Authentic Bodies and necks from USACG

[PeterUK]

We've been having detailed discussions on Webers Board about where to get authentic vintage bodies and necks to recreate an early Broadcaster or Tele replica.

Tommy at USACG has been very accomodating and this is a summary of conversation:

Tommy confirms that USACG can do the vintage routes and a thinner, authentic thickness body. They can also do the angled wiring rout, the routers hump and the rout going from the neck pocket into the neck pick up too.

Because Fender used very crude routing back in the 50s and 60s and USACG don’t use those types of tools, the shelf-style neck pocket or the pin router holes can’t be reproduced.

The jack cup area can be rounded over to look vintage authentic with a bit of self-sanding and Tommy tells me that he has matched up the USACG perimeter with a few '52 Teles and some were dead on and others were miles off. Fender apparently used aluminium templates back in the old days so they got sanded smaller as they sanded more bodies so they all varied a bit. Apparently, when they started getting noticeably smaller Fender replaced the template. They were hand done with old-school routers so they varied just by human error.

With regard to authentic necks, Tommy tells me that USACG could do the headstock as a paddle head with a big V-profile. An extra $50.00 is required to move the dots .030" at the twelfth fret. The extra cost is because USACG would have to lay them out and drill them by hand.

There are no licensing issues on the bodies whatsoever as Fender lost the trademarks on the bodies years ago and by ordering a paddle head, this avoids any licensing issues for USACG on the neck. If its your you can do what peg head shape you want.

Tommy pointed out that a CNC router uses the same bits as pin router, so they basically are the same tools cutting the same way. The only thing missing from them is human error and less precision which is perhaps a good thing?

The one thing I didn't mention is the ferrule holes and to be authentic "Broadcaster" these need to be uneven/staggered, so I'll mention this to Tommy when I next drop him a note. My thoughts are perhaps to have these drilled under-sized and when the ferrules are fitted, the holes can be opened up to the right diameter and staggered to look authentic.

So there you have it. Authentic bodies and necks from the best in the business.

Regards

Peter

[Born in Chicago]

It seems that Fender used to set the necks in a deeper neck pocket, like 3/4" as opposed to the modern 5/8". The deeper pocket would not put so much tension on the saddles, as the strings are closer to the body. Any notion as to neck pocket depths at different eras in Tele history?

[Flaxena]

I do think you're on to what's happened. The 5/8" depth is too shallow whereas the 3/4" depth forces guys into shimming sometimes. 22/32" is perfect.

[blondeonblonde]

Peter I'll certainly keep you posted as to the quality of my USAG body and neck which is at MJ's now being painted---
I had Tommy do the thinner body, with hump, and all the correct routing--The neck is his "57" which MJ says is dead on-The USAG headstock "tip" was of course sanded, and the pics MJ sent me look great-
It's a 57 copy, so MJ has painted that elusive "milky white" which turns out is very hard to do, even for a painter as good as him-
the body is spot on 4 lbs.
I'm putting Voodoos in it, if Peter will ever get them to me!!!!It's been 5 weeks or so......also we'll have to see if he got the stagger right for a 57....Lets hope so-
I aged the hardware all myself, and did a jam up job if I do say so---Subtle ageing, which was also hard, and took me many hours to get it right, down to the last screw. Parchment 1 ply from Callaham, etc---
So, all in all should be a killer replica, I'm trying ever so hard for it not to look like a "relic".......I've played too many real 50's and 60's Fenders to be satisfied with a hack job "relic", so I'm really trying to do this one right.....

Keepin my fingers crossed on the neck and body, but all looks like it's well------


BlondeonBlonde

[TheGoodTexan]

I'm new around here and I'm not familiar with them. Does anyone have a link?

[Michael Murphy]

Here ya go.....

linky

-Michael
Charter Member S. Texas He-Man Emoticon Haters Local #316[/url]