Ian's TLA-1 Build

Yeah I'll stop at 4, the tin says 2 coats is sufficient, and it's supposed to be a satin finish anyway, which is what I was after. I'll have a close look and decide for sure then if I'm happy with it, but so far that's the plan.

good stuff Ian, how did you apply the floorseal oil, rag or brush ? Does it self level ?
I'm sure you have added another product to DB's list of entry to the naughty room products !

I pretty much used the same technique DB used in his dingotone demonstration videos, just a small cloth folded up and dipped in, it gave a nice thin coat that seemed to level well, I just made sure there were no drips or ridges anywhere after each coat.

Truth be told I'm surprised no one has tried this stuff out before, maybe it's a new product, or maybe it's the fact I'm a first time builder, I don't have any preconceived ideas of what I "should" be using.

good one Ian, sure its been out there for a while, just no one has looked into what's in it and not recognised it as a possible clear coat

you're getting good result Ian, am following this one

It's been a nice warm week here, the finish is curing nicely, I will probably start fitting up the neck and bridge on Monday (got to love a public holiday!), but couldn't resist a sneak peek ;)

Attachment 1519

With a quiet long weekend, I managed to get it finished over a couple of days.

Aligning the bridge
Attachment 1557

Drilling string-thru holes
Attachment 1558

Fitting ferrules...
Attachment 1559

...and they are almost straight!
Attachment 1560

Shielding cavities with copper tape
Attachment 1562

And the result!
Attachment 1565

The good- plays great, nice and light, good tone and level of output

The bad- the nut seems too far away from the first fret, so open strings are quite flat in relation to fretted notes. I imagine I will need to either offset the nut or file the slot closer to the bridge. There is still a bit of hum even with the cavities shielded, but its the same on my strat, so is probably a normal level for single coils. I slipped with the screwdriver when fitting the string trees and put a tiny dent in the headstock :(

Overall pretty happy with it as a first attempt, I have learned a lot that I can apply to my next build, that's for sure :)

Looks great Ian - that is some lovely grain! A great job. You must be very pleased with the outcome. A sweet, sweet Tele you have there!

cheers,
Gav.

You gotta be happy with that result, she looks unreal mate. Bit odd about that nut position, might be a good opportunity to throw the plastic one away if you're making alterations.