I bought the cheapest kit I could find on eBay - let's see if this was a good idea

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Hey guys, thank you so much for your helpful answers! So I know how to proceed with the body once it is done.

I had the neck drying and hardening untouched for a few days now and I tried lightly polishing and waxing it on the backside as a test. It worked out fine and so I really lightly polished and waxed the rest of it. I didn't want to go for a super duper über high gloss but for a nice shine. I think I got what I wanted. Fitted the tuners and now letting it rest until the body is ready.



The car polish and Carnuba wax I have worked really well. But I think I can hear my car calling my name from the outside... It hasn't been waxed or polished for about a year and I guess it could really need a good wash, too... Hrmmm...





So, currently there is one thing bothering me: The pickguard. It looks great and I love how it turned out, but... I think it covers too much of the burl veneer! I really like how the veneer turned out and I put so much effort into this, it just hurts a little to cover it up!

I've been experimenting with a mock up in photoshop and I'm considering making a new pickguard from scratch (and real copper). But what do you guys think? Does this shape even look good, and is it even worth it for such a subtile change in shape?

[FrankenWashie]

It’s such a shame that that cable channel is there, else I’d be tempted to direct mount, or use a minimalist pup ring.

The way your thought is progressing with a replacement scratch plate is good, but I’d be tempted to reduce it even further, take a curve from the lower side of the neck pocket back to the control cover that echoes the curve of the rear bout. Maybe pare the top side back to finish flush to the bridge plate?

[Simon Barden]

I like a Tele to look like a Tele, so I'd be tempted to keep the scratchplate as it is. You've got a dilemma there though, whether to make a feature of the burl, of a feature of the copper. You've almost got too much going on visually. Maybe go with a cut down but plain scratchplate for this guitar, and save the copper scratchplate for the next build of a plainer bodied Tele? Though to some extent, the random patterns of the copper do match the random patterns of the burl.

Now I just don't know!

[Simon Barden]

With the copper, the shiny chrome parts will stand out in sharp contrast. Maybe rub them with sandpaper to take off the shine and part-age them?

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Yeah, you are right, there is much going on... but to be honest, I hadn't expected the burl veneer to turn out so beautiful. It looked rather dull without the oil and I thought the copper fillings would be a small eye catcher together with the copper pickguard. But now the veneer is - in my opinion - much more beautiful than the pickguard. Maybe I'll go with a smaller one, cut from real copper, and then not age it that much, so it matches the fillings a bit better? Don't know. FrankenWashie is right, if the darn cable chanel wasn't there, I'd ditch the pickguard altogether. I think I'll just experiment with the shape a little more until I have a better idea. Lucky I didn't drill any holes so far

[blinddrew]

If it was me I'd be cutting the pick guard down, starting with your mockup but then I'd line up the lower edge to start flush with the end of the control strip, then curve upwards in a single smooth sweep to the end of the neck, as if it were extending the curve from the lower bout to the waist; getting rid of the front horn entirely. So it becomes almost teardrop shaped.
Or stick with the existing one!

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Yep, I think you guys are right, I'm already working on a smaller shape. Not sure if you could call it a teardrop, but def. no horns. I ordered a sheet of copper, let's see how it's gonna look. I mean, if it turns out bad, I can still keep the original pickguard, right? =)

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Some set backs... While the front is coming along nicely, the nice white binding has become super yellow (from the tru oil). It's too patchy to look good, it does - in fact - look disgusting. So I'm trying to sand it back again and rub it off with turps. Very carful not to touch the front side of course
Very tedious work. Other than that, I just got notice that after a full month of waiting, the other guitar kit that I ordered from China has been cancelled. They say it got shipped to the wrong address but I highly doubt that - they just didn't ship it at all. Now I get my money refunded but I already bought all the parts AND have designed a custom pickguard and truss rod cover for this guitar... I have all the stuff but no guitar! Sigh! I can order again from a different seller but this means another month of waiting. Oh geez

[Simon Barden]

You could just scrape the binding back with a knife or blade. Easier than with sandpaper. Best to mask the binding from now on to stop more build-up. 3M vinyl pin-striping tape comes in 3mm and 6mm widths and is very good for that. Otherwise you can get masking tape for model kits in similar sizes, but the vinyl does make a better edge seal.

[ThatCluelessGerman]

I have tried scraping the binding after staining, but have found that I'm absolutely talentless at this. Just couldn't get the hang out of it, so I used super fine steel wool. Good idea about masking the other parts, I have a vinyl cutter, I could cut some thin stripes myself.. Thanks for the idea!