Blackguard Esquire Relic project completed...

Unkie Al · November 9th, 2006, 05:20 PM

I just finished my latest project, a Blackguard Esquire Relic.
Well it isn't actually an Esquire because even though i love looks of an Esquire, i just can't live with out a neck pickup, so i decided to hide a pickup beneath the pickguard. But more on that later.

It started out as a cheap Chinese "Harley Benton" Tele-copy i bought for the equivalent of $80.
The guitar was pretty OK for a cheapo, with decent wood grain on the body and a nice chunky maple-neck, but a usual with these copies the hardware was crappy so changed pretty much all of it.

Here's what i did:

Neck:
I started out by completely stripping the neck of the Poly-finish and rounded the fretboard edges.
The tuner holes were in the wrong place so i moved them to the "correct" position.
I did that by putting some dowels in the old holes and put some very thin maple-veneer in the top of the headstock and drilled some new holes where i wanted them.
Put a homemade "Ferden Relesquire"-decal and a faux skunk-stripe on, then i refinished it using a few thin coats of heavily tinted Nitro.

Body:
Stripped the Poly, routed a big "Swimming-pool" rout for the pickups, since i hadn't decided on the pickups i was going to use at the time.
Drilled i string-through.
Refinished it in blonde and sprayed some tinted Nitro on top of the blonde color.

Hardware:
Since the original hardware was crap i had to change almost all of it:
Wilkinson Kluson tuners. A vintage dual-load bridge with brass saddles. A new nut. Pots and switch.

The "Stealth"-pickup:
Well that part took quite a bit of experimenting, i tried all sorts of pickups; Strat-pickups, different Humbuckers and Tele-pickups but they were all way too weak when adjusted so low. They actually sounded OK but the output was about half of the bridge pickup. (Not useful at all).
But then i came across a ceramic P-90 with a whopping 9.5k DC resistance, i tried it and it was spot-on!
I have plenty of punch and bite and it's actually less muddy than my Fat Tele in the neck position and surprisingly enough more powerful than the Texas Specials in my Strat!

I know it isn't perfect, but it's mine!
Tell me what you think.

-And now on to the pictures:

This is how she looked when i got her.

The body - front

The body - back (note the faux skunk stripe)

Headstock

jwells393 · November 9th, 2006, 05:25 PM

Good job !

I like the decal.

f69tele · November 9th, 2006, 05:29 PM

I'd say that's a great job! Nice tints. I notice you like the "reverse" control plate. What kind of bridge pickup you got in there?

How did you do the skunk stripe?

Lostheart · November 9th, 2006, 05:49 PM

Congrats!
Now this really showcases your skill!
Mind to let me know if the Nitro you sprayed was from aerosols or do you have a paint booth/spray gun?

No offense, but is a Harley Benton really worth the work you have put into this guitar? Really, don't get me wrong but I wonder if it wouldn't be smarter to buy an Allparts neck and some raw body and go from there?!

markothefish · November 9th, 2006, 05:51 PM

thats really nice looking !!! Good job !!!

Unkie Al · November 9th, 2006, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f69tele

I'd say that's a great job! Nice tints. I notice you like the "reverse" control plate. What kind of bridge pickup you got in there?

How did you do the skunk stripe?

Thanks for the kind words.
The bridge pickup is the stock pickup, it sounds real good, it has loads of twang.
The skunk stripe is a decal.

Unkie Al · November 9th, 2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostheart

Congrats!
Now this really showcases your skill!
Mind to let me know if the Nitro you sprayed was from aerosols or do you have a paint booth/spray gun?

No offense, but is a Harley Benton really worth the work you have put into this guitar? Really, don't get me wrong but I wonder if it wouldn't be smarter to buy an Allparts neck and some raw body and go from there?!

I use a spray gun.

I agree, with you on the second part, but Harley Benton guitars are surprisingly good if you don't mind modding the hell out of them.

-Besides i'm only practicing my relicing skills, so it would be a pity to mess up a perfectly good guitar.

-Even though this has turned to to be quite a good guitar...

Stefan · November 9th, 2006, 06:05 PM

Cool! I think I´m gonna do something like that as well someday. I´ll see if I can find a nice but cheap copy of some kind. I found one, called Morgan this spring. I could buy it really cheap for about 800 swedish crowns ($100) but I didn´t. And I regret that cause it was a very, very nice copy that played so well! The sound wasn´t much to write home about but I would´ve changed all the pickups anyway.

Fatmanstratman · November 9th, 2006, 06:15 PM

Hey, Unkie Al - great job!

I did exactly the same project a few months back with the cheapo Harley Benton Tele-alike. Even down to the "genuine rosewood" skunk stripe which I painted on with rosewood stain! Although I tinted the neck with button polish, I decided against relicing the guitar. Here's mine:

I notice that you kept the 22nd fret - I cut mine off and reshaped the end of the neck. It did, however, mean that I had to reposition the bridge slightly to accomodate the scale length.

I keep mine tuned in open G for that "Stones" sound. Mine is fitted with the GFS '62 Vintage Alnico pickup, and sounds fantastic. Great sustain for such a "cheap" body.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostheart

No offense, but is a Harley Benton really worth the work you have put into this guitar? Really, don't get me wrong but I wonder if it wouldn't be smarter to buy an Allparts neck and some raw body and go from there?!

I think Unkie Al will agree - the Harley Bentons are surprisingly good quality for the money, and it really didn't take that much work (or money) to turn a budget guitar into a really nice playable instrument.

zooropamofo · November 9th, 2006, 10:20 PM

Great relic finish work on the hardware...looks very authentic.

Buckocaster51 · November 9th, 2006, 11:23 PM

Faux skunk stripes! I love them!

Sort of like the Shelby GT 350 skunk stripes I have on my Neon R/T.

What they don't know won't hurt them.

aznrambo481 · November 9th, 2006, 11:35 PM

I love the hidden pickup idea!
great job!

andrew · November 10th, 2006, 01:56 AM

Looks great!!

Could you tell us more about stripping the poly. I hear this is a very intense process.

Unkie Al · November 10th, 2006, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew

Looks great!!

Could you tell us more about stripping the poly. I hear this is a very intense process.

Indeed it is!
But it all boils down to sandpaper and patience, -and lots of it...

Unkie Al · November 10th, 2006, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

Hey, Unkie Al - great job!

I did exactly the same project a few months back with the cheapo Harley Benton Tele-alike. Even down to the "genuine rosewood" skunk stripe which I painted on with rosewood stain!

HEHE, great minds think alike i suppose

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

I think Unkie Al will agree - the Harley Bentons are surprisingly good quality for the money, and it really didn't take that much work (or money) to turn a budget guitar into a really nice playable instrument.

I agree, many of these El-Cheapo guitars are way better than you would expect, the total cost of this one is less than $200.
This is actually my second Harley Benton, you can see a picture in my gallery, but i sold that one.

getbent · November 10th, 2006, 04:23 AM

that is a sweet looking guitar! nice job!

geemo · November 10th, 2006, 04:39 AM

Really sharp looking esquire!
I am amazed by all the beatiful guitars that are created here. This forum sure is full of talented people!

Im very curisous about the sound of the hidden p90. Do you still get the characteristics of a p90 beneath the pickguard?

Also did you do something to the pickguard to make it "thinner" over the pickup?

Santah · November 10th, 2006, 04:51 AM

Its cool but I liked it better in its original form :D

Mitch Roberts · November 10th, 2006, 07:22 AM

Amazing job. Lot's of sweat equity in that baby. Enjoy.

Telenator · November 10th, 2006, 08:38 AM

It's an abomination. That there is a flagrant trademark infringement and you'll be hearing from the legal department!

Oh. Wait. Sorry. I thought I was on the Rickenbacker forum for a moment. LOL!

Nice job man! Very cool guitar. I really dig the "stealth" p'up set-up. Lets here some sound clips man!

Unkie Al · November 10th, 2006, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geemo

Im very curisous about the sound of the hidden p90. Do you still get the characteristics of a p90 beneath the pickguard?

Yes, very much so, it sound like a cross between a very powerful Strat-pickup and a humbucker.
-Very nice gritty blues tones, but i cleans up beautiful when i roll back the volume a bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by geemo

Also did you do something to the pickguard to make it "thinner" over the pickup?

Nope, it wasn't necessary with this pickup, in fact i even raised the brigde-pup a tad to balance the output.

geemo · November 10th, 2006, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unkie Al

Yes, very much so, it sound like a cross between a very powerful Strat-pickup and a humbucker.
-Very nice gritty blues tones, but i cleans up beautiful when i roll back the volume a bit.

Nope, it wasn't necessary with this pickup, in fact i even raised the brigde-pup a tad to balance the output.

Cool, I would love to hear this baby sing sometime!

Very nice work, great looking guitar!

yerffej · November 10th, 2006, 12:59 PM

it looks AWESOME! great job. might be my favourite project tele I have seen on here yet. cool idea with the pickup too

Unkie Al · November 11th, 2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telenator

Nice job man! Very cool guitar. I really dig the "stealth" p'up set-up. Lets here some sound clips man!

Thanks guys.

I'll try to make some clips for your listening "pleasure", but i'm way to busy playing the thing at the moment!

mojocasterman · November 21st, 2006, 10:12 AM

great, great work! Thanks for sharing.

SixString821 · April 22nd, 2007, 11:16 PM

im thinking about turning my lite ash tele into a hidden pickup esquire with a p90... curious as to what type of pickups you have in there now, i was thinking a GFS alnico p90 without the pickup cover under there... im pretty sure that measures out at about 8.0k... think it would work?

dcaster · April 22nd, 2007, 11:22 PM

i think it looks terrific !

SixString821 · April 23rd, 2007, 12:22 AM

any ideas? what kind of neck p90 to use?

Unkie Al · April 23rd, 2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixString821

any ideas? what kind of neck p90 to use?

You need the hottest pickup you can get you hands on!
I think 8k is a bit on the low side, maybe you could try one of these:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/me90glbltral.html

-Or just shoot Jay at Guitarfetish an email, he has been nothing but helpful to me.

edwardjeffrey · April 23rd, 2007, 12:29 PM

Nice job!! It's changing my thinking about making relicing illegal!
Jeff

vanguard · April 23rd, 2007, 12:43 PM

what's the story w/ reverse control plates? is there some advantage to it, or is it just to be different?

lupowitz · April 23rd, 2007, 04:20 PM

Don't you want to sell it????

Vegasrock · April 23rd, 2007, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unkie Al

Indeed it is!
But it all boils down to sandpaper and patience, -and lots of it...

Try a heat gun next time...it's much fast and you don't have to worry about oversanding contours.

Vegasrock · April 23rd, 2007, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unkie Al

You need the hottest pickup you can get you hands on!
I think 8k is a bit on the low side, maybe you could try one of these:
http://store.guitarfetish.com/me90glbltral.html

-Or just shoot Jay at Guitarfetish an email, he has been nothing but helpful to me.

Nice Job! Here's a daphne blue esquire copy that I did a little bit ago. It has a Dimarzio PAF humbucker in the the neck. Its rated @ 7.96 and sounds great.

boris bubbanov · April 24th, 2007, 12:16 AM

Really nice Daphne, Vegasrock. May I ask, what is the thickness on that white pickguard? Also, what brand of saddles are you using?

Much Obliged

Bubbanov

Vegasrock · April 24th, 2007, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Really nice Daphne, Vegasrock. May I ask, what is the thickness on that white pickguard? Also, what brand of saddles are you using?

Much Obliged

Bubbanov

Pickguard is .090" thick...its actually a 3ply, but its not beveled. I made the pickguard with some scrap that I had laying around. The saddles are stock ones that came with the Fender bridge...I bought the bridge from ReliableFender (ebay)

fenderix · April 24th, 2007, 07:46 AM

Congratulations on a nice job, Unkie Al!

It really looks the part. Nice decal too ...

Unkie Al · April 24th, 2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwardjeffrey

Nice job!! It's changing my thinking about making relicing illegal!

HEHE! Thanks.
I hate the beltsander relics as much as the next guy, it's all about subtlety!

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanguard

what's the story w/ reverse control plates? is there some advantage to it, or is it just to be different?

It's a mod i do to all my Telecasters it has two advantages: It puts the switch out of the way so i don't flip it accidentally AND puts the volume knob where it's needed.
-You should really try it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lupowitz

Don't you want to sell it????

I might, PM me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vegasrock

Try a heat gun next time...it's much fast and you don't have to worry about oversanding contours.

I did, but the epoxy undercoat didn't soften at all...
It was so damn hard it could be used to cut Cryptonite!

Unkie Al · April 25th, 2007, 10:33 AM

So, i finally got around to take some decent pictures of the guitar.
Check out the picture gallery here...

November 9th, 2006, 05:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Unkie Al Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Denmark Age: 42 Posts: 740 26 Photos	Blackguard Esquire Relic project completed... I just finished my latest project, a Blackguard Esquire Relic. Well it isn't actually an Esquire because even though i love looks of an Esquire, i just can't live with out a neck pickup, so i decided to hide a pickup beneath the pickguard. But more on that later. It started out as a cheap Chinese "Harley Benton" Tele-copy i bought for the equivalent of $80. The guitar was pretty OK for a cheapo, with decent wood grain on the body and a nice chunky maple-neck, but a usual with these copies the hardware was crappy so changed pretty much all of it. Here's what i did: Neck: I started out by completely stripping the neck of the Poly-finish and rounded the fretboard edges. The tuner holes were in the wrong place so i moved them to the "correct" position. I did that by putting some dowels in the old holes and put some very thin maple-veneer in the top of the headstock and drilled some new holes where i wanted them. Put a homemade "Ferden Relesquire"-decal and a faux skunk-stripe on, then i refinished it using a few thin coats of heavily tinted Nitro. Body: Stripped the Poly, routed a big "Swimming-pool" rout for the pickups, since i hadn't decided on the pickups i was going to use at the time. Drilled i string-through. Refinished it in blonde and sprayed some tinted Nitro on top of the blonde color. Hardware: Since the original hardware was crap i had to change almost all of it: Wilkinson Kluson tuners. A vintage dual-load bridge with brass saddles. A new nut. Pots and switch. The "Stealth"-pickup: Well that part took quite a bit of experimenting, i tried all sorts of pickups; Strat-pickups, different Humbuckers and Tele-pickups but they were all way too weak when adjusted so low. They actually sounded OK but the output was about half of the bridge pickup. (Not useful at all). But then i came across a ceramic P-90 with a whopping 9.5k DC resistance, i tried it and it was spot-on! I have plenty of punch and bite and it's actually less muddy than my Fat Tele in the neck position and surprisingly enough more powerful than the Texas Specials in my Strat! I know it isn't perfect, but it's mine! Tell me what you think. -And now on to the pictures: This is how she looked when i got her. The body - front The body - back (note the faux skunk stripe) Headstock __________________ My girlfriend always laughs during sex - no matter what she's reading. -- Steve Jobs

November 9th, 2006, 05:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
jwells393 Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Albuquerque, USA Age: 65 Posts: 14,283 101 Photos	Good job ! I like the decal. __________________ Jack's Disclaimer: When I say something.... always ask yourself ..... "What the hell does he know?" I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person.

November 9th, 2006, 05:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
f69tele Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Ulm, TX Age: 41 Posts: 323	I'd say that's a great job! Nice tints. I notice you like the "reverse" control plate. What kind of bridge pickup you got in there? How did you do the skunk stripe? __________________ I usually don't do requests, unless somebody asks for them...

November 9th, 2006, 05:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lostheart Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,833	Congrats! Now this really showcases your skill! Mind to let me know if the Nitro you sprayed was from aerosols or do you have a paint booth/spray gun? No offense, but is a Harley Benton really worth the work you have put into this guitar? Really, don't get me wrong but I wonder if it wouldn't be smarter to buy an Allparts neck and some raw body and go from there?! __________________ Casper: "Mmmmm. Butterscotch, yo. That's the best!" From the movie Kids

November 9th, 2006, 05:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
markothefish Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Greenville, Rhode Island Age: 43 Posts: 2,509 7 Photos	thats really nice looking !!! Good job !!! __________________ Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

November 9th, 2006, 06:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Stefan Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Age: 30 Posts: 1,829 36 Photos	Cool! I think I´m gonna do something like that as well someday. I´ll see if I can find a nice but cheap copy of some kind. I found one, called Morgan this spring. I could buy it really cheap for about 800 swedish crowns ($100) but I didn´t. And I regret that cause it was a very, very nice copy that played so well! The sound wasn´t much to write home about but I would´ve changed all the pickups anyway. __________________ 1981 Capri Orange Fender Telecaster 1976 Fender Stratocaster 2007 Martin Backpacker 2006 Martin HD-28

November 9th, 2006, 10:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
zooropamofo Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ottawa Age: 29 Posts: 935	Great relic finish work on the hardware...looks very authentic. __________________ I was tryin' to find my way home But all I heard was a drone Bouncing off a satellite Crushin' the last lone American night This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there? This is radio nowhere, is there anybody alive out there?

November 9th, 2006, 11:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 57 Posts: 8,406 1 Photos	Faux skunk stripes! I love them! Sort of like the Shelby GT 350 skunk stripes I have on my Neon R/T. What they don't know won't hurt them. __________________ "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

November 9th, 2006, 11:35 PM	#12 (permalink)
aznrambo481 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla, California Age: 18 Posts: 2,902 6 Photos	I love the hidden pickup idea! great job! __________________ Check out my bands, and feel free to PM me comments on them! The Eclectics (guitar/vocals) SLIP (bass)

November 10th, 2006, 01:56 AM	#13 (permalink)
andrew Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: Valley Ranch, TX Posts: 800 5 Photos	Looks great!! Could you tell us more about stripping the poly. I hear this is a very intense process.

November 10th, 2006, 04:23 AM	#16 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 13,700 37 Photos	that is a sweet looking guitar! nice job! __________________ We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are

November 10th, 2006, 04:39 AM	#17 (permalink)
geemo Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Europe Posts: 389 42 Photos	Really sharp looking esquire! I am amazed by all the beatiful guitars that are created here. This forum sure is full of talented people! Im very curisous about the sound of the hidden p90. Do you still get the characteristics of a p90 beneath the pickguard? Also did you do something to the pickguard to make it "thinner" over the pickup? __________________ just another tele nerd... _____________________________________________ http://www.myspace.com/rogerfromgeemo

November 10th, 2006, 04:51 AM	#18 (permalink)
Santah Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 210	Its cool but I liked it better in its original form :D

November 10th, 2006, 07:22 AM	#19 (permalink)
Mitch Roberts Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: CT Posts: 491	Amazing job. Lot's of sweat equity in that baby. Enjoy. __________________ I think, therefore I jam.

November 10th, 2006, 08:38 AM	#20 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,622 5 Photos	It's an abomination. That there is a flagrant trademark infringement and you'll be hearing from the legal department! Oh. Wait. Sorry. I thought I was on the Rickenbacker forum for a moment. LOL! Nice job man! Very cool guitar. I really dig the "stealth" p'up set-up. Lets here some sound clips man! __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

November 10th, 2006, 12:59 PM	#23 (permalink)
yerffej Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: canada Posts: 299	it looks AWESOME! great job. might be my favourite project tele I have seen on here yet. cool idea with the pickup too

November 21st, 2006, 10:12 AM	#25 (permalink)
mojocasterman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 4,583	great, great work! Thanks for sharing. __________________ Scott Lentz T - Crook Custom T & S - Fano SP6 - Huber Dolphin Jr - SRV Strat - Ovation Elite T - Swart AST - Carr Mercury - Fender Tweed Blues Junior. Follow me on Twitter! @MojoCaster

April 22nd, 2007, 11:16 PM	#26 (permalink)
SixString821 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Delaware, Philly Age: 23 Posts: 352	im thinking about turning my lite ash tele into a hidden pickup esquire with a p90... curious as to what type of pickups you have in there now, i was thinking a GFS alnico p90 without the pickup cover under there... im pretty sure that measures out at about 8.0k... think it would work?

April 22nd, 2007, 11:22 PM	#27 (permalink)
dcaster TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 53	i think it looks terrific !

April 23rd, 2007, 12:22 AM	#28 (permalink)
SixString821 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Delaware, Philly Age: 23 Posts: 352	any ideas? what kind of neck p90 to use?

April 23rd, 2007, 12:29 PM	#30 (permalink)
edwardjeffrey Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: san francisco Age: 56 Posts: 388	Nice job!! It's changing my thinking about making relicing illegal! Jeff

April 23rd, 2007, 12:43 PM	#31 (permalink)
vanguard Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: salt lake city Age: 28 Posts: 746	what's the story w/ reverse control plates? is there some advantage to it, or is it just to be different?

April 23rd, 2007, 04:20 PM	#32 (permalink)
lupowitz Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hungary Posts: 510	Don't you want to sell it????

April 24th, 2007, 12:16 AM	#35 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 15,223	Pickguard Thickness Really nice Daphne, Vegasrock. May I ask, what is the thickness on that white pickguard? Also, what brand of saddles are you using? Much Obliged Bubbanov Last edited by boris bubbanov; April 24th, 2007 at 12:17 AM. Reason: add

April 24th, 2007, 07:46 AM	#37 (permalink)
fenderix Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Europe Posts: 3,787	Congratulations on a nice job, Unkie Al! It really looks the part. Nice decal too ...

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.

April 25th, 2007, 10:33 AM	#39 (permalink)
Unkie Al Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Denmark Age: 42 Posts: 740 26 Photos	So, i finally got around to take some decent pictures of the guitar. Check out the picture gallery here... __________________ My girlfriend always laughs during sex - no matter what she's reading. -- Steve Jobs