Friend of mine, who is a very good player, just built a Stratocaster. He bought a one piece swamp ash body, sent it back East somewhre to have it painted in 2 or 3 tone Sunburst with a nitrocellulose lacquer. He had a Fender neck laying around, and had a luthier do it up the way he likes them. Pickups? Can't remember what he did, but they are apparently really good.
Guitar looks, and sounds amazing.