Where can I get custom metal parts?

[Patriot54]

I want to have this "Telestrat" control plate custom made or find someone selling a similar part. This is from a picture I drew. It's just a Strat jackplate and Tele control plate, both with the ends cut off and welded together (the control holes would have to move over a little from where they're placed on a normal Tele).

 

[mgaut051]

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=15434.0

 

[Patriot54]

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=15434.0

I did see that thread but only one of those is a custom shop and they only have a few samples, which don't include control plates. I also bought a blank Tele plate from guitarfetish and sawed the ends off the 2 pieces to try and get them welded together but decided to get it made from scratch because the width and thickness doesn't match up.

 

[bbl4ck]

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts will do custom work. 

http://www.callahamguitars.com/index.html

I have had them do a couple custom jobs for me.  They do fantastic work and their quality is top notch.
I can't say they would do what you are looking for, but it is worth a call.  All they can do is say no.
Of course, custom work does come at a premium price...
Good luck &  :rock-on:

 

[Patriot54]

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts will do custom work. 

http://www.callahamguitars.com/index.html

I have had them do a couple custom jobs for me.  They do fantastic work and their quality is top notch.
I can't say they would do what you are looking for, but it is worth a call.  All they can do is say no.
Of course, custom work does come at a premium price...
Good luck &  :rock-on:

I'll check out Callaham and Armadillo. Do you have a link showing your guitar with custom parts?

 

[bbl4ck]

The custom parts that I had made were nothing that would stand out as custom. 

On my Firebird, I wanted to use the Callahm ABR-1 bridge.  However, I had already had the body routed for a different bridge.
Bill made me custom studs that matched my routing for his bridge. 

The other project was custom string ferrules.  I had a Warmoth hardtail strat body and I did not want to use the Warmoth ferrules which have a lip hanging over the back.
Bill made custom ferrules that fit flush with the back of the body.

Not exciting pieces, but still they were custom and he was willing to do what ever I needed.

When I took the Firebird to my luthier for set-up, he was really stunned by the quality of the machine work on the ABR-1 bridge. 
Callahm really does fantastic work and they are great people. 
Good luck with what ever you decide...

 

[Patriot54]

Thanks for the info, guys - e-mails have been sent to Callaham and Armadillo!

 

[Patriot54]

For anyone who's interested in getting similar custom parts made, here's the update. Callaham responded almost immediately but simply said they weren't interested in quoting a price. I e-mailed them back to point out that it says on their website about how they're happy to quote any custom part and get any info I can - waiting to hear back from them. Armadillo also responded quickly but said they can't form a part like that themselves and suggested a couple of alternatives. Both companies got right back to me but my quest for the Telestrat control plate is proving harder than I thought.

We'll see what I hear back from Callaham but if they're not interested or it's out of my price range, then I'll be going to the hardware store to get some Bondo and see if that holds these parts together, then sand and spray paint the seam on the front. At least until I come up with something better. A friend also suggested Liquid Steel or Liquid Metal, something like that. Anyone here have experience with metal bonding?

 

[swarfrat]

I thought I'd responded already, guess not.

I saw the part and figured you'd have trouble. I don't know how the weld/solder joint would look under chrome, but it'd pretty much have to be cut and welded I think. You're not going to get a one off part stamped, that's for sure.

 

[bbl4ck]

I just happened to remember another custom piece that I had constructed...

When I made Valentina, my Warmoth V, I wanted to use a Bigsby vibrato and use a Vibramate bracket to attach it to the body so the Bisby could be removed if wanted. 
To complicate things, I had to have a black Bigsby.  The Vibramate does not fit the model of Bigsby  that comes in black.  So, I had a custom Vibramate made to fit the specific Bigsby that I wanted to use.
I found a machine shop that made custom parts for racing engines.  They were happy to do it and had it made in nothing flat.  I had it powder coated and the piece fit perfectly.

You can see a pic of the bracket in the second pic on this link.  The third pic shows it with the Bigsby attached.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=10556.0

Call around some machine shops and I would bet you could find one to do your piece...

Good luck!

 

[Patriot54]

Black Dog - Your guitar and bridge looks awesome. Could you tell me how much the part cost you, and did they actually make the new Vibramate or just modify an old one?

 

[Patriot54]

I thought I'd responded already, guess not.

I saw the part and figured you'd have trouble. I don't know how the weld/solder joint would look under chrome, but it'd pretty much have to be cut and welded I think. You're not going to get a one off part stamped, that's for sure.

Welding/bonding the parts together would be fine with me - it just has to look good from the front, so the back could even have a thin piece of aluminum or something bridging the gap to keep it solid.

 

[bbl4ck]

Black Dog - Your guitar and bridge looks awesome. Could you tell me how much the part cost you, and did they actually make the new Vibramate or just modify an old one?

Hey,

They made the new part completely from scratch.  I just showed them a Vibramate and how it worked and they constructed a new bracket that fit the Bigsby. 
I don't remember exactly what the cost was, but it seems it was around $75 and then I had the powder coat done for another $40.

 

[Patriot54]

Heard back from Callaham but they were not very helpful. I could see if they just responded to say they couldn't do the job but I got the feeling they were inconvenienced just answering my 2 short e-mails.  :icon_scratch:

No big deal - I just got some PC Metal putty and it's setting on the parts right now.  :glasses10:

 

[TBurst Std]

Curious, How do you plan to have the jack clear the pot back and lugs? Have you diagramed this in 3D to see if it is even feasible?

 

[Patriot54]

Curious, How do you plan to have the jack clear the pot back and lugs? Have you diagramed this in 3D to see if it is even feasible?

I think everything will fit on there - the 3rd photo shows the back of the piece I just bonded and the angle of the jack goes as far as the lump of metal bond. I'll move the tone pot hole in a little and it should work. A standard Tele plate is just under 6.3" but my custom part is around 8". My only issue now is cutting the switch slot in this first blank prototype - the 2nd one will be made from the plate with holes already drilled.