How to make a tele your own: Submit your ideas

[Jenix]

I finally got a telecaster! I'm super exited and the picture is in my avatar. It is a 2000 MIM std that has not a scratch on it. In the future I plan on getting a four or five way switch installed but for now I want to make it my own, cosmetically. I just want it to be my own. I've been tinkering with the idea of changing the pickguard but I already like the one on their. I just bought it so I don't have to much to spend for a while.

I want to hear what you've done to your telecaster to make it your own. I understand there are old telecasters that you don't modify to hold there value but I'm talking about players guitars. Relicing isn't an option for me.

[11 Gauge]

I have a '95 MIM Std that was pretty much fine stock, but I couldn't leave well enough alone...

I've never been fond of Tele neck pickups. One day I pulled the pickguard just out of curiosity, and found that there was room (stock) for a Strat pickup - my favorite neck pickup (check my photo gallery for proof!). So, I installed one, but stuck with the W/B/W 3 ply 'guard.

I've played with many aftermarket bridge pickups, but in the end realized that I'm not too picky. I've had a Duncan V54 in there for almost 6 years now.

I drilled the stock bridgeplate to accept compensated brass saddles. It took less than an hour, and turned out great. Not really a tonal improvement, but the 6 saddle setup on the older MIMs were notorious for rattling, so that issue has been eliminated.

I use a Strat switch tip instead of the Tele one. I don't find this to be a necessity, but I prefer a smaller tip to flick around.

And while I don't really like black hardware per se, I do like black Tele knobs. I think it's like a hotrod thing - trying to get a good mix of black and chrome...

I actually prefer pretty stock looking black or white Teles, no binding, bursts, or anything else really fancy.

[ChicknPickn]

I would quote the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," but that doesn't apply to many of us around here!

You could go to a traditional 3-saddle bridge, for one thing. I assume you presently have the modern 6-saddle bridge, which I happen to like.

You could go with different knobs. There are many good-quality ones out there to be had.

A pickup swap goes without saying - - IF you aren't excited by the current ones. Bill Lawrence's Keystone pickups are nicely priced, as are his noiseless models.

You could switch to vintage tuners.

If you like playing in the control cavity, you could experiment with different capacitor and pot values.

Whatever you do, have fun. I love my MIM Tele (2003 Sunburst).

[pengipete]

Make your own unique strap or wear a one-off T-shirt when you play it.

If it's your dream guitar why would you want to change anything.

[getbent]

play it 100 hours in a month. After that, it'll be yours.

[ibobunot]

Show 'em your receipt...

[Fatmanstratman]

Originally Posted by Jenix

.... but for now I want to make it my own, cosmetically. I just want it to be my own.... Relicing isn't an option for me.

Congrats on getting your first Tele!.....

I'm not quite sure WHY you feel the need to "make it your own". Do you not feel totally happy with it as it is right now? Are you not confident that your friends will believe that you really OWN the guitar?

If you want to customise it (without spending a lot of money right now) and don't want to consider relicing as an option, why not just do what folks have been doing for years - put your name on it in vinyl graphics, or cover it in decals or stickers etc. Or do what George Harrison did to "Rocky" - give it a unique paint job.

For me, it looks beautiful just as it is. If you wanted something different, perhaps you should have BOUGHT something different?

Play it, love it, take care of it. Play the heck out of it until you know every little nook and cranny. It will soon pick up a few battle scars, but so what? I presume you bought it to play, not look at?

Enjoy it - to me, it IS your own....

[Gr8tfulEd]

Congrats on the Tele! I felt the same way you did with one of my teles. I just felt the need to personalize it. It was an FSR Highway One, one of only 150 made of this run (Scudderbotch paint scheme, Nocaster Pups). So I wanted to personalize it without doing anything that I couldn't reverse later if needed. So:
I changed out the neckplate (went with an engraved skull & crossbones), changed out the knobs for Q-parts pirate knobs, changed out the tuners for locking Schallers, and the bridge for the six-saddle replacement bridge that comes with the '52 reissue. I'll shoot some photos when I get home, but now I feel like it's totally mine (Infact, I named her Mycaster), and yet it's all completely reversible too!

[jwells393]

.... but for now I want to make it my own, cosmetically.

Well .............. you say relicing is not in the cards. Looks like that leaves a pickguard change, decals/stickers and different knobs.

[newtwanger]

Make a sticker out of an old concert ticket (or a copy of it) that inspires you to play better. You get a conversation piece that actually has something to do with YOU!.

No ticket? Ya gotta have something that inspires you, be creative.
A pickguard, Stones sticker, checkered strap, cigarette burn etc. are all ways to make it your own "Just Like Everyone Else". Surprise us.

[Tom S]

I think you should do what I did...

I had this partscaster I threw together but never really liked:



So I did a tummy cut, planed the top down, cut the butt end off, chambered it, then put on a bound spruce top, re-routed for a Steinberger bridge, made a headless neck for it and installed a pair of Bardens with slider controls installed in the edge of the body.

Y'know, just some minimal tweaking to make it my own. Try it, what have you got to lose?

[FredDairy]

I wouldn't make it a habit to buy guitars that you have to ask yourself, "what do I need to do to make this my own". It that guitar doesn't speak to you the way it was when you bought it, you better move on.

My only exception to this rule was a 60s classic I bought that weighed a ton. I put a new body on it as well. I did upgrade some of the cheaper MIM parts with better quality parts, but I don't think that qualifies as making it my own, maybe just making it better. :)

I don't think experimenting with pickups can qualify as making a guitar your own either. Unless you go all nuts and put something unexpected into it like a filtertron or something way out of the norm for a Telecaster.

I like the advice about playing it a lot. You start putting dents and wear into it and it will totally be "yours"

[Jenix]

Its not that I'm not happy with it, I just want it to be different than anyone elses. And I never said it was my dream guitar.

[robt57]

Just play it until it looks like Becks. Polishing the finish off only counts as 1/2. ;)

Do a 4 way for sure, IMO

Here is one of mine. I made it, and it is truly my own.

[TheDev01dOne]

Write/draw something interesting on it in paint pen, it easily polishes off when you get bored of it anyway.. Or make yourself some fancy custom pickguard.

[gtrwrks]

Just play it - for a long time. The work you put into it and whatever various physical tweaks you give it will make it 'yours'; but mostly it just needs to be played.

[hugo]

Jenix, you're having a rough time with this thread, aren't you?? LOL. The guys just think you should play it. I agree but I do know what you mean. I want to buy a clear pickguard from StewMac and put some graphics behind it. Not sure what. There is step by step about putting material over the guitar. Somebody will remember and direct you. Also, one of the guys has a vinyl record cut out as the pickguard. It's a T.Rex album if I remember correctly. This is what you mean by making it your own, right? Not just mods cause that's nothing new and costly. Someone came up with the idea of wallpapering the guitar with a paisley paper as well. Come on guys, step up and point the dude in the direction of some of this stuff, will ya?
I want to do the very thing you're talking about. I don't mean modding it, but ya making the look my own, not duplicated with the usual stuff. Something unique. Oh ya...if you get a clear pickguard from StewMac you could decopouge a picture on it and you won't even see the adhesive thru the pickguard at all. Decopouge is great for doing that. No holes to drill, the pg comes predrilled. It would take you what a 1/2 hour, max. You could do some really wild stuff with that idea. Also some guys mentioned using Slide Decals. Somebody on here has done that. Give the boys sometime they'll point you in the right direction.

[bobthecanadian]

Well, let's see... I started with a couple of pieces of pine and some glue. When it's finished, I'll post some pics.

Bob

[robt57]

I like the T-Rex PG idea. I'd have like it more if I came up with it first of course

I though about doing the Zeppelin from LZ II on the front of my son's parts-jackson-explorer I put together for him. Glue on and clear over..

[hugo]

robt57, does that mean you can never use a vinyl record? Use a different record by T.Rex, it's not like it's going to be mass produced. I am a big Trex fan and always have been. I probably will do something with a Trex picture. There are so many that it's still yours. I thought of doing the same thing right on the body of the guitar but how do you clear coat it? I mean won't you see the clear on the guitar where the picture ends?

[voided3]

Option one as previously stated is to build one from scratch.

Now on to option two. Scenario: just brought home a new guitar, ripped the hang tags off of it, and tuned it up. Ok, now your amp is warmed up and you hit that first chord/note. This is the point where your ideas begin to form.

This may culminate in one of two things: either 1) complete satisfaction with the instrument as it stands or 2) you reach for your tools. No matter how much I like the guitar, number two always happens. Every guitar you buy needs to be adjusted to your preferences by you (which is why I never understand why people have their guitars set up by someone else, at least Fender-style guitars). My least modified guitar is a Gretsch G5120 Electromatic hollowbody. First thing I did after getting it home was take it halfway apart, clean it, wax it, put it back together, oiled the fretboard, strung it up, adjusted the action/intonation, and tightened the nut on the Bigsby bar for a more responsive touch. NOW I made it my guitar. That and I eventually put Schaler strap locks on it; those knurled knobs are a bit annoying. Definitely makes it more personal when the instrument is strung and adjusted for your hands.

Now beyond that, you have two more options: either 1) leave it alone aesthetically or 2) get creative. Example of this: my '98 MIM Jazz Bass. I installed strap locks (I think everyone should), a pearloid pickguard, some gold screws, and a different set of knobs for a different kind of grip. You can go beyond that and get into refinishing and new pickups etc., but then it's not the same instrument you bought in the first place (which, after it has some time to settle on you, may or may not be a good thing). Changing tuners or the nut is another common swap, especially for cheap guitars or for those with vibratos. Those are less of personal touches and more of improvements in functionality though.

For a good example of the above, check out some of the Squier '51 modding threads found here and elsewhere. Lots of people created some really unique beasts on that platform.

[robt57]

How about this eBay seller with 'water slide' pinups decals

He has a lot of choices, I have 2 guitar with pin ups. I know.. very old school. ;) I have the la lanee with the white lay on the back of my SurfCaster.

[hugo]

Just so you know, that is very in right now. Especially tattoos. I really like that style. Varga girls and such. Very cool. I'd like to see pics of those guitars. Really cool. I just bought waterslide decal paper rec. by a dude on this forum. Haven't done anything yet though.
I'm not into heavily modifying my guitars. Don't get me wrong, there are a few things I'd like to do but more to my cheapy guitars then things like my Baja. To be honest though I'm just a beginner so I don't feel qualified to make a modification when I can't differentiate. I'm sure it'll happen though.
I have no problem modifying my '51 or any squire for that matter.

[hugo]

Robert, do you know what the name of the 51 squier forum is?