Yet another Tele-Synth project - now with humbuckers!

GuitaRasmus

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Hi guys - some of you may remember my last tele-synth project (found here http://unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=24564.msg356126#msg356126 ).

Since then, our quintet have become a quartet, and while we were quite sad to see a good buddy and a great musician having to leave, it was also a fun and exciting challenge for me, as the remaining guitarist, to step up to the challenge and become the sole harmony instrument of the band (our singer doesn't play). It's the first time I've ever done this, always have been in two-guitar bands, so a bit nervewracking, but I definitely think I'm getting there. :)

Anyway, I've used guitarsynth (GR-55) for a few years now, and it's become an absolutely essential part of our bands sound, so I need to a have the GK pickup. However, for what is essentially a trio format (guitar, bass, drums (and synth), my white tele just isn't cutting it soundwise - the tele bridge pickup sounds awesome, when there's two guitars, because it cuts so well, but I find it a bit thin on it's own - I've tried eq'ing it a lot, but theres a thickness to humbuckers that I just can't get with it. I'ved used a cheap, but good sounding Yamaha Pacifica with humbuckers the last few months, and it works great in the trio format, but I just can't get along with the ultra thin neck - it makes my wrist hurt.

Hence - the new project! (Que fanfare).

Here's the work sketch:

pacifictele.jpg


I wanted a HSH setup, since it allows me a great palette of humbucker and split coil tones - I recently begun using a Dimarzio Mo'joe bridge humbucker, which sounds incredible - full, defined, and snarling, without being too hot and muddy. The middle single will be a Suhr Fletcher Landau, because they're the best I've ever heard from single coils, and the neck is probably going to be a Paf Joe - mostly because I have one. ;)

The neck is a showcase neck, standard thin (which I really like - fits my hands great), maple with ebony fretboard - nothing special here - except for the EVO gold frets (6150), which I tried on my last build, and LOVE - I'm allergic to nickel, so I tried them out - turns out they wear very slowly as well, and sound great (unlike stainless, which I'm not a fan of.).

The body is being built as I write this, swamp ash (my preferred tonewood - love the spank, punch and clarity), with a quilt maple top, and a turqouise dye with black burstover, plus cream bindings. It'll look hot, I hope. :)

I also grabbed the chance to get a trem - I didn't want the trem on my white tele, since the tele bridge is so essential to the tele sound, but since this is basically a HSH super strat with a tele shape, I thought I'd go for it - it will be a wilkinson VS trem.

And of course the GK pickup! I'll try something new on this build, and go for a rotary encoder, instead of the s1/s2 up down switches.

Lastly, I wanted a hybrid pickguard, but I wanted it a lot smaller, inspired by the Yamaha Pacifica teles - so I messed around with the design, and came up with what you see in the picture - fortunately, it fits inside the warmoth hybrid pickguard, so I ordered one of those as well, and will cut that down to fit.

By the way - why not just a strat? Well... I've always loved the tele shape and bindings. All my guitars either have binding or are blocky tele shapes. I've played those things for so long, that all the round edges and cuts on a strat just feel wrong - I don't feel I have a grip on the instrument, and it seems to skate around on my body. I much prefer a block of wood, where I can feel the edges. Just my weird preference I guess - I always find it amusing to read the many threads where people complain that their arms get sore on a teles edges, because I feel the opposite - just can't gel with a strat.

I just ordered it some days ago, so it will probably be a couple of months before I get the parts, but I would love any input, ideas or comments you have. :)

Thanks for reading!
 
I remember the last one you did. I like this mock up and look forward to it coming together.

I don't think I've any ideas to add but if I think of anything I will let you know.
 
Hooray! After 11 ½ weeks of looooong waiting time (I'm a bit surprised at how long it took, to be honest), I've gotten a UPS mail, telling me it's arriving tomorrow.  :guitarplayer2:

Very much looking forward to getting my sweaty palms on the neck and body, and starting the project. :)
 
Well, this WIP thread was a complete failure - I got so excited about it, having some very busy weeks lately, and only having friday and this sunday to complete it (I really wanted it do be assembled so I could tweak it before next weeks gigs), I completely forgot to take pics.  :icon_biggrin:

Anyway, here it is:

synthshredder1.jpg


Really liking the ebony fretboard, and it plays very smoothly already - I'll tweak it in the next days, and then I'll get to fret leveling and burnishing/polishing/oiling the neck.

Everything seems to work just fine, except the rotary encoder I used instead of the s1/s2 buttons (the "tone knob") - it seems a bit glitchy and jumps around. It needs to be trouble-shot, methinks.

Anyway, it has a great clear and punchy sound - I've mainly listened to it acoustically, but that usually seems to be a pretty good indicator of the amplified sound.

Feel free to comment or ask any questions. :)
 
Looks very good.

The neck is normal maple and if you are finishing with something like Tru oil, burnishing is more work than you need. Or are you using some other method ?
 
Look amazing. That colour is breathtaking and I even like the pickguard with that nice top. Awesome job! Very clean looking.
 
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