New Here, Starting First Project - Telemaster

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:40 am

Hello all, my name is Matt from Connecticut. I have been playing guitar for about 18 years now and am ready to finally build my first guitar. I really love the shape of Jaguars/Jazzmasters but wanted to produce something a bit more simple with a hardtall. I have decided that I LOVE the look and idea of a Telemaster type guitar. I am trying to do this on the cheap.

Planning to start out with a pre-cut Telemaster type body and retrofitting it with some random parts. My questions are as follows:

Generally which parts should I be buying? Genuine Fender parts or do knock off parts generally work? I am planning to do the traditional Tele ash tray bridge and a single in the neck as well.

As far as a neck goes, I assume a Tele neck would look better than a Jazz/Jag neck right?

Any tips or suggestions for a beginner are welcome! I plan on updating this thread with my progress. I am most excited to paint this thing. I re-painted guitars in the past but this will be my first short scale/offset style guitar.

Thanks!

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:44 am

Fender parts are decent, but "knockoffs" are often just as good. It really depends, sometimes cheap equals shit, but most of the time especially with Tele stuff you can get parts from other places and they are great for a lot cheaper. Check out GFS for parts, also Allparts.

Just one thing, you can't put a Jag neck on that body, a Jazzmaster neck or tele neck should be okay but a Jag is a shortscale and the others aren't. I don't think those Telemasters are shortscale. Can you link to the body you were thinking of buying? The body could be made as a shortscale but it's something that has to be sorted before the bridge placement is done. Shortscales like a Jag have the bridge just a slight bit more towards the neck than a Tele/Jazzmaster.

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:41 am

Thanks for the reply.

My consideration is more about placement rather than quality - hole/screw placement and neck fit with pickguard and other hardware with the cheap knock off brands.

I am hoping to slap this thing together and upgrade parts later as the money inevitably rolls in (haha)

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 2:58 am

man, that contour is huge. if you want to put a jazzmaster/strat neck on it, you'll want to keep in mind that the neck butt is rounded on those, and a tele is not (hence the flat edge on that body in the picture - it's cut for a tele neck). it won't be a big deal, and will fit, but the pickguard you have cut will need to be rounded or flat accordingly.

i'd definitely see if you can have the guy who made the body make you a pg; that'll be a bitch to source, unless you ship the body to someone else, and that will cost for them to R&D one from scratch.

i'd just buy all squier tele hardware, or a MIM/classic vibe and just use the parts you need, and part the rest out. might break even.

EDIT: and the fact that it's got a tele neck heel means that it isn't a shortscale.

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:42 pm

So... sorry! It's not a shortscale.. I will keep posting here anyway if that's okay?

I guess I will use a tele-neck then to make things easier.

Planning on cutting my own pickguard, this should be quite an experience.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:52 pm

Hey hey, welcome to Shortscale fellow CT resident! I'm in Hartford, where are you? I wanna jam on your telemaster when it's done.

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:17 pm

PsychoSurfer wrote:So... sorry! It's not a shortscale.. I will keep posting here anyway if that's okay?

I guess I will use a tele-neck then to make things easier.

Planning on cutting my own pickguard, this should be quite an experience.

totally fine

i'm stoked to see how this pans out

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:38 pm

Sparky
PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:52 pm Post subject:
Hey hey, welcome to Shortscale fellow CT resident! I'm in Hartford, where are you? I wanna jam on your telemaster when it's done. Very Happy

I am actually in Danbury, not far from you at all!

serfx
PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:17 pm Post subject:
PsychoSurfer wrote:
So... sorry! It's not a shortscale.. I will keep posting here anyway if that's okay?

I guess I will use a tele-neck then to make things easier.

Planning on cutting my own pickguard, this should be quite an experience. Smile

totally fine

i'm stoked to see how this pans out

Thanks, I am excited too - keep an eye out for photos.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 3:18 pm

PsychoSurfer wrote:So... sorry! It's not a shortscale.. I will keep posting here anyway if that's okay?

I guess I will use a tele-neck then to make things easier.

Planning on cutting my own pickguard, this should be quite an experience.

It's in Projects, which doesn't matter if it's a shortscale or not. We were just pointing out that you cannot go get a Jag neck and put that in there, or it will never be in tune. Just looking out for ya.

But yes, welcome, and please keep us updated on your Project!

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 3:51 pm

telemasters are the shit.

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:02 pm

Gotcha, I do appreciate you all looking out for me, this is my first time around and I don't want to do something stupid or costly!

portugal: I agree!

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:31 pm

yeah, i wasn't trying to be a dick about the shortscale thing, just sayin'.

welcome, and i'm excited to see what you do with your idea.

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:06 am

I am JUST about ready to buy some parts and finishing materials. Here are some design questions....

What are your thoughts about a nice medium/dark brown colored stain with a dull satin finish? I am liking this idea instead of painting because I have no natural wood grain guitars, all are painted and I want something showing off the more natural side of guitars -haha. Question is... what color pickguard and fretboard? I was thinking white pickguard with a Maple fretboard.... would rosewood look better or a different color guard? Let's hear your opinions.

I am also struggling with whether to do just the bridge pickup - or if I should wire bridge and neck up? Personally I like the looks of just the bridge pick up on a telemaster. Thoughts?

Going to be buying parts this week and hopefully getting to work ASAP. Thanks!

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:09 am

Kind of this color scheme, but more of a true brown and less gold/reddish.

Maybe a black guard? Rosewood neck?! ah!!! This is going to be tough deciding.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:21 am

I can see it. Especially with the Elvis Costello dark natural. You can always try a color down the road.

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:27 am

Was also toying with the idea of green or blue dye... like the Sonic Youth JM's.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:23 am

I personally am very partial to the SY Jazzies. I like those colors a lot, especially the green.

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:23 pm

Yeah... like the Elvis Costello - except, I would do a white pickguard instead of red tort.

So... here are my options so far:

All Satin Finish.

1. Dark Brown stain, white guard, maple or rosewood fretboard

2. Dark Green stain (Thurston Moore), white or black guard, maple or rosewood fretboard

3. Dark Blue stain (Lee Ranaldo), white or black guard, maple or rosewood fretboard

Please vote, I am terrible at making up my own mind. Need you expert modders/builders to weigh in. Thanks!

Viljami · Post by **Viljami** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:33 pm

Make it green. How are you planning to make the pickguard? something custom or more traditional JM/Jaguar type thingy?

PsychoSurfer · Post by **PsychoSurfer** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:10 pm

Yeah, Green is a unique color to use in terms of staining... I like it. Not sure yet though.

Pickguard will be a standard telemaster style guard. Will be cut for ashtray bridge and normal control panel and will follow the curves of the upper and lower horns.