Telecaster Project

**Squint** · 03-12-2009, 05:52 PM

Oh boy!

**wizard3739** · 03-12-2009, 11:36 PM

I installed a set of Flatwounds (12 to 52) and did the intonation and basic setup. The locking Schaller tuners were easy to install and fit the Warmoth neck perfectly. I was able to test the Bill Lawrence stacked Humbucker bridge pickup and it is really a high volume screamer! Good mid-range and treble sounds as you might expect from the bridge pickup. This guitar has more sustain than any other guitar I have ever owned. I think maybe the sustain is due to the one-piece Rosewood neck. The neck is really sweet and the tall, skinny frets made the intonation job easy. I will need a better set up on the neck (action is too high) but I will wait until Warmoth sends me the Tele pickguard so I can install the neck pickup. I have posted some more pics on The Senior Moments myspace website .( The Senior Moments op MySpace Music ? Gratis gestreamde MP3?s, foto?s en Videoclips)
I am gonna name the guitar "Frankie", short for Frankenstein. Frankie is going to be very easy to play, weighs about 4 1/2 lbs and seems to be comfortable for me to hold and play. So, for now, it is "hurry up and wait" for the pickguard.

wiz
The Senior Moments op MySpace Music ? Gratis gestreamde MP3?s, foto?s en Videoclips

**wizard3739** · 03-24-2009, 10:18 PM

Frankie is done! I really like this Tele project guitar. The sustain on this guitar is much more than other guitar I have ever owned, probably due to the one-piece Rose wood neck. The Warmoth neck is sweet, fast and easy to play. The neck pickup (Joe Barden Humbucker) is unbelievable! It well balanced and the clarity is great. Actually, I'll be forced to pay more attention to my playing technique cuz mistakes are also very clear. I never thought I would find a solid body that could equal a good acoustic-electric guitar for jazz but I now stand corrected on that issue. Frankie will be perfect for jazz and I will be trying it out this weekend on the job. I ended up with 12 - 52 flatwound strings (Sadowsky) and I can get a lot of tone variation from the Barden pickup. The bridge pickup is a Bill Lawrence stacked humbucker and it really screams! The action came out pretty good but not quite as good as I like so I will be talking with my Luthier friend who lives nearby in Payson. I will post pics tonight on our myspace page. Thanks to all of you who helped me to pick the parts for Frankie.

wiz
The Senior Moments op MySpace Music ? Gratis gestreamde MP3?s, foto?s en Videoclips

**Squint** · 03-24-2009, 11:08 PM

Excellent Wiz! Can't wait to hear it!

**mr. beaumont** · 03-25-2009, 01:25 PM

so good to hear.

a lot of tele folks feel the biggest contributor to sustain is a good match and tight fit between the neck and body. sounds like you assembled a winner.

**wizard3739** · 04-23-2009, 12:27 AM

Wheeee! My telecaster (Frankie) is coming home on Friday! I had it "set up" by a real set-up expert in Phoenix and he told me it was "perfect now". I can hardly wait!

wiz

**rio** · 04-23-2009, 10:55 AM

Awesome! Any chance you could link a picture here for those of us not on Myspace? I assume that is it in your av too. At some point I'd like to build a tele too, seems like fun. I'm satisfied with mine though so no rush.

**wizard3739** · 04-23-2009, 02:13 PM

Rio, I will post some pics of "Frankie" as soon as I figure out how to post a picture. I have only 3 guitars now, A Jim Hall sadowsky, A Gary Stroup Benedetto copy, and My Tele project guitar (Frankie). Of the 3, the Sadowsky is my workhorse and probably will continue to be. I will admit, however, "Frankie" is fun and easy to play so I will be trying it out for my weekly jazz gigs very soon.

wiz

**wizard3739** · 04-24-2009, 09:41 PM

Frankie is back and is even better than I expected! The frets were levelled and polished and the neck set up by a real pro in Phoenix. I haven't been able to put Frankie down since I got home from Phoenix! This guy is gonna get my Sadowsky for a similar setup in about a month.

happy wiz

**ES350** · 04-25-2009, 01:04 PM

Payson? I'm in Phoenix and if you need some Tele parts, let me know. Sounds like a nice project...and yes, those Bardens are super clean and detailed.

**FrankieS** · 04-27-2009, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by wizard3739

Frankie is back and is even better than I expected! The frets were levelled and polished and the neck set up by a real pro in Phoenix. I haven't been able to put Frankie down since I got home from Phoenix! This guy is gonna get my Sadowsky for a similar setup in about a month.

happy wiz

Awwwww.. You named your new tele after me..

Very cool you like your new guitar, congrats!

**Kemogoontag** · 08-11-2009, 05:00 AM

Hi! I've been canvassing this website for awhile; Needed to tell how much I value this place

**P.J.** · 08-12-2009, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by fep

For you tele lovers, really cool though not jazz, this guy playes all the instruments

That video was awesome!! =-) PJ

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-12-2009, 12:38 PM

If you ever consider having a single coil in the neck position, check out this Lollar Charlie Christian -- there aren't enough E's in SwEEt for it! I'm in love!

**GEEBS** · 08-17-2009, 01:40 AM

Hi. have just seen your thread on the tele project. a good tele forum is Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar Central -- No. 1 in the World a lot of self builds and projects and advice. cheers

**beckstrat** · 08-17-2009, 05:40 PM

Hi guys, I was just checking out the posts after about 9 month lay off and discovered this post. I too am building a "jazz" tele. I just started finishing the body. It's a swamp ash-solid body and I just put on the 4 coats of grain filler and sanded it down. I'll put the sand and sealer on in a few days. I'll then finish it with Mary Kay white. I'll try and post pics if your interested.
I got the neck from Warmoth-Mahagany with an Indian Rosewood board, 2205 frets. I'm going to use a Lollar Charlie Christian in the neck so had to do some expanding of the cavity. Then a Lollar Tele bridge pickup that goes with the CC. I'll be using all black hardware but the pickups will be pearl. It may take a while as I'm picking up the parts as I can. No hurry and not much money to spare. In any case, great post! This is my second tele build and I'm lovin it!

**hdswriter** · 08-20-2009, 01:01 AM

I just checked out the Lollar demo videos (all 3) and yikes does that neck pickup sound beautiful. In the second vid he was using the 52 for the bridge pickup... now that Lollar has the B.S. Tele Bridge Pickup, I would assume that it probably sounds even better. Looks like I'll be placing an order this weekend.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-20-2009, 10:09 AM

You Tele guys are lucky. Imagine having to fit the traditional CC into your guitar:

p.s. Y'know how Fender makes a 100 different Tele models, including Artists ones like the Joe Strummer Tele and the James Burton Tele. How about starting a petition for the Charlie Christian Tele? Wide, fat neck with an ebony fretboard, these pickups, etc...