I need a lightweight ash clear grade 1957/8 body for new build. Any suggestions where to buy

[Kmanshaman]

I'm going to put together a 1957/early 8 Tele. I'll probably buy the neck from MusiKraft. I built my Strat using their neck and body. They offer a body now but no lightweight option. Any suggestions where to buy? Also I'd going to have it painted Blonde with a hint of pink in. I'm thinking Lay's unless they are crazy backed up. Last time I had MJT do the paint and it was nothing but work on my end wet sanding all the orange peel out of a supposed "Closet Clean". At time I literally found out about Lay's the day I was shipping the body out. Any suggestions on who to paint or buy body painted? I don't want a poly. Lay's does a Poly/Nitro finish as I recall, there own. I could paint myself but the spray booth setup is a problem living in a condo!
Or I could forget it an buy a 1958 Blonde Custom Shop I found a great deal on. But of course that would be another $1,500 on top of what I could build w/every correct cool option.
Thank you!

 

[fenderchamp]

you seem to like Lays, I think you answered your own question about who to have paint it. I've never heard of them, but you are a lot closer to Ohio than I am.

If you aren't supplying the blank or body, I guess just make sure they understand clearly that you want a lightweight clear ash body and make sure you everyone is agreed what that means.

If you are providing the body or the blank, confirm all the details you can about the body (including the counters and thickness of everything) before you buy it.

The wood or body will have to be specially selected, you can't just walk to any lumberyard and dig through a pile of ash and get the type of wood you would see on a high grade Fender CS tele.

I'm not sure what little details you are expecting to make the body a 57/early '58 style body vs some other year of tele either, but if you do, that's a whole other level of care you'll have to take when you get this made.

Guitar Mill seems to have some light weight ash occasionally. I have 3 sub 4lb bodies sitting here, a 1piece a 2 piece and a multi piece ash esquire body, I got all three from them.

You might contact them first, and then dig around on the internet and you can find a few places that are selling ash blanks that are guaranteed light as well.

You'll still come out $1500 cheaper than you would buying a CS guitar, but If I were you, I'd plan on having +500 into the body finished in nitro, and the more little details that are addressed, the more I'd plan on spending. I have no idea what Lays would charge for the paint though.

I'd be real, real careful and patient getting this together if I were you, because it sounds like you have something very specific in mind. It might be worth looking into using one of the public "workbench" places and doing it your self or working with somebody local so you can make sure things don't go south.

Good luck and post pictures!

hope you end up with the guitar of your dreams.

 

[Kmanshaman]

I learned quite a bit putting together the MusiKraft strat. I am budgeting $400+ on paint but even as I type this that is crazy to think of.

 

[Skydog1010]

I bought poplar for lightweight at GFS they look ok...

 

[Bob J]

Wow, makes me happy that I build my own, although the process of building is at least as important to me as owning the guitar after it’s done.

 

[fenderchamp]

I learned quite a bit putting together the MusiKraft strat. I am budgeting $400+ on paint but even as I type this that is crazy to think of.

It would kill me to pay that, honestly, as the builder of roughly a dozen guitars, unless you really want to do most of the work yourself, if you are going to end up with too much (1200+) into the guitar and who's to say you will actually love it when it's done, our affections can be strange and unpredictable, you might consider...

If you buy a used CS guitar that you love, you can sell it for what you paid for it with a little patience.

If you love building, and you love projects, then you have to pay for your enjoyment for that aspect of hobby as well I suppose, then I'd consider the project more.

I've got late 60's project I'm ready to jump on one of these days myself. I've got a maple cap veneer fretboard neck from musikraft, a light 2 piece ash body, some Q'S pickups grey bottom 60s style and slightly reliced, some Glendale Callahan groovy 60s saddles a fender bridge plate and some F-Tuners and all of the rest of the hardware laying around. Is it going to be minutia correct late 60s?...no. But it should give that vibe. What I don't have is, the body finished I can't remember what I've got into the parts exactly, well under 1K. I want to paint it blonde with a white pickguard. If I farmed out the finishing, the cost would go way up...

 

[Kmanshaman]

The CS is tempting because of the resale potential. Having someone do the finishing paint is my only option since I live in a condo and would need a vented spray booth w/paint. Nitro fumes and you’re high as a kite. Love building and sourcing out correct spec parts

 

[old wrench]

you seem to like Lays, I think you answered your own question about who to have paint it. I've never heard of them, but you are a lot closer to Ohio than I am.

If you aren't supplying the blank or body, I guess just make sure they understand clearly that you want a lightweight clear ash body and make sure you everyone is agreed what that means.

If you are providing the body or the blank, confirm all the details you can about the body (including the counters and thickness of everything) before you buy it.

The wood or body will have to be specially selected, you can't just walk to any lumberyard and dig through a pile of ash and get the type of wood you would see on a high grade Fender CS tele.

I'm not sure what little details you are expecting to make the body a 57/early '58 style body vs some other year of tele either, but if you do, that's a whole other level of care you'll have to take when you get this made.

Guitar Mill seems to have some light weight ash occasionally. I have 3 sub 4lb bodies sitting here, a 1piece a 2 piece and a multi piece ash esquire body, I got all three from them.

You might contact them first, and then dig around on the internet and you can find a few places that are selling ash blanks that are guaranteed light as well.

You'll still come out $1500 cheaper than you would buying a CS guitar, but If I were you, I'd plan on having +500 into the body finished in nitro, and the more little details that are addressed, the more I'd plan on spending. I have no idea what Lays would charge for the paint though.

I'd be real, real careful and patient getting this together if I were you, because it sounds like you have something very specific in mind. It might be worth looking into using one of the public "workbench" places and doing it your self or working with somebody local so you can make sure things don't go south.

Good luck and post pictures!

hope you end up with the guitar of your dreams.

Lay's Guitar Shop is in Akron Ohio

I knew old Virgil Lay, who ran the shop years ago - he was the best "guitar tech" in the area, back in the days before there was such a thing as a "guitar tech" - this was back in the 1960s and '70s

A lot of really good players trusted Virgil and his work - some fairly famous ones too

I don't know the guys who have the shop now - but I've heard that they are a full-service shop doing custom builds


.


.

 

[Wildeman]

Lays refinished my real '57 body and it was perfect, the guy I sold it to couldn't believe it was a refin.

 

[Kmanshaman]

Nice. They emailed me back once and haven't heard from them in a month. Must be busy. Do great work

 

[tfunk182]

Guitar mill body and finish.

 

[Kmanshaman]

Huffman & Co. Custom Guitars is building and painting the body in Nitro for me.

 

[tfunk182]

Huffman & Co. Custom Guitars is building and painting the body in Nitro for me.

Scotty did a couple necks for me before. No complaints there.