Black AmStd Tele metamorphosis

Firstly I want to say Hi ! to all, because it's my first post here.
About few months ago I felt in love with telecaster when played it first time in music store. Unfortunately there was only black model but I cannot wait any more, just bought it.. It's obvious that it is meaningless when playing, but 'natural' is the one that is the most beautiful for me, so 3 weeks ago i grab a sandpaper and start working :smile: I want to show how it looks under factory painting.

Day 1 - I thought that it will be a holiday for my fingers.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6964/s5000382.jpg

Day 4-5 - finished top and bottom, starting sanding sides. All done with paper 60. So much prints on fingers, that hurts but I'm happy that wood looks quite nice for me.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7223/s5000386.jpg

about 1,5 of week - mission complete, every surface done with 60, then paper 240 and refining the edges. Body looks like apple pie, alder inside and maple on top and bottom, nice :) This is the moment of first attempt to make pickguard. It was 3mm black piece of plastic cut with scalpel. Too thick unfortunately.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/9460/s5000423.jpg

At this moment I bought nitrocellulose lacquer, 3 saddles bridge, 2mm plastic plate. I'm worried about painting if it will look good, I haven't even painted a fence before ! First base layer has been made, every time when I looked at it smile appears on my face :smile: So beautiful (for me of course). I have used brush little bit wider than a body.

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2133/s5000427.jpg

Second layer, every of them dries 3 days, then grinding with 240.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9982/img20120411223552.jpg

Third week, fourth layer done, received package with new 'old' bridge, pickguard cutted.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/628/s5000436r.jpg

Screwing everything up and setting strings that takes some time on this bridge. I have also fixed neck pickup to wood. FINISH !! It is the most beautiful guitar on the World :rolleyes: At the end, greetings from Poland !

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/9084/s5000441.jpg

Welcome!
Good job!
Congrats!
Greetings from Budapest!

Wow, great job on the refinish - that looks beautiful.
Did you do all the sanding by hand? (makes me tired even thinking about that!)

And a very warm welcome to the TDPRI !

That is very nice... Great job.. It looks very vintage. Welcome to TDPRI.... Thanks for the pictures.

Wow, great job on the refinish - that looks beautiful.
Did you do all the sanding by hand? (makes me tired even thinking about that!)

And a very warm welcome to the TDPRI !

Yes, it's been done by hand because I haven't got any kind of grinder. It was few hours of sanding a day, day after day but the result reward this. Now it's time to continue learning :) I play guitar just since one year.

You got lucky with that body because the woodgrain looks well matched.Usually for solid colors they won't match the woodgrain evenly and you'll often see very mismatched wood pieces.Luckily for you however it just happens that your Mexican standard black body has a one piece veneer top with nice woodgrain!

Thank you for reply. I've done few more photos.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6122/s5000459c.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/696/s5000459c.jpg/) http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3985/s5000461g.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/232/s5000461g.jpg/)

Homemade pickguard. I think that I can made them in huge amount, it was quite simple. I'm waiting for one more element - not a phillips screws. I've searched for them in my country but without result.
http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5158/s5000462.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/s5000462.jpg/)

Unfortunately I've removed too much wood in jack area so I placed there piece of felt, the same like under strap mount.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/2036/s5000463.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/140/s5000463.jpg/)

5 pieces of glued alder, not ideal but sounds good.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/8243/s5000464.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/687/s5000464.jpg/)

And a beautiful sunset :) Now I'm dreaming to be inspired like Frusciante...
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8838/s5000467.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/s5000467.jpg/)

Wow indeed...:eek:

Lovely. I've sanded a couple back to natural. It's very rewarding. Beautiful guitar.

I've made one more modification: new pickup. But not new from store - new from sketch. One piece of rugged CD case plastic on top, other thicker plastic piece on bottom, 0.06mm wire (something comparable to AWG 42-43), Alnico 5 magnets. 7800 turns and 6,3Ohms. When played it first time I was amazed. Total cost - about 10$ :))

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/8827/s5000474.jpg

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/2474/s5000476.jpg

Nice one! I'm even more impressed now :cool:

Sweet! Congrats on the mods.

My Tele will get a companion soon :) Vertical lines are just little bit burned wood, but there goes ash veneer with sunburst.

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/5742/s5000526.jpg

I have made a little progress in building pickups. New materials, new wire, new conception. But no guitar to put them in. Stratocaster is still in work in progress state, because of lack of dollars :sad:

http://imageshack.us/a/img594/4513/s5000705.jpg

Sorry to hear about the lack of $$$ problems - that strat looks really interesting!
I hope you can get it finished soon :)

I'm hopeful, it's going to be better :razz: I bought the cheapest Tanglewood "stratocaster" and put the pickups in. Now it's my primary guitar, they sounds good though the guitar body is made of.. MDF :mrgreen: I just have to correct the neck shape and put new lacquer, then record some samples. Only bridge pickup probably need more strength and little less high tones. Maybe increasing inductance will help.

I've also made automatic pickup winder, but still I mostly wind by hand :smile:

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