A different kind of pine-build

[reddogbass]

This project has been in the making for a few months actually. I took some (lousy) pics along the way, but am posting all at once. I'm not good at posting progress pics. I'm not a photographer, so it is a PIA!

The inspiration for this build is a Fender TC-90, with a couple of twists. I love double cut-aways for the look. Even though it isn't a traditional Tele-style, I think it still qualifies.

The body is pine, glued up from an old futon frame.



As it is a semi-hollow of sorts, this is the routing of the body cavities. The full height block towards the butt is for the bridge mount. The rest of the routing is not a particular plan- just took material away where I didn't think it was needed.

The top is 3mm piece of 5 ply birch aircraft plywood. I've done a few using this as a top-lam. It works just great! It has no grain to speak of, but since this is a painted piece, it doesn't matter.

Here it is before binding. The binding was heated an formed roughly to the body shape. This has always made binding a little easier for me.



All bound up and ready for finish. Sorry about the rag in the picture. It's covering the other inspiration for this guitar. The sound hole is unique and will be revealed in later pics.



Here it is all filled and primed. I like the red-oxide primer under a white as it gives the "vintage white" look sought after in this project. The primer builds fast too, making a smooth finish possible with the least amount of work.



More pics to come-

[BroadMaster]

Originally Posted by reddogbass

This project has been in the making for a few months actually. I took some (lousy) pics along the way, but am posting all at once. I'm not good at posting progress pics. I'm not a photographer, so it is a PIA!

The inspiration for this build is a Fender TC-90, with a couple of twists. I love double cut-aways for the look. Even though it isn't a traditional Tele-style, I think it still qualifies.

The body is pine, glued up from an old futon frame.


More pics to come-

Looks great RDB. I like the double cut look, also.
Now get on up off the other pics and quit teasin' us.

[reddogbass]

Getting a little white on the body. It shows bright in the picture, but is Krylon "Ivory." In the finished product, over the red primer, it captures the "vintage white" quite well. Maybe later pics will show what is closer to the true color.

The painting stick is a closet rod, and the holder is a fishing rod holder.



The headstock is painted white to match the body. I replaced the fake white fret markers with abalone. I went with rosewood. I like the look better with the lighter colored bodies.

This is the first guitar I've built using a ready made neck. Since I wanted to wind my own pickups for this (see Just pickups forum) I decided to save time and not build the neck.

The neck is a new Mighty Mite. It was local and cheap ($80). Inspite of all the bad press MM necks get, I decided to go with it, and since I could feel it before I plunked down the cash... It is really a pretty nice neck. The fret work is good, and the fret ends are nice and flush.

I'd call the profile medium-thin. with medium jumbo frets. It was advertised as 9.5 radius fingerboard, but is actually closer to 10.5.

I replaced the (plastic) nut, and finished the back with lacquer. I'd do an MM again if it is this good.



The bridge is a Wilkinson/Gotoh with a wrap around. This eliminates the the extra tailpiece. I like fewer parts. The saddles for the inside four strings are adjustable for intonation independent of the "E" strings, which are intonated by moving the entire bridge around. It works out very nicely.

The bridge pickup in the picture is one of my first home-winds. It's a split humbucker. Sounds very "tele-like_ in the single coil mode. It's controlled by a push-pull pot. The neck PU is homemade as well. It's a P-90 type sized to fit a standard HB mounting ring.



Oops! The cat is out of the bag- Here's the finished pic, and Mud Flap Girl is revealed. I couldn't have just any shaped sound hole! The sound hole was hand carved using a router, and fine-tuning with an emery board.

The jack is end-pin type. My need to keep parts at a minimum inspired this.



All in all I'm thrilled. It's unique, and unless I'm mistaken, a true one-of-a-kind. The "MFG" certainly gets a lot of comments.

It plays very nice, and sounds good too. Sets up very nice. I'm having a lot of fun with the pickup winding thing. The volume un-plugged is incredible. Just what I wanted. That's about it!

Other specs- Gotoh tuners, mini-toggle pickup switch, push-pull tone pot controlling split humbucker, 500k pots, .047 cap, weight= 6.6 pounds.

[buddywayne]

That's a really nice looking guitar. Good job.

[Tom S]

Very cool. I'll be honest and say that the shape ain't my thing, but it's a unique guitar, and very nicely made. Kudos!

You do realize that you can fit about 150 business cards between the bass side of the neck and the body though, right? Isn't that going to ruin the tone?

You know you're going to have to build a neck for it now, maybe one with a mud-flap girl cutout?

How about a shot of the back? I'd like to see the control cavity cover.

Btw, I don't understand why everyone doesn't use the same heating technique for binding. It only makes sense and does make things a lot easier.

[hekawi]

nice knobs!

[reddogbass]

Actually Tom...

I know it looks like the neck stands tall of the neck cavity. I don't have a good picture of it, but the "black space" is actually a shim of sorts. When I was routing the cavities and the neck pocket, it was before the top was glued on.

I wasn't even thinking about the top thickness and cut the cavity depth to .625" as normal. Then when I glued the top on I thought..Oh crap! So, I used a piece of pickguard material as a shim. Works great, and looks good too. Very different with the bwb layers. I'm gonna do this from now on.

So... no, the neck mounting is good and the tone is not affected.

[jwells393]

Excellent ...........

Good to see unique ideas. That fishing rod holder is another great idea.

[jwells393]

Double post deleted. Damn Opera browser.

[Fatmanstratman]

I like it. Great job!....

[reddogbass]

neck shim-mistake thing!



I think I saved it.

[straightface]

I like it! The MFG has a nice...er, never mind.

[guitarbuilder]

Nice looking guitar! Something different is a good thing.
Marty

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by reddogbass

Actually Tom...

I know it looks like the neck stands tall of the neck cavity.

No, no, I was kidding! I didn't notice any of what you're describing! I meant the space between the neck heel and the upper bout. (See, because people make a big deal about the gap between the heel and the normal tele body there...you know, how they can stick a business card or two in so the guitar is no good....heh heh...a joke...heh...ok, not that funny.)


Anyway, nice guitar, and that's no joke.

[Trimmed&Burnin]

I like the shape,, you've done a nice job,,,

[reddogbass]

No, no, I was kidding! I didn't notice any of what you're describing! I meant the space between the neck heel and the upper bout. (See, because people make a big deal about the gap between the heel and the normal tele body there...you know, how they can stick a business card or two in so the guitar is no good....

Apparently Tom I misunderstood your comment. Not unusual for me! LOL!

As far as the fit of the neck-to-neck cavity, the fit is tight. Of course with the double-cut there is less body-to-neck contact on the bass side. Realizing this at the outset, and making some attempt for more neck to body contact, the cavity has been increased by 1/2" in length. And then there was the issue of strength. There is less body to support the neck cavity base (if that's what it's called).

The fit in the cavity is very tight. Even tough there is only a 1/2" or so capturing the neck from the sides, there is very little movement of the neck. I may have gotten lucky with the fitment. I certainly hope the lack of neck support doesn't cause problems in the future.

The TC-90 is a set neck. I'd imagine they did this to add strength in the neck cavity area. Mine is a bolt-on. We'll see how it holds up.

[Arlo]

Very Very Cool!

[aman]

Your double cut Tele looks AMAZING! I really dig the color scheme and the hardware used.

[Buckocaster51]

That is so danged neat.

Got to love the MFG!

Did I ever tell you guys about the time I was playing with the Joe Schmitt Orchestra? In walks this women...Joe and I look at each other and say, "The Mudflap Girl!"

It was a hoot. We had the best time that day.

I also like the aircraft plywood top. That might get me into trying some chambered Sparklecaster.

Very good job.

[GilmourD]

I love the... uh... F-hole.

[jwells393]

reddog............ where did you find that type of rod holder?

[reddogbass]

reddog............ where did you find that type of rod holder?

Actually it came from a junk pile, but I've seen similar ones at Sportsmens Warehouse. One of the plastic ones would work as well. Try any good sporting goods store that specializes in fishing gear.

[jwells393]

Thanks ............ I was at Walmart yesterday and all they had was the curly bent metal rod that you stick in the dirt. An Internet search revealed that there are hundreds of different fishing rod holders.

[Nick JD]

Looks great!