Phloggys TL-1

[dingobass]

When you pull it all down, a trick I use to ensure good grounding on the bridge is to wrap the bare wire around the closest mount screw and make a loop. I then solder this loop and when I replace the bridge mount screw through this it ensures a permanent un pulla outerable ground

[phloggy]

Quote from keloooe on May 12, 2013, 10:21
Hey Phloggy, are the solder joins neat and shiny???? If they are just messy, grey, horrible looking blob, then it's a bad solder joint that is making some problems, post a pic of the wiring

Nah, the solder joints are all good. One of the things I learned during 4 years of electrical engineering is how to solder well.

Apparently what I *didn't* learn is how to read simple wiring diagrams to make sure you don't wire the jack up backwards, even after you've triple checked.

So after fixing that, it ends up like this: (Make sure your volume is down for the plug in bit)

https://soundcloud.com/phloggy/tele-wiring-sounds-2

It's still very bright, but that's exactly what I'm after. The thing quacks like a duck, and I love it!

Now I've just got to give it good fret job, and it's all apples.

[dingobass]

D'OH!

That is one of my favourite mistakes.... I should have thought of that earlier....

[Gavin1393]

Quote from dingobass on May 12, 2013, 18:41
D'OH!

That is one of my favourite mistakes.... I should have thought of that earlier....

Nah! We just thought Phloggy wasn't going to make such a basic mistake like we both did! Phloggy, I have gone so far as to make a reverse jack plug which allows me to check everytime I plug in and get hum! If the hum goes I know I stuffed up again! You are in good company on this one!

That guitar sounds great at the neck!

[adam]

Phloggy that sounds fantastic! Are they the stock pick-ups?

Sounds like my prized workhorse, a '78 Tele.

[dingobass]

Quote from adam on May 12, 2013, 20:23
Phloggy that sounds fantastic! Are they the stock pick-ups?

Sounds like my prized workhorse, a '78 Tele.

Your baby is a '76 Adam.... i worked this out when I did the work on her 8-)

[keloooe]

Sounds nice there Phloggy!!!!

[phloggy]

Quote from adam on May 12, 2013, 20:23
Phloggy that sounds fantastic! Are they the stock pick-ups?

Sounds like my prized workhorse, a '78 Tele.

Yep! There's nothing on there that didn't come in the box, including the strings.

I'm honestly really suprised. I've played tens of Telecasters in the shops looking for "the one" in a whole range of price points, and pretty much decided that I'm just not a Tele man. Never found one that was comfortable to play, and none had the "sparkle" that I normally associate with classic single coil Teles.

I got this to get the Tele GAS out of my system so I can move onto to other things. Wasn't expecting great things out of a $120 kit. I mean, hell, you can get single pickups that cost more than that.

But this one is ticking all the boxes. I suspect the playability is the scale length. I need to verify, but I think the scale length is shorter than the standard Tele scale.

Of course it might also be the fact that I put it together, but I like to think I'm more detached than that, and that's got nothing to do with the way it sounds.

Except for the strings. I'm glad they're "disposable no-names". Seriously, are they repurposed pickup windings? I've never felt strings so thin. Pulling them off tonight to level the frets, replacing them with the "Pit Bull" packet that's there, then if all's OK fret wise it'll be a nice set of 10s on there.

[phloggy]

Had a go at leveling the frets last night. There's one problematic fret, so it took a bit of work and for a while there I thought I'd succeeded in making a decorative wall hanging. On all frets from the 2nd to the 9th were the same note, which meant I'd taken too much from the top of the board. I was gutted, but I only had one string on.

When I finished putting on the rest of the strings and got some tension on the neck it *mostly* fixed itself. I still have that problem fret, but I think with some judicious spot filing and maybe a bit of bridge and truss rod action it'll come good.

[Gavin1393]

Hi Phloggy, did you follow my thread on "levelling frets"' was the truss rod tightened and was the neck straight to begin with?