Custom Shop Parts STQ Black-burst Reviews 
5 / 5 based on 1 reviewsI was looking for a solid body to replace the plywood body on a Squire Affinity. I found Custom Shop Parts under www.mailboxmusic.com and at this price I could afford to build a whole solid bodied Strat and use the Squier as a beater. All hardware cost a total of $344.00
I put this together myself, so.... 24 jumbo fret rosewood fingerboard, solid alder body, bolt on HARD maple neck, graphite nut, self locking mini Grover machine heads, 4 Seymour Duncan Hot Rails, 5 way pickup selector, coil tap, 1 volume pot and 2 tone pots. The fit and finish are wonderful. I had to do some routing to the body to fit the hot rails in it and the coil tap. I also had to do some careful routing on the pickguard. The neck pickup gives a very light blues type distortion when it is tweaked. The middle pickup is nice and clean and the double bridge can give a country type twang and then throw the coil tap and it gets a little more than a blues type distortion. If I have all 4 hot rails going, this thing has a nice tight growl... all of this on a clean channel from a Fender Twin. I put it on a Crate 120 watt and set the distortion for a nice raspy 70's type rock. This thing sang out and the sustain was unbelievable. This guitar seems to be built for distortion. For instance, on my 70's setting this thing is power chord heaven and pinch harmonics are nice, easy, rich and creamy. When I dimed the gain and scooped the mids... this was a H E A V Y M E T A L G O D.
Its a little bit heavy, but I can live with that for the amount of tones I can get from this guitar. It even sounds good unplugged.
I built it myself, but the body and neck were already together and supplied by Custom Parts Shop... the fit and finish are spectacular. Easily beats any $1,400.00 guitar out there... and I've owned quite a few in my time... I have placed nothing but top quality parts in it... from electronics and the nut to the bridge, saddle and tuners. I could never beat this for price and quality... ANYWHERE.
If you are looking to build your own, then look into this place... good quality and good prices. If you aren't familiar with building your own, then read everything you can get your hands on before attempting to do this type of project on your own.
Bill C. rated this unit
on
2003-03-23.
