My telecaster build project

[Meggy]

Hi folks, I did say I was going to do this, so I'm starting a thread to document a telecaster building project I have embarked on - I hope it might be of some interest to those in the UK and generally, thinking of doing something similar. I should say that I have no experience of building guitars from parts (I know some of you are more knowledgeable than me) although a little experience now with guitar electronics and wiring. If it all goes pear-shaped, I will be honest, and report what happens, but I hope not!

Being based in the UK, I have decided to try and source parts/suppliers from the UK as far as possible. I did give serious consideration to using Warmoth in the US for the body and neck (they seem to make just excellent stuff) but in the end I was able to source the parts I needed in the UK, and the cost has been kept down as a result (I think it will be around £450 in total).

The body has been made to my specs by Guitarbuild.co.uk from lightweight swamp ash. It was a non-standard rout since I am fitting a middle strat-type pickup, and also using pickup-mounting rings rather than the usual pickguard/scratchplate. I must say they were extremely helpful in terms of alerting me to possible issues regarding the correct fit of parts, and I was sent several technical drawings with dimensions marked on, until things were correct. The wood seems very light and resonant also, and with an attractive grain pattern so I'm pretty pleased. Worth noting that we do have companies in the UK that can basically produce whatever you need for projects like this.

Other parts, including most of the hardware and neck I got from Axesrus Guitar parts spares online -Axesrus- this all seems fine also - the neck is a good fit to the body - I got this first, and was able to measure dimensions at the heel end and send these to Phil at guitarbuild, so this may have helped.

The pickups are a Tonerider Hot Classics set, plus a single handwound strat pickup I obtained from Voltage Pickups in the UK (this is RWRP to the tele neck pickup, so neck plus middle, and neck plus bridge, will be humbucking in operation).

Anyway, enough yacking from me, and a few pics:



These are really just shots of the various bits, including one to show something of how the guitar will look. I've fitted a mini-switch to the control plate, to allow all 7 pickup combinations which you can see.

Anyway, more to follow folks, cheers!

[TruthHertz]

Hey anybody know if they make necks and/or guitar kits for Tele's with wider necks? I think it'd be nice to have a tele with a good chording neck (what I call a wider neck that lets me get in with some grabs and voicings easier.)

I saw a clip recently with a nice sounding tele

YouTube Video

it's making me think...
David

[Meggy]

Hi TH - I think certainly Warmoth do give you a choice of neck widths, and I suspect guitarbuild.co.uk over here would also make a neck to spec if asked. I have medium hands - certainly not huge - and find I quite like the smaller neck widths. The tele I'm building has a 1 5/8 inch width at the nut which suits me fine. But you can get just about anything you want I think.

(Still thinking about things re free jazz by the way! )

[Meggy]

A few more images of the early stages. I have got the bridge unit and neck fitted and lined-up correctly, and all the small mounting holes drilled and parts fitted. I wanted to get all the drilling done before moving on to the finishing process - I'm going to use Tru-Oil (gunstock oil) on the body, combined with some dark grain filler to boost the grain pattern a bit. But that's still to come!

One thing I would say is be careful fitting the neck. I initially used a G-clamp to hold it in place (plenty of padding, load-spreading plates to avoid damage) and made small adjustments until it seemed right. I checked this using a long steel ruler against each side of the neck, referencing to the string-through-body holes. Once happy I used a small Phillips screwdriver through the bolt holes to mark the locations onto the neck heel. Then carefully drilled 4 holes in the neck to the correct depth, with a 1/8 inch bit. Even so, when initially fitted, things were still slightly out of true - fortunately I was able to correct by loosening the bolts, applying some "gentle" pressure, and re-tightening. Something of a relief when I finally got it right!

You can see I used a couple of spare plain strings to guide for aligning the pickups and mounting rings, worth taking a bit of care with this stuff I think.

I've now taken it all to bits again while I contemplate the finishing process!



So far no major mess-ups anyway!

[RoyaleT]

Xavier(Guitar Fetish) and Agile(Rondo Music) have teles with wider, 12 or 13' Radii necks.

[oldane]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

Hey anybody know if they make necks and/or guitar kits for Tele's with wider necks? I think it'd be nice to have a tele with a good chording neck (what I call a wider neck that lets me get in with some grabs and voicings easier.

Warmoth does (maybe others too). I had Warmoth make a neck with 1 3/4" nut width and 12" fretboard radius. They also offer a wide chioce as far as neck and fretboard woods etc. concerns. Check it out on their web site.

[Bill C]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

Hey anybody know if they make necks and/or guitar kits for Tele's with wider necks? I think it'd be nice to have a tele with a good chording neck (what I call a wider neck that lets me get in with some grabs and voicings easier.)

I saw a clip recently with a nice sounding tele


it's making me think...
David

USA Custom Guitars have lots of Tele neck options.

Thanks for hipping me to Mitsukuni Tanabe - check out his sound on a Super 400 with DeArmond - wow!

‪MITSUKUNI TANABE MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE‬‏ - YouTube

(apologies for slight thread hijack there ...)

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by Bill C

USA Custom Guitars have lots of Tele neck options.

Thanks for hipping me to Mitsukuni Tanabe - check out his sound on a Super 400 with DeArmond - wow!

‪MITSUKUNI TANABE MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE‬‏ - YouTube

(apologies for slight thread hijack there ...)

No problems re the thread hijack Bill - agreed that Super 400 sounds amazing in his hands. I still kind of like the tele tone he gets though, there is something kind of nice and workmanlike about the tele sound - hope I can get something like that from mine (allowing for my own limitations!).

[Vihar]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

Hey anybody know if they make necks and/or guitar kits for Tele's with wider necks? I think it'd be nice to have a tele with a good chording neck (what I call a wider neck that lets me get in with some grabs and voicings easier.)

I saw a clip recently with a nice sounding tele


it's making me think...
David

David, check out USACG, they offer four different nut widths, from narrow to super wide: USACG - Custom Guitar and Bass Neck Options

[kenbennett]

Paint that sucker. What's the finish going to be like?

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by kenbennett

Paint that sucker. What's the finish going to be like?

It's not going to be painted! It's a nice bit of wood, so I like the idea of a natural finish using Tru Oil. Here is another tele, made by an online friend in the UK with the same type of finish I'm going for:



Hope you approve!

EDIT: Just looking at your website Ken - you do some truly beautiful work, this does not pretend to be at all in the same league, just a home made parts-caster, but it keeps me occupied at least!

[Meggy]

I said I would be honest, so I will be - a slight difficulty did emerge. The more I looked at things, the more aware I was of a slight gap down one edge of the neck pocket. I think I should have bought the neck from Guitarbuild.co.uk as well as the body (I did think about this originally) - when buying bits from different manufacturers I guess you always run the risk of slight discrepancies in fit.

I have fixed the issue by using small pieces of shaved-down ash veneer added to one edge of the pocket - so a few hours of fitting and un-fitting the neck, sanding small amounts off the added veneer pieces, checking appearance and alignment, until I was feeling happier with things. I think the fix will be pretty much invisible once the finish is applied and the guitar reassembled - it's very hard to see even now. A couple of pics to show the fix completed:



Anyway, I suppose it was unlikely that my path would be entirely smooth and un-troubled. Really, I am now onto the finishing of the body!

[Vihar]

Coming along nicely, Meggy! Having a large neck pocket gap is purely a cosmetical thing though, if the bolts hold the neck tight and firmly against the body, it will sound just as good as a tiny gap setup, as long as the neck is aligned properly with the centerline of the body.

Anyway, I like that minimalistic approach. These kinda guitars start looking really good after a few years of hard playing, with all the sweat and dirt filling the pores.

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by Vihar

Coming along nicely, Meggy! Having a large neck pocket gap is purely a cosmetical thing though, if the bolts hold the neck tight and firmly against the body, it will sound just as good as a tiny gap setup, as long as the neck is aligned properly with the centerline of the body.

Anyway, I like that minimalistic approach. These kinda guitars start looking really good after a few years of hard playing, with all the sweat and dirt filling the pores.

Thanks Vihar - I guess I am maybe just a bit fussy but I do want the guitar to look as pretty as possible when complete. I've seen worse gaps on guitars in shops (mentioning no names) but I felt I could improve things, so worth the small investment of a few hours messing about in the long run. I agree with you though, I don't think it would have made any difference to the functionality or sound of the guitar.

I know what you mean about a bit of use/ageing helping the look, though I'm not sure about wanting too much sweat and dirt in the pores! - I hope the Tru-Oil finish will give a reasonable amount of protection to the body, as well as enhancing to appearance. I was reading on your website that you don't think body wood has any real impact on the sound - a different view from the norm, and I'm not sure I agree but interesting to read. Love the African guitar clips by the way!

[Mark James]

Nice job, Meggy! I would not worry about the slight space in the neck joint. It will not make a discernible difference in tone or sustain.

[kenbennett]

Originally Posted by Meggy

It's not going to be painted! It's a nice bit of wood, so I like the idea of a natural finish using Tru Oil. Here is another tele, made by an online friend in the UK with the same type of finish I'm going for:



Hope you approve!

EDIT: Just looking at your website Ken - you do some truly beautiful work, this does not pretend to be at all in the same league, just a home made parts-caster, but it keeps me occupied at least!

I use the word paint as a generic term for finish. I was just wondering what kind of finish you are going to use.

As you can see on my website, we use oil finish on wood that is especially nice. It doesn't protect the wood as much as a harder film finish such as lacquer, but it does better show the natural beauty of wood. And it's easier, safer, cheaper,...

For a parts-caster, it looks like you have chosen some very nice parts. It should be a fine guitar.

[kenbennett]

I was just reading about Tru-Oil. That looks like a good choice. We use a similar product called Antique Oil from the local hardware store.

I have seen one guitar maker apply the oil-varnish finish using fine sandpaper instead of just a cloth. The sludge from the sanding dust mixed with the oil actually fills the pores as you go. That gives a smoother finish. But it doesn't always look as good. In the case of this ash, I think it would be OK. Since you don't have any of the scrap wood to practice on, it might be better to go ahead with the straight wiping technique.

Good luck. I'll check back for pictures of the completed guitar and audio samples of course.

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by Mark James

Nice job, Meggy! I would not worry about the slight space in the neck joint. It will not make a discernible difference in tone or sustain.

Thank you Mark - at least there is no visible gap now, and I don't think there will be any impact on the sound either - obviously I'm kind of keen to get playing the guitar and find out what the sound is like, but I will have to be patient for now!

Originally Posted by kenbennett

I use the word paint as a generic term for finish. I was just wondering what kind of finish you are going to use.

As you can see on my website, we use oil finish on wood that is especially nice. It doesn't protect the wood as much as a harder film finish such as lacquer, but it does better show the natural beauty of wood. And it's easier, safer, cheaper,...

For a parts-caster, it looks like you have chosen some very nice parts. It should be a fine guitar.

Originally Posted by kenbennett

I was just reading about Tru-Oil. That looks like a good choice. We use a similar product called Antique Oil from the local hardware store.

I have seen one guitar maker apply the oil-varnish finish using fine sandpaper instead of just a cloth. The sludge from the sanding dust mixed with the oil actually fills the pores as you go. That gives a smoother finish. But it doesn't always look as good. In the case of this ash, I think it would be OK. Since you don't have any of the scrap wood to practice on, it might be better to go ahead with the straight wiping technique.

Good luck. I'll check back for pictures of the completed guitar and audio samples of course.

Thanks Ken, and I appreciate a proper luthier taking an interest in my humble little project build, I did spend a bit of time figuring out the parts I wanted, so it's nice that that is apparent. Plus apologies! I see what you meant by painting now.

I guess I could find some bits of suitable wood to have a go with to test things - I'll think about this for a while, as I don't plan to start the finishing today. Your advice and information is appreciated too. What I was advised by my online friend was to sand the body with something like 300 grit, clean with napther, then seal with a thin coat of Tru-Oil, before applying the grain filler. Then sand back and repeat, before applying further coats of Tru-Oil, and using fine sandpaper grades, then 0000 wire wool, to buff the finish between coats. Hope that all makes reasonable sense to you?

Cheers though - I'll keep the photos coming as I progress, and try to get a few sound samples up also, even if I am a bit reticent about my own playing!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Your Partscaster is looking great, Meggy! I like the minimal, lots of wood showing approach, too.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

Hey anybody know if they make necks and/or guitar kits for Tele's with wider necks? I think it'd be nice to have a tele with a good chording neck (what I call a wider neck that lets me get in with some grabs and voicings easier.)

I don't know if this has been beaten to death, but nut widths tend to be classified:

1 5/8" - narrow
1 11/16" - medium
1 3/4" - wide

In an actual Fender Telecaster, it's rare to find one wider than 1 11/16".

I've been cursed with hands that resemble two bunches of bananas, so I appreciate a 1 3/4" neck. Both USACG and Warmoth with make a super-wide 1 7/8" neck, but this causes a design challenge at the heel: USACG just has a wider heel and makes a corresponding wider neck rout in the body; Warmoth has the fretboard at the heel hang over a little on either side.

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Your Partscaster is looking great, Meggy! I like the minimal, lots of wood showing approach, too.

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

I don't know if this has been beaten to death, but nut widths tend to be classified:

1 5/8" - narrow
1 11/16" - medium
1 3/4" - wide

In an actual Fender Telecaster, it's rare to find one wider than 1 11/16".

I've been cursed with hands that resemble two bunches of bananas, so I appreciate a 1 3/4" neck. Both USACG and Warmoth with make a super-wide 1 7/8" neck, but this causes a design challenge at the heel: USACG just has a wider heel and makes a corresponding wider neck rout in the body; Warmoth has the fretboard at the heel hang over a little on either side.

Hey Big Daddy, it's nice to hear from you - I was wondering when mention of a tele build would get your attention! Anyway, as you see, I am finally going ahead with the tele idea after months (or is it years?) of talking about it!

It's a funny thing with the neck width, with my fairly narrow fingers I do get on with the smaller neck width (makes some of the Ted Greene chords where you fret 2 adjacent strings with the tip of the same finger easier), but I also don't mind going a bit wider - my Joe Pass Ibanez has a 1 3/4" width. I can well understand you liking the wider spacings better.

Anyway, I hope you approve of my design - I did want this to be a classic tele in a way, hence the ashtray bridge, and classic tele type pickups. Also the swamp ash body and one-piece maple neck I suppose. But hopefully good for jazz - I plan to use a set of 11's or even 12's on it for more of a jazz sound. Are you still planning a jazz tele build at some stage? I remember you talking about various options in some past threads.

[Vihar]

Originally Posted by Meggy

I know what you mean about a bit of use/ageing helping the look, though I'm not sure about wanting too much sweat and dirt in the pores! - I hope the Tru-Oil finish will give a reasonable amount of protection to the body, as well as enhancing to appearance.

Ahh right, sorry I thought for some reason that Tru-Oil is a tung oil based stuff, but no, it's more like wipe on poly.

Thank you kindly for liking the African stuff!

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by Vihar

Ahh right, sorry I thought for some reason that Tru-Oil is a tung oil based stuff, but no, it's more like wipe on poly.

Thank you kindly for liking the African stuff!

Actually I have to admit I don't actually know what is in Tru Oil - I've seen online stuff where it has been used successfully, and had it recommended to me by a couple of people. Seems within my capabilities to use (didn't fancy attempting a spray finish) so that's what I've gone for. It does give a bit more of a hard gloss finish I think, compared to things like Danish oil or Tung oil.

The reggae example is pretty cool too, cheers!

[Mark James]

Tru Oil is good stuff but figure on a long process and many coats. I use Tru Oil on my (Maple) guitar necks.
By the way, even if Reranch.com does not ship overseas they have a wealth of info using Nitro Lacquer for the do-it-yourselfer. I've had stellar results for years using their products and techniques. Good luck!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by Meggy

Anyway, I hope you approve of my design - I did want this to be a classic tele in a way, hence the ashtray bridge, and classic tele type pickups. Also the swamp ash body and one-piece maple neck I suppose. But hopefully good for jazz - I plan to use a set of 11's or even 12's on it for more of a jazz sound. Are you still planning a jazz tele build at some stage? I remember you talking about various options in some past threads.

I'm wondering about your hardware -- did you go for gold plating there?

As for strings, their gauge makes less difference on a solid-bodied guitar than it does on an archtop, but if you like flat-wound strings, they work just as well on Teles.

My dream Tele. [Skip the rest of this post if you want to avoid a rant!] I was born in the US, but I haven't lived there since the 1980's. Nevertheless, with a recent change in US tax laws I now owe them the shirt off my back. I've been scrambling to file stuff and it involves things like getting my monthly bank statements all the way back to 2004 -- and one bank I had an account in no longer even exists! I've done nothing wrong -- I've always had accountants file my returns and they told me I was doing the right thing. I think the US is just trying to grab money from citizens living abroad. My only mistake was in not renouncing my citizenship before, but I used to think it was nearly impossible to do so, and now my main goal in life is doing it, although it will take me five years. And to think I once liked Obama!

[MGI]

Great build, good luck!
My only concern is 3 pickups. You'll definitely get rock'n'roll sound, but I'm afraid not a jazz tone. Single coils, especially placed next to each other in case of 3 pickups, will not produce fat and juicy tone. Pickups, located too close to each other, will interfere each other magnetic fields. Stratocaster sound - yes. L5 - no. Especially with Swamp Ash body. Here's my TVS Supreme with same pickups configuration, and it's great rock and blues guitar, but it's definitely not for jazz.

[Vihar]

Quentin Warren disagrees with your science, MGI:

YouTube Video

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

I'm wondering about your hardware -- did you go for gold plating there?

As for strings, their gauge makes less difference on a solid-bodied guitar than it does on an archtop, but if you like flat-wound strings, they work just as well on Teles.

My dream Tele. [Skip the rest of this post if you want to avoid a rant!] I was born in the US, but I haven't lived there since the 1980's. Nevertheless, with a recent change in US tax laws I now owe them the shirt off my back. I've been scrambling to file stuff and it involves things like getting my monthly bank statements all the way back to 2004 -- and one bank I had an account in no longer even exists! I've done nothing wrong -- I've always had accountants file my returns and they told me I was doing the right thing. I think the US is just trying to grab money from citizens living abroad. My only mistake was in not renouncing my citizenship before, but I used to think it was nearly impossible to do so, and now my main goal in life is doing it, although it will take me five years. And to think I once liked Obama!

Hi again BD - yes, all gold plated hardware, or at least something that looks the same! I did have a few concerns in case it was too bling or a bit tasteless, but in the end something inside me just had to do it - and actually I am glad I did now, I still like it. Flat wounds might be great, probably worth a try at some stage, but I was initially thinking of an 11 or 12 set of half-rounds (I have these on my archtop and like them) - not for everyone probably, but because I play with my fingernails rather than a pick, I tend to get a somewhat softer sound than most, so the half-rounds compensate I think.

Sorry to hear about your financial troubles! that sounds just totally wrong that they could do that to me. You will have the dream tele one day I'm sure, and you will certainly deserve it when that happens. Hope things improve for you before too long.

[Meggy]

Originally Posted by MGI

Great build, good luck!
My only concern is 3 pickups. You'll definitely get rock'n'roll sound, but I'm afraid not a jazz tone. Single coils, especially placed next to each other in case of 3 pickups, will not produce fat and juicy tone. Pickups, located too close to each other, will interfere each other magnetic fields. Stratocaster sound - yes. L5 - no. Especially with Swamp Ash body. Here's my TVS Supreme with same pickups configuration, and it's great rock and blues guitar, but it's definitely not for jazz.

Thanks for the interest MGI - now I have two great luthiers watching - slightly intimidating... I'm sure you have to be correct about pickups affecting each other - you know a lot more than I do, but still, forgive me if I continue with the build in a spirit of optimism. If it is not quite what I hoped for at the end of the day, I still hope to have a nice and useful guitar, although I certainly don't expect it to sound like an L5! You do build beautiful guitars, I remember admiring a couple of archtops you posted some time ago.

Originally Posted by Vihar

Quentin Warren disagrees with your science, MGI:

Cheers Vihar - that does sound good to me, and I love organ trio jazz anyway, so appreciated that clip. I guess maybe it depends what one means by a "jazz tone", but if I could get a sound something like that I would be pretty happy.

[MGI]

Meggy, ofcourse, you must continue!!! Thanks for a nice words about my creations, I started same way you did, so, work hard, and love what you build, as I said - good luck!!!