Thank you everybody! First build.

[roberttownsend]

Thanks everyone!  :yourock: I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, expertise and experiences. It was incredibly helpful for my first build. I feel like I read every word.

Pretty standard (but lightweight) tele: 6.2 lbs, Black-Brown-Yellow satin finish on swamp ash, 1-11/16" straight 9.5 neck, Twisted Tele pickups, In-Tune bridge, Gotoh locking tuners. To me, it's the best guitar that I ever played but that might just be my pride talking.  :laughing7:

If you're curious, check out the build album https://photos.app.goo.gl/crMojaaDRRz96Bkg7.

 

[PhilHill]

Very Nice!......Classic Tele Vibe........Great Job, Congrat's to you.............. :headbang: :headbang:

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations...

 

[Re-Pete]

Oh that's a VERY nice looking Classic styled Tele build.

I love the way the sunburst fits the swamp ash body. I've always been super critical of sunbursts. Some 'work' with the body wood, others look like wallpaper. Yours is brilliantly matching the swamp ash and the darker hue of the burst goes well.

Congrats on your first build. Just heed a word of caution from someone who has a number of builds. Don't get too cocky with your next build. I had a project sitting half done for nearly 10 years before technology enabled me to fix the problem. Research & asking here & elsewhere helps a LOT.

 

[NedRyerson]

To me, it's the best guitar that I ever played but that might just be my pride talking.  :laughing7:

Naah, man, it is the best guitar you've ever played.  You put in the work to spec it and build it from the ground up.  You put more thought and love into it than just walking into a store and plucking one off the wall.  You poured a part of your soul into it.

Congrats on your first build. Just heed a word of caution from someone who has a number of builds. Don't get too cocky with your next build.

Wise words, these.  The 2nd (or 3rd) of anything can be a trap.  I remember when starting to brew beer that I got arrogant on my second batch because I did everything right on the first batch so how could it go wrong?  This is EASY!

Nope.

I unwittingly took shortcuts that I didn't know I did, I got cocky and arrogant, I skipped critical steps, I rushed other steps, and the entire batch was ruined.  Even went so far as to bottle it, even though I knew in the back of my head that it was bad while in the fermenter.  I lived in denial, thinking (hoping) that some extra bottle aging would save it.

Definitely nope.  First crack and first sip, it was god-awful.  There was no saving it.  It was a humbling experience opening and dumping 48 bottles of badly brewed beer, watching the time and expense of ingredients and supplies going down the drain (literally) or into the trash.  Took a lot of mental effort to get back on that proverbial horse and tackle another batch, to swallow my pride, admit where I went wrong, and fight not to just give up.

I remember this when I do guitars now.  I can feel when I'm starting to rush and cut corners.  It's a struggle to put down the tools and just walk away for a deep breath and mental reset, to just make myself call it a night and come back the next morning with fresh energy and fresh perspective.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Looks real good.
:icon_thumright:

 

[Georg_Figel]

great job
also, very good wood grain on the body