Watch James May Assemble a Stratocaster from the Ground Up

As part of a new BBC Four program, James May (formerly of Top Gear and The Grand Tour) took on the challenge of building an electric guitar from scratch. His choice was a Stratocaster replica from the 1980s, made by the Japanese brand Tokai.

According to May, this particular Stratocaster consists of 147 parts. This includes not only the essential hardware but also the six strings, a guitar pick, a strap, and a cable—so some might argue the count is slightly inflated.

The guitar appears to be a 1984 TST-50 Goldstar Sound Tokai. The logo design, which changed significantly from the previous year, is a key identifier (you can see the differences on the Tokai Registry website). This model was a high-quality replica of the 1950s Fender Stratocaster and was considered one of the best-value guitars of the mid-’80s.

James begins the build by assembling the vintage-style tremolo bridge, a faithful reproduction of the 1950s Fender bridge, complete with six screw holes and classic saddles.

Over five hours, May pieces everything together, filling the time with interesting stories and commentary on the history of the guitar and rock and roll.

If you’re curious about the inner workings of an electric guitar and enjoy James May’s signature British humor, check out the program on the BBC website. Unfortunately, it’s not currently available globally on iPlayer, but there’s a chance you might find it elsewhere online—if you know where to look.

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