Hi everyone,

While tinkering with and upgrading my tele (1st build) and telling myself I didn't need another guitar in my life right now, I got some family news that made me want to build something to dedicate my creativity towards.

The SSCM was the model I wanted to build as my first guitar, but 2 years ago they were not available, so I build the TL. Now they are back, I knew I was going to enable myself at some point :-).

There is still a lot that I need to plan and decide on for this build, like using the kit's bridge or upgrading it, and keeping the inlay or changing them to white mop trapezoid inlays if someone could lean in to advise me to go either way that would be appreciated!

Colour-wise, though I wanted to do something plain after my TL, I'll save that for a Strat of JM, for this, I am planning to do a blue to purple burst like the PRS Aquableux. This might bring me further out of my comfort zone than I can handle, but we'll see where/when/if my hidden talent's will come to the rescue. On my previous build, I did a burst without sanding back, and though that might be sound advice given how thin the veneer is, I still would like to create a better separation to highlight the quilt. I am still looking for a harder finish than the acrylic clear I used on the TL, I find it too soft and was hoping to find something harder for this build.

I will upgrade to a tusq-nut and I'd like to change the pickups to Tonerider's AC2's or AC4's but I cannot make up my mind which ones sound better. The AC2's have that nice warm vintage sound that I love listening to in blues or Americana type of music, yet the AC4's have that more precise sound, bit more boost and what you would expect from a Singlecut. Does anyone have experience with these and why should/would I pick one over the other?


In the meantime, the guitar is on backorder and that should give me plenty of time to decide on everything.

Thank you so much for all the great information you are providing, I am looking forward to being able to contribute to this wonderful forum again!