Tele suggestions wanted: trashy to classy?

For all of $20, I picked up this 80s tele style guitar with that obnoxious pointed metal-style headstock of the era. But it also has black binding on the top, a fairly nice but thick transparent natural/amber finish, surprisingly good sounding pickups (especially the neck), and as much as I hate to say it, an awesome playing neck. (I'm no wood expert, but the fretboard is so dark and solid, it feels like I imagine ebony would). Anyway, I think this guitar has a lot of potential and am interested in what you all think, particularly regarding refinishing and a neck replacement.

See pics below.

I'm thinking about doing a rub on finish like true oil and replacing the neck with some kind of fender licensed thing, like Mighty Mite or Warmoth, but honestly, with the former especially, I fear the playability will not be as good. Ultimately, I'm really wondering if that hair band headstock is too un-tele to keep. (there is also the issue of rosewood versus maple fretboards, but I don't want to stir up too much trouble.)

The brand, by the way is Series 10. It is a "Professional" model, which may be a bit of an exaggeration, but this is no beginner guitar either.

that fretboard is almost certainly rosewood. It may have been darkened, but looks like rosewood. I say if it plays well, don't change it, but that headstock (while i don't mind the pointy ones on certain guitars) doesn't fit that body.

A bandsaw (or even patience and a coping saw) and some sandpaper will take care of that headstock... there might not be enough meat there to make it truly "tele," but many things would look better than what's on there.

The board looks like rosewood and I think u could reshape the headstock but you're gonna have to add some wood on the tuner holes.. if not you can always get a new neck and have someone copy the original profile on the new one.. the body looks great!

If the neck plays fine already i wouldnt bother changing it...sure the 80s haters wont like it but oh well, its your guitar...if the neck feels right, keep it...if you dont like the series 10 thing, just take that sticker off if its not under a thick layer of finish and leave it blank or add your own decal and tell everyone its a priceless custom :lol:

I remember the Series 10 brand. When I was a kid a local music store carried them. My vote is to keep the neck and "rework" it with a coping saw and sandpaper.

Great find by the way!

Proper vintage 3 saddle bridge, string through body, good semi relic'd butterscotch finish... I like it.

I would keep what you have and maybe modify the headstock into something more "Fender-ish".

If you get a MM or Warmoth neck and you don't like it you can always sell it on here and go back to the pointy-headstock neck. You really can't lose there. :twisted:

Count me among the haters but I'd replace the neck for sure. It's just too damn ugly for me. I mean you have $20 in the thing, it's probably not gonna make or break you to try out another one.

As OpenG said, you can always sell the neck back.

Depending on where it was made (most likely Asia?)
have you checked the heel width on the neck? you may be looking at re -routing the neck pocket as I think the Asian heels are a bit narrower.

(I have to say I hate those headstocks on anything but a Jackson Randy Roads / Concorde)

I would replace the neck, and there are lots of neck sources. Otherwise it looks great!

Peace, Mike.

Hey Thanks, everyone.

I'm going to go the replacement neck route for sure. As several of you have said, if that doesn't work, I could sell it back. I've already measured the neck pocket, and perhaps surprisingly for an Asian-made guitar, it looks like it will fit a standard fender neck. Still, I hate to jettison that nice playing 80s neck, just because of the headstock. Fact is, though, I'd never be happy without a real tele looking tele.

The other thing I didn't mention is that there is a small hole in the body just below the control plate, like someone drilled a screw hole there. That's a major part of the reason I'm planning to refin it. I figure with a little filler and some finish, it will all but disappear. Again, for $20, I ain't complainin'.

Thanks again for nudging me toward a plan.

Dave

Be a Rebel.
Keep the headstock.
But the blackguardish body just dont go with it.
That thing is cryin for 80s day glo, metalflake, or a Van Halen tape job.

Even better plan-put a Fender style neck on that body, and put that neck on a cheap body that you can trash up 80s style.

The headstock is neat, and may be used as a weapon to save your life one night, by the hammer of Thor! Keep it!

You might round off those two sharpest corners for safety sake - so nobody gets hurt. But, there's a good chance a replacement neck won't fit in there. By the time you've got a F-ish headstock on there you are into the price of a Squier Affinity butterscotch, etc. And you said the neck is "great-playing" . . .

I'd just keep it like that but don't mistake my point here: you need multiple guitars!

Greg

Mount a floyd Rose on it, a couple EMG's and your good to go... Oops, wrong response.. I guess you've decided on a neck, so what else is there to say if your going traditional, its just a matter of three saddle bridge of some sort and traditional flavor tele pickups in the flavor of your liking and your good to go. Nice score for the money. I ain't a hater, I'd keep the neck but it's going to bug you, by all means get rid of it, besides you paid so little for it, its not going to make you broke to change it. Good luck with it!

Regards,

D.

Bronze or silver flake for the body and a new neck.
Don't do the oil, it always looks homemade, not handmade.

http://azguitarparts.com/bodies.html
Mighty Mite Tele replacement neck.
Soft V is available in maple only
$90.97

I would leave it as it is .It aint pretty but thats how it is and who knows one day some rich series 10 collector may come along .I would stick a cork on the end of the headstock point for safetys sake.

For all of $20, I picked up this 80s tele style guitar with that obnoxious pointed metal-style headstock of the era...

... I'll give you $40 for it.

LOL

I' woulnd't mind the headstock... sure its funny but as someone already said, there's not enough wood to reshape it.

great score homie!

... I'll give you $40 for it.

LOL

I' woulnd't mind the headstock... sure its funny but as someone already said, there's not enough wood to reshape it.

great score homie!

I disagree, you could block it out and reshape it to a tele headstock, it would be a project, but it could be done. you'd have to discuss with Preeb glue types and listen to arguements for and against adhesives, but you could do it.

is that a cigarette burn on the headstock?