The backplate was just an aesthetic thing that I did to differentiate it from other strats. Same goes for the input jack on the side as opposed to on the top
Having no pick guard, I assume you had to wire it from the back, so the big cover plate isn't completely decorative.
I like it in general. I'd made the bare wood a little dirtier. I'm also good with the avocado burst. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. What are the black lines that look like they were drawn with a sharpie?
Well, yes that was also a reason for the backplate. I suppose I could have done a gibson style back with two separate plates, but having one made stuff easier to access.
The lines are natural spalting in the guitar. Spalting happens when dead wood gets infested with a black fungus, creating those unique grain lines. It's incredibly rare to find a piece of spalted maple that isn't rotten or punky, but I got lucky when I found this piece that was completely stable. Also I should mention that the guitar is made entirely out of maple so the bare wood looks a little bit lighter than alder.
Wait. Someone said "no pickguard?". I should really look closer. Relic really not my thing but this looks awesome!
. Go over the damaged areas with some sandpaper and scrub out any not sharp paint chip edges. Eliminate any splinters. You could use 800 grit paper to convert shiny areas to satin. And then from lots of playing sometimes parts of those satin areas get polished back up. Make sure all hardware has no burrs or sharp edges. 'roll' the fretboard edges. The goal is a great feeling guitar. Think broken-in shoes, jeans, gloves. Comfort. Looks are only secondary. Some use 'yesterday's old coffee' to soak and age plastics. Put old nails in a glass jar with some vinegar and after a week use that dirty water to stain the bare wood. Then oil the bare wood spots. .
Relics aren't my thing. I'm into honest wear and tear. So take my opinion as just that. It sounds like you were on the way to a great finish and it didn't quite work out. Why not strip it and try again? If nothing else, you'll get some more practice at finishing. And if it doesn't work, it will probably look like a re-fin which is way harder to get in a relic'ed guitar. So rather than beat it to death, go the other way. My two cents.
You own it, you like it, then do what you want. I prefer a nice, new-like finish. If your guitar was mine, I would have clear coated the spalted maple and then taken care of it to keep it that way. Welcome aboard.
I love a good relic, but it's best left to the few who know what they are doing. Bad relic jobs are the reason so many people whine and cry about it.
I am not into relics real or otherwise so I hope you'll understand when I say " It hurts my Eyes " but it's yours not mine so enjoy and welcome to the forum.
No No No - Every ding and Kluge has to have a story. Not the story about you in the garage with your DeWalt sander and a brick hammer! Although that pair could be used to age yourself as well (?)
I think it's a better job than most I've seen. You picked the right areas and didn't get carried away.
