Telestrator build
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Telestrator build
I've learned most of the little I know about electric instrument building by copying Fender's instruments - Strats, Teles, J and P basses. Now, I hope to never build one of those again, but I have lots of left over parts, so I thought for my final Fenderish build I'll make a guitar using some of those parts. If I post the progress here, maybe it will keep me going.
On hand:
16" 2 piece alder body I glued up a couple of years ago for a Tele
Strat maple neck I made several years ago with an ipe fretboard with a couple of cracks, so I never used it
Quilted maple 1/16" veneer I resawed from a 1/4" half drop top
Cheap import trem bridge
Various other hardware - Tele control cover, jack plate, 5 way switch, covered 2 lead humbucker pups (Chinese), tuners, neck plate
On hand:
16" 2 piece alder body I glued up a couple of years ago for a Tele
Strat maple neck I made several years ago with an ipe fretboard with a couple of cracks, so I never used it
Quilted maple 1/16" veneer I resawed from a 1/4" half drop top
Cheap import trem bridge
Various other hardware - Tele control cover, jack plate, 5 way switch, covered 2 lead humbucker pups (Chinese), tuners, neck plate
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Band sawed and template routed the body, then made the arm bevel with belt sander. I rounded off the sharp beveled edge before gluing on the veneer to avoid having to heat bend a sharp angle. The thickish veneer conforms OK to the rounded edge.
Last edited by Peter Wilcox on Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Veneer rough cut.
Glued and clamped.
Edge view.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
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- Posts: 582
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:28 pm
Re: Telestrator build
Peter
Please keep this thread alive.
Bob
Please keep this thread alive.
Bob
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Hi Bob - here's some more food for the thread.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
A few routing hiccups, but they'll be hidden.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Today I did the top and bottom roundovers and drilled all the major holes. Tomorrow work on the neck. If the weather holds I can start the nitro finishing next week (I have to do it outside). If not, it will probably be next year.
I found some 4 lead humbuckers so I can take advantage of the 5 position switch and split the coils.
I found some 4 lead humbuckers so I can take advantage of the 5 position switch and split the coils.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Leveled and crowned the frets, and dressed the ends, using flat and triangular files, then sanded with 500 and 1500, and finally polished with metal polish on a rag.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
Re: Telestrator build
Looking great Peter!
What type of glue did you use for the veneer?
Titebond, or a non-water based glue?
I've had veneer crack while drying using Titebond.
Thanks,
Dan
What type of glue did you use for the veneer?
Titebond, or a non-water based glue?
I've had veneer crack while drying using Titebond.
Thanks,
Dan
Ever-body was kung fu fight-in,
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
- Hans Bezemer
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- Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 1:01 am
- Location: The Netherlands
- Contact:
Re: Telestrator build
You're on a roll, Peter!
Keep it going, starts to look cool.
Keep it going, starts to look cool.
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Dan, I just used Elmer's yellow carpenter's glue, what I use for most things. I think it's the same type as Titebond original. This is the third home-made maple veneer I've done, and no problem with cracking. These are thick veneers, about 1/16", so maybe that helps.Dan Smith wrote: What type of glue did you use for the veneer?
Titebond, or a non-water based glue?
I've had veneer crack while drying using Titebond.
Thanks,
Dan
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
Re: Telestrator build
Thanks Peter!Peter Wilcox wrote:Dan, I just used Elmer's yellow carpenter's glue, what I use for most things. I think it's the same type as Titebond original. This is the third home-made maple veneer I've done, and no problem with cracking. These are thick veneers, about 1/16", so maybe that helps.Dan Smith wrote: What type of glue did you use for the veneer?
Titebond, or a non-water based glue?
I've had veneer crack while drying using Titebond.
Thanks,
Dan
Dan
Ever-body was kung fu fight-in,
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Defects in the body wood needed to be filled - Z-poxy.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
I wanted to wipe on a coat of amber colored shellac to the top, but it would make the dark parts of the maple figure too warm a brown for my taste. First I wiped with a wet rag to raise the grain, then wiped on a dilute wash of violet dye in alcohol. I got the dye from the thrift store several years ago - I figure it should be fairly light-fast. I then sanded back lightly to increase the contrast (but it didn't increase much.)
Last edited by Peter Wilcox on Mon Oct 26, 2015 8:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Then I wiped on a 2lb cut of garnet shellac, and when that dried sprayed 5 clear coats of lacquer.
More tomorrow if the weather holds.
More tomorrow if the weather holds.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Flattened the clear coats, then sprayed the sides with brown/black lacquer.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Sanded off the overspray down to the clear.
The weather is turning foul, so I won't be working on this for a few days.
The weather is turning foul, so I won't be working on this for a few days.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it
Re: Telestrator build
The sanding is a great way to avoid putting tape on the body to mask it.
Thanks for the tip.
The Maple color is really nice.
Looks great Peter!
Dan
Thanks for the tip.
The Maple color is really nice.
Looks great Peter!
Dan
Ever-body was kung fu fight-in,
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
-
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:28 pm
Re: Telestrator build
What a tasty guitar!
Thanks Peter
Thanks Peter
- Peter Wilcox
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 1:31 am
- Location: Northeastern California
Re: Telestrator build
Thanks Dan and Bob.
The sun came out today and temp 52 degrees with minimal wind so I did a little more. I decided the back looked too plain and the border too sharp. I could have made a sunburst, but decided to try to make the back patterned. I'd have liked to create an Escher type tessellation, but that is beyond me. I found a pattern online, simplified it, and made a stencil.
Then I applied it over and over, with an airbrush. I didn't get everything lined up exactly, and there were some defects and overspray which I repaired as best I could. But what the heck, it's the back.
I sprayed on 5 coats of clear. Now to sand flat and polish.
The sun came out today and temp 52 degrees with minimal wind so I did a little more. I decided the back looked too plain and the border too sharp. I could have made a sunburst, but decided to try to make the back patterned. I'd have liked to create an Escher type tessellation, but that is beyond me. I found a pattern online, simplified it, and made a stencil.
Then I applied it over and over, with an airbrush. I didn't get everything lined up exactly, and there were some defects and overspray which I repaired as best I could. But what the heck, it's the back.
I sprayed on 5 coats of clear. Now to sand flat and polish.
Maybe I can't fix it, but I can fix it so no one can fix it