Like many of this forums's members, I have always lusted after a natural finish '52 Telecaster - preferably with 58 years of abuse evident. I have looked at the Fender and Squire alternatives, and nice though they may be, none grabbed my imagination. Also I wanted a nitro-cellulose finish and we are talking some serious money once you move past the thick polyester finishes available on the cheaper Teles available.
All that changed when I was doing a search for '52 Telecasters on eBay (yes, surfing for porn) and came across Blackpoole Relicworks Custom-shop aged replacement parts. Basically you can buy the parts for any number of Fender-style instruments which Blackpoole will then age for you, from a closet classic to a heavy relic. And the finish is nitro cellulose. The neck, body and all hardware, including aged screws, are provided. All you need to provide are the pickups and the knowhow to put it all together. You can also buy the wiring, switch and pots pre-wired at a discount if you buy them at the same time as you buy the kit. The parts used are Fender-licensed replacement parts so you can't get much closer to the real thing.
I ordered the kit and wiring and also ordered a set of Tonerider Hot Classics for delivery from the UK for a bit more raunch. You can specify your neck preference and I went for a maple neck with a 10" radius for a bit more modern playability.
I also ordered a headstock decal from Oscar McVittie decals which will probably annoy some people but I have no intention of selling it as a Fender (or selling it fullstop) and anybody looking at it closely will immediately spot that it is not a real Fender anyway. It is my tribute to the real thing.
If you look at some overseas discussion groups you will see that some people have had poor experiences with Blackpoole, but although I had to wait nearly three months for the guitar as they were swamped with orders, I was kept informed as to its progress and never doubted that it would arrive safely - which it did...
Vintage-correct truss rod adjustment
Note the treble bleed circuit.
Somebody with a bit of guitar-building experience would probably be able to assemble this with no problem. However, the supplied bone nut needs to be cut and aged (in coffee) and I had was keen that the neck be set properly. So, off it went to Foster who did an absolutely fantastic job as always.
Lots of grime - perfect!
I think it looks absolutely fantastic and it plays extremely well. The neck needs to settle a bit (it is new after all) after which I might have a fret dress done if I feel it needs it. Other than that I cannot decide whther to play it or just stare at it. Maybe the answer is to play it in front of a mirror!
In case you are wondering about the cost of this beauty - R 8400.00 for the whole package.
I see that Blackpoole have now branched into fully constructed guitars - www.blackpoole.com
I don't know if that will affect their parts division, but you can still check those out at www.blackpooleguitars.com. Don't ask me what the difference between the two websites is. Grab one while the Rand is strong! There is no import duty on musical instruments either - just VAT and some kind of Customs handling fee.
I don't work for them - I just love their relics. Hmm - maybe a Blackie strat next!
Cheers
Alcatrax
