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Hi, there's been a bit of a flood of alder tele's since the Sunday special, why wouldn't you !
It arrived yesterday so I did a quick mock build at work (can't wait till I get home) and found the common problem with these kits the bridge pup route is a little too far south.
Happy with the grain of the body and on inspection not too much glue. Neck fit was pretty good with plenty of wiggle room if required.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-11.46.53.jpg
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-11.46.59.jpg
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When I got it home I got out the router and a template that was the rough shape of the bridge pickup route and removed about 5mm of timber on the neck side of the bridge pup route so now the bridge plate can sit flush with the pickguard. The routing is rough but it will be covered by the bridge plate.
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-21.12.35.jpg
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Then looking at the body routes I wondered why the neck route was the size of a humbucker rather than a single coil pup, so thought what the hell there's no need for a pickguard with a humbucker in the neck. Show more of the nice alder grain, so thats the plan. I've ordered some chrome pup rings to keep the chrome theme going.
It's been sanded about 80% (probably 50% for DB standards - haha) so I'll finish that tonight and yet to decide the stain colours. Thinking a lighter stain will show more grain so stay tuned
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-21.22.28.jpg
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Wokka, I think with all that sexy chrome on there, you need to conside something like this Humbucker sized P90 Tonerider http://www.pitbullguitars.com/?produ...90-neck-nickel in the neck position.
What are aall those marks on the body? Are they in the wood, or is it stray glue of something?
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Hi Adam,
thanks for the R90 suggestion, so I presume they don't come with surrounds ? I'd need to get a P90 size surround, I've just ordered some full size humbucker rings but thats ok can order a P90 size.
The marks in the body top I think are part of the grain, its the 1st alder body I've built so I've never seen these shapes in timber. In the photo it looks like deep machine marks but its been sanded to 240 grit, so I'll do a bit more sanding. Think it should look fine once its stained. They only appear on the 2 outside pieces of alder
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Wokka, they are humbucker sized P90 pickups, so the surrounds you've ordered should work. I just like the look of all chrome.
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oh ok thanks Adam, I presumed they were a smaller P90 size. Sounds good I'll place a chrome bucker in and see how it looks with the stain colour I choose and if the chrome bucker looks good I'll order the R90.
Sure you didn't used to be a used car salesman Ads ? haha
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Maaaaate, have I got a deal for you...
There's also this one, which would look pretty sweet http://www.pitbullguitars.com/?produ...up-alnico-neck
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Hi Wokks,
Great looking kit - it going to make a lovely axe. I hate to mention this seeing as you've just routed for it, but this seems to be a not uncommon misconception ... the problem with the "bridge being too far south" actually isn't really a problem at all.
With Standard Tele's (the original Fender one's) the bridge never sits up tight with the pickguard - there's always a noticeable gap of 2 or 3 mm (or so) between the front of the bridge and the pickguard and just a mm or two more than that on the sides ... which on these kits puts the bridge (and pickup) in the right position for a reproduction of a Tele.
Though on mine I did notice that the bridge pick-up routing was VERY tight - all most no clearance for the pick-up to sit in (but I'd guess you wont have that problem now! :D) ... looking forward to you producing another great GOTM entry with this kit.
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thanks Ads the entwistles look good too.
There's no doubt now that you used to be a used car salesman, did you throw in a tele squier with every car you sold over $10k ?
You seem to take great interest in any tele build too. I've got some DB rated padlocks ready for this one !
You are only 70 posts away from 1000 Ads, well done.
When do I get maverick status ? I just hit 1700 and Gav/DB/Brendan are moderators
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Hi Scott, I did know there is about a 2mm gap on Fender tele's between pick guard and bridge plate, but I have the option of moving it forward now and the plate still covers the hole. I'm probably not using the pickguard anyway so it won't be an issue
The main reason I shifted the bridge forward was to give me more intonation adjustment. Where the bridge was placed I would have had to wind the bass saddle almost to the most forward position on the adjustment thread.
cheers for the encouragement. Good luck with yours I'm sure will be a winner !
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Go Wokkaboy give the hot Auburn a muse
Cheers
Gazzman
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Got the final sanding done, camphor veneer glued to headstock, headstock shaped and 1st coat of thinned down cedar stain, so a slightly lighter shade similar to hot auburn. Haven't decided what colour to stain the neck.
Also didn't got for a traditional tele shaped headstock, wanted something different
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since got 2 coats of clear on the body, this photo is before the 2nd clear coat. Got a new feast watson stain golden teak on the back of the neck, I like the colour, a tiny bit darker than golden rod
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-11.06.06.jpg
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here's a pic after 2nd coat of clear. Also Wayne started his alder tele in golden teak on the right, looks good
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-22.51.39.jpg
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Nice job Wokka! The basswood really does show some interesting figure with dye and stain. I particularly love your choice of Golden Teak for the neck colour. It looks a lot like the Wudtone Vintage Yellow neck kit. Great choice! I was woncdering about the gap between the headstock veneer and the nut. I know some of this is maple fretboard, but some seems to be original headstock? Are you going to dye this gap too?
cheers,
Gav.
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Thats some nice grain there Wokks and great choice of colour, That veneered headstock really does show its a 4D guitar and is a nice touch bro
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@ Gav -> cheers, I should stain that white part between the veneer and nut, good idea, I'll do that. Its not basswood its alder. First alder kit I've built and it has some sort of larger birds eye grain on the left part of the body
@ Jarrod --> cheers mate, yes it is a 4D thing the camphor headstock veneers. As we finally got our bandsaw setup properly (after 1.5 years) its cutting 1.5-2mm thick veneers no problem, so we've got some larger pieces to glue on future headstocks, pic attached
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...3-19.17.24.jpg
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The chrome humbucker surround arrived today so did a mock build to see how it looked with a chrome humbucker and no pickguard, think I'll be going with this look and not using the pickguard
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...6-18.06.43.jpg
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updated headstock pic, filled in the colour between the edge of the veneer and nut and added the logo.
Also a shot of the golden teak neck seems to go well with the body colour
http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con...6-19.03.01.jpg
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Thats looking awsome Wokks. Is that Dingo tone.
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Looking sweet Wokka!
cheers,
Gav.
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Cheers fellas. Jarrod the stain is reduced feast Watson cedar stain so about 70/30 reducer and stain. It's a tad lighter than hot auburn wudtone.
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WThe? Not Dingotone?....
That will be two weeks with no booze for you in the naughty room Woks ;)
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
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sorry DB, my next build I'll stain it with the orange Dingotone, no booze in the NR for 2 weeks is pretty harsh, I'm going to have to do some serious bargaining with you to get out of such a harsh ban !
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its been 2 months since I updated this build diary, so I finally got the axe assembled lastnight. Sounds pretty good after no setup yet. I didn't like the headstock shape so cut it to more like a tele shape. Also glued some more veneer on the headstock to hide a gap.
Went for a humbucker neck pup and no pickguard, the alder grain is pretty good so didn't want to hide it.
I'll probably be entering this for July GOTM so I'll get some better daylight pics soon
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Loving the depth of the grain and clear coat on the headstock Wokka.
Really classy!
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Wow. Nice Tele Wokka.
Love the way the reduced cedar stain brings out the grain in the Alder body.
Now I think I want one of these Alder body teles...but I also want an Ash one...and I also want...
Cheers
Darren
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Really nice! Love S/H teles.
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Love the grain on this one Wokka. The colour you have chosen matches it perfectly! Killer Tele. Will be hard to beat for July GOTM damn you! ;)
cheer,
Gav.
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Nice and clean. Colour is great.
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thanks for all the nice comments everyone. Spent a bit more time on it lastnight setting up the action and had a play and its sounding pretty good.Other than a thinline its the first tele I have ever owned and love the twangy bridge pup sound. Even sounds pretty good with some distortion
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very nice Tele Wokka, the bar keeps rising...
