Members gardo Posted October 3, 2019 Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 Like most of us, I tend to accumulate guitar parts. I"ve been looking at Tele's (as usual) and dreaming of building exactly what I want someday. Well that day is NOT here. But,I took inventory and really just need a body to build something . I want a Tele with sweet single coils . But humbuckers are what I have so humbuckers it is. I scored a cheap body from GFS.. It needs wet sanded and buffed but I can do that.The good news is that it,s a full 1-3/4 thick this is a must for me. It's made of basswood ,which gets no respect even though the coveted MIJ Fenders used it. For what I'm doing it will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 3, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 Some of the pieces I have . The bridge plate could be cut down and drilled to more of a hard tail or a TOM bridge can be used . Considering fashioning a pickgaurd of some sort with the laminate sample . Basically just going to jump in and see where it goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted October 3, 2019 Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 Looks like fun. Keep us updated on the progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 3, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 Thanks, if you know me progress will be slow. I'm no Freeman Keller . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted October 3, 2019 Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 A couple of problems using the ToM - most of the time on a tele you need to introduce some neck angle and second, they are usually 12 inch radius and tele necks usually aren't. I would plan on the tele bridge and cutting it off. You are drilled for string thru anyway. Only other minor thing might be the wiring kit - you might want to change some items to work with the 'buckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 3, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 . You,re right about the TOM .The sawed off tele plate is my first choice. As for the wiring, it actually is for 2 'buckers so it has 500k pots and correct tone cap so I should be good to go. The blend pot I have s also 500k . All leftover from a project that didn't happen I spent a long time yesterday searching out your tele builds and taking notes. Thanks Freeman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted October 3, 2019 Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 I kind of lost track of the threads that I did here so I redid the tele one at TDPRI https://www.tdpri.com/threads/a-chambered-tele-ish-sort-of-thing.884657/ I also did a pretty complete one on frets and setup when you get to that point https://www.tdpri.com/threads/basic-setup.952636/ If there is anything I can do to help just give a shout. I'll be watching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 3, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 3, 2019 Thanks The only way for me to find those old threads was to google your name with telecaster or barncaster ,then do an image search .Having a link is so much better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted October 4, 2019 Members Share Posted October 4, 2019 A suggestion if you are interested. Why not wire the humbuckers series instead of parallel? They look to be 4 conductor, so use the tap wires as hot, and the hot and ground as..... wait for it.... ground. This way you would still have that tele twang (ish) with the benefit of bucking the hum. And yeah, Basswood gets no respect, especially from a small company like Ibanez. Their highest end electric, the JEM is made from it, along with 90% of the RGs they make. but hey, what do they know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 4, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 4, 2019 Nice thing about tele type guitars, it’s simple to change the wiring. Sooner or later you know I will try series wiring. Good tip Thanks As for basswood, I guess I was thinking in Fender terms . You’re right other builders do quite well with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 4, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 4, 2019 11 hours ago, badpenguin said: A suggestion if you are interested. Why not wire the humbuckers series instead of parallel? They look to be 4 conductor, so use the tap wires as hot, and the hot and ground as..... wait for it.... ground. This way you would still have that tele twang (ish) with the benefit of bucking the hum. There are actually 5 wires including the silver ground Will this make any difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted October 5, 2019 Members Share Posted October 5, 2019 Not at all. You have the black, and the bare wires as ground. Simply add the green wire to ground, and use the red/white as your hot wire to the switch. If you don't like it, it's easy to switch back. And you can always add 2 push/pull pots to add series/parallel or a coil tap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 5, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 5, 2019 Series it will be. Like you said it's easy enough to change someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 7, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 7, 2019 Body and chrome Pup rings arrived today. Overall the body is better than expected. The finish is magnificent, but the neck pocket will need some attention. Nothing we can’t handle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted October 8, 2019 Members Share Posted October 8, 2019 If it's not too late I strongly recommend you get a proper humbucker bridge rather than hacksawing the one you have now. I think you'll be happier with the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 8, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 8, 2019 For some reason I just don't like the look of the humbucker bridge plate. That leaves a sawed off plate or a hardtail. I've had this plate laying around for several years . I can cut it down ,look at it and if I don't like it go to plan b, Who knows , I may even go with your suggestion after looking things over . I'll keep it in mind ,Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 10, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2019 Well I got the neck pocket cleaned up The neck is running evenly spaced with the string through holes and good for the scale length It took a little finessing with a sanding block,, a file, a dremel and a touch with a small chisel until I was satisfied Sawed off the bridge plate but still need to drill and countersink two more mounting holes. Laid some parts in place to look it over and I like it Next I’ll clamp the neck in place and use dental floss in the high and low E strings to be sure the strings are even along the neck before drilling Don’t know why but my phone changes the color. It’s NOT BLUE. The color really is SEAFOAM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted October 10, 2019 Members Share Posted October 10, 2019 That's looking really nice with the chrome pup rings and sawed off bridge plate. Good choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 20 minutes ago, gardo said: Don’t know why but my phone changes the color. It’s NOT BLUE. The color really is SEAFOAM Looks like seafoam to me. That color has always had a bit of a bluish cast to it IMO... it will get greener as it ages - especially if it has clear lacquer top coats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 10, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2019 Not sure yet what if anything I’ll do for a pickgaurd . I have a black one that could easily be opened up for a humbucker , I like the look but also thought about making one from this countertop sample. Probably something like a Carbonita style. The last image is not mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 10, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2019 4 minutes ago, Phil O'Keefe said: Looks like seafoam to me. That color has always had a bit of a bluish cast to it IMO... it will get greener as it ages - especially if it has clear lacquer top coats. I knew I would get your attention with seafom , I see a difference between the camera image and the subject The color really looks good in person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 10, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2019 I also need to remember to drill a small hole to run a ground to the bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 10, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2019 This project is about building a low budget partscaster The body was $45 plus shipping and I bought a few pieces of hardware like the Pup rings The neck was free ,Jim at the repair shop asked me to give it a good home Everything else was just laying around the house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I like the Cabronita style guard - that will look nice with the humbuckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Not digging the red so much... I’d go with white or black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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