LDG ‘Duck’ Stratocaster
Winter 2007 – Christmas 2009
PERSONAL COLLECTION
Model Name: LDG Stratocaster
Color: Olympic White
Body Material: Alder
Body Shape: Stratocaster
Body Finish: White Nitrocellulose
Neck Style: 70’s CBS style headstock, oiled finish
Neck Shape: Modern “D”
Scale Length: 25.5”
Fingerboard: Full scalloped maple
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5″
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium
Full-body String Nut: White Plastic
Nut Width: 42 mm
Fingerboard Inlays: N/A
Side Inlays: White dot
Neck Plate: 4-bolt custom ‘LDG’ design
Pickup Configuration: S-S-S
Bridge Pickup: Unknown Single Coil
Middle Pickup: Unknown Single Coil
Neck Pickup: Unknown Single Coil
Controls:
- Master volume
- Tone 1 (Neck pickup)
- Tone 2 (middle and bridge pickups)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position blade:
- Bridge only
- Bridge & middle
- Middle only
- Middle and Neck
- Neck only
Bridge: 6-Saddle vintage style tremolo
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Gold
Tuning Machines: Vintage Kluson style
Pickguard: 3-Ply white
Control Knobs: Aged white plastic
Switch Tips: White
Unique Features:
- Fully scalloped fingerboard
- Custom designed ‘Lee Daniel Guest’ neck-plate
My first project; my brother Lee had been a fan of Yngwie Malmsteen’s since the early 90’s and we had both talked and dreamed about one day having enough money to buy one of Fender’s signature models featuring a fully scalloped fretboard. A scalloped fretboard like Yngwie uses is incredibly difficult to source on a retail guitar for less £1,000 so I decided to build my own ‘Partscaster’. The ‘Duck’ tagline refers to Yngwie Malmsteen’s original Strat copy which he scalloped himself in the late 70’s. The headstock of this guitar had a Donald Duck sticker and the nickname reference is generally used.
Sourcing components primarily through eBay, this was my first experience of creating a working guitar on a tight budget that played like a pro. I was a little green at the time and so I bought a second-hand, ready wired scratch-plate and just connected the jack-plug.
I commissioned the production of a unique neck-late featuring the owner’s signature and Nordic hammer design.
Plays very well, it’s let down slightly by the stock-pickups however. It would definitely benefit from a set of DiMarzio YJM Fury’s.
The neck, which was sourced from China, is very thick and is an acquired taste but excellent for big bluesy bends.
