My Custom Semi-Hollow Body Stratocaster: The Perfect Blend of Sound and Style
I have always been passionate about guitars and enjoy building them as a DIYer. Recently, I decided to experiment with a semi-hollow body design and used a first-price kit from Thomann as the foundation for my custom guitar. The result was a guitar that fulfilled my dream vision and exceeded my expectations.
Body Modification:
As a frequent guitar builder, I enjoy experimenting with designs and techniques to create unique instruments. One of my latest experiments involved rooting a semi-hollow body guitar, a new challenge for me. I used Basswood model wood as the back table to accomplish this, which I matched with the same wood used in the rest of the guitar. This technique allowed me to achieve a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing design.
>>> Hervé Senni on Spotify <<<
Fabric Finish:
I opted for a Japanese-style fabric finish with dragons to give my guitar a unique look. I have always been fascinated by Japanese tattoos and fabrics, so this was the perfect opportunity to incorporate that style into my guitar. I applied an epoxy finish and added gold pigments to the epoxy, which gave it a beautiful shimmering effect.
Pickups:
I used IronGear Smoke Stack II Dual Single Coil pickups for my Stratocaster.
These pickups are known for their high output and versatility.
They feature dual coil pickups for bridge, middle, and neck positions and can be easily controlled with push-pulls or switches.
Electronics:
3 Push Pulls. Each pot controls the dual coils with three push-pull switches. In the down position, the pickups are in Stack One mode, and in the up position, stack II mode. The first two potentiometers are a regular volume and a tone pot. The third one is neck volume, which allows the blending of the neck pickup precisely. It is much better than the traditional on-off switch, where you cannot balance both pickups, and most sound settings need to be edited. With the neck volume pot, I can adjust the pickups precisely and be spot-on with any setting without changing my sound.
>>> Hervé Senni YouTube Channel <<<
Videos:
I used that guitar recently in shorts published on TikTok and YouTube. It was gratifying to see my hard work and dedication pay off and to share my passion for guitar building with others. Overall, I’m thrilled with the outcome of this project and look forward to continuing to build and share my custom guitars with the world. Stay tuned for more beauties.
Listen to that beauty in two short videos. My next song is planed with this babe in hands
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Overall:
Building my custom semi-hollow body Stratocaster was a challenging and rewarding experience. It allowed me to create a guitar that perfectly blends my style with the sound I want to achieve. The guitar sounds and looks fantastic. I’m proud to have created a unique instrument that reflects my style and love of music. And I’m excited to see where this guitar will take me in my musical journey.
