Ever seen a Stratocaster that’s had a little too much love from a Swiss Army knife? Well, if not, buckle up. Once upon a time, there was a Stratocaster that dreamed of something more. Tired of the single-coil life, it longed for the rich, warm tones of a humbucker that’s supposed to elevate this guitar to sonic nirvana. And so, in a story as old as time, it underwent a transformation.

Meet the Strat that’s had a bit too much taken off the top. It’s like the guitar equivalent of a haircut gone wrong – but instead of asking for “just a trim,” they said, “Give me the Grand Canyon.”

A classic Strat body, looking like it’s been the guest of honor at a termite feast – Source

DIY or Die Trying!

The mystery behind this cavernous modification is not just why but how. What method, what tools were used to carve out its new identity? Now that’s the million-dollar question.

Was it the precision of a master luthier’s chisel? The steady hum of a router? Oh no. This Strat’s tale is probably one of grit, determination, and a little bit of oops. The evidence suggests a few possible culprits behind this creative butchery (or should we say, master-whoopsie).

DIY or Destroy It Yourself… With Any Means Necessary!

Let’s dive into the toolbox of speculation. Let’s brainstorm and muse over the possible tools that could have been (mis)used in this woodworking misadventure:

Here are a few guesses:

  1. The Sporknado: Half spoon, half fork, all chaos. Perfect for those who want their guitar to double as a conversation piece and a salad server.
  2. The Archeological Excavation: Maybe this was an archeologist’s side project. You know, someone who thought, “If I can dig up a dinosaur bone, surely I can whittle a space for a humbucker!”
  3. The Swiss Army Knife’s Unknown Attachment: There’s a tool for everything in there, right? Perhaps there’s a ‘Strat-o-Carver’ nestled between the bottle opener and the toothpick.
  4. Enthusiastic Termites with a Taste for Music: Maybe this guitar was left in the woodshed too long, and a colony of critters with an appetite for rock ‘n’ roll and alder went to town.
  5. The Beavers’ Woodshop: Did our guitar-owner lend their beloved instrument to a beaver looking to branch out from dam construction to music production? After all, labor is expensive so why not hire a beaver moonlighting as a luthier. Maybe the world is full of beavers with a penchant for rock ‘n’ roll and a distaste for precision?
  6. The Midnight Snacker: Maybe the carver was just really hungry, and mistook the guitar body for a particularly tough loaf of bread.
  7. The Frustrated Chef: Someone mistook the Strat for a block of parmesan. That’s one way to shred! Or perhaps, in a burst of culinary inspiration, someone went at it with a spoon – after all, isn’t a guitar body just crème brûlée to the truly hungry artist?
  8. DIY Dentistry: In a pinch? No humbucker cavity? Just apply the same principles as you would to a molar extraction!
  9. Guitarist’s Fury: It wasn’t a mod! After a particularly bad gig, maybe the guitarist took their rage out on the innocent Strat, turning pick-scrapes into body gouges. Who needs therapy when you have DIY?
  10. Alien Technology: Because clearly, any earthly being would know better, right? Or perhaps it’s the work of a time traveler who misunderstood “vintage reissue.”

Whoever the culprit, one thing’s for certain: they’ve redefined the term hollow body. In all seriousness (or not), this guitar mod is a testament to human ingenuity… or desperation… or tenacity. It’s hard to say which.

But one thing’s for sure: this Strat’s seen things, been places, and perhaps been part of a meal. It’s not just a guitar anymore; it’s a survivor with a story to tell*.

* The story is actually quite simple: a client of Salazar Guitar Garage decided to route his guitar, and voilà…

Guitar Fail
Guitar Fail

Exploring the funny side of guitar since 2011. Our motto is simple: “In it for the guitar fail!“

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