Tele project coming!

**M29** · February 8th, 2010, 10:08 AM

Hello,

Ordered a Tele swamp ash body today with the help from our honorable Bloozcat! Will be taking my time with this one, can't rush nitro lacquer. It is a Mighty Mite body.
Used a white pickguard on my Jazzmaster, not sure what I will use on this one. Maybe Tort.

Here is a pic.

**Kazz** · February 8th, 2010, 10:38 AM

Oh I cant wait to follow along on this one. When the weather breaks I will be doing one of these too....mine will have rear routes for the controls tho and no guard at all.

What neck are you using?

**guitardan777** · February 8th, 2010, 11:41 AM

Nice looking slab of ash there M29

Should be a fun project.....
We'll be watching

**M29** · February 8th, 2010, 02:07 PM

Keep us up on yours too Kazz, the rear routes sound good!

Thanks guitardanny777,

**Bloozcat** · February 8th, 2010, 03:17 PM

This is what I was referring to before M29. A tinted clear look kinda like this 54 Tele...which is undoubtedly tinted from the lacquer yellowing with age:

Yours would look better because of the nice ash grain...

**mrmudcat** · February 8th, 2010, 05:00 PM

nice arse.............errrrr I meant ash

**M29** · March 3rd, 2010, 05:45 PM

Finally got some grain filler on the Tele body. Not totally sure where I am going to go with this thing yet. It will take a while to build up the clear lacquer so I have time to mull over what pickups and what not I want to go with.

I am not looking for a country sounding Tele, I want something more rocky and something that would cover it all. I really liked the single coil neck and bridge humbucking on my Squier '51. I could go that route with this and re-route the bridge for a humbucking. I don't know if I want to stray off from a standard Tele with singles at both ends though. Decisions decisions decisions...

Tig*** · March 3rd, 2010, 06:33 PM

I'm a bit tempted to do a similar project with a Mighty Mite sometime this next year. My problem is not having the slightest idea about setting up the neck to body joint to create the best angle/height vs bridge, etc, as well as how to apply nitro lacquer.

Also, I'd be tempted to cut in a little arm rest bevel and belly cut, for function over form. Tele-philes might hang me for that!

**Kazz** · March 3rd, 2010, 06:48 PM

M29 you could also get a stacked humbucker that is in a tele configuration....tele looks but bucker tone......they are also coil splittable so you would have the best of both worlds.

**M29** · March 3rd, 2010, 09:34 PM

Yeah Tig I like the idea of the body contours too. I am going to keep it pretty simple though, I don't want to work on this one too long. The lacquer will take long enough. It will take a while to gather up all the hardware to as moolah is somewhat tight of late.

Kazz That is a good idea I will check out some utubes on the stacked buckers. Thanks!

M

marnold*** · March 4th, 2010, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Tig

Also, I'd be tempted to cut in a little arm rest bevel and belly cut, for function over form. Tele-philes might hang me for that!

My old Charvel Model 7 had a belly cut but not an arm one because of the binding. I'd prefer the cut and dump the binding. Oh, and M29, I had similar thoughts of doing an upscale Squier 51 with a Tele body. 24 frets, maple neck. I need to stop talking like this . . .

**M29** · March 4th, 2010, 12:42 PM

I am thinking more and more on the '51 type pickup arrangement Rev. I think I will let the tucks go though...

Keep talkin Rev keep talkin

**M29** · March 11th, 2010, 07:06 PM

I bought a rosewood Mighty Mite neck off the bay and decided to replace the rosewood fretboard with an ebony board. I really like ebony for a fretboard and I wanted 22 frets which I could not find so now I can make my own.

I also decided to put abalone dots in it. These can be seen in the small clear plastic bag. The ebony board is a StewMac pre-slotted board.

I haven't decided yet how I am going to take the original board off. Probably just plane it off to make sure I get a good flat surface for the new board.

**Katastrophe** · March 11th, 2010, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by M29

I bought a rosewood Mighty Mite neck off the bay and decided to replace the rosewood fretboard with an ebony board. I really like ebony for a fretboard and I wanted 22 frets which I could not find so now I can make my own.

I also decided to put abalone dots in it. These can be seen in the small clear plastic bag. The ebony board is a StewMac pre-slotted board.

I haven't decided yet how I am going to take the original board off. Probably just plane it off to make sure I get a good flat surface for the new board.

This is gonna be really cool. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

**M29** · March 11th, 2010, 10:23 PM

Thanks Kat!!
I have taken on way too many projects right now but hopefully I can keep this going in a timely manner.

**Ch0jin** · March 12th, 2010, 06:14 PM

Wow! Projects like this make me wish I had a shed, or garage, or, well you get the picture..

You're a braver man than me planning on doing abalone dot inlays. I assume thats going to take some serious precision craftsmanship.

**M29** · March 12th, 2010, 09:16 PM

Hi Ch0jin!

The dots are not too bad. Just have to drill a hole and glue em in. With a proper drill bit they fit good.. The problem is in not letting the drill get out of control and coming out the back of the neck............

**Katastrophe** · March 13th, 2010, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by M29

Thanks Kat!!
I have taken on way too many projects right now but hopefully I can keep this going in a timely manner.

You have to. I live vicariously through your woodworking skills.

**Bloozcat** · March 13th, 2010, 05:30 PM

M29 has two essential skills for success:

The ability...

And the will to try...

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