Blackpoole Relc Kit

[Chet Johnson]

I am BEYOND excited with the stuff that I'm getting so far from Andy at Blackpoole Relic Works.

All of the aging is SO natural, the stuff looks 60 years old! I can't wait to get it built and have my first "OLD" tele.

Couldn't beat the price either.

Plus he is incredible to work with. I sent him a bridge and made several other hardware changes, he is willing to help the whole way.

[Chet Johnson]

some more pics. I still can't get over it.

[bossaholic]

Yep, that work looks fantastic. I am almost tempted to throw my money his way instead of relicing it myself (I really don't have the time).

Is the body and neck cut to vintage specs?

Chet, is that your exact guitar? I am really diggin the grain pattern. I am a sucker for tight straight line grain without V's.

[fordfanjpn]

Looking good Chet! Is that your body and parts?

What are you gonna put in it for pickups? I put Fred Stuart Black Guards in my MIJ Tele and I am extremely pleased with them. Killer pickups!

Bill

[Tonemonkey]

I love that neck.

I wonder if he could source and age a chunky C, 3-bolt Strat neck for my redundant skinny necked USA 70 VRI?

CJ, can you PM his email?

Thanks TM

[hendriks]

@ TM here's the link to the ebay store :http://cgi.ebay.com/TELECASTER-BODY-...3D10%26ps%3D63

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by bossaholic

Yep, that work looks fantastic. I am almost tempted to throw my money his way instead of relicing it myself (I really don't have the time).

Is the body and neck cut to vintage specs?

Chet, is that your exact guitar? I am really diggin the grain pattern. I am a sucker for tight straight line grain without V's.

Yes. The pics are MY guitar. Im stoked. This is gonna be an AWESOME guitar.

Look what else I found:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_9176wt_1167

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by fordfanjpn

Looking good Chet! Is that your body and parts?

What are you gonna put in it for pickups? I put Fred Stuart Black Guards in my MIJ Tele and I am extremely pleased with them. Killer pickups!

Bill

At the moment what I have here is a set of GFS lil Punchers. I bought them because the price was right, and the rail look.

I really LOVE Peter Florance Voodoo pickups, just not the funds at the moment.

Who knows, I'm hoping for the GFS stuff to sound nice.

[Bodeen]

Man, I feel my bank account taking a hit real soon.

Everytime I see those necks I just wanna pull the trigger on one, but the whole nut install has me a little concerned. I just don't believe there's anyone around me that could pull that off with a factory look. And I'm almost certain that I'd jack it up if I did it myself.

[superbadj]

His SG kit is just $299 w/electronics!

Is it decent stuff? That's awfully damn cheap.

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by superbadj

His SG kit is just $299 w/electronics!

Is it decent stuff? That's awfully damn cheap.

I don't know about the SG, but the tele control harness is nice stuff, cloth wire, cts pots, treble bleed cap etc.

[superbadj]

I just wonder if that's like a cheapy Epi SG, or a GFS kit SG. They say they don't build guitars, so I'd assume it's just a refinish of an already-complete SG.

Just curious.

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by superbadj

I just wonder if that's like a cheapy Epi SG, or a GFS kit SG. They say they don't build guitars, so I'd assume it's just a refinish of an already-complete SG.

Just curious.

I would just ask him.

[Lascaster]

I think ill have to get ahold of him VERY soon. how long did it take him to finish it Chet??

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by Lascaster

I think ill have to get ahold of him VERY soon. how long did it take him to finish it Chet??

Oh.... I'd say about 3 or 4 weeks. He was BUSY when my order went in. BUT, IT IS WORTH THE WAIT!!!!!!!!!
The pictures don't do justice. The stoff looks OLD!!!!

[bossaholic]

Chet, any information on where he gets his bodies?

I see he used Allpart necks. Are they vintage specs? Is your body cut to vintage specs?

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by bossaholic

Chet, any information on where he gets his bodies?

I see he used Allpart necks. Are they vintage specs? Is your body cut to vintage specs?

I know that SOME of his bodies are Allparts, but he has a few other brands available.

I don't really know what the true vintage specs even are. I build just basing everything on QUALITY, which I've found in EVERY piece so far from Blackpoole. He can get Any Allparts neck that is made, and again, he has some other necks available. I am no vintage buff, but I think Allparts has some of those 50's ballbat fat necks if that's what you mean.

[bossaholic]

I guess I'll fire off an email to him to check.

Looking for an accurate vintage spec body.

[fordfanjpn]

Originally Posted by Chet Johnson

I build just basing everything on QUALITY, which I've found in EVERY piece so far from Blackpoole.

Hi Chet,

I'm afraid I've lost track of exactly where we are with this now. Can you confirm once again exactly what you have actually received so far? And maybe post some pics (to enhance the drool factor)?

Also, do you have a delivery date on the rest of the parts? I have to admit, I am getting anxious to see the thing put together.

Bill

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by fordfanjpn

Hi Chet,

I'm afraid I've lost track of exactly where we are with this now. Can you confirm once again exactly what you have actually received so far? And maybe post some pics (to enhance the drool factor)?

Also, do you have a delivery date on the rest of the parts? I have to admit, I am getting anxious to see the thing put together.

Bill

I have everything except for the wiring harness, which he has on order and expects today.

Everything is fantastic. I have had a busy week and didn't really get to do anything yet. I hope to get into it some more tonight.

[fordfanjpn]

Originally Posted by Chet Johnson

I have everything except for the wiring harness, which he has on order and expects today.

Everything is fantastic. I have had a busy week and didn't really get to do anything yet. I hope to get into it some more tonight.

More pics!!

Bill

[madmark]

ya lets see that beauty put together..

[Chet Johnson]

I'll get some pics up soon. I mounted the tuning keys, and fit tested some hardware. Mounted bridge and bridge pickup.

Here's a BAD cell phone pic just for you droolers. I'm very excited, but I have to stop for the day.

[DaveinLondon]

Look forward to seeing the finished guitar Chet. These Blackpoole kits look great. I haven't built a guitar before but am tempted now to attempt a Gatton-eque relic (save for electronics, tuners and nut, it appears to be a matter of screwing everything together).

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by DaveinLondon

Look forward to seeing the finished guitar Chet. These Blackpoole kits look great. I haven't built a guitar before but am tempted now to attempt a Gatton-eque relic (save for electronics, tuners and nut, it appears to be a matter of screwing everything together).

The electronics are no big deal, he has a FULLY WIRED control assembly available. I had everything already, but I ordered his assembly as a HUGE time saver.

[DaveinLondon]

Chet, did you have to do any drilling to install the bridge, control plate and pickguard? How difficult was it to attach the tuners?

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by DaveinLondon

Chet, did you have to do any drilling to install the bridge, control plate and pickguard? How difficult was it to attach the tuners?

The tuners aren't a difficult job, take your time .

I requested my body blank (string thru holes and routing, but no screwholes) so, yes I had to drill. But, his standard kit is pre drilled for everything on the body predrilled.

[madmark]

Chet does the body have any checking in it? Seems like all the bodies are reliced very nice but I don't see any checking ?

[Chet Johnson]

He does checking, but I requested wear with no checking.

He said that they just need to know in advance, so that they can be done right and look natural.

[Chet Johnson]

I strung and set it up tonight. I am DELIGHTED with the guitar. I just need to drop in the wiring harness tomorrow and adjust the pickup heights.

[davy2466]

VERY nice guitar, Chet. Like other members, I look forward to seeing pics of your completed project. I'd also like your thoughts on the GFS lil' puncher pickups.

As far as dealing with Andy goes, I couldn't agree with you more. I first started e-mailing him back in June as I was interested in a Tele similar to the one you ordered but with a Bigsby. Unlike a lot of other online sellers, Andy returned EVERY e-mail addressing every question and was (& still is) extremely pleasant to deal with. I ended up purchasing the black Tele with Bigsby and absolutely love it. Almost everyone that has seen it has tried to buy it from me - the relic work is impeccable.

I see a lot of posts questioning Blackpoole's right to use the word "kit", their choice of suppliers for necks & bodies and other trivial aspects such as using the same parts that Mosley guitar used. Seems like a lot of nit-picking about unfounded rumors and speculation. The Telecaster I got from Andy (as well as my dealings with him) have made me a huge fan of Blackpoole and Andy.

I've just ordered my second guitar from him and I can't wait for it to arrive. My son has pretty much taken over my black Tele so it's time I got another one. Once I thin out my collection a tad more, I'm also planning to buy a white Strat from him (that'll be my third).

I've shopped with other online sellers as well as shops and individuals here in the metro-Atlanta area and I've NEVER dealt with anyone as accomodating and helpful as he's been.

I've attached a couple of pics of my new Tele which should arrive somewhere around the end of the month. I'll go ahead and say that I've never met him personally, never heard of him before June of this year and don't know him from Adam's proverbial house-cat but I DO KNOW that he takes great care of his customers, delivers a product that surpasses my wildest expectations and has been a top-notch person that delivers a product for a fraction of what other relic finishers try to sell "beat up" guitars for. I don't get all the folks who visit this forum and trash someone that they have never worked with.

Anyway, thanks for the updates on your guitar - it is a beauty!

[surfco]

Just...WOW!

[Durtdog]

Glad you guys are enjoying these, but I'm sorry, those just don't look like any old Telecasters I've ever seen. It looks like they coat them with something to make them look greasy or blackened or something. Just looks dirty, not old.

Obligatory YMMV, IMHO.

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

Glad you guys are enjoying these, but I'm sorry, those just don't look like any old Telecasters I've ever seen. It looks like they coat them with something to make them look greasy or blackened or something. Just looks dirty, not old.

Obligatory YMMV, IMHO.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong in my photographing, but it is a LOT more impressive hands-on. I threw out about 20 pics that I took that don't even look like my guitar.

I stand by it. My wife also can't believe my brand new OLD guitar.

[olaftheholy]

Chet,

Turn off the flah on your camera and use a natural light source like windows or something similar.
Outside on a lawn on a sunny day works well too...

I'd do some aging to the bridgepickup as well if i were you,,,,


cheers,

[Chet Johnson]

Originally Posted by olaftheholy

Chet,

Turn off the flah on your camera and use a natural light source like windows or something similar.
Outside on a lawn on a sunny day works well too...

I'd do some aging to the bridgepickup as well if i were you,,,,


cheers,

I'll try that today with the flash. I will probably do something with the pickups, if those are the ones that stay in that guitar.

I'm not very concerned with it, as this guitar isn't a specific year clone or anything. First of all, it has my name, NOT fender on it.

The idea for mine is an old guitar that saw some upgrades over the years. Compensated saddles, different pickups, and electrosocket jack. I am after a great guitar, and don't care about "relic law" and "vintage correct", just a really old player guitar.

Thanks to andy I have it now.

[Birdmankustomz]

I'm waiting for the finished pictures, sure it looks dirty, but I love the dirty, old, worn-out look. So itss perfect.

[Chet Johnson]

OK! got my prewired vintage harness! HUGE time saver.

[DaveinLondon]

I really like the look of this body that's new on Blackpoole's ebay store - more worn than the others I've seen so far.
http://cgi.ebay.com/TELECASTER-BODY-...4.c0.m14.l1262

[fordfanjpn]

Originally Posted by DaveinLondon

I really like the look of this body that's new on Blackpoole's ebay store - more worn than the others I've seen so far.
http://cgi.ebay.com/TELECASTER-BODY-...4.c0.m14.l1262

Nice one! I can see myself building (ok, assemling!) Tele's until I either run out of money, or the wife divorces me. Of course the latter case would automatically result in the former.

Bill