I'm unlikely to start it that quickly, but I'm after a few ideas for a Tele project.
What I'm after:
Most likely a Thinline. I've hankered after a nice one for years
It needs to sound at least a bit like a Tele, so Tele bridge pickup
I'd like a humbucker at the neck, probably a wide range, but I'd be happy with a PAF style too.
The neck needs to be fairly chunky - my favourite neck is on my 59RI LP and that is approx 0.8 if an inch deep at the nut, and an inch at the 12th.
I'd like it to have something that at least looks like a vintage bridge - I prefer that aesthetic - but it needs to intonate fairly well.
I don't have the skills to build a body (esp Thinline) but I can paint well enough and drill holes etc.
Any ideas on what/where to source the parts? I haven't built a guitar in 7 years or so, so I'm a bit out of the loop.
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:23 am
by Thom
I got my Jazzmaster body from Guitarbuild.co.uk, they have got a thinline Tele body and you can specify what routing you want. My body was really good, nicely finished/sanded and I didn't need to make any adjustments to it prior to painting. It had a couple of splinters on the back where they drilled the neck pocket holes, but they are covered by the neck plate. However, euan got a Tele body from them and he was not pleased - the routes were all wrong. They have a good reputation and aren't the cheapest so you'd hope that was an exception. Not got any experience with their necks.
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:20 am
by Bacchus
Sounds like you want a Squier 51 neck. Nice and clubby. Don't know if you can still get them cheap, though.
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:14 pm
by NickD
Bacchus wrote:Sounds like you want a Squier 51 neck. Nice and clubby. Don't know if you can still get them cheap, though.
Have they got a tele heel?
Just had a look on eBay, they don't look all that available, but I'll keep an eye out
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:20 pm
by plopswagon
Buy a cheap strat neck and fatten it up by feeding it chili cheese fries.
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:43 am
by paulnb57
Guitarbuild for the body, Allaprts for a chunky profile neck, hardware of choice...
Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 6:45 pm
by paul_
'52RI spec necks are thick and boaty in a fairly old-school fashion, and AllParts make a "52 Fat Neck". Fender call it the "early 50s U-shape" profile and sell it on a Vintera neck (formerly an MIM Classic '50s Tele neck) and used the same profile on the AVRI '52. One-piece maple (i.e. maple fingerboard only) though, and 7.25" radius. I have an AllParts '62 style neck on my main Tele that's so nice I bought it twice even though I didn't have a specific use for the 2nd one at the time.
I'd get the style of intonated 3-saddle bridge that uses slanted saddles rather than the kind that has the saddles with ridges milled in the top... though opinion is divided as to which looks more "vintage," I find that a slanted version of the old saddles looks like less of a departure than something covered in allen screws and Wilkinson logos.
The slanted ones are commonly called "Joe Barden style" but there's countless knock-offs now that will probably be a lot more reasonably priced.
