ShortScale.org

www.dictionary.com wrote: ne ploos ool-trah / nee pluhs uhl-truh

1. The highest point, as of excellence or achievement; the ultimate.

2. The most profound degree, as of a condition or quality.

This is my thread build of thread builds thread, where things will progressively be documented with photos.

As a gift to Cindi on our 3rd wedding anniversary I decided to go ahead with the build, a Tele Thinline-shaped 6118 anniversary(get it?) in smoke green. With all the parts now assembled, I went over to Willows and had a few talks with the master builder/prez, who got excited about doing a whole new thing(this combination of elements) on a Thinline design. I also found out that they're the supplier of blank and finished bodies for WD. So here's what's going down and stuff.

First of all, a few shots of the classic 6118:




Here's what we can expect so far...
-Bound body in alder, with 2-piece flame maple top, finished in traditional opaque color combo.

-Some Anniversary models have bound necks, others don't. I've not done my homework on specifics, but wanted to keep the fretboard relatively "dark". This one will be bound with dot markers, with a matching headstock in shmokie green.

-Like the 6118, volume and tone controls will be down on the lower bout with pickup selector up by he strap pin, but no extra master voume/tone switch, to keep things simple like a Tele(as if anything else on the thing were simple)

-Back-sprayed custom pickguard, may let it "float" on the filtertron pickup ring by sitting about 4mm above the body for a slight arch-top effect. Chopped single-coil rubber pickup bushings might do the trick, maybe a Les Paul brace.

-25.5" scale

- Solid shaft Gretsch (MIJ) 500k potentiometers

-Fully chambered on both hemispheres with two rear covers: A Les Paul p'up selector type and custom one for the lower bout.

-Shaft output jack pin is placed right between the volume and tone pots

-Standard Fender Vintage slotted tunes (MIJ)

-Fender Thinline-sized F-hole. I thought about a rounder more "violin-like" design, but think it might tax the eyes

-Gretsch strap pins

-F-stamped Bigsby B5 with Mustang bridge

The question:

-There's will TV Jones classic w/ring in the neck... SHOULD I PUT ONE IN THE BRIDGE AS WELL(even more 6118 looking/sounding), OR USE THE BIGSBY B5 BRIDGE PLATE for traditional Tele bridge pickup (possibly more metal on the body than needed)? The body/neck is being made as I write, but the pickup routing is still open for suggestions. THANKIE 2 ALL.

WWSD What would shortscalers do?

beautiful gtr!

roofiez wrote:beautiful gtr!

Um...yes it is...er, will be. Eventually. I hope.

Anyone else just looking at the pictures and not reading the post?

i read the whole thing.
personally i would do the bigsby bit.
i know its kinda late now, but i think it would be kinda cool if the top was carved.

when you say you want the fretboard to be "dark", do you mean dark-sounding or dark-looking? ebony is classy, but you can't really go wrong with a nice piece of rosewood.
i think the tele bigsby would work well since it will be tele-shaped.

Ah yes, me and my silly wording. Dark as in shade of rosewood.

While at the shop we selected a nice piece of (Indian, of cour$e!)rosewood for the fretboard, as I didn't want tone to be to far on the brighter spectrum of ebony. Decided to leave the neck glossy clearcoated instead of matching the body as well, although it would have looked pretty sexy either way. Well sports fans, it looks like so far the B5 Tele bridgeplate would be the way to go...We'll see what others think, and thanks for the input, guys.

B5 Bridgeplate vs. Twin Filtertrons 2:0

Tele Bigs! Best of both worlds. If it were a straight Gretsch I would have to go TV Jones. I bought a harness from them. I am hanging from the ceiling in it right now. Er, no. It's in the Coronado. Now I knows how to make them.

I think ima have to give you a B-fiver. Vote, that is. Only because I love the sound of a Tele bridge immensly. It will look great as well.

I like the idea of the Bridgeplate personally, to remove it would be to quash some of it's potential charm.

I will watch this one with interest.

wow, that green looks very appealing.

not trying to make too much of a misogynist comment... tele + bigsby might be a little heavier than most women would want. I mean most guys find it to be too heavy.

I think you're hanging around with too many fey idiots.

mage wrote:wow, that green looks very appealing.

not trying to make too much of a misogynist comment... tele + bigsby might be a little heavier than most women would want. I mean most guys find it to be too heavy.

thin line though.

MOCK UPS. WE NEED MOCK UPS.

I actually find my bound tele with bigsby a bit on the heavy side. It's not a big-deal, but it wouldn't be the first guitar I pick-up for a casual twang.

Ultra's gretsch-tele project will look stunning. Makes a change from the more common orange gr-teles. Mine's another vote for a B5, with the single filtertron in the neck. Best of both worlds...

mage wrote:wow, that green looks very appealing.

not trying to make too much of a misogynist comment... tele + bigsby might be a little heavier than most women would want. I mean most guys find it to be too heavy.

No new issue, but I'd tend to concur in general, and I'm sure Tim feels it each night The Sailplanes make use of it. Surprisingly the Pink Tele (at a hefty 8lbs, when filtertron was installed + B5) didn't bother her weight-wise as much as the relative sharpness of the bound body edges, but it's one of those things that (many) Tele players get used to. Given that the wings are essentially gutted on the new televersary, I'm going to predict a upwards of almost a pound less on the overall weight.

B5 Bridgeplate vs. Twin Filtertrons 5:0

Sloan wrote:MOCK UPS. WE NEED MOCK UPS.

With a hair of patience we just may not need 'em, judging by how last time the Willows bunch got the Pink body done in just under 3 weeks. I'm gonna guess 5 weeks for the whole thing. Creative Kisake-dabbling folk may want to noodle about with the idea, but the shop will be sending progress pics to me periodically to make things more fun.

B5 FTW.

I'm watching this with interest, you have very good taste in guitars from what I've seen.

Dude , it´s an Cyndi lauper tribute , ?

iCEByTes wrote:Dude , it´s an Cyndi lauper tribute , ?

Nopes, just a tribute to a Korean woman I traded rings with and subsequently flung my virginity at.



Besides, to the best of my knowledge, on stage Cyndi Lauper is an exclusively Ovation'd granny.

I vote B5 & single filteron, I think it would look more balanced.