MelWaldorf
Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 648
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 01:48 AM
I've been curious if it's possible to use a Stratocaster trem bridge, but only as a tremolo, with a separate bridge. Turns out you can.
With that in mind, I set out to create a Strat for people who really like Jags and JMs but want a Strat trem. OK, that's probably just me, but hey. So, without further ado, I present to you the Alameda Clam Shack guitar!
The Strat trem I used is a Wilkinson WVS50, which I used because it was the model that looked the least stupid as a trem. I installed an ESP arming adjuster to help the trem return to pitch after pulling up on the arm.
The neck and bridge pickups are my own design, which I call "Off Kiltertrons" - they're asymmetrical, dual bobbin, multi-coil pickups that work with a six way rotary switch to give you three single coil settings - Jangle (sort of Ric--ish), Twangle (Fender-y), Wrangle (Dynasonic/Mosrite) and three humbucking settings - Tangle (Filtertron-esque), Mangle (Gibby HB), and Crush (RAWR!!!). Full demo on the OKTs here: OKT Demo
The middle pickup is also my own design, a bar magnet single coil. The general layout is like a Dano Lipstick pickup, but without the case.
OK, if you've read this far, maybe you want to see a demo? It's hack-tastic, but here it is below, at the bottom of the post.
Here's a look at the back of the guitar, you can see it's got the usual Strat trem rout, only it's offset (get it?) to the rear.
Finally, one more view of the front. Hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed building it. Actually, there were some frustrating moments in the build process, so I hope you enjoy it more!
Last edited: Jun 18, 2020 01:50:03
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duncanjames
Joined: Dec 20, 2011
Posts: 156
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 04:48 AM
That looks great! I've been curious about trying this for many years, but thought you'd be in danger of negative break angle when really dipping the bar down.
If I recall correctly, at least one of the very first guitars Paul Reed Smith built in the 70s had a similar setup. Now, if only I could find the photo...
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Toneschaser
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 462
Ohio!
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 07:23 AM
Wild stuff! Is the pocket pitched or shallow to accommodate the bridge height? Very cool ideas all around!
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3804
North Atlantic
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 09:05 AM
That is so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
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MelWaldorf
Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 648
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 12:43 PM
Thanks guys! The neck pocket is angled back 1 degree, so the bridge height is similar to a Jazzmaster. Even completely slacking the strings, there's enough break angle over the bridge to keep the strings in their saddles.
Basically, it plays like a Jazzmaster with Strat tremolo pitch range, which it what I wanted.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 02:19 PM
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ldk
Joined: Nov 08, 2017
Posts: 367
San Francisco Bay Area
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 03:17 PM
Great looking guitar. Very creative.
It looks like you left the saddles on. I think it would work about the same, note-bending-wise, and you'd get a better break angle over the bridge without them.
Reminds me of a similar tailpiece I made: https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/30720/
— If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.
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Reverbenator
Joined: Jul 26, 2015
Posts: 259
San Diego, Ca
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 03:30 PM
That’s pretty interesting, Mel.
You were able to do something that mere mortals have only dreamed of:
You’ve managed to put a 3+3 headstock on a Fender shaped object, without it looking like a complete train wreck. I salute you.
Would you please be so kind as to elaborate on what you mean by “asymmetrical” pickups? When I think of asymmetrical pickups, I think of the (somewhat triangular) shaped pickups that Rickenbacker put on their
5 string Basses.
Very cool.
— -Cheers, Clark-
-Less Paul, more Reverb-
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MelWaldorf
Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 648
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 04:13 PM
LDK - that's right, I remember your design! Very cool, and as they say, great minds think alike! I left the saddles on because I felt it looked ridiculous without them, and with the neck pocket angle (1 deg) it's got plenty of break angle as is.
Reverbenator, thanks for the 3+3 complement! As for the pickups, the bobbins are asymmetrical. Most multicoil pickups use matching size bobbins for each coil set (there are exceptions). My bobbins are designed to enhance the voice range as the different shaped bobbins (and coils) perceive the strings differently.
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synchro
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4446
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 07:54 PM
When I first saw the words “Strat trem, with separate bridge”, I figured that someone had gone crazy. I was wrong, someone has just been meshugga for a very long time. 
Leave it to you, Mel, to come up with such an idea. You definitely have the Strat range of trem operation.
I’ve long had mixed feelings about Strats and Jags. Both have their strengths, both have their limitations. There were plenty of both used in the First Wave of Surf Music, and to great effect. Then there was Hank Marvin’s amazing contribution to instrumentals with his exceptionally tasteful use of the trem.
I would opine that your setup brings body and substance to the sound that the stock Strat bridge does not. While I love Strats, they do have a way of melting into the mix, which is something I never experienced with my Jaguar. Bright as all get out, but even with a Tele playing rhythm, it always cut through.
How much would one of these set a fellow back?
— The artist formerly known as: Synchro
When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.
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SandBug
Joined: Feb 22, 2016
Posts: 442
California
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Posted on Jun 18 2020 11:02 PM
Brilliant. I'd buy one when/if it becomes available.
My little brother had this same idea and we were going to implement it on a Squier Bullet Mustang build a few years back, but after i bought the Mustang i realized that the body was so thin that wouldn't accommodate the hardware, so we ended up using a stetsbar trem since it required no depth at all. Next build we'll try to make something similar to your configuration. After looking all over the internet to see if had been done/documented before i couldn't find anything. It seems you're the first! Great work! Very cool guitar.
Last edited: Jun 18, 2020 23:06:39
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MelWaldorf
Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 648
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Posted on Jun 19 2020 07:03 PM
Well put, Synchro! I've always been a bit meshuggeneh, but since that brain injury I'm pretty far gone. ;)
Hank's guitar playing was a big part in my interest to build this. You just can't get that same warble from a JM or Jag trem.
Price-wise it'll probably be in the $2,000 - $2,500 range, but if anyone is interested, PM me, and we can talk about special SG101 pricing. ;)
SandBug, yeah, I had a few guitars I thought of modding before I built this, but ran into the same problem with body depth. In the end I designed the body from scratch to be something of an italized Strat. My first proof-of-concept was an MDF test body for a guitar I built for a friend.
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wfoguy
Joined: Dec 11, 2011
Posts: 2126
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Posted on Jun 23 2020 07:14 AM
The art of hot rodding doesn't recognize the object, only the modified outcome. Nice work, Mel.
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Jun 23 2020 09:41 AM
wfoguy wrote:
The art of hot rodding doesn't recognize the object, only the modified outcome.
I really like this quote!
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 757
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Posted on Jun 23 2020 12:54 PM
Very cool, Mel. I've never been a big fan of the strat trem, probably because of how close it is to the bridge (and actually incoporates the bridge). That's probably annoyed me because the guitars I learned on and played the most had Jaguar/JM style trems. Also I could never get those strat trems set up well enough. This is one guitar I'd actually want to try out.
And those pickups look cool, too!
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