The Baritone Tele Build

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by tdowns

Howdy Melle!!! Thanks. I was planning on B to B. Any suggestions?

To B or not to B: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?

Heh Heh....Terry, I think you'll be fine w/ the .013-.062 on that Scale length and B to B....Another Great Bari part is in LeeAnn Womack's "A little past Little Rock" from about 10 years ago ?

[tonyw]

B to b is what i will be tuning to, my neck scale is 28 5/8th", i can take my acoustic to drop C so the B to b is a breeze. I reamed my tuner with a round craft file took 5 minutes.

[tdowns]

Originally Posted by mellecaster

....Another Great Bari part is in LeeAnn Womack's "A little past Little Rock" from about 10 years ago ?

You think I haven't had my mind on that???? That requires the low B to be drop tuned to A. That baby will really growl then.

Originally Posted by tonyw

B to b is what i will be tuning to, my neck scale is 28 5/8th", i can take my acoustic to drop C so the B to b is a breeze. I reamed my tuner with a round craft file took 5 minutes.

Thanks for the info.

[tdowns]

I had applied 25 coats of poly and let it dry for a week. I flat sanded the decal area some to lower the mesa height. I added 5 more coats and let it dry a week. I then flat sanded until the decal outline was gone and no shiny spots.

I buffed it out on the buffing arbor


Here's the shine. I intentionally photographed it in a glare to show the lack of decal outline.




HI RES


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I think a decal buried in clear coat with no outline is a really nice look. It's the satisfaction at the end that makes me not dread applying the thick coating the next time. I always know what I'm gonna get. I've tried to shortcut this, but after sanding into decal material a few times, I stick with the conservative approach.

I'd be interested in hearing how many coats you folks use to "bury" the decal.

[tdowns]

The build-up of clear coat inside the tuner holes combined with the build-up of polishing compound makes the diameter of the hole too small and pounding a tuner ferrule in can be dangerous, stressing/cracking wood. The ferrules are designed for 11/32" diameter, not 11/32" minus 30 coats of poly and polishing compound.

I used a step drill bit by hand to remove the accumulated material.


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[tdowns]

I made the ferrule insertion tool a few years ago. The tip is sized for string ferrules, but works fine for tuner ferrules as well.


HI RES

It keeps the hammer away from the wood. You are more likely to hit your hand with a hammer than the finely finished guitar, which is what I prefer.


HI RES

[tdowns]

I didn't like how hard the ferrule was to drive in. It's obvious the depth of the step bit was not adequate to clear the hole. So, I used an 11/32" twist bit in a tap chuck.

You gotta be careful. One little slip and that mirror polish gets DINGED.


HI RES

After this cleanout, the rest of the ferrules went in nice and easy. You can tell how the hammer sounds different when the ferrule is fully seated. It's time to STOP hammering.


HI RES

Also notice the masking tape on the fretboard has been removed and the residual adhesive was cleaned up with naptha.

[tdowns]

This where I always get scared. I've never drilled tuner pilot holes all the way through a headstock. The 3 weeks of labor expended for finishing the neck gives me intense discipline in watching what the heck I'm doing. I use a 5/64" bit that has a 1/4" apex hex shaft mounted into a cordless screwdriver. I measure the length of the screw and put a piece of masking tape around the bit that distance up on the bit from the tip. The depth of the drill should be the length of the screw PLUS the thickness of the tuner mounting flange (~0.1"), but I don't include the flange. I acccept the fact that the tip of the screw will penetrate a bit of solid wood. I'd rather error on the conservative side than take a risk of drilling through the headstock. That would be so awful!!! I place the tuners in the holes and use the holes in tuner flanges as match-drill guides.


HI RES

I drill until the tape touches the tuner flange.

I also hole a soft (not metal) straight edge against the array of tuners to keep them aligned straight when drilling the holes.

[tdowns]

Vintage tuners installed. Aren't they sexy lookin'?


HI RES

[Mark-00255]

Nice work, Terry! On my whopping four whole builds, I've pressed in the tuner ferrules using some channel locks and some wood shims - I worry about hammering those things and cracking maple. I think your driver "bit" makes hammering feasible, though.

I like the buried decal look as well - it looks very professional that way.

[tdowns]

Originally Posted by Mark-00255

Nice work, Terry! On my whopping four whole builds, I've pressed in the tuner ferrules using some channel locks and some wood shims - I worry about hammering those things and cracking maple. I think your driver "bit" makes hammering feasible, though.
.

I hear ya Mark. I worry about cracking maple too. The way I look at it, pressed in or hammered in, the stress at the end is the same. To be safe, they should go quite easily. They are not structurally holding anything except themselves. In the past I have used a tapered reamer so the initial press-in is not much interference at all. In my experience, a cleared 11/32" hole works out OK. I like your idea of channel locks. You can "feel" the stress. An arbor press would be bad because you would not be able to "feel" the stress. Let me know what you think.

Originally Posted by Mark-00255

I like the buried decal look as well - it looks very professional that way.

Thanks. That's what I like to make happen.

[tdowns]

Using a hinge bit to drill pilot holes for the Electrosocket. It's a #3/#4 hinge bit in a cordless screwdriver.



HI RES

[tdowns]

Finished assembly. It's a LONG NECK.


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[tdowns]

Filing the nut slots.


HI RES

[Scooter91]

Bee-yoo-ti-ful! I love that red...

[68thinline]

Love those vintage tuners. Where did you find them?

[getbent]

Awesome project and documentation. I'm going to go back and reshield one of my guitars based on this....

What amp are you planning to use with your baritone? I've been using my regular guitar amps (tone king imperial and sf twin) but I'm interested to know your thoughts on this.

[tdowns]

Originally Posted by 68thinline

Love those vintage tuners. Where did you find them?

Stewmac 0648

Originally Posted by getbent

Awesome project and documentation. I'm going to go back and reshield one of my guitars based on this....

What amp are you planning to use with your baritone? I've been using my regular guitar amps (tone king imperial and sf twin) but I'm interested to know your thoughts on this.

Thanks!!

I always shield my guitars that have noise cancelling pickups in them. The pickups have cancelled the noise, so why let exposed control cavity wiring contribute to the noise??

I wanted something different to bring in the studio and I have mostly been using a Line6 POD. I don't use an amp much anymore for recording.

[62_Inca_Esquire]

Looks great Terry !

On the tuner ferrules - try using your insertion tool mounted in a drill press. Then you just "press" the ferrule in place with the drill press "off". Just use the wheel to push it downward. No hammering or anything to "shock" the wood, goes in nice and smooth. :)

[Groovey Records]

Originally Posted by tdowns

I don't use an amp much anymore for recording.

That was fast Terry

Wondering why you don't use an amp to record anymore?

Pod doesn't seem to Vintage or state of the art to me.

I spent some time with the AX-FX processor.

It was excellent for live sims and recording. Many magnitudes beyond the line 6 stuff.

Still I need my analog. Just doesn't feel the same without it.

[tdowns]

Originally Posted by 62_Inca_Esquire

Looking great so far Terry !

On the tuner ferrules - try using your insertion tool mounted in a drill press. Then you just "press" the ferrule in place with the drill press "off". Just use the wheel to push it downward. No hammering or anything to "shock" the wood, goes in nice and smooth. :)

Aw man...I'd rather try it with the drill press ON!!

A makeshift arbor press. Why didn't I think of that? Excellent suggestion. I initially made that tool for string ferrules and my drill press throat is not wide enough for string ferrules. I guess the thought of me hammering in the string ferrules continued right on into the tuner ferrule application. It never crossed my mind to use the drill press. I hope I remember to try that next time. Thanks again.

[62_Inca_Esquire]

Glad I can help !

It gives you a better "feel" for the tightness of the ferrule too. That way if it feels too tight, you just stop, pull it, and widen the hole a smidge. Tough to "feel" that when you're hammering it in.

PS - I figured I'd better mention having the press "off" - not because of you ( I knew you'd realize to keep it off), but because you never know who might be reading this, and how many brain cells are still functioning in their head !

[tdowns]

Oh yes, I understand with regard to the comment about the drill being off. That's what a good forum member should do.

What tooling do you use in your drill press to install yours?

[62_Inca_Esquire]

Originally Posted by tdowns

Oh yes, I understand with regard to the comment about the drill being off. That's what a good forum member should do.

What tooling do you use in your drill press to install yours?

I don't actually need to use any ! When the chuck is all the way closed it slides just inside the ferrule hole, so I insert the chuck and press down ! Voila !!!



PS - in the "not at all necessary" category, I also put a bit of painters tape around the ferrule edges to keep them nice looking. Most if the guitars I build are "aged", but I haven't seen too many vintage guitars with marred up and dinged tuner ferrules, so I take the extra precaution ! :)

[PaisleyIsGod]

What a great thread and build. I love your attention to detail. Thanks so much for sharing.

[tdowns]

Originally Posted by Groovey Records

.............Still I need my analog. Just doesn't feel the same without it.

Well, I don't feel the same without it either. Studios are getting smaller and they just seem to want to get me in and out as quickly as possible. They seem to prefer it over a honking tube amp.

Regarding the Line6 POD, I only like the original version 1.0. After they added all those various speaker cabinet simulations, I never could dial up a tone I liked with it. Well, I don't know what I'm saying because I rarely like the tone I get on anything I play, and I darn sure don't like my playing either. So, having that said, why should I care as long as the customer is happy??

Here's a recent sample of a clean jazzy solo I did on a sax instrumental project using the Line6 POD. Let me know what you think. I was using the Brent tele with the Gibson mini-humbucker selected. I guess it is a little stale and digital.

Fly Me to the Moon

Originally Posted by 62_Inca_Esquire

I don't actually need to use any ! When the chuck is all the way closed it slides just inside the ferrule hole, so I insert the chuck and press down ! Voila !!!

Genius. I need to start reading ALL your posts.

Originally Posted by PaisleyIsGod

What a great thread and build. I love your attention to detail. Thanks so much for sharing.

Thanks for the kind words.

Sound clips of the Baricaster to follow.....

[Groovey Records]

Originally Posted by tdowns

Well, I don't feel the same without it either. ........

...........
Here's a recent sample of a clean jazzy solo I did on a sax instrumental project using the Line6 POD. Let me know what you think. I was using the Brent tele with the Gibson mini-humbucker selected. I guess it is a little stale and digital.

Fly Me to the Moon


Sound clips of the Baricaster to follow.....

Nothing stale about that considering its an MP3 over computer speakers

Your playing has a taste of Wes's touch. Magic how you move straight into the run down the neck.

No the pod's doing its job of delivering what you need. Can't help but think Chet's or Wes's Standel would of done nicely as well.

Come to think of it from what I've read Wes would have had the same sentiments as you regarding the gig as far as equipment and getting the job done

I can't fault your logic on give te customer what they want either.

Beautiful job on the Barri I can't wait to hear the track

[ehawley]

DANG!......I knew I should have hid that pickguard from the 67'!!...



Great job Terry! Looking forward to the sound check!
Cheers
ED

[barkley]

Hey nice work!

I just had an idea looking at that loooonng neck...
What about a baritone tele, with the bridge moved all the way to the bottom of the body (near strap pin) and the neck set that same distance further into the body?
Make sense? This way the neck wont stretch out so far from the body and might help with possible neck dive issues? the neck p/up can be moved down too so no need to lose that.
It'd look a little funky maybe, and i guess the horn might need to be cut a bit deeper or something.... still , not a bad idea hey?

[TELEkinetic]

Terry, as always, you post superb pictures and document your work in the best manner possible. Thanks for your help in the past - and for this excellent thread!

[Casual_Reader]

Originally Posted by tdowns

Thoughts of Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" came to mind.

Don't forget the end of "Galveston"

thanks for bringing us along on the build.

[teledweller]

Wow. That is one of my dream guitars.

[tdowns]

Originally Posted by Groovey Records

.......

No the pod's doing its job of delivering what you need. .................I can't fault your logic on give te customer what they want either.
...................Beautiful job on the Barri I can't wait to hear the track

Thanks so much for the feedback. I'm always second guessing myself on stuff like that.

Originally Posted by ehawley

DANG!......I knew I should have hid that pickguard from the 67'!!...

Great job Terry! Looking forward to the sound check!
Cheers
ED

Ed, You knew I was looking!!! Thanks.

Originally Posted by barkley

Hey nice work!

I just had an idea looking at that loooonng neck...
What about a baritone tele, with the bridge moved all the way to the bottom of the body (near strap pin) and the neck set that same distance further into the body?
Make sense? This way the neck wont stretch out so far from the body and might help with possible neck dive issues? the neck p/up can be moved down too so no need to lose that.
It'd look a little funky maybe, and i guess the horn might need to be cut a bit deeper or something.... still , not a bad idea hey?

Cool idea, but it seems as if it would be awkward to pick that far back on the body. Maybe not.

Originally Posted by TELEkinetic

Terry, as always, you post superb pictures and document your work in the best manner possible. Thanks for your help in the past - and for this excellent thread!

Thanks. I appreciate the kind post.

Originally Posted by Casual_Reader

Don't forget the end of "Galveston"

thanks for bringing us along on the build.

Oh yes. I forgot about Galveston. Thanks.

Originally Posted by teledweller

Wow. That is one of my dream guitars.

Well, go build ya one.

[tdowns]

Here's the first sound clip.

A Little Past Little Rock - Intro

It's running a bit short on sustain, but I guess I'll have to live with it.

[tdowns]

Here's a demo of the guitar.

1. Bridge pickup
2. Bridge pickup with bass cut
3. Bridge & Neck (funky quacky)
4. Neck pickup
5. Neck pickup with treble cut

Baricaster Sound Demo

also
Witchita Lineman - Solo

[Groovey Records]

Terry thanks very much for sharing your self and your many talents here at TDPRI.

I know for me you are one of the many reasons TDPRI is such a smokin place

The depth of your talents I am sure are only partially seen and heard through this medium.

I hope one day to see you play live and get a chance to see you let it rip.

About the samples all I can say is MORE !

A lot more please!

[tdowns]

Aww man. You are too kind. I'm just an old hack with a big love for the Telecaster guitar.

Cheers,
Terry

[Casual_Reader]

Originally Posted by tdowns

It's running a bit short on sustain...

Yeah, that's the first thing I noticed. Had you thought of taking the felt mutes off?

and for decency's sake, can't you at least pretend to have trouble adjusting to the thicker strings?

kidding aside... sounds great. the range of tones surprised me. It should be lots of fun trying out new things on it.

[tdowns]

Wait. I haven't taken the felt mutes off yet. If I take them off perhaps I could power my shop beer refrigerator with the output of the guitar. But then I would need to play all night.

Thanks. It will be fun to try it on projects.

[tdowns]

Here is a summary of the parts used to round out the documentation of the build. This has been fun. Thanks for the kind comments and the very helpful suggestions.

• Body – MIM Candy Apple Red eBay
• Neck – Warmoth Showcase BTN232, 6105 frets, Maple/Indian Rosewood, 1 11/16" Nut Width, Standard thin Contour, 10-16" Compound Radius, Mother Cream Face Dots Inlays, Vintage Style (11/32") Tuner Ream (BTN232 appears to no longer be available)
• Pickguard – TPG11 Warmoth Silver Pearloid
• Tuners – Stewmac Gotoh Vintage Oval Knob Tuners 0648
• Nut – Stewmac 6002 Shaped 1-45/64" x 3/16" x 1/8" (43.26mm x 4.75mm x 3.18mm) 10" (254mm) top and bottom radius
• Bridge – Stewmac Gotoh Modern Tele Bridge 0025
• Bridge pickup – Guitar Fetish Lil Puncher H29
• Neck pickup - Guitar Fetish Neovin NEOTN7
• Volume pot – 1MEG Audio – 330K in parallel with 0.001µF mylar treble bleed
• Tone pot – TBX not wired as TBX but wired as low cut/high cut – 0.047µF mylar high cut, 0.001µF mylar low cut
• Pickup selector switch – Stewmac 3-position Japanese 3191
• Neck plate, control plate, knobs – cannot identify, been in parts bin too long, possibly Stewmac
• Strap buttons - Dunlop Straplok System
• Electrosocket jack cup
• Pickguard/Control Plate Screws – Boltdepot.com #4 x ½” Sheet metal screws - Slotted oval head - Stainless steel 18-8 (4.1 cents at qty 100 – 10% the cost of Stewmac not counting shipping)