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Building My Own Tele

Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
edited December 2008 in Musicians and Gearheads
Well, although originally purchased half of these things way back in April as you'll see below....finding the time and having my buddy help me out on this was a real stretch. Squeezing in an hour here, an hour there, with no real rush or priority.....but the Tele is finally fucking done.

I could not have done it with the help of my buddy Phil, who runs http://www.timpsonmusic.com

Please check out his site, he's a dealer for a lot of sites...mojo, guitarpartsusa, wdmusic....he'll order stuff for you at a cheaper price than those sites sell them for, give him a shot and tell him I sent ya!

but here is the final picture of the finished Tele!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/3081078935_837ebd67a5.jpg

Thoughts?

-Seth
My Birthday Gift To Myself:


Updated April 26, 2008 w/pictures!:

1. 2-tone Tobacco Sunburst Telecaster Body
RECEIVED!! ($115)
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee190/Guitarhero27Guitars/Telecaster/PICT0071.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee190/Guitarhero27Guitars/Telecaster/PICT0073.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee190/Guitarhero27Guitars/Telecaster/PICT0074.jpg

2. Warmoth Neck w/Following Options
Vintage Modern Tele Neck
Vintage Tint Finish
1pc Maple Neck/Fingerboard
Gold Fret Wire
Abalone Dot Inlays
Graphite Nut
Vintage Tuning Holes Pre-Drilled
(Warmoth.com $352)
PURCHASED!!

3. 1 Prewired/Solderless Tele w/Pickups
To Include the following specs:
Modern, 4-way Reverse wiring w/no Plate
Pickups:
Bridge: Lollar '52
Neck: [White] Lollar Charlie Christian
1 CC Tele Black Pickguard
(http://www.acmeguitarworks.com $406.75)
PURCHASED!!

4. 1 Gold Tele Upgrade Kit
(PURCHASED! $200)

5.. 1 Gold Fender Bigsby Fender Conversion Kit
(PURCHASED! $170)

Total Cost for Birthday Wishes: $1243.75

Better late than never. But finally done, and sounds incredible!
9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • ianvomsaalianvomsaal Posts: 1,224
    - Mighty might necks kind of suck (many of them get twisted and screwed up - I’ve seen it happen a lot).
    If you're getting a pre-made neck you might want to go with one from a company like click:Warmoth.
    (they make much better necks that Might Might - or you can just do what I did and make your own neck).

    - I’ve been slowly hacking away at my fifth Custom~Guitar: A Telecaster(ish) styled semi-hollow body
    that I made from swamp ash - I rear-routed it for 2-humbuckers with coil taps, and the top is made from
    1/4" Flamed-Maple - I cut an F-hole in the top bout, and I made the neck from hardrock maple with an
    ebony fretboard (22-stainless steel jumbo frets, and abalone dots). I also decided to angle the headstock
    10° for better string pull (no need for string trees), and it has a 3+3 tuner design similar to a Les Paul.

    - Why not just make your own headstock label instead of trying to fool people into thinking it's a real Fender
    with a fake Fender waterslide - what's in a name anyway - why not be original???

    - Anyhow, be sure to show us all some pictures when you're done.
    ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
    <b><font color="red">CONTACT ME HERE</font>: www.myspace.com/ianvomsaal</b>
    ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    Guitarhero27 wrote:
    here's the rest of my list and ideas...would like to hear some thoughts and recommendations if my prices of what i've researched seemed high:
    Your prices seem fine. Good luck with it, it's going to be fun to build and you will have so much satisfaction when you get to the end and you have exactly what you want. I have a good friend who builds the most awesome strats, so bare and plain when he starts and yet they are so beautiful when he has finished. He is extremely clever. I think its excellent that you are having a go.
  • Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
    ianvomsaal wrote:
    - Mighty might necks kind of suck (many of them get twisted and screwed up - I’ve seen it happen a lot).
    If you're getting a pre-made neck you might want to go with one from a company like click:Warmoth.
    (they make much better necks that Might Might - or you can just do what I did and make your own neck).


    - Why not just make your own headstock label instead of trying to fool people into thinking it's a real Fender
    with a fake Fender waterslide - what's in a name anyway - why not be original???

    Well, I wanted the fender decal only for my own purposes, to make it the "sister" guitar ofr my 97 American Lone Star strat (tobacco sunburst, red tortoise pickguard)....but just realized that I decided not to go with the red tortoise pickguard on this. I will probably design my own label

    I don't have the skills that you do Ian :)

    But on the contrary, I had heard great things about Mighty Mite from a lot of different people from this area. (Maybe the necks work pretty well in NJ?)

    I will look into your suggestion, as I have been open to a bunch of ideas thus far.

    Any experience with the charlie christian pickup from lollar btw?

    And I will definately post some pics.

    I figure by June it'll be done, right in time for my bday
    9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    ianvomsaal wrote:
    - Anyhow, be sure to show us all some pictures when you're done.


    +1
  • Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
    Update:

    Got the body in the mail, 2 tone tobacco ash body with a flame maple top, gorgeous.

    Ordered the neck with the following specs from Warmoth:

    Vintage Modern Tele Neck
    1 piece maple neck w/maple fingerboard
    Vintage Tint finish
    Gold Frets
    Abalone Inlay
    drilled for vintage tuner holes
    graphite nut

    More to come.
    9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
  • Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
    Updates are now on the first post, included some pictures of the body.

    More to come soon!
    9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
  • Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
    FINALLY FUCKING DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/3081078935_837ebd67a5.jpg
    9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Guitarhero27 wrote:
    FINALLY FUCKING DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/3081078935_837ebd67a5.jpg
    Dude, that thing looks awesome!
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    Wicked cool. Must be a great feeling to have it finished.
  • mfc2006mfc2006 Posts: 37,412
    that's a sharp looking tele! nice work!
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
    thanks everyone - got a couple more pics including the custom case I have for it...and please check out timpsonmusic.com if you need any guitar work or any parts.

    Bridge:
    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/3082822314_c124eee21b.jpg

    In the case:

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/3081937299_e6cd88b981.jpg

    Custom Control plate:

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/3082774552_6600aae228.jpg

    Neck (gold frets):

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/3081927247_c00ae0bbd0.jpg
    9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
  • Piper At The GatesPiper At The Gates Posts: 460
    Very nice axe. Enjoy, you'll really love playing something that you built yourself. Congrats.
  • Guitarhero27Guitarhero27 Posts: 2,146
    Played it for the first time last night...freakin' loved it! Will try and get some clips soon!
    9/29/96, 8/29/98, 9/8,11/98, 7/28/99, 8/23,24,25/00, 10/13/00, 4/15/03, 4/30/03, 7/8,9,12,14/03, 10/1/04, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 5/4,5,13,27,28/06, 6/1,3/06, 6/19,20,22,24,25,27/08, 7/1/08, 8/4,5,7,16/08, 8/21/09, 10/27,28,30,31/09, 5/15,17,18,20,21/10, 9/2/12, 10/18,19,21,22,25/13
  • JR195650JR195650 Posts: 7
    Hey, late comment here - but that's a georgous tele you've put together. I'm actually halfway building my own tele, and already have plans for the next one.

    The current one I'm working on consists of a Fiji Mahogany body with a figured maple cap, pre-made maple neck (i think it's Eden)with maple fretboard. Trad tele livery - ashtray bridge etc. Pickups are a seymour duncan mini-humbucker in the neck and a vinatge lead stack in the bridge. I'm still deciding on how I want to wire the pickup switching because each pickup can be split. I was looking at a bigsby but they're expensive in Aust.

    The next Tele is just going to be a basic rock machine - one hot humbucker in the bridge and nothing else, maybe a phase switch for some lighter tones. I'm considering one of those 'black ice' devices from Stew Mac - anyone used one of them before?
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