Hadean Antiquity still a solid option?

[1 21 gigawatts]

There are no Squier or MIM versions of the Tele that I want (white/rosewood/vintage bridge), so I'm planning a build. I'm considering all of the inexpensive teles (Monoprise, Donner, etc) as a starting point, since the whole guitar is half the cost of a neck. The Hadean Antiquity gets me most of the way there. The white one is no longer available, but I kind of like the Sonic Blue (or could refinish the body). It seems like these got some good reviews here a few years ago. Is it still a solid option as a base to a partscaster?

Also, anyone know how the neck pickup is routed?

 

[JDRNoPro]

Not sure about the current light blue ones but I bought a white one a year or so ago for another project (which I haven't gotten to yet). I bought it because it has a rosewood fretboard and a top loader vintage style bridge, so good platform for a "59ish Esquire". All the basic "bones" seem pretty good, just like the several SX guitars I have used for mod projects in the past. With some work and a few more $$ these can be fun projects and really good guitars.

Edit: Just looked on the Rondo Music website and that light blue one is a top loader and seems to be same specs as the white one I bought. also noticed that for the same price ($125) they offer a non-relic white Hadean tele with 6 saddle string thru bridge/body and maple neck. Better quality cast saddles work pretty good on those. I also did the "bubba mod" on one of those bridges to convert to 3 brass saddles. That worked good too.

Glad to see that Rondo has reverted to string thru holes all in a line (not staggered 3/3) and the headstock now is the older SX shape with more wood area. That allows them to be reshaped to a traditional "tele" shape headstock if one wants to do that.

 

[1 21 gigawatts]

Yeah- a 59-ish build (like Page's pre-dragon) is what I am going for, so this is a nice base for the project.

Have you removed the pickguard yet? Wondering what the routes look like. I kind of like the no-pickguard look with vintage style routes, so that would be a big plus if this had the correct routes.

My current thinking (subject to change hourly) is to buy this one, run it without the pickguard to see if I like it. If I don't dig the stripped down relic look, I'll scuff up the finish and respray a vintage white.

 

[Sax-son]

I have had a few Rondo guitars over the years but have since gotten rid of them. If I decide to buy another, I plan to do as little as possible in upgrades. To do an upgrade to those guitars is expensive and is contrary to why you would buy one in the first place.

My advice to any long-term guitar player is to buy the best quality guitar you can afford even if you have to go the payment route. You will be so much happier in the long run and will have a real investment by the end of it. Upgrading cheap guitars are for the "tinkering" type like me. However, I have done so many now they are pretty much off of my "bucket list".

You only really need a few good quality guitars, and it is a subject where "less is more" applies.

 

[1 21 gigawatts]

Sax-son- Good advise, but I need a project more than a new guitar. I've already gone through a bunch of cheaper guitars in order to figure out what I really wanted: my Gibson DC Junior. This is just to fill a hole in my collection (no Tele) while giving me something to work on.

I've been planning a tele build for a while, but have never pulled the trigger. I figure that this gets me a nice chunky rosewood neck and a body that is already grain filled and primed at a minimum. Immediate upgrades would probably be limited to tuners, nut, and a neck pup. Beyond that and you are probably right; cost starts not making sense for a "cheap" partscaster.

 

[Sax-son]

Sax-son- Good advise, but I need a project more than a new guitar. I've already gone through a bunch of cheaper guitars in order to figure out what I really wanted: my Gibson DC Junior. This is just to fill a hole in my collection (no Tele) while giving me something to work on.

I've been planning a tele build for a while, but have never pulled the trigger. I figure that this gets me a nice chunky rosewood neck and a body that is already grain filled and primed at a minimum. Immediate upgrades would probably be limited to tuners, nut, and a neck pup. Beyond that and you are probably right; cost starts not making sense for a "cheap" partscaster.

I hear you on that. I have one more project in mind before I lay it to rest, a sunburst 60's Strat, but I plan to use all Fender parts with the exception of the pickups. Since Fender is not currently offering one, I will do the next best thing. My mantra now is to not start something that I can't get my money back out of.

 

[1 21 gigawatts]

Yeah- I bought a sunburst Squier SE Strat at a garage sale and upgraded it with all Fender parts. It is excellent! I'd like to do something similar with a Tele, but finding the right base for cheap isn't easy. A vintage bridge won't fit on most of the cheaper options.

 

[cyclopean]

I have had a few Rondo guitars over the years but have since gotten rid of them. If I decide to buy another, I plan to do as little as possible in upgrades. To do an upgrade to those guitars is expensive and is contrary to why you would buy one in the first place.

My advice to any long-term guitar player is to buy the best quality guitar you can afford even if you have to go the payment route. You will be so much happier in the long run and will have a real investment by the end of it. Upgrading cheap guitars are for the "tinkering" type like me. However, I have done so many now they are pretty much off of my "bucket list".

You only really need a few good quality guitars, and it is a subject where "less is more" applies.

Depends. I have an HH tele from them, I don’t love the pickups, and I don’t have a dedicated guitar for crust and metal, so I’m thinking about swapping out the pickups instead of just buying another guitar.