My Tele construction photo diary...

Since everyone seems to showcase their builds I join in and present my version of an early 60s repro Telecaster. An American icon made right here in good ol' Germany!!!

I started out with some cheap American red alder purchased from my local lumberyard.


Joined and planed I got enough blanks for 3 bodies.


Rough cut and ready for the router...


Template (made from my 52 AV RI) attached...

 

And it's beginning to look like a good ol Tele...


Ferrule holes drilled...


Received the neck from Tommy at USACG...


...and began to shape the peghead based on a template I took from a late 50's Tele.

 

The body is sealed with nitro sanding sealer and sanded...


...and then primed (just like in the good old days).


Black nitro for the body and clear nitro (tinted with Stew Macs tints) for the neck.


Headstock shot

 

Now it's off to the innards! A vintage CRL switch wired up with cloth wire...


...and some vintage pots with a repro cap from Luxe.


The finished control plate...


The sticker inside the control cavity. I called the guitar COALMINER because of its color. It's also a little tribute to my granddad who used to be a coalminer and his birthdate is the serial number on the neck plate.

 

Pickups are a hot combo from Rumple Pickups.


And here she is in all her glory!


All pics taken an hour ago in the backyard in the late afternoon light.


It's my #1 guitar now. Never had a Tele that played and sounded so sweet...

 

And to finish it all off...a mugshot! My reflection in the nitro!



Hope you dig it because I sure do! ;-)

Cheers,

Sascha

 

Thanks fellas...glad you like it!

Let me preface this by saying that the US is paradise for guitar finishers compared to the old part of the world where I live. It took me ages to find nitro lacquer that closely resembles the stuff that was used in the 50's and it had to be custom ordered/custom made for me.
The steps I took are the ones that are mentioned here, on the ReRanch board and in various literature dealing with the finishing of guitars.
Since the body was made out of alder no grain filling was needed. sanding sealer was applied and sanded flush, white primer was sprayed until I got a good coverage, a couple of coats of black nitro and lots of clear to prevent any sand-throughs. The body was left to cure for 1 1/2 months before I attacked it with sandpaper and polish compound.
The finish is super thin and since it's nitro it's also a tad fragile but that's how I wanted it.

 

Thanks!
Really appreciate all the kind words.
Especially since I'm well aware that black Teles are dime-a-dozen!
But I was always a fan of black Teles...for instance Joe Strummers Tele, Wilco Johnsons black Tele with the red pickguard, Springsteens all-black early 60's Tele with the naked Lady sticker on the back and Sharleen Spiteris heavily used late 60's black Tele.
Making this baby took some time since I got sidetracked by tons of work but when it was all done I was the happiest camper around...

 

LOL...I wouldnt say "Europeans do it better" but rather "Homemade is better than production line". I could be biased but my Tele exceeds in sound and feel those that I have tried in my local - yet big - guitar store.
Ain't it great when you finish a guitar that you've made to your specs?
I'm off to the garage where the next one waits for another couple coats of clear nitro...
Cheers from your "neighbor"! ;-)
Sascha

 

Thanks mate...the Rumpelstiltskin pickups sound great...I've asked Aaron (the owner) to wind them like a hot Broadcaster but retain the look of those staggered early sixties Pickups.
I've got no worries about the wood warping...Fender's wood is kiln dried as well and the majority of commercially available bodies and body blanks is kiln dried.
I usually let the wood sit a couple of weeks before I begin work on it...that should be enough. Never had problems with kiln dried wood before...in fact I know a few builders here in Germany who do all their wood shopping at the lumberyard and never purchase the $$$ "tonewood" from dedicated tonewood dealers...