telecaster bass build questions

[spook-e]

hey everyone, i saw a picture on here a while back where a poster made a bass using a telecaster guitar body, and im thinking about trying to build one this summer. Im new to building guitars, so any advice is welcome. Also, will i have any problems if i just throw a bass neck and bridge on the guitar body and use the tele pickups?

[bilpfeiffer]

search, Tim Armstrong has a friend who builds what you describe. The basics of the project are well documented. BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A SHORT SCALE BASS. The project Mr. Armstrong described used a Bronco neck and a Squire tele body. Pickups are not a problem: scale could be. I was young once, so I'm told, however I have aged and think perhaps you should just buy a fender bass and be happy. bil

[rhomco]

Originally Posted by spook-e

hey everyone, i saw a picture on here a while back where a poster made a bass using a telecaster guitar body, and im thinking about trying to build one this summer. Im new to building guitars, so any advice is welcome. Also, will i have any problems if i just throw a bass neck and bridge on the guitar body and use the tele pickups?

This uses a standard tele body with the neck slot deepened to the rear of the neck pickup cutout and widened just a frog hair on both sides. I used a Fender Bronco Short Scale neck and re-cut the headstock to a teleish shape. The standard tele bridge pickup location is just right for the bronco bass location. My bass player simply raves about this bass. I have to bring the damn thing to every jam/gig. I dont think you could get by with a full 34 inch fender bass neck due to the length needed not to mention the severe neck dive you would get. Trust me, this little guy holds it's own against any rock bass.
Good Luck with whatever you choose,
Rob

[Tim Armstrong]

rhomco, you absolutely ROCK! Really, everything you've posted has cause me serious drool problems...

bilpfeiffer, it was one of the other Tims, not me, that posted about the Tele-bodied bass. I AM a Fender short-scale kinda guy, and was seriously looking to do that kind of thing, but I found a Musicmaster Bass body for cheap and went that way instead.

Cheers, Tim

[rhomco]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

rhomco, you absolutely ROCK! Really, everything you've posted has cause me serious drool problems...

bilpfeiffer, it was one of the other Tims, not me, that posted about the Tele-bodied bass. I AM a Fender short-scale kinda guy, and was seriously looking to do that kind of thing, but I found a Musicmaster Bass body for cheap and went that way instead.

Cheers, Tim

He is the guy that started this whole idea here. I just "amplified" it.
Rob

[broadcaster]

Nice bass, rhomco.

A bass playing buddy of mine has a hollow body Tele bass with an F hole. I played it and it is sweet. He said he ordered it new from Fender Japan.

[ponticat]

The first time I saw Rhomco's Tele-Bronco hybrid I knew I had to build a similar bass; thanks for the inspiration! My version is as follows: Homemade Tele body (clear lacquered African mahogany), back routed cavities for Duncan Quarter Pound single coil pick up and controls (in the doubtful case I ever want to add controls), Stew Mac side mount jack and a thumbrest made from body blank waste. Bronco headstock reshaped into Tele-esque form. Other parts from the Bronco donor: Bridge and saddles, tuners, string retainer and strap buttons. Strung with LaBella flatwounds. Vinyl decal logo.

[Bluesbob]

I think I actually need something like this.

[tom grossheider]

Sweet looking projects! Bet they sound every bit as good as they look. Crazy!

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by rhomco

This uses a standard tele body with the neck slot deepened to the rear of the neck pickup cutout and widened just a frog hair on both sides. I used a Fender Bronco Short Scale neck and re-cut the headstock to a teleish shape. The standard tele bridge pickup location is just right for the bronco bass location. My bass player simply raves about this bass. I have to bring the damn thing to every jam/gig. I dont think you could get by with a full 34 inch fender bass neck due to the length needed not to mention the severe neck dive you would get. Trust me, this little guy holds it's own against any rock bass.
Good Luck with whatever you choose,
Rob

Lordy, that is absolutely SMOKING HOT!!!!

Pure class. You do good work, my man.

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by ponticat

The first time I saw Rhomco's Tele-Bronco hybrid I knew I had to build a similar bass; thanks for the inspiration! My version is as follows: Homemade Tele body (clear lacquered African mahogany), back routed cavities for Duncan Quarter Pound single coil pick up and controls (in the doubtful case I ever want to add controls), Stew Mac side mount jack and a thumbrest made from body blank waste. Bronco headstock reshaped into Tele-esque form. Other parts from the Bronco donor: Bridge and saddles, tuners, string retainer and strap buttons. Strung with LaBella flatwounds. Vinyl decal logo.

Also a beauty! Wow.

Can I ask where you got the vinyl headstock decal? That's cool!

[ponticat]

Originally Posted by Muddslide

Can I ask where you got the vinyl headstock decal? That's cool!

My own design, done in CorelDraw and printed by a local franchise sign shop using a Gerber "Edge" machine (10 copies for $36.00).

[stratomaster]

Or you could order the tele body from warmoth. Its a bit bigger so you can use a longscale neck.