1972 Refinish questions

I've had this Tele for 16 years, bought it from a guy that worked for me. He said it was his hard drinking, honky tonkin' Father's. The original hardware and pickups were gone, and his brother had stripped and attempted a refinish. It has early 90's Seymour Duncans and a compensated bridge. After a slow day at work and reading all the other refinish threads, I started thinking about restoring it to it's original color. When I got the pick guard off this is what I found.
My main question is about the blue. I don't believe it was a stock color since it's over the butchered hole for a humbucker.
I have a Fender 3 saddle bridge, and can replace the 500 ohm pots. I was thinking RS works pots and caps and maybe Stewmac pickups?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks

I've got a '72 that now has Lollar Vintage T pickups that I really like a lot. I'd highly recommend them.

It would be a shame to hide that grain. Can the blue stain be removed or bleached out, even a little bit? If not, go with your favorite solid color. Which ever body finish you choose I would give it the relic look so it matches the neck. Don't touch the finish on the neck unless it is not original or makes the Tele unplayable.
Or you could just slap the pg back on and leave as is.
Congrats, cool old Tele.

In 1972 pretty much the only factory std color was a polyurethane blond with a lot of yellow, I would call it a honey blond. If you wish it is easy to repair the humbucker mod. Use a small block of Alder, fit is as precisely as you can... use wood glue, glue it in, sand it smooth. Re Route the neck pu hole to your pleasure. I don't try to hide the repair but I do like it to look like I cared about the work. Seal that area whether you repaint or not.

All the pus you have or have been suggested would do, lets do something specal here, but not spendy. Rear bridge pu could be a Fender Texas special. Neck pu could a std tele or any P-90 (repair hole to match for a good clean job) without a heavy overwind. You don't need a killer neck pu just one that will balance the Texas Special for volume so that when you switch pus there is not an abrupt volume change.

Standard 250K CTS pots from your Fender dealer will work. Use the 67 wiring harness as a guide or the modified 67 which allows for almost no loss in higher tone as you reduce volume.... do a little search on the site here and you'll find that. If you go with the P-90 search here and find various good wiring harness ideas. I prefer the vintage series bridge with three steel saddles.

This has a single one piece maple neck and it has a swamp ash figured body. All good! IMHO the 72 is one of the closest you can get to a 52 as far as total guitar for the $. Excellent choice for a newer less experienced builder. Get it playing the way you like it, then get a blond on it (search here for ideas on the How To of that).

If you must, replace the tuning keys with klusons, but it is not needed really. Van Morrison likes his as is.

Here's mine, after my '52 this is my dear one.

Papa, Actually it plays great, believe me I'm not touching the neck. The tuners are maybe 6 years old, with the F. It didn't have those when I bought it either. I'd like to keep at least some of the grain visible, but now it's covered with scratched and I think some cat fur in varnish or whatever it is.
Thanks!

That's a world class piece of ash. Seriously one of the best I've seen. My first instinct is just to sand out the blue, shoot some clear, put on the old pickup, and be done with it.

I was thinking of a light coat of white nitro then amber clear. I just wonder of the old blue would react with the nitro. It looks like old tempura paint.

I was thinking of a light coat of white nitro then amber clear. I just wonder of the old blue would react with the nitro. It looks like old tempura paint.

If you go over the blue with a light coat of white, it might show through in that area. If you're set on that, you'd need to use primer first. Like it was mentioned, maybe consider just sanding the body lightly. The blue should sand out very easily with some 320 and a small sanding block with light pressure. Then you could do your white and clear...or just clear. That's some very nice grain to hide.

Leaning more and more towards clear now, any ideas on getting the blue out without excessive sanding?

Leaning more and more towards clear now, any ideas on getting the blue out without excessive sanding?

You can use paint stripper, but light sanding won't hurt, and you won't need chemicals.

OK, if I sand and go with clear do I need pore filler? Also there are two pretty good sized dents in the front. One supposedly from a .25 that some one shot at Dad. Can they be steamed of is that too advanced. I'm a decent wood worker, built some furniture but I'm not a Luthier.

No comment on the .25 ding, but I doubt you will sand enough to go through whatever sealer is on that body. Like was mentioned, just lightly sand only enough to remove the blue and you'll be ok.

I'm pretty sure the blue is under whatever it was sealed with, along with the cat fur.

Here's a pic of a tdpri member's 72 tele. I think it looks nice with a natural finish.

http://www.netprophet.net/pictures/72cream.jpg

I agree with lewis- don't hide that grain. Keystone or Tonerider TRT-2 p/ups and an original 5 screw Bleck Pickguard ( Allparts) would make that guitar a gem JMHO.

P.S. As for pots go for CTS and a good quality .047 uF capacitor. Stewmac p/ups are not bad but for the same price, I'd go for Keystones, especially as they may not be available in the future, or Toneriders where the Alnico 111 magnet has less pull on the vibration of the strings,as opposed to Alnico5 V., allowing for longer string vibration, hence more sustain.
Again Just My Humble Opinion. Cheers.

Great advice all, I have to patch the hole hacked in it. I'm going with clear, maybe with a little amber tint. Some light aging for the metal parts. Still thinking about pickups.
Anyone have advice about steaming the dents out. Other than two or three wraps of cloth under the soldering iron?
Thanks all.

Bridge, aged with white vinegar.

If it were me id just take some stripper and get that blue wash out of the grain. Then maybe look at some translucent nitro or maybe just a stain. I agree with the others, the grain is real nice. I wouldnt go for an opaque finish. As far as pickups. I'd checkout Shed Pickups from the UK. they make fantastic humbuckers and Ive heard great things about their tele pickups too! Good luck!