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Mike Simpson · August 12th, 2007, 03:42 PM

Here is my Pine Partscaster project. Guitar Mill Pine body, Allparts TMO-fat neck, a leather pickguard I made and some other stuff. Still deciding between Callaham or Glendale hardware. I have a set of 50's Classic pickups I may use or I might even spring for some Nocasters or Fralins. I am really happy with the quality of the Guitar Mill body.

It is not assembled yet I just laid the parts together for the picture. Planning on a garnet shellac sealer coat and clear nitro finish.

Mike Simpson · August 12th, 2007, 03:44 PM

One more of the body grain...

Mike Simpson · August 12th, 2007, 03:50 PM

Here is a few of making the pickguard. I used a Fender guard as a template.

Here is the pattern traced on and the outline cut made.

Edge beveler done

This shot has most of the tooling done, it's not completely dry and there are a few finishing touches to add before I add the dye and finish.... probably an antique coffee brown.

Pete Galati · August 12th, 2007, 03:58 PM

I love that pickguard.

The String King · August 12th, 2007, 04:00 PM

Lovely grain in that body! I also love the pickguard. Is working leather a hobby of yours?

Mike Simpson · August 12th, 2007, 04:15 PM

Thanks, I wanted a pickguard that was not completely tooled that still had some blank space. I have not done any leather work before. When my dad passed away in 92 he left me a 30 pc set of the tools, the hammer and the marble slab to tool on. I did a couple of test pieces and read a few articles and jumped in... It's kinda fun, I will probably make a matching strap too.

maestrovert · August 12th, 2007, 04:30 PM

it's lookin' killer already, can't wait to see it completed & hear it Twangin' !

RomanS · August 13th, 2007, 06:19 AM

Looks very nice, love that pickguard!

Home Grown Tele · August 13th, 2007, 10:37 AM

Mike, outstanding job!!

I have a Guitar Mill pine body in Fender Blonde gassing off in my garage right now and a leather basketweave pickguard from Doug Halliday at LAYLI for it.

Keep us posted on your progress!

gtech · August 13th, 2007, 11:09 AM

Very nice work.

Thanks for the inspiration. I wanted to make a leather pickguard for a while, and you re-installed the idea in my head...

Good timing because this week I have to go get some stain for a leather bracelet I am making for my wife. I will check for some leather at the same time

I also like that you didn't fill the entire PG with the design. That's the way I like them.

Gilles

japasul · August 13th, 2007, 11:22 AM

Wow, that looks amazing! The leather goes really well with the pine grain, methinks...

it would be nice to have a pictorial explaining the tools and techniques a bit of that leather pg making....

Cheers
André Ripoll

gtech · August 14th, 2007, 11:35 AM

Yesterday, I talked to the guy who made the leather guitar cover for the tribute Elvis artist from the Elvis Story here in Quebec.

He showed me how he did it when I asked him about leather PGs for the Tele...

Very interesting talk. That's where I buy my leather and I showed him what I wanted to do. He is waiting for the kind of leather that I wanted to buy for a leather PG, but I think a separate thread could be needed on this subject...

A leather guitar cover could also be a nice project

For now, some info on leather is there

http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?act=idx

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/index.asp

Gilles

jaydawg · August 14th, 2007, 02:20 PM

What a great project. The grain on that body is very nice and I love, Love, LOVE the pickguard.

ThreePlyGuy · August 14th, 2007, 02:33 PM

WOW! That's really special, terrific looking project.
Can't wait for more!

Good luck with your projects!

Lostheart · August 15th, 2007, 02:22 AM

Wow...the Pickguard looks amazing. Good job!!!

Arlo · August 15th, 2007, 02:48 AM

Mike,

WOW that guitar has some amazing grain bro!!
And like everyone else says, I LOVE that guard. Outstanding.

Arte can't wait to see your new Piner too bro.

Stefan · August 15th, 2007, 03:15 AM

I want that guitar!!!!!!

Mike Simpson · August 15th, 2007, 11:12 AM

Thanks to all for the kind comments on the pickguard. I am very happy with the Guitar Mill body grain. I told them that it would be finished in an amber clear and I didn't mind waiting for a clear piece, they did a beautiful job book matching the grain on this 2 piece body. I will post some more pics as I get the finish and the hardware on. I'm planning on a garnet shellac sealer coat and clear nitro finish on the wood and probably an antique coffee brown on the pickguard. I thought about tooling a Bee on the pickguard but I will probably just leave it alone.

Thanks again.

Home Grown Tele · August 15th, 2007, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlo

Mike,

WOW that guitar has some amazing grain bro!!
And like everyone else says, I LOVE that guard. Outstanding.

Arte can't wait to see your new Piner too bro.

Arlo my bro, make sure you get some video of the gig this week in Limeyland and post it up here on the page!!

Sorry for hijack Big Mike!

JohnnyAtomic · August 15th, 2007, 03:23 PM

Here's my tooled leather and pine tele.

BTW Big Mike did you buy a Jerry Jones guitar from me a long time ago (maybe a turquoise 3 pickup one??)

August 12th, 2007, 03:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mike Simpson formerly "Big" Mike Simpson Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 56 Posts: 6,042 73 Photos	Simpson Pine Partscaster Here is my Pine Partscaster project. Guitar Mill Pine body, Allparts TMO-fat neck, a leather pickguard I made and some other stuff. Still deciding between Callaham or Glendale hardware. I have a set of 50's Classic pickups I may use or I might even spring for some Nocasters or Fralins. I am really happy with the quality of the Guitar Mill body. It is not assembled yet I just laid the parts together for the picture. Planning on a garnet shellac sealer coat and clear nitro finish. __________________ http://www.hoodoocasters.com/ http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooCasters http://www.reverbnation.com/thehoodoocasters https://twitter.com/hoodoocasters

August 12th, 2007, 03:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mike Simpson formerly "Big" Mike Simpson Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 56 Posts: 6,042 73 Photos	One more of the body grain... __________________ http://www.hoodoocasters.com/ http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooCasters http://www.reverbnation.com/thehoodoocasters https://twitter.com/hoodoocasters

August 12th, 2007, 03:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mike Simpson formerly "Big" Mike Simpson Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 56 Posts: 6,042 73 Photos	Here is a few of making the pickguard. I used a Fender guard as a template. Here is the pattern traced on and the outline cut made. Edge beveler done This shot has most of the tooling done, it's not completely dry and there are a few finishing touches to add before I add the dye and finish.... probably an antique coffee brown. __________________ http://www.hoodoocasters.com/ http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooCasters http://www.reverbnation.com/thehoodoocasters https://twitter.com/hoodoocasters

August 12th, 2007, 04:00 PM	#5 (permalink)
The String King Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: England. Age: 21 Posts: 1,570 22 Photos	Lovely grain in that body! I also love the pickguard. Is working leather a hobby of yours? __________________ "Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." - Yoda.

August 12th, 2007, 04:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mike Simpson formerly "Big" Mike Simpson Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 56 Posts: 6,042 73 Photos	Thanks, I wanted a pickguard that was not completely tooled that still had some blank space. I have not done any leather work before. When my dad passed away in 92 he left me a 30 pc set of the tools, the hammer and the marble slab to tool on. I did a couple of test pieces and read a few articles and jumped in... It's kinda fun, I will probably make a matching strap too. __________________ http://www.hoodoocasters.com/ http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooCasters http://www.reverbnation.com/thehoodoocasters https://twitter.com/hoodoocasters

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August 12th, 2007, 03:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,103 2 Photos	I love that pickguard.

August 12th, 2007, 04:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
maestrovert Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Somewhere over the rainbow Posts: 8,023	it's lookin' killer already, can't wait to see it completed & hear it Twangin' !

August 13th, 2007, 06:19 AM	#8 (permalink)
RomanS Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Age: 41 Posts: 6,085 22 Photos	Looks very nice, love that pickguard! __________________ https://www.facebook.com/neatpickers

August 13th, 2007, 11:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
gtech Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Age: 64 Posts: 2,126 174 Photos	Very nice work. Thanks for the inspiration. I wanted to make a leather pickguard for a while, and you re-installed the idea in my head... Good timing because this week I have to go get some stain for a leather bracelet I am making for my wife. I will check for some leather at the same time I also like that you didn't fill the entire PG with the design. That's the way I like them. Gilles __________________ Back to practice now...to make my Teles sound good.

August 13th, 2007, 11:22 AM	#11 (permalink)
japasul Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2007 Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil Age: 26 Posts: 377	Wow, that looks amazing! The leather goes really well with the pine grain, methinks... it would be nice to have a pictorial explaining the tools and techniques a bit of that leather pg making.... Cheers André Ripoll

August 14th, 2007, 11:35 AM	#12 (permalink)
gtech Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Age: 64 Posts: 2,126 174 Photos	Yesterday, I talked to the guy who made the leather guitar cover for the tribute Elvis artist from the Elvis Story here in Quebec. He showed me how he did it when I asked him about leather PGs for the Tele... Very interesting talk. That's where I buy my leather and I showed him what I wanted to do. He is waiting for the kind of leather that I wanted to buy for a leather PG, but I think a separate thread could be needed on this subject... A leather guitar cover could also be a nice project For now, some info on leather is there http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?act=idx http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/index.asp Gilles __________________ Back to practice now...to make my Teles sound good.

August 14th, 2007, 02:20 PM	#13 (permalink)
jaydawg Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: York, ME Age: 37 Posts: 877	What a great project. The grain on that body is very nice and I love, Love, LOVE the pickguard.

August 14th, 2007, 02:33 PM	#14 (permalink)
ThreePlyGuy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern California/Arizona Posts: 2,010	WOW! That's really special, terrific looking project. Can't wait for more! Good luck with your projects!

August 15th, 2007, 02:22 AM	#15 (permalink)
Lostheart Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,847	Wow...the Pickguard looks amazing. Good job!!! __________________ Casper: "Mmmmm. Butterscotch, yo. That's the best!" From the movie Kids

August 15th, 2007, 02:48 AM	#16 (permalink)
Arlo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Upta Camp Age: 54 Posts: 2,750	Mike, WOW that guitar has some amazing grain bro!! And like everyone else says, I LOVE that guard. Outstanding. Arte can't wait to see your new Piner too bro.

August 15th, 2007, 03:15 AM	#17 (permalink)
Stefan Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Age: 34 Posts: 1,845 20 Photos	I want that guitar!!!!!!

August 15th, 2007, 11:12 AM	#18 (permalink)
Mike Simpson formerly "Big" Mike Simpson Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 56 Posts: 6,042 73 Photos	Thanks to all for the kind comments on the pickguard. I am very happy with the Guitar Mill body grain. I told them that it would be finished in an amber clear and I didn't mind waiting for a clear piece, they did a beautiful job book matching the grain on this 2 piece body. I will post some more pics as I get the finish and the hardware on. I'm planning on a garnet shellac sealer coat and clear nitro finish on the wood and probably an antique coffee brown on the pickguard. I thought about tooling a Bee on the pickguard but I will probably just leave it alone. Thanks again. __________________ http://www.hoodoocasters.com/ http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooCasters http://www.reverbnation.com/thehoodoocasters https://twitter.com/hoodoocasters

August 15th, 2007, 03:23 PM	#20 (permalink)
JohnnyAtomic Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 1,484	Here's my tooled leather and pine tele. BTW Big Mike did you buy a Jerry Jones guitar from me a long time ago (maybe a turquoise 3 pickup one??) __________________ Too busy chasing babies around the house to get to play guitar very often.

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