Walnut thinline Telecaster - !updated with a couple new pics!
- Thread starter tfarny
- Start date
Hey I know this is an old thread, but I just did a major update on this guitar and I'm really liking the changes: Schaller locking tuners, Joe Barden compensated bridge, and Lollar "special T" bridge pickup. Removed the piezo and all its junk. New controls are the LP switch, independent volumes (like a J-bass), master tone, and series switch.
I found myself never using the SD lil 59 or the piezo - I would go to them, then eventually realize that for any kind of sound I wanted, the P90 could do it better. Never got over the quack of the piezo, and increasingly it bugs me when I hear it live. So now it's set up for slide with Ernie Ball "not even slinky" 12-56s with a garrotte of a .026 plain G.
Now I can get a really nice tele sound out of my tele. Although this is Lollar's strongest tele bridge pup, it's not overhot (7.6 I think) and does clean twangy stuff really well. Am still working with pickup heights to balance the relative volume (neck is a bit louder than bridge), but I have the independent volumes anyhow. But the best part is that in series mode this thing develops a whole new personality, with a great big clear bass and loads of output, a fantastic sound that I'm really liking for slide. The series sound is way more useful than the high-tech piezo thing for sure.
I also highly recommend this bridge - same specs as the callaham but half the price. Very well made, does what it's supposed to, drops right in the W tele rout. Can you tell I'm a happy camper?
I found myself never using the SD lil 59 or the piezo - I would go to them, then eventually realize that for any kind of sound I wanted, the P90 could do it better. Never got over the quack of the piezo, and increasingly it bugs me when I hear it live. So now it's set up for slide with Ernie Ball "not even slinky" 12-56s with a garrotte of a .026 plain G.
Now I can get a really nice tele sound out of my tele. Although this is Lollar's strongest tele bridge pup, it's not overhot (7.6 I think) and does clean twangy stuff really well. Am still working with pickup heights to balance the relative volume (neck is a bit louder than bridge), but I have the independent volumes anyhow. But the best part is that in series mode this thing develops a whole new personality, with a great big clear bass and loads of output, a fantastic sound that I'm really liking for slide. The series sound is way more useful than the high-tech piezo thing for sure.
I also highly recommend this bridge - same specs as the callaham but half the price. Very well made, does what it's supposed to, drops right in the W tele rout. Can you tell I'm a happy camper?
Oh, I also took the neck in to Rudy's music stop where they make Pensa guitars and for $35 they beveled the fret ends, rolled the fretboard edges, and gave it a nice light coat of oil. Beautiful, precision work (and I'm picky these days!) and what a luxury feel. Eventually all my necks are going there for sure.
newmexstrings
Junior Member
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- 59
Looks great, I'll bet it sounds even better. I know Rudy's Music Stop and I can't believe they'd even touch your guitar for $35. They must like you! How did you install the LP-style switch? More specifically, how did you rout out the back for a cover plate?
Rudy's has been very nice, prompt, and just fantastic, perfect work. I just asked for the fret bevel, they did the rest on their own. The techs were really liking this guitar and curious about it.
6130 is the size for me. I like lower frets, and these are not anywhere near "fretless wonder / old martin" small.
On the downside, I don't like the 'kill switch' that results from selecting bridge pup / series. Wish I could diagram a way out of that one, but I don't see it.
The back isn't routed out - I drilled a 1/2 inch hole in the top myself and threaded the LP switch in through the f-hole, es-335 style. Royal pain in the arse but you only have to do it once, and it is a great spot to have the switch. Props to CB for the idea.
6130 is the size for me. I like lower frets, and these are not anywhere near "fretless wonder / old martin" small.
On the downside, I don't like the 'kill switch' that results from selecting bridge pup / series. Wish I could diagram a way out of that one, but I don't see it.
The back isn't routed out - I drilled a 1/2 inch hole in the top myself and threaded the LP switch in through the f-hole, es-335 style. Royal pain in the arse but you only have to do it once, and it is a great spot to have the switch. Props to CB for the idea.
Unwound G
Hero Member
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- 842
Love everything about the guitar from the wood choice, hollow option, pickups combinations, block inlay fingerboard, volume-tone-tone controls, Gibson type toggle selector switch, Tele bridge plate etc. etc. I can even hear the warmth tinged with some Tele spank by just looking at the pictures. Really cool build !!!
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OzziePete
Guest
Tfarny,
I was wondering why you removed the piezo system? I have a casual interest for something I may do in the future using a piezo so I would be interested in your experiences with the system you installed. Was the system a Graphtech Ghost system?
Any info that you wish to offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thx,
Pete
I was wondering why you removed the piezo system? I have a casual interest for something I may do in the future using a piezo so I would be interested in your experiences with the system you installed. Was the system a Graphtech Ghost system?
Any info that you wish to offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thx,
Pete
C
callaway
Guest
OzziePete said:
I had a mahogany Parker Fly with piezo bridge and I've played or heard a few others as well. They just don't sound right. Even for faking an acoustic tone live it's terrible. To me, it's so much a distraction that a clean electric sound would fit better. And if you want to do a whole song with an acoustic sound, just switch guitars!
Seriously, I will not recommend piezo bridges to anyone. I've never heard even a half-way decent one.
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callaway
Guest
You have the Barden bridge... you need the Barden bridge pickup! I've played several Teles and Strats with Barden pickups and they are incredible. The Tele bridge pickup gives you as much twang, power, and clarity as you want.
My walnut Thinline w/ rosewood neck (should ship by next week!) will have a Barden bridge pickup. (The neck will be a Duncan 59 full-size because I wanted that contrast with the bridge, but worst case I will buy a new pickguard and end up with the Barden neck as well.)
My walnut Thinline w/ rosewood neck (should ship by next week!) will have a Barden bridge pickup. (The neck will be a Duncan 59 full-size because I wanted that contrast with the bridge, but worst case I will buy a new pickguard and end up with the Barden neck as well.)
RE: piezo bridge, +1 to exactly what Callaway just said. Seems like a cool idea, but in practice I much prefer a clean neck pup sound, especially this particular neck pup. Took a while of messing around to really realize that. You see lots of used piezo systems for sale, so I'm not the only one.
I just got this Lollar bridge pickup, and I love it. No desire to switch anytime soon. I'm sure there other great brands out there, of course, but this one is great and I've already got it.
I just got this Lollar bridge pickup, and I love it. No desire to switch anytime soon. I'm sure there other great brands out there, of course, but this one is great and I've already got it.
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callaway
Guest
I just thought of another way of describing the piezo bridges. Play your guitar unplugged... that is exactly the sound you will amplify with a piezo pickup. While an electric might sound pleasing enough to practice quietly unplugged (as most of mine do), it's really not a usable tone, and it's definitely nothing resembling an acoustic.
The acoustic tone comes from the relatively thin top, back, and sides enclosing a rather large volume of air and resonating. The strings also play a major role, as they are generally heavier gauge than most people play on electrics and they have bronze wrap instead of nickel-plated steel.
The acoustic tone comes from the relatively thin top, back, and sides enclosing a rather large volume of air and resonating. The strings also play a major role, as they are generally heavier gauge than most people play on electrics and they have bronze wrap instead of nickel-plated steel.
Wana_make_a_guitar
Hero Member
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I love it, It's really good.
We have quite similar guitars, walnut and rosewood. You're neck seems exactly the same color as mine, but your walnut is a bit darker. Apart from that, mines a shredder and yours is quite the opposite.
We have quite similar guitars, walnut and rosewood. You're neck seems exactly the same color as mine, but your walnut is a bit darker. Apart from that, mines a shredder and yours is quite the opposite.
Nando Vallart
Epic Member
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Looks nice Tim! 
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callaway
Guest
Rick said:
Looking at info about the VXT, it has a "virtual acoustic imaging preamp", which means it's doing some advanced modeling/processing. So it's not just transmitting the raw signal out; instead, they know it's missing a lot of mojo and they try to add that mojo in before sending it to the guitar's output jack. This is the same reason why the Line 6 Variax (both electric and acoustic) sound decent---they are processing the signal based on some modeling. But a standard piezo bridge on an electric run out to a normal preamp will sound like the aforementioned garbage!
The VXT also has a spruce top, which will go a long way in trying to nail a believable acoustic tone.
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