Planning next build.... Looking for thoughts/input

riverbluff

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First off, let me just say that my first build turned out better then I had ever hoped.  I can't seem to put it down and it just seems to get better and better the more I play it.  I will really have problems going back to a finished neck.  The feel of raw wood is amazing.  I am actually considering selling several of my guitars, as I really don't think I will play them anymore (will probably keep the Gidson LP though as there are lots of memories with that guitar)

I have really never been a fender fan but for some reason have always been a tele fan and I am planning on building a tele very soon.  The only thing that is set in stone ins a Spalted Maple top (thinking Tabacco burst could go clear gloss).  I am also set on a raw neck but not sure as to what wood I want to go with, I was thinking rosewood but I don't want to loose the twang of the tele.  I would also like to go with Rio Grande pickups. 

I would perfer rear routed but could go top route and solid mount the fron PU so not to use a pick guard.

What would you all suggest with regard to:

Body wood
neck wook
fingerboard
pickups

In the end I want a one of a kind tele that still sounds like a tele.

V/R
Bill
 
I've got a Black Korina Strat with a Brazilian Rosewood neck loaded with Fender CS69 pickups. To quote my best friend, "That is the most Strat sounding Strat I have ever played."

If it was an alder body with a maple neck, I seriously doubt that it would sound significantly different.

I choose wood for looks and weight, and leave it to the pickups for the sound I want.
 
riverbluff said:
First off, let me just say that my first build turned out better then I had ever hoped.  I can't seem to put it down and it just seems to get better and better the more I play it.  I will really have problems going back to a finished neck.  The feel of raw wood is amazing.  I am actually considering selling several of my guitars, as I really don't think I will play them anymore (will probably keep the Gidson LP though as there are lots of memories with that guitar)

I have really never been a fender fan but for some reason have always been a tele fan and I am planning on building a tele very soon.  The only thing that is set in stone ins a Spalted Maple top (thinking Tabacco burst could go clear gloss).  I am also set on a raw neck but not sure as to what wood I want to go with, I was thinking rosewood but I don't want to loose the twang of the tele.  I would also like to go with Rio Grande pickups. 

I would perfer rear routed but could go top route and solid mount the fron PU so not to use a pick guard.

What would you all suggest with regard to:

Body wood
neck wook
fingerboard
pickups

In the end I want a one of a kind tele that still sounds like a tele.

V/R
Bill

Errrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhmmmm, clear gloss please...... :laughing7:
Pau Ferro looks dashing with spalted maple.....maby even a gancalo alves neck.....no finish required..... :toothy10:
 
Here's a sweet looking all one piece bubinga......
VMT1422A.jpg
 
This is the tele I have in mind to build....
Mahogony back(hollow)
Black Korina top- black binding
Mohogony or blk korina neck Pau ferro fret board
Lace Sensor Hot Gold (blk)
Floyd Rose
no "F" hole...
2496240672_846b3bdec2.jpg
 
If you want to sound like a Tele, but look REAL different:

Spalted Maple lam top with black binding on Ash or Alder, clear gloss on top / clear gloss or trans amber  or Tobacco burstover on back; rear route so as not to cover the Spalting.

A Canary neck with an Ebony fretboard will give you the same bright tone as a maple Tele neck in a raw config.

Pickups? Depends on whether you want to go vintage or "over the top" or Tele Custom with HB neck/SC bridge. Where do you want to go there?

I did a Strat something like this last year that kills:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=467.0

 
jackthehack said:
If you want to sound like a Tele, but look REAL different:

Spalted Maple lam top with black binding on Ash or Alder, clear gloss on top / clear gloss or trans amber  or Tobacco burstover on back; rear route so as not to cover the Spalting.

A Canary neck with an Ebony fretboard will give you the same bright tone as a maple Tele neck in a raw config.

Pickups? Depends on whether you want to go vintage or "over the top" or Tele Custom with HB neck/SC bridge. Where do you want to go there?

I did a Strat something like this last year that kills:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=467.0

Beautiful strat, just a stunning falme in that spalt......
 
an exotic tele with real tele-sounds...

for the neck, thats easy. for the neckback:

pau ferro
bloodwood
ebony
padouk
perhaps bubinga, not too sure
canary
ziricote
rosewood: perhaps, but not my first choice (tele's need a neck with a wood thats very, very hard. RW isn't that hard...)

fingerboard:
1:ebony!
2: pau ferro
3: ziricote

in this order ;) (for neck and f-board!)

the body is a bigger problem. I'd like to have it very, very custom and very exotic, so these are my ideas for a tele-body.

1:walnut
2:padouk
(3:ash, but its just so... common!)
4: pau ferro
5: rosewood
6: korina or mahogany

any lamtop will do, since the lamtop wont give any 'additional' sound since its just 1/8'' thick.

for the pickups: I'd use bareknuckle pickups... the "boss'' set is really nice! nice and crunchy and twangy at the same time. gotta love it.


just my $0,02 ofcourse.
 
OK...

With a Spalted Maple top I need binding.  If I went with Clear finish What would you recommend?  Also, what would you recommend for tabacoo burst?

Additionally, I like the idea of a recessed TOM but that kind of distracts from the tele look/feel.

Pretty much decided on a canary neck.

V/R
Bill
 
Neck wood: one-piece padouk!!!! Supposed to sound just like maple, with the feel of raw rosewood.

VMS1993a.jpg


How awesome would that be?
 
riverbluff said:
OK...

With a Spalted Maple top I need binding.  If I went with Clear finish What would you recommend?  Also, what would you recommend for tabacoo burst?

Additionally, I like the idea of a recessed TOM but that kind of distracts from the tele look/feel.

Pretty much decided on a canary neck.

V/R
Bill

If the Spalted Top has some nice black figuring like mine or on this custom laminate top:
LT37a.jpg


...go with the black binding/clear gloss; else with Tobacco Burst, cream binding
 
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