Building a tele body - making maximum mistakes!

nicovlogg · 2010-07-24T21:11:03+00:00

After having been inspired by Arlo West and his vast range of Pine-bodied telecasters, and having major amounts of free time during these long holidays, I decided to give it a go and build a telecaster body from scratch. ? Here's the progress! I decided on Oregon Pine, being pretty easy to find locally, nicely grained, easily workable and apparently a decent tonewood. Some people, such as Gearhead, might consider it a "kid's wood" but for a first project I think it's perfect! ? I found some old Oregon Pine from houses that has been kept in relatively good shape - it had some nail holes and so on, but that was part of the look. After being planed and joined by a carpenter friend, it started really looking like something. I was worried that I'd chosen dud pieces, but the thicknesser revealed great grain. I roughly shaped it with a tablesaw, to get it in the ballpark size-wise. As you can see, there's some bad parts in the neck area - this was one of 3 pieces that I got from the original Pine, and I chose this one as a first attempt so that I wouldn't feel TOO bad about all the mistakes I would, and did make. :-[ Using MikeM's template and router AND garage that he graciously provided, the body was routed to within a few millimetres of final size - leaving some space for mistakes and sanding. Then, it was sanded using Gearhead's drum sanding attachment on my drill press. Thanks to him and Mike for their help, tools and advice! ? Had a shopping spree at Hardware Centre in Randburg, which ended expensively. A vernier caliper was sorely needed, and decided on Danish oil as a finish. After getting my hands on a nice round-over bit, I started immediately and soon realised that it was harder then expected - got some tearout and uneven parts. Fortunately, I had about 3mm of extra wood to sand down and rectify those mistakes. ? DISASTER! I got really lazy, after a few hours of sanding, and wanted it to go quicker. I won't go into details about what I stupidly did, but it left an ugly bump next to the bridge pickup rout. :'( Had to postpone it until I could get it properly thicknessed - my hand planer wouldn't do the job. I ordered a neck from Musikraft, and must say that I was really impressed by their service. Very fast, it was here within 2 weeks. Great finish on the neck, with some nice flamey bits. ? The pickups are Bill Lawrence Keystones - very keen to here these things in action! Next up I will try the roundovers again - slower, and much more carefully this time! When (if?) my Stewmac package arrives, I'll be able to place the bridge and so on. 8)

singemonkey

nicovlogg wrote
Les Paul still holds a special place, don't you worry. It's there so that non-guitarists think I have at least one "proper" guitar :?

It's true. Laypeople assume Telecasters are some kind of toy/joke guitar.

nicovlogg

singemonkey wrote
nicovlogg wrote
Les Paul still holds a special place, don't you worry. It's there so that non-guitarists think I have at least one "proper" guitar :?
It's true. Laypeople assume Telecasters are some kind of toy/joke guitar.

And if it doesn't have a sunburst or binding! ?

singemonkey

nicovlogg wrote
singemonkey wrote
nicovlogg wrote
Les Paul still holds a special place, don't you worry. It's there so that non-guitarists think I have at least one "proper" guitar :?
It's true. Laypeople assume Telecasters are some kind of toy/joke guitar.
And if it doesn't have a sunburst or binding! ?

Fret end nibs, abalone inlays, flamed top, forget it ?

I was saying to Bob the other day, it's the classic working class guitar. If Woodie Guthrie had been born in 1955 he would have played a Tele in the '70s.

Attila

Very Nice Nico, ... are you open for orders yet.... ?

nicovlogg

singemonkey wrote Fret end nibs, abalone inlays, flamed top, forget it ?

I was saying to Bob the other day, it's the classic working class guitar. If Woodie Guthrie had been born in 1955 he would have played a Tele in the '70s.

Flamed top seems to be the secret to legitimacy. Perhaps my next project should be a thinline tele with a maple cap ?
But there is something very... American about a telecaster. It's like that whole frontier thing; independence, hard work, and simple living all in one guitar. I'm waxing philosophical right now.

Attila wrote Very Nice Nico, ... are you open for orders yet.... ?

I think I'm at least.. 5 more guitars from that. ?

MikeM

Cough - you'll have to get your own tools too :?

nicovlogg

MikeM wrote Cough - you'll have to get your own tools too :?

Hey, I have everything I need now - except a nice thick template!

Anyway, newest progress:

djpauw

What is your estimated cost for the guitar at this point?

MikeM

Oh really? :?

Awesome - now finish it, what's taking so long!?

nicovlogg

djpauw wrote What is your estimated cost for the guitar at this point?

The ONE question you should never ask a hobbyist. :-[*Cough*about R5000, I think*Cough*

MikeM wrote Oh really? :?

Awesome - now finish it, what's taking so long!?

Studies, noob. ?

djpauw

seriously dude, give me some idea... i'm also thinking of building one sometime

perhaps you can scare my GAS into submission

nicovlogg

djpauw wrote seriously dude, give me some idea... i'm also thinking of building one sometime

perhaps you can scare my GAS into submission

Just read my post carefully ?

OK, first tell me whether Namibia has any good wood reserves - cos last time I was there, it was mostly desert! :-[

djpauw

there are a few places selling wood, but i would probably buy from SA

Mikey just informed me of the cost... ouch GAS has subsided somewhat

infernox

Namibia has a few trees but their old. The only reason they would get chopped down is to make a smoking hot body for a new Les Paul...

nicovlogg

Old wood - the best kind! ?

infernox

just got good news... friend of ours has a full wood working shop and we might be making a guitar really soon...

nicovlogg

infernox wrote just got good news... friend of ours has a full wood working shop and we might be making a guitar really soon...

Proper tools make a world of difference - you could build that thing in a day if you have the right tools!

Wizard

nicovlogg wrote Proper tools make a world of difference - you could build that thing in a day if you have the right tools!

+1

(and templates)

nicovlogg

AARRGHGH, the frustration! Spent nearly 4 hours yesterday on getting a jig together to deepen my neck pocket rout - I tried aluminium, superwood, pine and eventually settled on some walnut pieces. The worst part? Ended up chipping a piece out that connects the neck pocket to the pickup rout. >☹

So I decided to quit it, and today gave it another shot! Shimmed it with some other pine, which is not ideal but at least it fits tightly. Will have to glue another small piece in. This is also not ideal. :-[ But for the next build, I know how to make my jig.

Routed out a rotten part, and put in a walnut piece to provide some contrast. Planed it down. ?

Hand sanded the thing till I was tired. It looks decent. I'm sure people won't come streaming to touch it, but perhaps they will for the next one! ?

G-Man

Wow, very good job man. You have serious patience!

Silly question, but is mirante a decent wood to make a guitar body from? Coz I have a decent sized plank laying about in the garage and I'm playing with the idea of starting a little project...

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