TL-1HA first build

I wanted to do something along the lines of the 72 Deluxe Tele in a natural finish for my first build.

I actually started this a few weeks ago but just haven't had the chance to sit down and create the post until now. I'm not finished yet, so plenty of time for you to offer advice. Or laugh at my mistakes.

First step - a plan. Pffffff. No wait, there was one. Sort of. Look I really just had a vague idea and then went in all guns blazing.

Mock build. Didn't like the cream pup surrounds but other than that all looks good. Adam helped me out with a black set, but I may just mount them directly to the pickguard instead as it looks cleaner.

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Next headstock. I wanted the fatty 72 Deluxe style but the blank just doesn't have quite enough meat. I marked out both a standard looking Strat style and the Tele Deluxe. Then went at it with my jigsaw. This looks gruesome, but it's not hard to clean up. Oh, the templates were from that "Fenderheadstocks.pdf" I've seen referenced several times. I can send it to you if you like.

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The idea for the neck was to keep it real simple, but to give it a finish that would feel nice and still protect it. I found Chris with his Highline Guitars channel and liked this video

So with my BLO and some paper towell I put the first coat on

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I think I'll just do the fretboard in the same way, just not so many coats. The neck itself I have applied 3 coats now. And lastly I wet sanded it gently with 1200 grit in a mix of turps and BLO. It feels NICE but I'll show you that once I attach it to the body

It's looking good so far. I am doing the semi-hollow version of this kit. I went with a strat headstock on mine.

DC

Looks like it's coming along nicely!

Thanks all - keen to get this thing finished for two reasons. First so I can play it, and second so I can make anothery.

So moving to the body. My plan was a natural finish, but I still wanted to end up with a decent gloss finish. I decided to fill the grain and then use a wipe on poly approach. Again inspired partly by this youtube video.

I didn't want a dark grain, but I wanted something that would stand out a little. So when I mixed my Timber Mate with a little warm water I added some gold sparkly acrylic, and then for whatever reason (I thought it looked a bit pale and boring) I added about 3 drops of orange. It still looked pretty ordinary, but I figured there was only one way to find out how it would behave.

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So applying with a plastic scraper thingy I just basically smeared it all over the place. Let it dry for a few days and then rubbed it back with a damp cloth. It comes off really easy, and I actually thought I'd just removed it all. However once it dried and I gave it a really light sand (600) it felt very smooth and I couldn't feel any ridges.

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Colour? Didn't look any different really. Can't see any gold sparkly that's for sure. I guess I did rub it all off.

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OK so decided to go with a wipe-on poly approach and made my own tru oil. I went 56% turps, 33% poly and 11% (ish) boiled linseed oil. The poly I chose was the Monocel Clear Wood Varnish - ultra friggen gloss. Because why not. Looked like a nice dark honey, but of course not as thick in consistency.

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As soon as it hit the timber I loved the colour. It didn't bring out any of the gold sparkle I'd hoped to see from the wood filler and paint experiment, but I no longer care.

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The one thing that emphasizing the grain does is clarify whether the slabs align with the general axis of the guitar. In my case, sadly this is not the case. Oh well. Next step - keep layering the wipe-on

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Managed to get the neck on over the weekend, and brought it inside for the first time to meet the family.

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Looking really good!