New Tele Body

[bob7point7]

I finished this Warmoth tele earlier this year (it has a walnut body, all rosewood neck, and P-Rails). I've been pleased with the tone and playability of this thing, but not so pleased with my finishing job or with the weight (the body is HEAVY). So last week I was checking out the showcase and came accross a body with a price too low to pass up...

 

[bob7point7]

The body came in last night, so I disassembled the guitar to mock things up. The new swamp ash body is definitely lighter (I think it's chambered - the top is a laminate and there's a large passage from the control rout to the neck pickup route). I'm interested to see how the sound is changed. I'm not expecting much, but I'm kind of hoping it will sound just a little more Tele-ish with the swamp ash...

 

[bob7point7]

Here it is mocked up with the new body. The bridge pickup route is a little off center and I need to make clearance for the super switch in the control route, so the Dremel will come out tonight. Should I stick with the black pickguard or change it up? I was thinking about white pearloid.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Awesome! congratulations!

 

[AprioriMark]

That's some yummy wood.  Have you considered painting the pickup cavities and using a clear pickguard?  Otherwise, the black doesn't look bad, and yeah, white pearloid wouldn't look bad either.  Otherwise, what about black or silver pearloid?

-Mark

 

[nathan a]

I really like the black guard there, wouldn't change it at all. The black+blue+brown look great together. Don't muck it up with pearloid!!

 

[Mor Paul]

If you want to change the 'guard, do white.

 

[rockskate4x]

is the old body for sale?

 

[Tonar8352]

Nice burst!

 

[bob7point7]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. The clear pickguard idea was one I'd have never thought of. I suppose I could use a neck pickup ring instead of a pickguard to show more wood, but I can't seem to get used to the look of a Tele with no pickguard. The black guard has been growing on me so I think I'll stick with it for now. I throw some pics on here once it's finished. Rockskate, I would consider selling the old body. Shoot me a message if you're interested in it.

Thanks!
-Bob

 

[MUYFUE]

That's some yummy wood. 

Heh, heh, he said 'yummy wood'  :tard:

For real I, as a rule, don't like Teles, but yours is quite...fetching.

A Winner Is You!

 

[tfarny]

Looks great, I would consider just a mounting ring and no guard on that nice body. teles don't really need a guard, especially HH ones.

 

[AprioriMark]

Mount the pickup to the body, omg!  Call me an idiot, but I do this is every guitar where it's possible.  Maybe it's one of those myths, but I like to think that more tone is transferred.  At any rate, I *hate* mounting rings.

-Mark

 

[SlingBass]

...I'm not expecting much, but I'm kind of hoping it will sound just a little more Tele-ish with the swamp ash...

I suppose IF you really wanted a more "twangy" sound you'd have gotten a maple neck (and maybe different pups)...keeping the walnut/rosewood for your more "rounded" sound.  Looks good, anyway, and it's always fun to experiment  :guitaristgif:

 

[bob7point7]

Well, I got the guitar together this weekend. I'm not sure if it's the wood itself or the fact that the new body is chambered, but this guitar definitely livened up. It almost sounds contradictory, but the guitar seems to have a warmer bottom end with a brighter, snappier top end after the swap. I would say it sounds like a warmer version of a tele sound now. The coolest part is that the rail part of the pickups sounded pretty thin and weak before, but now they have a great Fendery vibe. Previously I would only use the P90 and humbucker sound but I think I'll be using the rail sounds more now. As for the weight, this body is almot too light! The neck wants to dive just a little. I may throw a little weight in the control cavity or I may just leave it alone - the jury's still out. Overall I think I have a more properly matched combination of parts now. Oh, and I stayed with the black pickguard. I tried it with just a mounting ring, but I had to keep the guard.

Thanks,
-Bobbie

 

[rockskate4x]

more pics?

 

[bob7point7]

I'll snap some photos of the finished guitar tonight if I get home from work in time...

 

[bob7point7]

Just posted the completed pics here:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=9262.0