Teleburster TL-1A aka G-special

[WeirdBits]

Well, today I bit the bullet and decided to see just how deep the rabbit hole(s) went...

And the answer to the question of whether I could simply sand out the filled marks is: definitely not.

I started by carefully scraping away at the top of the filler, but soon realised it was more than just a surface fill. It turns out that all of the fill holes are pretty deep, with the factory filler varying from really rock hard to crusty on top and powdery underneath. Either way, it had to be removed. And the bonus is, I didn't spend hours sanding only to find I wouldn't be able to sand them out anyway. Bright side, bright side.

The fact that all of the holes are about the same depth also means it will probably be the same solution for all, rather than sanding out some, filling others, and/or worst case... plugging. At the moment, I still think that Timbermate is probably going to be my best option if I want to use Wudtone, so I'm going to do some tests over next day or two. Maybe try straight Timbermate, mixed with Wudtone, and mixed with sawdust options etc. However, if anyone has some suggestions, please let me know.

Here are the pics of the de-filled holes. The first set are all of the holes on the upper-bout/top, and the second set show the holes on the lower side, back and inside cutaway respectively.

[keloooe]

$#!+ that's deep!!! Now I feel like checking how deep my fill holes are...

[WeirdBits]

Glenn's gorgeous Goldenrod Tele inspired me to steal the image and pervert it into my own twisted dreams of a Goldenrod burst... hope you don't mind, Glenn

Basically, I just did some cut-outs and perspective tweaks so that I could insert it into my original mock-up. The grain is obviously different to my kit, but that beautiful Goldenrod colour is much closer to what I would like to achieve with mine, filler permitting.

[adam]

Just want the Forum members to know that WeirdBits' TL-1A is clearly a faulty product and is certainly eligible for return and refund. We've contacted him about this by email.

As I keep saying, there's a fine balance between what we (as customers) should accept (in consideration of the pricing on these kits) and what clearly should never have left the factory. DingoBass and I feel WeirdBits' TL-1A fits the latter category.

So, if you do receive something that you think is just not up to scratch, please don't hesitate to contact myself or DB. Sometimes we might say, "Call yourself a Luthier? That's easily fixed", other times, like on this occasion, we'll ask you to return for replacement or full refund.

[GlennGP]

Quote from WeirdBits on March 2, 2013, 21:31
Glenn's gorgeous Goldenrod Tele inspired me to steal the image and pervert it into my own twisted dreams of a Goldenrod burst... hope you don't mind, Glenn

Not at all - looks very cool!

[WeirdBits]

Ok, time for an update…

First, I need to thank Adam and the Pitbull team for their fantastic proactive service regarding the filler issues with my kit, and the subsequent generous and considerate alternatives offered to resolve the situation. Really great service guys, thanks. As this kit was always going to be my 'test build' and something of an experiment, and because I'm rather stubborn, I chose to continue with the build and see what I could produce… and gain some experience doing it.

You may recall from earlier posts that there was factory filler covering up some pretty significant holes in the body. Well, it turns out they were worm holes… as evidenced by the rather large wires I was able to feed right through the body in one hole and out the other (see pics below)! I guess that's proof that wormholes do exist. And, sadly, as good as Timbermate is, it simply wasn't going to cut it for anything resembling a semi-transparent finish. So, plan B has become to use a solid colour finish (not a horrible idea and may still happen), but for now I'm still going to try for the 'burst and see what happens. As such, I've opted for a two-stage process:

1. Drill out the worm holes to remove all traces of gunk and then plug them with hardwood dowel (the dowel is only to plug the worm path through the body).
2. Carve some cross-grain pseudo-grain matched plugs to then 'cap' the holes and hopefully sort of 'blend' somewhat with the Alder of the body.


Ok, first set of pics are the worm holes and the wire through them… nasty. Second set of pics shows the holes drilled out and doweled. Last set shows the nasty, knotty, crumbling holes on the lower edge of the body drilled out and a 'cap' glued in.

[WeirdBits]

Ok, first set shows all the dowels in place. Second set shows the dowels trimmed and holes drilled for the cosmetic 'cap' plugs. And, finally, the pseudo-grain matched plugs in glued in place.

[WeirdBits]

Ok, this series shows all the cosmetic 'cap' plugs trimmed and rough sanded… no filler has been used as yet. I'm not sure how it's going to end up, but I'm reasonably pleased so far. Just have to wait and see once it is all sanded and has some finish on it.

[WeirdBits]

And, just for good measure… I spent some time shaping the headstock. It's based on a '62 Tele shape, but with a few tweaks, only roughly sanded so far.

Tried some fret levelling as well, so I'll post that up in Gav's thread in the "Setting up..." section.

The story will continue...

[Gavin1393]

Really good job! Lots of patience and perseverance.