IKEAcaster #3: the double uncut Tele build

[tuuur]

As the original double uncut tele thread is increasingly becoming a photoshop contest for making the most horrible tele abominations, I decided to create a separate build thread for the double uncut tele. This one will become a guitar especially for slide.

For those that didn't read the original thread; this idea is inspired by the Fender TC-90 double cut Tele. Just as the body of that one is a symmetrical, doubled treble side of an normal Telecaster, this one gets a body that is a symmetrical doubled bass side of a normal Telecaster

As I am on a really tight budget these days, I'll use only what I have lying around.
What I got so far:

• IKEA planks for the body
• neck with tuners from an old acoustic
• old rusty tailpiece from the same old acoustic
• tune-o-matic bridge with studs
• 2 strat pickups
• electronics

Here's the donor guitar. Its body is no more, it ceased to exist, is an ex-body (of plywood).



The first things are done. Following the lines of the Tryggvecaster and the Teiscocaster, I started with a Tryggve plank that's going to be the middle part.
I'll make it a hollow body again, maybe with a f-hole, maybe even with two, I''m undecided yet.

Here's the middle body part with the neck:



Close up of the body part and the headstock. The decal reads: Goldene Harfe (meaning gold harp in German, though on the backside it reads Made In Italy...)

[Dean Gray]

Good idea to move this over....

I like the headstock decal on your neck - it looks like the old Dobro label.

[Wardpike]

This is bizarre stuff, and yet, I am very intrigued.

[Worn]

strange is good....I'm feeling inspired

[tuuur]

Been busy again tonight. I jigsawed out the front and back part:



And then proceeded to remove wood from the middle part with a jigsaw.



All jigsawed out...

[tuuur]

Next, I started to pre-drill the front and back part, in preparation of routing them out until approx. 0.5 cm thickness.



I have bought a router bit with a guiding wheel... but I couldn't use the middle part as a guide, as i was not thick enough. Didn't think much of it and left it clamped in place.
But then... the bit stuck and took a part of the middle part out.



Guess I have two ways to go: make a new middle part, or glue this together. I got enough wood, so I am opting to create a new one.

This is how far I am by now.

[riggergreg]

Sometimes, You guys just amaze me

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by riggergreg

Sometimes, You guys just amaze me

Thanks! Well, I guess I should say that, 'cause I gather it was meant as a compliment...
I amaze myself as well, because I am creating playable guitars out of almost free things, having almost zero woodworking or electronic experience...

[tuuur]

Not much done today, I finished the routing on the front panel and sanded the front and middle panel. Ready to be glued, if only I had enough woodglue...



Because the neck is meant to be a glued neck, I have to create a joint. I'm going to saw that in the combined front and middle panel using the jigsaw. That way the back panel stays intact.

[boneyguy]

Where there's a will there's a way.

This is reminding me of the recent thread about talent and desire. You may not have the woodworking talent(as you have said) but you sure got the desire my friend.

I admire your spirit.

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by boneyguy

Where there's a will there's a way.

This is reminding me of the recent thread about talent and desire. You may not have the woodworking talent(as you have said) but you sure got the desire my friend.

I admire your spirit.

Thanks for your kind words!

I glued the top and middle panel together today.
Here is a group pic of my 3 IKEAcasters. The Double Uncut is going to be somewhat shorter, but to me it still looks allright.

[tuuur]

A little progress today. This will be the first set neck guitar I ever make, plus I make this up as I go...

Prepared the body to receive the neck joint...


Took a bit of scraping and stuff to make it fit...


Close up of the body...


I might want to shim the neck...


This guitar gets more and more Danelectro feel to me.

[axmaker]

This guitar gets more and more Danelectro feel to me.

then maybe it's time for lipstick pickups?

[Edutainment]

Originally Posted by axmaker

then maybe it's time for lipstick pickups?

Seconded. I like a good pair of lipsticks, although I think this guitar would be cool with Filtertrons or gold foil pickups. I don't know why.

This thing's gonna be cool. I can't wait to see more.

[reddogbass]

tuuur- I really like the symmetry of the "uncut." Sorta like a doublecut tele in reverse. I don't get the Dano vibe at all. Of course if you want the lipsticks, go for it. For me I see one fat split humbucker in the neck position.

[JasonRobert]

This is really cool. I also feel it would look good with one humbucker in the neck position.

[Ed Bickert]

So far I LOVE the idea! Keep posting the pics!

[tuuur]

Thanks for the replies! I won't install Lipsticks, 'cause I really want this to be made with stuff I had lying around.

Today I tried to make a template from thicker MDF.



Managed to destroy both the thicker AND the thinner template. Bother.

[tomi]

Originally Posted by tuuur

This guitar gets more and more Danelectro feel to me.

I agree--I'm not sure why you'd call it a Tele. No offense, but it doesn't really have any Tele characteristics, unless you're planning to go with Tele-style pickups and controls.

[jwells393]

Managed to destroy both the thicker AND the thinner template.

Yikes .............. how did that happen? Sounds like you may have been in a hurry.

MDF templates can be repaired ........ just glue in MDF patches and re-rout.

[newtwanger]

Originally Posted by tomi

I agree--I'm not sure why you'd call it a Tele. No offense, but it doesn't really have any Tele characteristics, unless you're planning to go with Tele-style pickups and controls.

Me too. When does the tele-ness happen? headstock?nope.body?nope.bridge?nope.

Great evolution of a "parts on hand" guitar, but partscaster? I dunno.

[Edutainment]

Originally Posted by newtwanger

Me too. When does the tele-ness happen? headstock?nope.body?nope.bridge?nope.

Great evolution of a "parts on hand" guitar, but partscaster? I dunno.

Well the idea is that the body is like a Tele body minus the cutout. A Tele bridge would really validate it's Tele status but I like the look of the bridge being used. I'm definitely looking forward to this build.

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Yikes .............. how did that happen? Sounds like you may have been in a hurry.

MDF templates can be repaired ........ just glue in MDF patches and re-rout.

Yes, I was in a hurry. And the lighting conditions were bad, what with me getting blasted with MDF dust full force. And my hand router wobbled a bit over the edge of the template, so it took a nab out. Then I got angry, which is a very dangerous thing to do when holding a router; so I turned the thing off.
Now I am in a cooling down period.

Now I do see the benefit of a table router; it keeps stuff straight and protects from horror scenarios. But: my handrouter is one that operates by pushing and holding a button... therefore it cannot serve as a basis for a table router I think.

[bobthecanadian]

DOH!!! Nice tear-out bro!!! I haven't seen one like that since the last time I was in the shop!!!

I hope that you can make good repairs and that you managed to keep all of you fingers


Bob

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by bobthecanadian

DOH!!! Nice tear-out bro!!! I haven't seen one like that since the last time I was in the shop!!!

Ouch! Sorry to hear that!

Originally Posted by bobthecanadian

I hope that you can make good repairs and that you managed to keep all of you fingers


Bob

Fingers all intact, Bob.
You gotta have respect for routers.

[tuuur]

I learned that when things go wrong, I cool down first and then continue with another aspect of the build.
So I painted the inside of the body...

[TheBends]

So, would that neck happen to have a truss rod inside it?
I suggest getting it fret crowned along with getting a new set of tuning pegs.

[ste993]

tuuur - keep going man! This thread is fascinating and I am looking forward to seeing your progress.

You say you have little woodworking experience but you have loads of talent. Good job!

[e-merlin]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Now I do see the benefit of a table router; it keeps stuff straight and protects from horror scenarios. But: my handrouter is one that operates by pushing and holding a button... therefore it cannot serve as a basis for a table router I think.

You could wire a plug and switch and hang it on whatever you will use for a table. Then figure out something to clamp the switch on. Maybe a hose clamp? Just make sure the table's switch is off before you plug it in.

Nice build, by the way. It's a lot different from the stuff in the original thread.

[JasonRobert]

Originally Posted by TheBends

So, would that neck happen to have a truss rod inside it?

it looks to me that the original guitar had steel strings (not nylon) so the neck should be ok as it was built for steel strings. however tuuur would have to confirm it did have steel strings as it is hard to tell from the picture.


EDIT: Tuuur, I was wondering... how thick will the body be when all three pieces are fitted together?

[Edutainment]

Originally Posted by JasonRobert

it looks to me that the original guitar had steel strings (not nylon) so the neck should be ok as it was built for steel strings. however tuuur would have to confirm it did have steel strings as it is hard to tell from the picture.


EDIT: Tuuur, I was wondering... how thick will the body be when all three pieces are fitted together?

Each board is 1.5cm thick, so it'd be 4.5cm.

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by JasonRobert

it looks to me that the original guitar had steel strings (not nylon) so the neck should be ok as it was built for steel strings. however tuuur would have to confirm it did have steel strings as it is hard to tell from the picture.


EDIT: Tuuur, I was wondering... how thick will the body be when all three pieces are fitted together?

Edutainment is right, it will be approx. 4.5 cm (maybe a bit more).

I don't think the neck has a trussrod (I'm not home, so I can't check). It's a laminated neck with a maple centerpiece if I'm correct. The donor guitar didn't have strings when I got it, so I'm not sure if it's suited for steel strings.

[tuuur]

Today I cut out the f-holes...



Mock-up again:



Progress is slow and will remain slow I guess...

[boneyguy]

Originally Posted by tuuur

Today I cut out the f-holes...


Mock-up again:



Progress is slow and will remain slow I guess...

Take your time. I really like how it's looking. I hope there are no more problems and that it plays well when you're done because you sure have a very unique and cool looking guitar taking shape.

By the look of the neck and headstock I would say it's a pretty safe bet that it came off a guitar strung with steel strings IMO. I don't think you'll have any problems with it in terms of string tension.

EDIT: I've brightened up the photo of the 'donor' guitar and by the looks of the bridge it's almost certainly a steel string instument.

[Edutainment]

This thing is gonna be cool. When I look at it I think delta blues. Know what I mean?

[tuuur]

So I went on and tried to route the body using the thinner template.



Looks nice eh? But, the horror:



My routerbit is not able to do the body from one side. I had to turn it around, attach the template to the back of the body and do another pass.
Turns out the Telecaster template is not exactly symmetrical. ARGH!

I left it lying for a bit, and then decided to finish the body anyway. It won't be symmetrical, nor perfect, but hey, Seasick Steve doesn't play perfect guitars and plays a hell of a blues...

So this is how it looks now:

[tuuur]

Originally Posted by boneyguy

Take your time. I really like how it's looking. I hope there are no more problems and that it plays well when you're done because you sure have a very unique and cool looking guitar taking shape.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by boneyguy

EDIT: I've brightened up the photo of the 'donor' guitar and by the looks of the bridge it's almost certainly a steel string instument.

Ah, but that bridge was bought by me, because when I got the guitar it was missing the bridge, strings, and the nut. If I recall correctly it was originally some kind of banjo bridge. This was all at a time when I knew nothing about guitars, and looked for parts in the wrong music store (where they also knew nothing about guitars).
I even made the nut out of a piece of oak.

[Edutainment]

Symmetrical or not, it's lookin' good.

[Buckocaster51]

This is so cool.

Good recovery from the asymmetry.

Like so many things, nobody will notice it unless you spill the beans.

[Edutainment]

How are you gonna finish it? I think it'd be a shame to hide the grain, not that it's the most beautiful grain in the world, I just think this guitar would look better stained or transparent, not solid.