Teisco Telecaster Build (newbie)

Cool project! For the pickguard, I personally would order a blank Esquire pickguard and cut it for your pickup, or order one that may be a similar size so you just need to trim it (i.e. for a P-90 or mini humbucker). You can get any of these (as well as an inexpensive Teisco-style Bigsby variant) and www.guitarfetish.com. Alternatively, pickups such as those were typically surface mounted, and if if you're using a TOM bridge in addition to shimming the neck, you might have enough clearance to mount the pickups on the surface of the guitar (as with DeArmonds).

I needed to cut an Esquire pickguard here at school a while back for a neck pickup and I don't have my router and such here so I did it with only a drill, some files, a pizza box, and sandpaper. I started by laying a precut Tele pickguard on top of the Esquire pickguard and then used the pickguard screws to anchor the two of them into the box, sandwiched together. I then followed up with some painters tape to add stability and proceeded to hog out as much material as possible with the drill, leaving about 1/16th of an inch for final shaping with the files and sandpaper. Believe it or not, it turned out nearly perfect (proof that having a template is a lifesaver).

Another thing is that it may not be wise to mount the bridge pickup angled for string spacing reasons since it looks as though both pickups have the same spread. Perhaps if you surface mount it parallel to the bridge and make a cover for the cavity to go around it, it would leave less visual scarring.

 

Are you sure you want to use those pickups. When I think back to the Teisco guitars from the '60s it sends a chill up my back.

 

You could put some pins or screws in the holes so they stick proud of the neck, position the neck and tap it down so that the screws mark the positions on the bottom of the pocket.

But i would be tempted to fill the holes with dowel and sand flush. Then using a drawing like Tdowns's tele template that is on the TDPRI mark the positions on the back of the body and drill through. Then put your neck in the pocket, and mark the locations on the neck.

 

Here is that 'vintage' type surface-mount trem:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/vistsumowhba.html

 

My SX Tele Copy neck used the same hole pattern as found on Fenders. One option would be to crop and print the neck pocket from the Terry Downs drawing and use that as a pattern before doweling your neck.

 

The easiest way is to make a pattern like I said......... place in in the neck pocket and drill the holes. No need to drill in the neck.

It's easy enough to print the hole pattern and see if it matches your neck holes............or just take measurements on your neck. Do they match these measurements.

......

 

You can use a standard pickguard trimmed for your neck pickup and then just cut a piece of aluminum to act as a trim ring for the bridge pickup that would cover the cavity (basically like a G.E. Smith bridge, but you keep the part you cut off instead).

 

Cool project you've got going ! The Tele Deluxe pickguard might be a good option if you can get one cut without the pickup holes. Maybe try Jeannie Pickguards ? Another option is to cut your own using tin and tinsnips, like I did with this Esquire guard - you could keep it bright and shiny, or age it like I did. Helps with shielding too !