:
What about the messed up body you have? Can you trace it, along with the neck, pickup, and control cavities? Pick guard, as well... If so, you can take it to a copy store and scan it to pdf file and email it...
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You have now given me something to do this weekend while my wife and kids are at the nutcracker.
 
Chad said:
You have now given me something to do this weekend while my wife and kids are at the nutcracker.
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Great... It gives me an excuse to make a template. Make sure you measure all depths... The neck pocket is ideally done with neck on hand, but if you use a Warmoth neck, they are pretty standard... I assume it is a strat heel (rounded), and 25 1/2" scale, but let me know.... Also, the round over radius, if you can tell, and try and draw lines on the plan to show where the body and arm contours are... You'll have to trace the back on a separate sheet to show the curve and location of the body contour... The more info, the better...

Anyways, thanks for the thread hijack... all in the name of getting Chad his perfect guitar... I'll take it to a new thread, later...
 
paulskirocks said:
Great... It gives me an excuse to make a template. Make sure you measure all depths... The neck pocket is ideally done with neck on hand, but if you use a Warmoth neck, they are pretty standard... I assume it is a strat heel (rounded), and 25 1/2" scale, but let me know.... Also, the round over radius, if you can tell, and try and draw lines on the plan to show where the body and arm contours are... You'll have to trace the back on a separate sheet to show the curve and location of the body contour... The more info, the better...

Anyways, thanks for the thread hijack... all in the name of getting Chad his perfect guitar... I'll take it to a new thread, later...
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Its all about me!!!!
 
John Watt said:
In the early eighties, ... Gibson 345... 335, ... 335 ... $300,... 335, for $300. ...I liked ...
Today, my ideal guitar would have to be playable outside in a snow storm, with a heated neck as a handwarmer. reitze! Where are you?
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Hi John. Maybe we should swap some hand-me-downs? PM me if you're interested. The handwarmer thing wouldn't be too hard - someone already has lighted frets. A little heat tape and with 6 c cells already on board...:P

Chad said:
Its all about me!!!!
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:grin:

These are my best guitars so-far (ref: the long thread getting there):
2010-12-19_20-22-58_0.jpg


As far as "perfect" those would need to also have transmitters (and a mic on that acoustic but the mic channel failed/blew/broke on the build). I've always wanted to build one out of a 335 too but those are sooo expensive.

paulskirocks said:
http://www.upnorthstrings.com/es335body.pdf
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Those are some really nice ones. :thu:
paulskirocks said:
Great... It gives me an excuse to make a template. Make sure you measure all depths... The neck pocket is ideally done with neck on hand, but if you use a Warmoth neck, they are pretty standard... I assume it is a strat heel (rounded), and 25 1/2" scale, but let me know.... Also, the round over radius, if you can tell, and try and draw lines on the plan to show where the body and arm contours are... You'll have to trace the back on a separate sheet to show the curve and location of the body contour... The more info, the better...

Anyways, thanks for the thread hijack... all in the name of getting Chad his perfect guitar... I'll take it to a new thread, later...
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m'too try n not hyjack notin here... 1 post seems to fit... editing onto it here to say that I most appreciate the builder and technical content like you're sharing so I will be watching more for your threads/posts. Perhaps I'm too quiet saying so ... will watch for your threads.
 
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Gee, I don't know. Probably my Gretsch. When I play electric, it's the first guitar I reach for. It'll do anything from roots rock to metal, and even does decent jazz tones. Acoustically - I'm loving my Seagull 12 bigtime. I'm finally hearing the acoustic guitar sound from the Seagull 12, that I've wanted for a long time.
 
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Strat body is the best. I love how playable it is and the feel and comfort. I also love single coil sounds, but like my humbucker rock too. So mine is my strat, with one of those pickup connectors Dunlop makes, and two PGs. One SSS, one HSH.
 
I guess I'll have to admit that a Strat with a bridge humbucker would be the best compromise, even though I prefer the look of 3 single coils.

But you know what would REALLY make it the perfect guitar? If it could make whale sounds....
 
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