Opinions for El-Cheapo-Caster color scheme.

[bendecaster]

I just recieved my guitar yesterday afternoon from Bill Bores, and what an amazing job he did on this baby. I got this guitar for almost nothing($119), thus the "El-Cheapo-Caster" moniker. It didn't feel too impressive out of the gate, but not only did Bill do a flawless job on the classic P/W B-Bender, but he rewired all the electronics, and added his 4 way pickup switching system. He also oiled the fretboard, and set it up so well I can't put it down. My opinion question is this: I like the burl ash top, but I'm not sure the tortoiseshell pickguard is going to fly. What's the consensus? Give me some color ideas, or is it OK? You be the judge! I'm thinkin' maybe cream, or white.
Heres the link for Bill's gallery:

http://www.benderguitars.com/images/...y/hcoddington/

Thanks for your help,
Harry

[need2retire]

I've been thinking bout getin this guitar from Rondo for a practice guitar at work. Looks like you also converted it to string-through body. Did it helped?

[need2retire]

ohhh ... I think black or white pick guard would look nice.

[bendecaster]

Originally Posted by need2retire

I've been thinking bout getin this guitar from Rondo for a practice guitar at work. Looks like you also converted it to string-through body. Did it helped?

Yes, it did make a noticeable difference, I think. This guitar was kinda rough, in the playing, and sound department when I first got it, and Bill made quite a few improvements, so it is somewhat difficult to tell which tweak made what difference. It definately plays, and sounds very Tele-fied now!

[acutair]

wow, that's a beaut.

how 'bout a white "pearl" pickguard? like this:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/whmoofpetepi.html. a nice contrast to the dark wood.

[bendecaster]

Hey Acutair, I really like the pearl pickguard best, so far. A very worthy upgrade for $20(therabouts). But I am seriously thinking about a neck too. I like big-wide-tall frets (22). I played this Tele this weekend, and the pickups sound pretty good, but the bridge pickup sounds somewhat weak on the high E. Any ideas? I noticed that guitarfetish is about to sell some bodies, and necks, but there is no sale date, or contact number. How could I imply? I'd appreciate help getting this guitar up, and gig ready. All tdpri members are welcome to assist. Thanks, Harry

[tuuur]

I like the figuring in the wood... so why hide it? How about a clear pg...

[bendecaster]

El-Cheapocaster Update!
Sorry to push this back to the top, but I am in the process of making some changes to this guitar. The neck is being replaced with a StewMac maple 22 fret. The pickups are being replaced with a GFS Lil' Puncher Hot Lead set(thanks for the tip serialsteve). Tuners are being replaced with Planet Waves Trim Locks. Oh yeah, the nut, and string tree will be replaced with Graph-Tech Tusq. This job is being done by my long-time, good buddy Mitch, aka TDPRI member, mitchelguitar! He promised he would keep this community updated via pics. Thanks Mitch!
I almost forgot to mention, I never found a pickguard. I like the ideas of a clear, or the white MOTO/pearloid, but haven't had luck finding them in a 5-hole. Any ideas(besides drilling 3 more holes-I've thought of that one already)?
Thanks,
Harry

[mitchelguitar]

Well, the work is under way and I have yet to receive the guitar. I have already prep the neck. It started life as a Stew Mac neck without the head stock cut.
In the attached picture you can see how it was cut out. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_...tar_Necks.html
If the picture doesn't appear you can see it here;
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...etTeleneck.jpg
Now since it had to get a few coats of paint it required some prep work. The first thing I did was to take a "Fusion" razor and scraped the neck before finishing. Sanding will only ripped up the grain while scrapping smooths the grain out. Now for the finish I used Candy Apple Clear Coat car paint in a spray can. For those of you who are shaking their heads, there is a trick to painting with a spray can. The trick is to run the can under hot water for about 10 minutes, then shank the can, if the can get cold, repeat the heating process again. Continue to do so until when you shake the can it does not get cold. You will find that the paint comes out of the can in a fine spray, with great pressure. The next step was to install the nut on the neck. For the nut I only use Tusq nuts as they deliver the best tone of any nut I ever installed.
http://www.graphtech.com/tusq_info.php
The next step is to get the guitar, and away we will go.

[mitchelguitar]

Well bendecaster El Cheapo guitar arrived today and I must say it beautiful. The highly figured top is very striking.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...derGuitars.jpg
The back is also beautiful, it has the warm color of coffee.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...Guitars001.jpg
The workmanship on the "B" Bender is top notch.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...Guitars002.jpg
The only draw back on this guitar is the neck, the fret board has a square edge feel to is, and the frets while not small still seem not to be big enough to get the job done. Another thing I noticed is that the 22 fret extension seem to be sitting on top of the pickguard. This cause the last three frets to rise up above the rest of the neck causing a higher action for the bridge saddles. While all this does not really take away from the guitar as a good setup could correct it, the major thing I dislike about the neck is the angle that the strings break over the nut to the tuners. I like an angle of no more than 30 degrees while this neck has an angle of almost 45 degrees. This causes there to be too much tension on the strings. While bending string normally will require more work the angle also forces the "B" bender to work harder. However since I am replace the neck with a 22 fret Stew-Mac maple neck I think I take the neck outside and hit rocks with it. LOL. Well until next time, Now where did I leave that Chipping Hammer......

[mitchelguitar]

Well the B Bender project has been complete. Actually it happen yesterday, but with the temperatures hitting 84 degrees today I went motorcycling riding down Fort Lauderdale beach.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...orcycle018.jpg

But I digress let's get back to the guitar.
The first thing was to fit the neck to the body. Since the stew mac neck has a narrower heal I had to add a shim to each side of the neck pocket, no big deal as I was able to achieve the same spacing for both "E" strings from the edge of the neck. While working on the neck pocket I was able to add a channel to access the truss rod adjustment while removing some wood from under the neck pickup. Now when the guitar comes together to adjust the neck I will only have to remove the pickguard and screw down the neck pickup, saving me from having to remove the string.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender001.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender002.jpg

With the neck now fitted to the body it was time to add the Planet Wave tuners. Now I have never been a big fan of locking tuners because of the added weight. However this was a match made in heaven as the added weight makes actuating the "B" bender easier. In the close up you can see the Tusq nut and the Fender decal. Now I wasn't going to add the decal but after reading all the self righteous post about not adding one it was just my way of thumbing my nose at authority.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender004.jpg

So I now have the body and neck completed it was on to the electronics. the "B" bender came to me with a 4 way switch, however with the stock pickups going from in phase to out phase in the middle positions it made for a very noisy guitar because of a ground loop condition. Now Harry supplied two GFS humbuckers for a tele.
http://store.guitarfetish.com/lilpuxlnepif.html
http://store.guitarfetish.com/lilpuxlnewfi.html
These pickup were well made and very solid. A word of caution; the wires from the coils pass very close to the pickup adjustment screws so be careful when adjusting the height that the screw driver doesn't slip as it could break the coil wires.. I measure the resistance and found that the bridge was twice the resistance of the neck. Which help make up my mind at how to wire them. For the neck position of the switch it would be a full humbucker, one back would be the neck and the bridge as full humbuckers, one more back and you have the neck as a full humbucker and the bridge as a coiled tapped single coil, which is like the 70 tele customs and has become popular again on many Squires, this work well together as the resistance almost matches for the bridge and the neck giving a very smooth sound, one more back and you have the bridge as a full humbucker. The final thing I added was a high pass filter which is made up of a 220 K ohm resistor and a 15pf cap so that when the volume pot is tuned down the humbucker pickups will retain their high end frequencies and not get muddy.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender006.jpg

Now for the pickguard as other in this thread has suggested and according to the project manager Megan, we went with the White "mother of toilet seat pickguard. I use the old one as a template and cut out the new one.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender003.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender011.jpg
So after setting the bridge and the neck action I give to you all the new and improved "B" bender guitar.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender008.jpg
The guitar play fast and clean, with sustain that you can feel in the back of the neck. Between the Tusq nut, vintage style bridge and the Maple neck the guitar has a real bell like quality to the notes that really make them jump from the guitar into your face. The pickup are really good, I had to look twice at the price, they have a smooth distortion without being harsh and can articulate notes in a fast lick. Do I want to keep this guitar for myself, HELL YEA. This one is a real keeper. I'll miss it when it gone. I've named the guitar Senior for Dad, who know where we would be if he didn't come into your room yelling, the music too loud, and what the hell is that stink, like he didn't know.

[bendecaster]

Mitch,
Thanks for the great stuff on my guitar! I'm drooling now, and want to play it badly!! Actually, I'd rather play it well, and I think it'll be easy to do that now! Thank you so much!
God bless you bro,
Harry

[mitchelguitar]

So for those of you that have been following this thread the El-Cheapo-Caster started out looking like this
http://www.benderguitars.com/images/...y/hcoddington/
Then i got my crafty hands on it and it now looks like this
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...BBender008.jpg
But what do you do with the left over El-Cheapo-Caster neck; well a little cut here and a little sand there and you make the headstock so that it looks like the real thing and you place it on a tele body and you get what looks like this
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...owbodytele.jpg
Now for you folk out there no decals were hurt in the making of these guitars.

[bendecaster]

Thanks Mitch! I played it last night, and it's just killer! It's loud & proud man, and plays like a dream! Can't thank you enough!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank y...........................................
Harry