Well I think it's time (delayed guitar build)

[TBurst Std]

Well I have had this Tele body and neck for 5 years at least. Started moving in 2021, and since then I have not been able to find the pickups. As unemployment has created some additional spare time, time to complete it. I believe I have all I need except the pickups.

The body is a roasted swamp ash with an Amber dye over it, so ends up a deeper trans brown. The neck is a Brazilian Ebony neck with Gold fret wire that I had Cagey work on (yep its that old). The color scheme of this is brown with black hardware and a clear pickguard and control plate that are back painted gold. I'll need to paint the Tele bridge black. I do need to find the body again. It's somewhere in a box in the garage. Unfortunately it was already reliced back in 2020 when my wife knocked it off a bench. A few nice gouges near the output jack. A plate won't cover it, but heh.

As I have acquired some other things since then, I am changing my tonal goal with this, so different pickups would be desired anyways. Leaning towards Lollar Special T for the bridge and a Royal T for the neck. I have the need for the Tele bridge sound (stronger than a Strat), and a Strat sound in the neck (more glassy than a Tele).

Here's a clip of the pickup duo.

 

[TBurst Std]

Here's the "relic"

 

[rockandroller]

That's going to be very cool - the color there reminds me of 1970s Fender "Walnut" finish

 

[TBurst Std]

This is the guitar that inspired the direction I went for appearance.

W

Thread 'meet "Rusty"'

Jul 14, 2008

It's been a while, what with overseas trips and other diversions, but I finally got the "Rusty" strat together. Apart from the pickguard, everything came from Warmoth. The body is one piece swamp ash, the neck is an all pau-ferro pro boat, 6130 frets, graphite nut and 1 11/16th width. Pickups- R.G. dual calibrated with the second tone pot wired to the bridge pup

I played around with the finish so many times, but finally arrived at something approaching what I was after.​

...​

• willyk
• Replies: 44
• Forum: Strat-Style Guitars

 

[TBurst Std]

Mine isn't quite as light as that (I wish it was), but you get the idea.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Get the Dimarzio Area T bridge pickup. Use a 500k Volume control, and wire the Tone control to the bridge only.

 

[NedRyerson]

At least the [process by which the item was made a relic] was honest.

** I tried to find multiple ways to turn the noun "relic" into a verb gerund, but nothing looked correct in writing....much like deliberately beating the crap out of one's brand new guitar to look old and worn is also not correct, but I know I'm losing that battle **

** the words looked like either reinfecting oneself with lice or licking the thing again which....to each their own, I s'pose **

 

[TBurst Std]

Get the Dimarzio Area T bridge pickup. Use a 500k Volume control, and wire the Tone control to the bridge only.

Dont tend to like them. My mind is already made up on the Lollar’s

 

[Rick]

"It's in the box in the garage ..." I have the same box!

For a tele I really like the Dimarzio DP 240 in the neck, and it pairs with the Area T. Also a great bridge pup is the Bill Lawrence Wilde. I've never tried the 240 with the Bill Lawrence, but the 240 is my favorite tele pup (and it's a mini humbucker). You certainly can't go wrong with the Lollars, they are great. So many choices. We live in a day of wonderment!

 

[TBurst Std]

What part did you all miss the pups are already decided on the Lollar’s. Did you listen to the clip. That’s exactly what I am wanting.

 

[TBurst Std]

Oh first look in the garage was fruitless. Will look again as well as in some closets. It may be in storage. As the feels like temp is 9F right now, I may wait for it to warm up tomorrow

 

[Hodgo]

What part did you all miss the pups are already decided on the Lollar’s. Did you listen to the clip. That’s exactly what I am wanting.

I was wondering the same thing, but what’s a build thread without a few unwanted suggestions or pics of someone else’s gear?

Looking forward to the finished result!

 

[TBurst Std]

Well looked again, and buried is a box with a marking of G Bodies (as welll as other things). I have 2 bodies unbuilt: that Tele and an Unfinished Strat with a NFT Floyd route. I’ll attempt to dig it out tonight. Hope it’s in there.

 

[TBurst Std]

No joy. It’s not in that box.

 

[TBurst Std]

Check another. No joy. Have another to check out another couple tomorrow AM. Then it’s off to the storage unit.

Priced out an option if it didn’t move with me. Ouch about twice what I paid.

Possible upside: ash with trans amber is closer to what I want than roasted ash with trans amber.

 

[Rick]

When I look for my box i don't find it, and then I wind up buying a replacement for its contents. Then a year later I find the box in my mother's storage unit. How did it get there? I think my Mrs. did it, but I'm not sure.

 

[TBurst Std]

Well I found it. Forgot some things about it. I ordered it with a Strat middle pup route and a double battery box (to save weight only).

I am also noticing that there is NOT a channel for the ground wire to under the bridge plate. How do you address that?

 

[TBurst Std]

Senior fart moment. The bridge pup (metal base plate) is grounded in its' connections, and since it makes the metal base plate contacts with the bridge by the mounting screws, then > strings > me.

 

[TBurst Std]

In looking at the W's site of in stock Tele bodies, they do have that channel on the unfinished ones. The finished one does not.

 

[TBurst Std]

Thanks to Stratamania's post (about 9 years ago on other forum), I will run some copper tape under the bridge pup cavity to under the bridge mounting screws. Solder a ground wire to the copper tape in the cavity using the lead channels.

This feels better that relying on the screws and springs to make the ground.