ChrsiP's JTL-1 "The Sphinx" - 1st Build

[chrisp]

A quick run down on the idea

* A tele build into a Jazzmaster style body - Pitbull's JTL-1 with a quilt maple veneer
* Lindy Frahlin wired 4 way selector (neck, neck/bridge parallel, neck/bridge series, bridge)
* Fezz Parka tone wiring using a 15nf orange drop tone cap
* Push/pull switch on volume to unload the pickups
* 630V DC safety cap separates hardware from cable negative
* Australian hand wound Sliders Nocaster bridge pickup
* Q Pickups A3 in the neck

Whole thing finished in Dingotone blue with "hawk" headstock and custom hieroglyphics control plate and neck inlays.

Kit has arrived and I'm sanding
... and sanding
... and sanding
... and sanding

not the veneer though. I'll only do that once with a light touch 400

[Dedman]

tasty recipe !

[JohnH]

Sounds interesting

[Richy17]

This sounds really interesting. I’ve got some sliders in a strat and they’re amazing

[chrisp]

Thanks guys. Some initial pics ...

Trial build


Hawk headstock


Control Plate - I preassembled this and have tested it already, so I know it does what it should


String test - looks OK to me, strings equidistant from neck edges

[chrisp]

Now the question before I start hacking into my bodywork. Scale length of 25.5" = 646mm give or take. My bridge is a 3rd party piece which is longer than the stock supplied bridge. In my trial fit, with the bridge pickup in the cavity, this is what I get ...



My understanding (from watching the great scale length video in the FAQs) is that I probably need to route the cavity so I can bring the bridge forward towards the neck by about those 5mm - ie so the high E string can sit in its saddle at the scale length point and I can adjust the other strings back as needed for intonation.

Yes? No?

[king casey]

I probably need to route the cavity so I can bring the bridge forward towards the neck by about those 5mm - ie so the high E string can sit in its saddle at the scale length point and I can adjust the other strings back as needed for intonation.

Yes? No?

Yes, that's what I would be doing.
cheers, Mark.

[JohnH]

Love that headstock shape

[chrisp]

Thanks Mark

If you are using an aftermarket [telecaster] bridge pickup and possibly even the factory one you may find that the cavity is too far back and needs to be opened up for it to fit. If you have a router, it's a small job to open the cavity up a bit

.

Should have read that! Anyway, this looks a lot better



Appreciate the thumbs up John. I did this with a router and circular rasp from a basic strat headstock that had been cut at the factory. Given my time again I would get a paddle and do something similar but with a bevel on that lower curve around to the hawk's beak. One for the next build, perhaps.

[Fretworn]

How blue are you expecting it to be. Some blue stains, DT included, can be a bit patchy. If you have your heart set on a fantastically deep blue colour you may need to rethink the finish. Blue DT is usually a bit more like faded denim. Just trying to manage your expectations.