1962 Fender Stratocaster Body

linea

Fantastic model! A few years ago I modelled a Strat (yours is better) and a Rickenbacker 4003 bass, I'll find the rickenbacker and post it.

Gus R

Thanks Eric and Linea. I tell you what. Some of those curves can drive one bonkers after a while. I'll probably end up reworking the body to clean things up. It's good practice.

While watching a Robert Mitchum western on Hulu (more like listening) I worked up some pick ups, volume and tone knobs. Got a few other parts to get to if I am to complete the Strat. Don't think I'll be doing many internals at first since they won't be visible with the pickguard and other covers.

Text on the knobs is ordinary SU extruded text with intersection and erasing.

fella77

Wow...super nice work. These are turning out to be very accurate detail wise. Can't wait to see it finished. Are you working from plans, an actual strat body or just photographs?

Linea I would love to see your rick model...I have been looking for some really highly accurate guitar models to use in studio and stage renders. Most of what I find on the warehouse and FF is OK but too angular, and lacking simple details...and I am not skilled enough to model them myself! You really have the curves worked out nice on this strat! Great work!

Gus R

Thanks David. The body is from a plan image I found.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jwells393/New%20Album/StratBP2642x1757.jpg

I was lucky enough to find some general dimensions for the knobs and the pickups. I use photographs for visual reference. I prefer dimensioned plans but that's not always available. I also tweaked the body using a photo underlay for the intial construction of the body. Essentially everythings is to scale.

I also found a large plan image of a Strat neck.

If this works out I might try a PRS Custom 22. I owned one in the past along with a Gibson SG. If not perhaps a hollowbody. Arch tops of course are more difficult.

Gus

fella77

I figured you had to be working from some sort of a dimensioned plan..the details are too accurate to be just guessing from looking at a picture. All the other guitars you listed would be great to model...I love the older PRS's....and the SG has always been a favorite. As far as a hollow body, maybe something from the Gibson ES family?

EarthMover

Awesome work Gus! I'm a bass player myself and I'm inspired to try and model my Fender Precision.

Gus R

David, yeah, might as well use dimensioned plans if you got them. I miss that PRS 22 which I also played with a Roland GR-1 synth. Was thinking about the ES series such as the ES-335 (Pat Methney) or the ES-175 (Joe Pass). Might actually be a bit easier on the sides however the arch top would balance things out labor wise. I lean towards the 175.

Thanks David. Do it if you feel motivated. I've been thinking about doing a direct measure model with some item I have around the apartment. Calipers would be great to that end.

Thanks Modelhead. It can be laborious at times. Having done LeRoy lettering many moons ago this is actually a breeze. Using a Kroy machine was even worse. The toil is on my CPU which heats up with SU and I can only wonder how high the temps have gone on the old P4.

Here's an update from todays work. Did the pick guard, input jack which still needs some work (rounding), PU switch, and reworked the body with 3 iterations. That went by quicker than I thought since I had to do some manual subtractions.

I'll upload the basic SDS skp to show how the body is formed using straight lines.

Gus

Gus R

OK, here's the skp for the basics of forming a body using SDS.

el robatto fender stuff v7.skp

For the holdouts.

el robatto fender stuff v5.skp

This also applies to any other curved object.

mdlok

Hi Gus R,

Really nice work!
How about the Candy Apple Red finish on the stratocaster? That will be a challenge!
Thumbs up.

mdlok

@gus r said:

This is a possible WIP which provided me with some more practice using SDS and Bool Tools. The main part of the body was done with SDS using tangent lines. Many of the routed areas were done with Bool Tools and the rest with standard SU tools. Mind you this took many hours of drawing and experimentaion.

The body is just 2 iterations since 3 slowed SU to a crawl if not a complete stop. There are some imperfection I might tweak given enought time. Next up is the neck and parts which should be easy after taking on this model.

First image is the SU model. Rendering is KT using the Patrick Nieborg Volume 2 car paints. Uffizi probe as a light probe.

[attachment=2:32i0nww1]Robatto-62-Strat-002.jpg[/attachment:32i0nww1]

[attachment=1:32i0nww1]Robatto-62-Strat-001.jpg[/attachment:32i0nww1]

[attachment=0:32i0nww1]Robatto-62-Strat-003.jpg[/attachment:32i0nww1]

Gus R

Thanks MD. I ran a metallic red but I need to work on the rendering technique with that material.

Update on the model. Here's the tremolo which still needs a couple of more details like the springs and such.

Rather quick render.

Chrome and steel material from Alex's NK Metals for KT.

mike d

Gus R
amazing work cant wait to see it finished

mike d

Ross Macintosh

That tremolo is stunning! The whole project is stunning! I'm stunned!

Not only are the modelling & the renderings great - your graphic skills in presenting these images is appreciated to.

Regards, Ross

david_h

absolutively amazing. Do you Play? You probably do.
you've inspired me to model my own instrument. . .

didn't mean to hi-jack the thread. .. I just couldn't resist.

EDIT. . .seriously tho' --that's awesome. The Strat is one of the greatist guitars ever! My wife gave me one. .. as a Christmas Tree ornament. Closest I will ever get to one I am afraid.

Gus R

Thank you Mike, Ross and David. Ross, I do some graphics on the side but it's rarely utilized.

David, cute little guitar ornamanet. I have played on and off over the years now but more recently I've been in off mode since having to sell my PRS. A cheap little "classical" guitar just doesn't seem to cut it. I guess my style was towards jazz-blues or some kind of rock fusion.

Speaking of kazoos maybe you remember the kazoo craze of the late 60s and 70s? Perhaps you read it in a history book but it was an offshot from "Laugh In" if I remember correctly. They even had us making "kazoos" using wax paper and a comb. The kazoo goes well with a saw and a washboard.

Started the neck but haven't got anything to show yet.

Cheers,

Gus

fella77

Wow....that tremolo bridge is amazing! Looks like a very accurate model and the render is pretty nice for a "quick". This model is going to be ridiculous once you put all the pieces together.
Really amazing work!

david_h

Well, I am an acoustic man myself--Folkie. I should model my Taylor 1500.

D

Gus R

Thanks David (fella77). David H, I used to listen to folk for a time. Mostly of the Bob Dylan variety on acoustic.

So, got the neck almost done and let me tell you, this was almost tougher than the body. Most of it was done using SDS (about 90%) with a lot of trial and error runs. Have to add groves to the nut and add a small sweep from the head stock to the nut itself. The drill holes won't be visible of course but thought it would look nice for a rendering of the neck itself.

All work done in SU free once again. Finally figured out how to tweak the material mapping in KT by changing it to cubic mapping for this particular model. 22 jumbo frets and everything is to scale.

Gus R

Well, those were the neck renderings. Ironically I'm still putzing with the neck.

Rounding the corner with this and finishing up the tuning heads. These are Kluson Pro Tuners which aren't exactly vintage tuning heads for a '62 Stratocaster.

Last one is an x-ray view in SU using a Japanese Style (sesshu.style) by U4K.

Tuning head knobs were done with SDS.

Might make some Schaller and Grover machines as well.

Gus R

Guess I must be talking to myself.

EarthMover

Flippin amazing Gus! This may be the best Sketchup work I've ever seen. I may be a little partial to the subject...... That's what I call photoreal. I think it deserves a spot in the next Catchup Newsletter.