Derek82's GTL-1

I ordered my GTL-1 with maple fretboard on Sunday. I'm busting to get that box in front of me and crack it open.

My plans:
Clear neutral (or close to clear aka slightly amber tone) glassy or just shiny finish. Dingotone colourless, wipe on poly or tru-oil are the contenders for me. For sealer, I need to do more research, but I know poly and tru-oil can be used to seal (albeit with several additional coats). Grain filler, probably aquacoat (clear) or timbermate (unsure of exact colour yet).

Mods wise, I've ordered the locking rotomatics. In time I may change the pick guard, but I'm actually unsure of the colour I'll be getting as Adam was out of chrome GTL hardware kits that the plate comes with. I hope I get a black one!

I plan to replace pickups eventually with the tonerider vintage plus set. Wiring, treble bleed, 4 way switch etc are things I like to do as well, but I'd like to fluff around with the default wiring and hardware if I can before doing any upgrades. Bridge, I'm thinking string through body, but it would be great to get a bridge that I can do both with.

Belly and arm contours will be done because this kit weighs a tonne and I love the strat body feel more than the tele! I have to admit though, to being a bit of a fan of the Tele ice-pick sound. I have a bad back right now so I need to take some of the mass off it. I will probably route out some of the back to get rid of addition weight if I'm able and maybe cover the cavity with some sort of veneer... It's pretty ambitious, but it's nice to dream!

I'll post again with pics when I get the kit.

I better read up on the Pit Bull guitar kit manual too!

Those are my plans. Stay tuned to see them all fall apart over the next three years while I finish it. LOL!

Cheers,

Derek.

congrats on your first kit, Tele is a great way to start your addiction, ...did I say addiction, I meant hobby....really I did.

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Originally Posted by Dedman

congrats on your first kit, Tele is a great way to start your addiction, ...did I say addiction, I meant hobby....really I did.

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Your's probably qualifies as an addiction Deddy. It's only taken you three years to build those 14 guitars!

Welcome Derek! Enjoy the ride.

Cheers Fretworn and Dedman,

Seeing the work being done all over this forum has made it impossible not to buy a kit. I'm resisting looking at colour coats. I know I want a natural finish tele but with so many stains, tints, dyes, it's getting harder. I may just need another kit!

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Nothing wrong with a Nude finish.....looks even better with no scratch plate and minimal hardware.

I have built a couple of Teles and not bothered with string through. Stock bridge is rubbish and impossible to intonate and ended up with one from Real Parts on each build that you can string load from on top or through body, and it has 6 adjustable saddles, just like a Strat which makes intonation a whole lot more accurate...... https://www.realparts.com.au/bridges...ge-nickel.html
Attachment 27260

Totally recommend Tonerider Hot Classics, they sound great.

That's not a bad bridge, Waz. I'm thinking a, flat plate bridge. I love the Babicz Z series tele bridge but it costs a fortune. I'd go a US standard bridge but in Aus, the price for them is stupidly inflated, in which case I may as well do Babicz if the $$$ is there when I come to it. If worst comes to worst id probably go for the wilkinson bridge and hippie I can intonate it properly.


I've been thinking and googling. All of these images are supposedly Tru-oil finishes. I love the first one, but it didn't look amber enough to be tru-oil.

This is the color I would love.
http://i.imgur.com/hB6GooK.jpg

This is the layout I'm thinking about.
https://i.imgur.com/ipb94Sn.jpg

This is the mirror finish in a perfect world I'd like to achieve on the body.
https://i.imgur.com/SeaQvH4.jpg

Not ambitious at all. If I screw it up at least I had fun sound it. [emoji6]

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That kind of finish should be achievable. I'm doing a tru-oil finish on the kit in my signature and I'm not far off that standard.

Wow, Drew. That finish if nice! Looks like you're almost there... And on an arch top!

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Originally Posted by blinddrew

That kind of finish should be achievable. I'm doing a tru-oil finish on the kit in my signature and I'm not far off that standard.

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Hi Derek, builds 5 & 6 in my signature have that level of shine from using Tru Oil.
The MMB4 was done on Basswood & Maple neck and should give you an idea of the amount of subtle tint when done natural.

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Ok my end I can only see builds from 1 to 3 in your sig. Maybe it's a tapatalk glitch

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

Hi Derek, builds 5 & 6 in my signature have that level of shine from using Tru Oil.
The MMB4 was done on Basswood & Maple neck and should give you an idea of the amount of subtle tint when done natural.

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Yeah, must be Tapatalk as i cannot see anybody's sigs on this device however when on the PBG forum site via mobile, desktop or laptop computer you can.


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My second child arrived today!
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Awesome grain on the fretboard! It also has a slight flame figure on the back of the neck too. The fretboard dots are grain filler, which will make them tricky to remove. They're not centred though, so I'm not sure I want to do too much to them as the dots would have to be huge to make up for cutting away bigger holes to get them centred.

That fretboard does look very nice. A quick shufti at the photo says that it's only the 12th fret pair that look obviously out of whack - possibility of a bit of a custom design there?

I can see some off centre things going on with 3rd and 7th as well, but who knows, I might find some sort of other fret markers that might be doable with cutting new grooves. I wouldn't know where to start with that but I'm probably in the right company to be learning all of this!

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You might be able to get a diamond shape or shapes to work, or some variant of trapezoid forms, but I think you’re going to be struggling wth any standard dot size give how far out the 12th set is. you might have better luck pulling them, plugging with maple that’s a reasonable match and starting fresh in the right place perhaps?

Its tricky to choose one theme and one size to run it all the way up the fretboard. Even the last fret is out and I've only got 2 or 3mm to play with there. Maybe bigger dots from 1-12 and smaller dots 13-22. You may be right FrankenWashie. Might be better just to drill, plug and start fresh.

Then there's the wonky nut and tilted fretboard radius. This stuff is only out a mm or two but once you see it, you can't unsee it. Lol. You have to fix it all somehow!

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Suggest looking into fret board stickers as there are plenty out there.
The Richie Sambora stars might work.

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Originally Posted by Derek82

Then there's the wonky nut and tilted fretboard radius. This stuff is only out a mm or two but once you see it, you can't unsee it.

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May be less tears if you could simply negotiate an exchange neck.

cheers, Mark.

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Originally Posted by king casey

May be less tears if you could simply negotiate an exchange neck.

cheers, Mark.

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I didn't expect perfection when ordering the kit. Provided I can somehow fix stuff with basic tools I'd be happy to have a go. I guess it's just a question of if I'm biting off more than I can chew

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Originally Posted by Derek82

I'd be happy to have a go. I guess it's just a question of if I'm biting off more than I can chew

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I believe you've just described Raison d'etre of the FrankenLab!

You let Igor eat more raisins than he can chew? That's a way to keep the Bride out of the lab.........