COMPLETED -- "Tidycatster", the $100 telecaster challenge

[Mark-00255]

I'm glad to see this one getting finished up too! Such a unique build, and an inspiration to me along the way with the excellent use of found materials.

 

[guitarbuilder]

I hate wiring. I don't do it that often and it shows, but the switches work and there is no hum other than normal single coil and early valve junior hum. I could have saved time by planning this out on a sheet of paper instead of doing it on the fly. Glasses that magnify could have helped too so I could see what I was doing.

 

[guitarbuilder]

I tuned her up and noticed we needed a string tree to hold the D string in the groove. The bone nut yielded to the plastic nut to save time. The homemade aluminum strap buttons were scrapped for factory ones. It needs some setup work, but it's done. I left out a tone control and opted for a separate volume for the lap steel. Each switch controls a pickup in the order that you see it from your playing position.

 

[guitarbuilder]

Neck
Fretwire—med 4 feet from bulk 3.00
Dots- made from pick guard waste- 0
Wood- maple 0

Tele Body
Wood scrap pine - 0 0
Pickguard- recycled bucket- 0

Lap body
Pine scraps 0 0
Walnut inlay from scrap 0
Pickguard-recycled bucket- 0

Electronics
Ceramic pickups-new import - 27
3 soft touch switches- 8.40
Pots- import mini- 5.90
Wire- .30
Jack- 2.00

Hardware
Tele Bridge-new import - 10.00
Tele Ferrules- hand made from scrap- .50
Lap ferrule washers and bridge screws .60
Lap bridge hand made - 1.00
Tele tuners-used take off - 5.00
Lap tuners-used take off- 5.00
laptrosocket- hand made from scrap .50
control plate- hand made from scrap tubing .25
Strap buttons- new 2.50
Used knobs from parts drawer .75
Plastic string nut 1.20
Hex nut for jack .20
Neck screws 2.50
Neck plate hand made alum and plastic. Scrap .25
String tree 2
rivets from a box of 1000 or so .24

misc
4- bridge mounting screws #6- .20
6- #4 washers .25
11 Pickguard screws .55
2 pickup ring screws- .20
2 sets of Strings 11.00
Glue 2.00
Watco – old leftovers in can 1.00
Sticker 5
total 99.29

 

[guitarbuilder]

I had a sticker that I thought I'd add to the theme. Cost 5 bucks and brought me up to the total of 99 and some change. It's kind of hard to price some of this stuff. I used some ebay pricing and allparts list pricing. Some of these parts although new, I've had for 10 years or more. I hope you find these reasonable.
Thanks everybody for the kind thoughts and compliments over the month. I'd like to wish all the competitors that finished, and those that didn't, the best of luck in this competition and look forward to seeing all of them completed soon. It's been fun to watch the newbies too. You all should be proud of your work.
Marty

 

[lammy]

You need to rig a little steel holder!
I am so jealous that you could build that!!! So awesome! Congratulations!

 

[sean79]

Very cool build. So... you got any plans for that extra 71 cents?

Edit: changed to reflect added rivet expenditure.

 

[guitarbuilder]

I suppose I could use 71 cents worth of steel and make a steel. . I forgot the rivets and went back and added them in.

 

[Scatter Lee]

 

[jimdkc]

Great job on a truly unique instrument! Love the use of the "Tidy Cats" parts!

Jim