First Tele Build Complete - Pictures Included!!

rodeo_joel · April 15th, 2008, 08:08 PM

Hey folks, thought some of you might enjoy seeing the final product of my first Tele build! I call it my Jocaster (...rodeo_JOEL...). Ya the name is a bit on the cheesy side, but since its kinda 'plain jane' looking it kinda makes it my own, hehe.

New Telecaster Pic1.jpg New Telecaster Pic2.jpg New Telecaster Pic3.jpg New Telecaster Pic4.jpg New Telecaster Pic6.jpg

Spec's Include:

Highway 1 Texas Telecaster Body (Honey Blonde)[bought on eBay]
USACG 1-piece maple neck w. a 25 1/2" Scale 21 Fret Length (Truss Adjust at the Heel) and a Thick "C" shape contour (0.90" - 0.95 at 12th Fret)
7 1/4" - 9 1/2" Compound Radius Neck
Vintage Style Kluson Tuners
Real Bone Nut
Fender No-Load Tone Potentiometer
Fender 3-Way Switch
Vintage Style 3 Saddle Bridge w. Brass Saddles
52' Reissue Bridge Plate
Bridge Pickup - Voodoo Broadcaster
Neck Pickup - Adder T300 Tele Neck Pickup

I'm uber pleased with how this one turned out. I'm already making plans for my next build (prolly gonna be a strat, hehe)

Cheers

~Joel~

gibsonjunkie · April 15th, 2008, 08:10 PM

That is a beauty - makes me want to attempt a tele build...

martyb1 · April 15th, 2008, 08:11 PM

Looks great

markothefish · April 15th, 2008, 08:11 PM

NICE !!!! thats real good looking . I like your choice of vintage bridge and pickup choices .....

Taipan · April 15th, 2008, 09:16 PM

rodeo_JOEL - Congratulations on your first build. It turned out very nice.

Buckocaster51 · April 15th, 2008, 09:28 PM

Very nice.

I'll bet you will like that Adder neck pickup. Eh? (Sorry, just couldn't resist!)

rodeo_joel · April 15th, 2008, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Very nice. I'll bet you will like that Adder neck pickup. Eh? (Sorry, just couldn't resist!)

lol, good one dude, hehe (I actually say it all the time...)

Ya the Adder pup is great, its got all the warmth and softness you'd want in a tele neck pickup without getting muddy. Love the Voodoo b-caster too.

Cheers!
~Joel~

Ricky D. · April 15th, 2008, 10:34 PM

RJ, that's a real nice job on that finish.

pchilson · April 15th, 2008, 10:39 PM

Man, thats a nice job you've done there. I love the Honey Blonde. It even looks good with maple board. Congrats! Hows she play?

jwc5 · April 15th, 2008, 11:28 PM

Bee....U.....Tee....ful . That is one sweet lookin Tele ya got there joel. Very nice job indeed!

ehawley · April 15th, 2008, 11:47 PM

looking sweet!! Have fun. I bet it was a lot easier then you thought!

Cheers
ED

vanrrice · April 16th, 2008, 12:00 AM

Nice looking guitar, love the vibe (and the strap)!

rodeo_joel · April 16th, 2008, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky D.

RJ, that's a real nice job on that finish.

Thanks, but i actually didn't do any of the finish work on the neck or body. I bought the body on eBay and got the neck cut and finished by USA Custom Guitars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pchilson

Man, thats a nice job you've done there. I love the Honey Blonde. It even looks good with maple board. Congrats! Hows she play?

I always liked the honey blonde color. The neck has a vintage tint finish to it, i think it matches the body better.

She plays fantastic!! I'm hoping to get some sample clips up soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehawley

looking sweet!! Have fun. I bet it was a lot easier then you thought!

Cheers
ED

ya know, it really wasn't that difficult, hehe. Acquiring the parts was actually kinda fun. The worst part was waiting for them to all show up in the mail, lol. I'm already planning to build a Strat now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanrrice

Nice looking guitar, love the vibe (and the strap)!

I got the strap from Eldorado Guitar Straps (ordered it online). It's real good quality leather, and the buckle adjust is real handy (looks cool too).

Cheers Y'all!

~Joel~

Ronkirn · April 16th, 2008, 09:30 AM

Congrats.... now. . . what's on the list for #2? You know you're gonna do it,, so. .. let's get to hoppin....

Ron Kirn

boris bubbanov · April 16th, 2008, 11:30 AM

I've got a one piece Strat neck from Tommy n 'em at USACG with those same specifications. It is a sweetie.

That would be a blast if this USACG Tele headstock shape would take off and become fashionable. I sure hate buying a nice neck from USACG and then disguising its identity, but old prejudices and tastes die hard.

Very tasty geetar there, r_j, congrats.

ReddRanger · April 16th, 2008, 11:39 AM

Looks good!

djsommer · April 16th, 2008, 02:01 PM

great looking geetar - especially for a first build! enjoy!

ajgus · April 16th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Love it! Probably cause it looks EXACTLY like mine!! Love that Honey Blonde!

rodeo_joel · April 16th, 2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajgus

Love it! Probably cause it looks EXACTLY like mine!! Love that Honey Blonde!

lol, that's awesome. Ya i think this design is one of those "simple but tasteful" kind of things. +1 on the honey blonde, i know Sol Philcox (Soltwanger) on this forum also has one that's pretty much identical to this one (except he built his first, hehe).

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

I've got a one piece Strat neck from Tommy n 'em at USACG with those same specifications. It is a sweetie. That would be a blast if this USACG Tele headstock shape would take off and become fashionable. I sure hate buying a nice neck from USACG and then disguising its identity, but old prejudices and tastes die hard.Very tasty geetar there, r_j, congrats.

Totally, i actually really like the shape of the USACG tele headstock. I'm not that much of a purist that i wanted a peghead shaped EXACTLY like fenders. I actually wanted one a bit more unique. I even thought of designing my own shape and having Tommy cut it for me, but it turned out to be too much of a hassle. My favorite shape actually is probably Bill Crooks signature tele headstock shape, i think that one looks so cool!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Congrats.... now. . . what's on the list for #2? You know you're gonna do it,, so. .. let's get to hoppin....

Ron Kirn

Ya, i know it's gonna happen, hehe. Actually what happened was i decided to build this tele while at the same time i was searching and shopping for a Strat. Well i went to every shop i could get to and came up with nothing that matched my specifications (i'm being REEEEAALLY picky here...). Not to mention $$ was a factor, most of the ones i liked were about $500 - $800 out of my range.

But the day i recieved my USACG neck in the mail i was so blown away by how excellent the finish and craftsmanship was on it that i knew i just had to have them build me another. This eventually led to me deciding that instead of doing what i did with my tele (buy the body on eBay and get the neck from USACG), why not get them to build me a body to match it too.

This further led to me thinking about having a matching gloss colored headstock with the body (i'm thinking of going with a Metallic Candy Apple Red finish). Modeled slightly after the Eric Johnson Stratocaster, but with a few unique twists of my own (namely the neck contour, among other neck specs)

Thanks for the kind words everybody!
Cheers

~Joel~

Ronkirn · April 16th, 2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

recieved my USACG neck . . . so blown away by how excellent the finish and craftsmanship

I know what you mean.. it never ceases to amaze me... it's a shame to put a finish on 'em, but if you don't then get pretty funky pretty fast.

Ron Kirn

tdowns · April 17th, 2008, 12:16 AM

Mighty fine...mighty purty!! (as Roadhog would say)

gtrwrks · April 17th, 2008, 12:18 AM

I dig the color combo; congrats.

rodeo_joel · April 17th, 2008, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

I know what you mean.. it never ceases to amaze me... it's a shame to put a finish on 'em, but if you don't then get pretty funky pretty fast.

Ron Kirn

ya, i actually am really glad that i got them to put the vintage tint on the neck, it accents the colors better i think. seems like most of the newer guitars that come out are just satin finished (sans tint...), to me they just look pale and plain (too plain...)

I'm a big fan of satin finishes, the gloss finishes are just too sticky feeling. I know if you wear em' down they will eventually smooth out, but i'd rather have a nice smooth feel right away, hehe.

Different strokes for different folks...

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtrwrks

I dig the color combo; congrats.

i had to search eBay pretty good for a body that met my picky requirements. I wanted that "thin skin" nitro finish, in a blonde body and made by Fender in the USA. But ya, the color is great. Not quite a butterscotch, and not pale either. I love the opaque-ness in the finish, you can see just the right amount of wood grain underneath.

I don't know how the rest of you feel, but i'm kinda iffy on bodies made outside the US. There HAS to be a reason why two bodies of identical color, finish and wood (differing only in country of origin) can differ by $400. The definition of "quality" differs slightly on different sides of the border (but that's just my opinion)...

I actually lucked out on this one, ended up making an offer of $250 on it. It was the body from an actual Fender Highway 1 Texas Telecaster.

Cheers

~Joel~

April 15th, 2008, 08:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
rodeo_joel Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Age: 21 Posts: 543	First Tele Build Complete - Pictures Included!! Hey folks, thought some of you might enjoy seeing the final product of my first Tele build! I call it my Jocaster (...rodeo_JOEL...). Ya the name is a bit on the cheesy side, but since its kinda 'plain jane' looking it kinda makes it my own, hehe. New Telecaster Pic1.jpg New Telecaster Pic2.jpg New Telecaster Pic3.jpg New Telecaster Pic4.jpg New Telecaster Pic6.jpg Spec's Include: Highway 1 Texas Telecaster Body (Honey Blonde)[bought on eBay] USACG 1-piece maple neck w. a 25 1/2" Scale 21 Fret Length (Truss Adjust at the Heel) and a Thick "C" shape contour (0.90" - 0.95 at 12th Fret) 7 1/4" - 9 1/2" Compound Radius Neck Vintage Style Kluson Tuners Real Bone Nut Fender No-Load Tone Potentiometer Fender 3-Way Switch Vintage Style 3 Saddle Bridge w. Brass Saddles 52' Reissue Bridge Plate Bridge Pickup - Voodoo Broadcaster Neck Pickup - Adder T300 Tele Neck Pickup I'm uber pleased with how this one turned out. I'm already making plans for my next build (prolly gonna be a strat, hehe) Cheers ~Joel~ __________________

April 15th, 2008, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
gibsonjunkie Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomfield, Connecticut Age: 55 Posts: 644	That is a beauty - makes me want to attempt a tele build... __________________ The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...

April 15th, 2008, 08:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
martyb1 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Age: 44 Posts: 1,576 13 Photos	Looks great __________________ Before throwing it out,make sure it's not 16x13x1.75

April 15th, 2008, 08:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
markothefish Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Greenville, Rhode Island Age: 42 Posts: 2,028 7 Photos	NICE !!!! thats real good looking . I like your choice of vintage bridge and pickup choices ..... __________________ Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

April 15th, 2008, 09:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 56 Posts: 5,590 1 Photos	Very nice. I'll bet you will like that Adder neck pickup. Eh? (Sorry, just couldn't resist!) __________________ "If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all." - Thumper the Rabbit "An awfully lot of time can be wasted waiting for the right time." - Gunsmoke's Doc Adams

April 15th, 2008, 09:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Taipan Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Western NY State Age: 50 Posts: 433	rodeo_JOEL - Congratulations on your first build. It turned out very nice.

April 15th, 2008, 10:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
Ricky D. Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Age: 57 Posts: 905	RJ, that's a real nice job on that finish.

April 15th, 2008, 10:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
pchilson Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Loveland, Colorado Age: 50 Posts: 874	Man, thats a nice job you've done there. I love the Honey Blonde. It even looks good with maple board. Congrats! Hows she play?

April 15th, 2008, 11:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
jwc5 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft. Worth Posts: 250	Bee....U.....Tee....ful . That is one sweet lookin Tele ya got there joel. Very nice job indeed!

April 15th, 2008, 11:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
ehawley Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Keyport, New Jersey Age: 55 Posts: 1,014 48 Photos	looking sweet!! Have fun. I bet it was a lot easier then you thought! Cheers ED

April 16th, 2008, 12:00 AM	#12 (permalink)
vanrrice Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 155 6 Photos	Great Looking Guitar Nice looking guitar, love the vibe (and the strap)! __________________ “My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening through a cosmic vapor of invention” Copper Tone Tele Partscaster, Gooddall Concert Jumbo MhCJc

April 16th, 2008, 09:30 AM	#14 (permalink)
Ronkirn Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Age: 62 Posts: 2,745	Congrats.... now. . . what's on the list for #2? You know you're gonna do it,, so. .. let's get to hoppin.... Ron Kirn __________________ A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. – Thomas Jefferson Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -Pericles (430 B.C.)

April 16th, 2008, 11:30 AM	#15 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,540	I've got a one piece Strat neck from Tommy n 'em at USACG with those same specifications. It is a sweetie. That would be a blast if this USACG Tele headstock shape would take off and become fashionable. I sure hate buying a nice neck from USACG and then disguising its identity, but old prejudices and tastes die hard. Very tasty geetar there, r_j, congrats. __________________ Bubban0v

April 16th, 2008, 11:39 AM	#16 (permalink)
ReddRanger Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: California Posts: 277	Looks good!

April 16th, 2008, 02:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
djsommer TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 30 1 Photos	great looking geetar - especially for a first build! enjoy!

April 16th, 2008, 04:17 PM	#18 (permalink)
ajgus Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 2,325	Love it! Probably cause it looks EXACTLY like mine!! Love that Honey Blonde! __________________ "If you don't have a toothbrush & you don't have a Telecaster...you're in trouble"- Jim Weider

April 17th, 2008, 12:16 AM	#21 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 2,674	Mighty fine...mighty purty!! (as Roadhog would say) __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

April 17th, 2008, 12:18 AM	#22 (permalink)
gtrwrks Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: oklahoma city, ok Age: 44 Posts: 753	I dig the color combo; congrats. __________________ www.myspace.com/toddlynchmusic