Now what do I do?

[horsespatoot]

I bought this. It's a project a fella started and gave up on.
It kind of looks familiar to me. Like I've seen it before ... here maybe?
Figured Maple front and some Birds eye maple and inlay on the back.
I've never built before. And I don't know where to draw the budget line. Would like to end up with a decent player with Tele twang. (I'm no pro-player either)
I'm seeing every thing black. Bridge, tuners, pick-guard. Don't know whether to put a Squire neck on or upgrade to something better. Rosewood or maple fretboard? Pick-ups?

What do you see? Any suggestions for this novice are welcome. How much $$$$ would you put into it?

[TRexF16]

Sorry to have to tell you but you got snookered. That thing's no good. Just send it to me in Tucson and I'll get rid of it for you.

Seriously, it's really pretty. Unless there's some serious flaw not visible in your pics that body looks worth your best efforts. A Squier neck will be worth about as much after you use it as before, so if you want to start out with one, you can use that to learn fret and neck tuning, put it on your guitar, play it a while, and still get your money back out of it. Then you can...1) upgrade or 2) make your own new neck (a different flavor of upgrade - but maybe don't sell the squier neck until after your first shot at building your own is finished).

So I haven't specifically answered your question of how much $$$ I would spend. Sorry, I can't do that for you - I might have more $$$ than you, or less $$$. But I think you have a sweet body there (so to speak) and I predict you'll have a hoot modding it and own a great guitar when it's all said and done.

Good luck, keep us posted.
Rex

[glen smith]

I think black hardware would look good. Maybe I would install a ring around the neck pickup and not use a pickguard.

[dsutton24]

Hmmm... Rosewood fingerboard for sure. You might even go with a black painted headstock. No pick guard, black control plate and bridge. I'll leave the pickup choice up to you...

That thing's going to be just gorgeous.

[Muzikp]

Why did the other fella give up on it?

[horsespatoot]

Originally Posted by Muzikp

Why did the other fella give up on it?

I think it was a bit more of a project than he anticipated. He also said his father-in-law bought him a Martin Guitar and that's were his interest is now.

He sprayed with poly and it's full of runs and dust particles. First thing I will do is remove the poly and refinish with tung oil. Yes?

[horsespatoot]

I'm a huge maple fretboard fan ..... but this thing looks like its crying for a rosewood fretboard.

No pic-guard. Great idea! I had pick guard stuck in my head and didn't even think of going without. See... that's why I come here.

I don't have the tools to make my own neck. I beginning to feel this guitar is worthy of a decent neck. Picking one is the problem.

Thank you for your suggestions/observations and keep them coming.

Regards,

patoot

[R. Stratenstein]

Originally Posted by horsespatoot

I think it was a bit more of a project than he anticipated. He also said his father-in-law bought him a Martin Guitar and that's were his interest is now.

He sprayed with poly and it's full of runs and dust particles. First thing I will do is remove the poly and refinish with tung oil. Yes?

I think I'd consider sanding the poly down to a smooth surface, then putting a good coat(s) of poly over it. Without knowing how the color was applied, there's a real good chance that by the time you got all the poly sanded off, you'd be into the color and that beautiful figure. Oil is great on virgin wood, or wood that's been stained/dyed, but when a finish coat of material has been applied (nitro/poly, shellac, etc) it's hard to know how deeply it's penetrated, and if you don't get it all off you end up with a seriously botchy, and botched, finish.

+1 on the black hardware. I'm big on Bill Lawrence's (Wilde) Microcoil pickups (cover of the neck PU just happens to be black, BTW). Sky's the limit on $$. It's a pretty billet of wood, and worth as much as you think you want to put into it to make it a beautiful player.

PS--Definitely no pickguard!

[horsespatoot]

Well, Live and learn. I tried ever so gently to wet sand the poly and went through the poly to the stain. No choice now except to take it all the way back down to bare wood and re-stain. In the end I think it will be worth the effort and expense to wind up with lacquer finish.

Dumb question .... is it forbidden to put a 24 3/4" neck on a Tele?

Thanks for your input.

[nosmo]

Originally Posted by R. Stratenstein

I think I'd consider sanding the poly down to a smooth surface, then putting a good coat(s) of poly over it. Without knowing how the color was applied, there's a real good chance that by the time you got all the poly sanded off, you'd be into the color and that beautiful figure. Oil is great on virgin wood, or wood that's been stained/dyed, but when a finish coat of material has been applied (nitro/poly, shellac, etc) it's hard to know how deeply it's penetrated, and if you don't get it all off you end up with a seriously botchy, and botched, finish.

+1 on the black hardware. I'm big on Bill Lawrence's (Wilde) Microcoil pickups (cover of the neck PU just happens to be black, BTW). Sky's the limit on $$. It's a pretty billet of wood, and worth as much as you think you want to put into it to make it a beautiful player.

PS--Definitely no pickguard!

Excellent advise! I love black hardware & micro-coils. The only difference I would suggest is an Ebony fretboard. Beautiful body there.

[nosmo]

Originally Posted by horsespatoot

...

Dumb question .... is it forbidden to put a 24 3/4" neck on a Tele?

No, but the string through holes in the body are probably in the right place for a 25.5" scale Tele neck. You can adjust to the neck you want by cutting the neck pocket into the body a little further.

[Fred_Garvin]

Originally Posted by nosmo

No, but the string through holes in the body are probably in the right place for a 25.5" scale Tele neck. You can adjust to the neck you want by cutting the neck pocket into the body a little further.

I believe warmoth sells "conversion" 24 3/4" necks that fit on a standard tele without mods.

[nosmo]

Originally Posted by Fred_Garvin

I believe warmoth sells "conversion" 24 3/4" necks that fit on a standard tele without mods.

Well there you go then

[horsespatoot]

I'd like to put an American Fender tele neck on this thing but they aren't cheap.
There's a 2010 MIM Tele neck on Ebay. Whats it worth? Are they a decent neck or should I dig deep in my pockets and get an American neck?

thanks for your input.

[Fred_Garvin]

Originally Posted by horsespatoot

I'd like to put an American Fender tele neck on this thing but they aren't cheap.
There's a 2010 MIM Tele neck on Ebay. Whats it worth? Are they a decent neck or should I dig deep in my pockets and get an American neck?

thanks for your input.

Every bit as good, if not better than the MIA necks, IMHO. I may be wrong, but my understanding is that at least some of the MIA necks are mostly fabricated south of the border.

[thorton077]

Originally Posted by horsespatoot

I'd like to put an American Fender tele neck on this thing but they aren't cheap.
There's a 2010 MIM Tele neck on Ebay. Whats it worth? Are they a decent neck or should I dig deep in my pockets and get an American neck?

thanks for your input.

Many people say there really isn't much of a difference. I would just buy the mexican neck if it's a lot cheaper.

[motwang]

Originally Posted by thorton077

Many people say there really isn't much of a difference. I would just buy the mexican neck if it's a lot cheaper.

I've been told the only difference is 200 miles. An amber tinted maple neck with black tuners and all other black hardware, and a black pickgaurd would look pretty good !
P. S. I too have seen this somewhere on here, I am was pretty sure of this after I saw that three piece back.

[horsespatoot]

Naked

[crazydave911]

Just curious, what tools do you think it takes to build a neck?

That aside, there are those that make it their business to buy perfectly good (new) guitars and part them out on ebay. The Squier Classic Vibe Tele neck is a very good one
If however you want a 24.75 fretscale, then get over to Warmoth and get their conversion neck for Teles . It will require no change to your current guitar body

[horsespatoot]

crazydave: "Just curious, what tools do you think it takes to build a neck?"
In my younger days I had a pretty well equipped woodworking shop. Now-days, I'm pretty much down to hand power tools. I wouldnt attempt a neck build.

I did order from Warmoth 24.75 maple neck (painted gloss black) 10-16 compound radius,
rosewood fretboard, w/vintage jumbo frets.