Hosco Vintage Pre-CBS type Hank Marvin Fender Stratocaster replacement body review

Hosco Vintage Pre-CBS type Fender Stratocaster replacement guitar body

Bare Alder Hosco Stratocaster body

There are many pattern Stratocaster bodies out there whether you're replacing one or building a replica of an old Stratocaster from the Pre-CBS 1954-65 era.

That old saying 'you get what you pay for' is certainly true, but also to bear in mind that in some cases you are merely paying for the name too. Over the last 35 years I've built and repaired a fair few guitars, mostly stratocaster types including work on Pre-CBS guitars.

To mark my 35 years of guitar work, I decided to build the guitar I had specified and drawn up in 1983. And for this project I chose a Hosco Alder body. So, here's my review of it.

Beautiful wood grain on the rear of the Hosco body

I was no stranger to the Hosco brand name, a few years ago I did a project with a Mexican 60's reissue neck on a Fiesta Red Hosco Stratocaster body. A few years on and I chose a Hosco again as my project basis.

New Mexican Standard neck - a great player and 2018 made.

2015 onwards necks were from retooling and play and feel better than the previously

I had decided to use a Fender Mexican modern standard stratocaster neck for this project and had noted from my research that the Standard and 50's Classic player / 50's Reissue Mexican bodies and necks were interchangeable for fit.

Mid 59 - 65 Pre-CBS Hosco Fiesta red body

In my 62 reissue project a few years back, the Hosco body in this was a very good fit to the Mex 60's neck. With that in mind, I decided this was the way to go for this job. With no finished bodies to hand, I chose a bare Hosco body in Alder and Rothko and Frost paints, their White sanding sealer spray, Fiesta Red spray and a clear gloss in Nitro cellulose.

Right colour and nice finish - undrilled bridge screw location

The body purchased through Axecaster on Ebay was a nice example, it was sanded smooth and would take a minimal final sand to be ready to spray, or you could likely use spray it up with a high build filler and be ok. It has the bridge holes for the vintage Stratocaster bridge already drilled which is useful.

Body primed in white sanding sealer and Hycote hi build white primer

The machining on the body is nicely done, the shaping of the contours is first class and the neck joint is a nice fit to the body. It was slightly less tight than with the 60's neck but within acceptable limits. 

First coat of Rothko & Frost Fiesta Red on

The depth of the body is acceptable as are the contour cuts. I'd started the project a while back with another guitar of which the colour didn't suit what I was looking for so I sold that on and decided to start with a fresh body.

Great colour, looks like Hank's in the daylight

My project is half vintage, half modern, my 35 year old 'design' if you can call it that was to use a more modern 'Smith' Stratocaster neck with the adjuster at the nut end and the larger Fender logo, but in the general style of a modern Hank Marvin Custom Shop Stratocaster.

Start of assembly

The recent Mexican standard neck fits that brief, it is a nice C shape, slim and easy to play with modern radius of 9.5" and slightly more meaty frets.  Pickups would be Kinman Impersonator pickups Hank Marvin style with Gold hardware on the guitar.

Ideal for my project - Fender locking tuners

The Tuners I chose were Fender locking tuners, made for the neck so no need to have to re-drill any holes, they fitted perfectly - always something to be aware of when building a custom guitar.

Kinman Impersonator pickups fitted

Having used many bodies over the years on project guitars, I'd say that the Hosco really does the job for me, they are well made, well finished, certainly for the price they are a good buy. There is always the issue of neck to body fit, I have found that a standard Stratocaster neck by Fender fits which is always the ideal situation. 

Building up in progress - 

Kinman Impersonator Hank Marvin pickups wired

I'd certainly recommend these bodies if you're looking to do a build.

A great resonant guitar - plays nicely and

the Kinmans sound great.