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Ola peeps

As stated in previous threads, Ill be looking at building a Telecaster real soon, although the aquisition of parts and planning will take me a whilst before I start building.

On that note, the ball has started rolling on getting just the body cut and it will have to stay at that for the time being as I would like all the parts to be here as I build, thus negating the frustration of waiting for parts etc etc.

I will most likely be ordering from Stewmac next month, so if anyone wants to get some stuff then maybe we can add to the order.

Now to the project:
As this is going to be my first Telecaster (and as Im feeling very partial to Les Paul right now) and more than likely my last, I want to make it special, thus Im not going to rush this, but also insist on staying original as much as possible in terms of parts and ideas.

I had a look at the various Fender parts on Ebay and Musiciansfriend.com but the original Fender stuff seems rather overpriced, but Ill be keeping a lookout for good lot items.

Having a visit to guitarfetish's new site today, I saw they have some really sexy stuff on hand in the colour I want and thus things like knobs etc will be non-original until I can find decently priced true Fender parts.

Guitarfetish does have a body which including shipping will cost me R600+- but seeing as I might get some wood for free, id rather go through the process.

Seeing a post from someone (I forgot the name) today with a link to a Fender, I fell in love with the idea of a white body, wooden pickguard and golden hardware.

So about an hour ago I went to work in Google Sketchup and tried to put something together. This is what I came up with, but I left the Pup's as silver as I dont know if I can get those in gold. Also mine will be a 3 brass saddle bridge and not 6 like in the proofs.






EDIT: Yes I know Sketchup's redition of Gold is horrid!


Question: What wood should I go with seeing as it will be painted in any case?
Also where can I get watertransfers printed?


Just had a look at GuitarFetish again and it came to this (not ordered YET!), this exlcudes shipping and the stuff I need to get from stewmac, but includes a neck and head, which is pre-made. The shipping is great from GF.com as long as you order lots of stuff.
    A vintage type 3-saddle: make that swamp-ash for me thanks.

    Here's mine:


    All 6.9lbs of 50's style Tele. Nice and light guitar with a swamp-ash body.

    Good luck with your build!
      PRS Spokesperson!! I envy you.

      Well thank you sir. I think this will be a educating experience for me.

      That 3 saddle is sexy
        Wizard thinks: "I clearly need someone to teach me how to use Sketchup"
          I want to make it special
          Having a visit to guitarfetish's new site today
          Make up your mind. You can't do both. ? Guitarfetish does things cheaply, but nothing special. Handy if you want to buy cheap hardware and pickups that you will replace with decent stuff later. But even then I'd say get a good neck (USACG), otherwise you might as well buy a cheap Chinese made Tele copy and mod from there.

          +1 on an ash body - especially with a maple board. Many printshops will be able to print waterslide decals for you, but most will want a minimum quantity. Also be aware that "Fender" and "Telecaster" and the logo are all trademarked, so you may not make or use decals with any of them.
            Alan, I just had a look at their stuff. I want it to be special and original, but its just so expensive. For the price of 3 genuine Fender parts you can essentially get all the knobs from them. Stewmac is where I will more than likely get my electronics etc and I have decided on Tonerider pickups in any case.

            On the waterslide front. If I make this for myself, then I dont foresee a problem, or will there be?
              "goedkoop is duurkoop".
              Careful you don't have to buy everything twice - once on the cheap; and the next time to replace the cheap stuff
                you have a point sir. What could be very wrong about the knobs and little plates though?
                  I've bought some of their hardware parts before and ended up not using a single piece. For the most part, it's cheap stuff and shows it. Even something like the neck plate - scrappy looking with deep scratches in the substrate visible right through the (bad) chroming and a sharp protrusion on the underside that would have dug into the finish had I used it.

                  The site Wizard pointed out, http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/ has good stuff, from the stock Fender to the great Callaham stuff. For Tele stuff, www.glendaleguitars.com is as good as it gets.
                    Thanx guys. Ill look into those websites. Where can I get a neck should I not make one?

                    Strange enough, I just noticed a ad for Acme on tdpri.com

                    How do I make those parts gold though?
                      I think your best bet here is to buy a 2nd-hand Squire Tele and raid it for the hardware and neck. Build your own body, upgrade the electronics and pickups, and give the neck a complete refinish and re-dress, and install a decent replacement nut. I doubt you're going to be able to get the same parts any cheaper than that.
                        infernox wrote: Thanx guys. Ill look into those websites. Where can I get a neck should I not make one?
                        From my very limited experience, making a body is the easy part ... but still quite hard, slow and error prone when you do it the first time.
                        The body is very forgiving of errors.
                        The neck pocket is critical as it decides where the neck is going to be pointing, at what angle and how well it connects to the body.
                        The positioning of the bridge is critical as it decides how the strings are going to run over the neck.
                        The rest is fairly benign and allows you a lot of creative freedom and space for error.
                        The shape can be anything really and so what if your contours are a little different than spec?
                        A lot of the routing is hidden under the pickguard so many sins can be hidden there.

                        Assembly of parts is also relatively easy after you've burned your fingers a few times on your new soldering iron.

                        Setting up requires expert insight & experience ... but there are others who can do that for you.

                        Neck making ... in my humble and inexperienced opinion is the hard bit; especially for a beginner.
                        I haven't tried, so may just be terrified and over-pessimistic, but there are so many things that have to work right in a neck where it isn't very tolerant of errors.

                        Also bear in mind that it is very easy to take on a large project and never finish it because you run out of energy or money.
                        I'd suggest something that allows you to get to a useful, playable instrument in reasonable time before you lose interest.
                          Ola Mojo, finding a used Tele is going to cost me R1500+ so I can just as well get the parts and do something from scratch. Otherwise if I find a Fender for R1500+- then Ill just redo it and restore it.

                          Wizard: I get what your saying, and I did forget to mention that I will be working with a experienced carpenter on this, so I seriously think we can make a neck, although when I looked at guitarfetish's necks, they were affordable and made me think that my time would be better used on making the finish perfect, or taking an extra hour on the electronics.

                          I will finish this as my wife will force me to do it. One thing I did realize this morning is that buying all the parts now wont be possible and might be stupid as my plan might change, also buffing the costs over 3-6 months is easier than spending it all at once.

                          What I will do, is keep a lookout for a used Fender, something maybe in bad condition as I love restoration. So pawnshops hunting I will go. I will also be checking out whether I can get the electronics in the meantime as that wont really change except for the PUP's.

                          Im on project again today, so what Ill do is sit and research a bit this evening on those sites wizard and alan provided.

                          Once again the question: How to I get chrome parts gold?
                            I'd love to revisit this thread once you're done with the project. I'm sure your views will have changed by then, but none-the-less I wish you all the best of luck with your project.

                            To make chrome parts gold, you'd have to have them re-plated. A very quick google search yielded this link:
                            http://www.hotfrog.co.za/Products/Plating

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                              • Post #16
                              MoJo JoJoe wrote: I think your best bet here is to buy a 2nd-hand Squire Tele and raid it for the hardware and neck. Build your own body, upgrade the electronics and pickups, and give the neck a complete refinish and re-dress, and install a decent replacement nut. I doubt you're going to be able to get the same parts any cheaper than that.
                              +1

                              the cheaper parts are not going to work. They are going to give you a sub-standard guitar that might just disappoint you in the end.
                              infernox wrote: I did forget to mention that I will be working with a experienced carpenter on this, so I seriously think we can make a neck, although when I looked at guitarfetish's necks, they were affordable and made me think that my time would be better used on making the finish perfect, or taking an extra hour on the electronics.
                              A great carpenter is not necessarily a great luthier or knows whats happening with guitars... there are intricate details that a carpenter may not know about ? With all do respect.
                              infernox wrote: Once again the question: How to I get chrome parts gold?
                              You dont... you buy gold plated parts ?
                              A lot less effort than trying to replate them
                              infernox wrote: Im on project again today, so what Ill do is sit and research a bit this evening on those sites wizard and alan provided.
                              Glendale and Callaham are the absolute best.. I personally have a full set of Callaham parts for a Strat, so I have seen and felt the quality.
                              Just a Glendale Tele bridge is going to cost you R1k, never mind the rest of it.. So if on a budget, Glendale and Callaham are going to scare the sh1t out of you ?

                              let us know what you decide, post the pics! All the best...
                              And if you just want it to be a labour of love.. Go ahead! do it!!!
                                Mojo, I know my ideas will change although I fell in love with this look and seeing as I cannot afford the ESP EC-1000 Marshall has in stock (black with gold edging and gold hardware), I more than likely think Ill be sticking to this look. Maybe just change the hardware to better quality / vintage parts from ebay.

                                Has anyone here had stuff plated? Will the finish stay? Just thinking that its not a ring or necklace and thus it wont recieve that amount of wear.

                                Brent: This carpenter is taking this on as his first guitar as well, so we will learn together, and I dont mind. Its our first build afterall. Its not going to be PRS perfect. Ive seen so many newb's building tele's and getting it right, with no or minimal skills that I think my experienced partner would be a benefit and not a curse but as I said, its our first build so que sera sera, whatever will be, will be.

                                I dont think Ill be going to Glendale then ? but I have looked at Callaham parts and its still not over the top. Seriously thinking about the Fender parts as they have those little original stamps on them which I so love in a build/restore. The more original the better/prettier.

                                As I read the labour of love part, I did realize that this could be it. I will more than likely be building this to play with on rare occasion but most of the time I will have it hung on my wall for the world to see and then pass it on to my daugther when she is old enough. I do projects like this to test and push myself and testiment to this is when I stated on this forum that in 6 months I would play a Rise Against song... its 2 months later and Im playing it (not great but getting there).

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                                  • Post #18
                                  infernox wrote: Just thinking that its not a ring or necklace and thus it wont recieve that amount of wear.
                                  Then you dont play enough! ? ?

                                  Gold hardware always wears off. Don't think I have ever seen a guitar with gold parts older than 2 years with all the gold still on the plated parts.. It just never lasts it seems.
                                    Brentcgp wrote: Then you dont play enough! ? ?

                                    Gold hardware always wears off. Don't think I have ever seen a guitar with gold parts older than 2 years with all the gold still on the plated parts.. It just never lasts it seems.
                                    I play my other guitars a lot ?
                                    Gold which is worn is pretty. I dont mind that.

                                    Just by the way: Thanx guys for all the comments and advice!
                                      infernox wrote: How do I make those parts gold though?
                                      If you were me, you wouldn't.
                                      I don't like gold parts.
                                      ?