Graham's New Guitar

Graham's New Guitar Project: June 2007
1st June 2007 As some of you may know I am a bit of a guitar bore. Most of my instruments have been customised at some point, I build pedals and custom the ones I have and have slightly tweaked amps. For my next project I am putting together a new guitar. I have wanted a '52 Telecaster for some time now. I do not have the budget to buy one out right (may have to sell something...) and even if I did I would tweak it anyway and ditch half the hardware. The option is to buy an approriate body and neck and put my own choice of hardware on it. To this end I have started building the instrument 'one bit at a time' . Since I know that as soon as I have the wood for the guitar I will want to finish it and spend too much money in one go I am starting with the hardware first. On the right are the electrics: Fender control plate and knobs, CTS 250k pots, CRL 3-way switch, Orange Drop caps (these may change), cloth covered wire and a Switchcaraft jack.

Yep, this one is a bit extreme. Bakelite 5 hole scratchplate by Callaham Guitars made just like the ones Fender used to make. Apparently the originals were stood on the tin while they were sprayed with lacquer so Callaham have even reproduced this. Bought from the wonderful Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick. Stop press, 21st June 2007: Went to fit this on the Tele, realised it was an Esquire plate with no front pickup hole, doh!!
	Another piece of Callaham Guitars hardware, a four bolt neck plate stamped with a random serial number (this one would suggest a 1957 but I am not trying to rip anyone off!). I do not have a Fender one to compare it too but apparetly the new ones are thinner than the original and have no number. I could have bought one with "Fender" stamped on it but in 1952 Fender did not do that. As you can see I still have a long way to go and decisions have to be made, like what pick-ups to use. Fender's own pick-ups are very good but I would really like noiseless pick-ups that sound authentic and at the moment the best I have heard so far are Kinmans. At the moment I am getting what I consider to be the best hardware for this type of project.

Joe Barden's Bridge with compensated brass saddles, cutaway on right hand side and extra screw holes at the front for a tighter fit. I am going with crosshead screws as all the hardware I have bought so far uses them. Stop press June 18th: See below	Another small but important part. An Electrosocket jack instead of the traditional one which always falls out. Not an authentic part but a sensible upgrade like the straplocks also shown.
Update June 9th 2007 Okay, so I took the plunge. I tried these out on a guitar at Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience the other week and was blown away by them. These are the "Broadcaster" set which have a bit more mid range than the 60s set but are more appropriate in a 50s style guitar with a maple neck. The most expensive part of the guitar except the woodwork (which will have to wait a bit for now) and certainly the most expensive part I have ever bought for a guitar. I know they are certainly not traditional but since I have got used to noiseless pick ups on my Custom Telecaster. I also bought a repro cap set from Luxe Guitars but that has gone in the Tele Custom since I have just got an original Cornell Dubilier .05uf cap on ebay.
	Update June 18th 2007 I decided that I wanted a Fender bridge on the guitar after all. I put the Joe Bardens on my CIJ Custom Telecaster. Instead I bought a modified Fender Bridge from Brad Barber at Bridgeworks on ebay. Brad modifies the bridge with a notch on the lower flange and at my request, two extra holes on front edge to help stability. The saddles are the Callahams from Custom Telecaster, cleaned up a bit which are now spare. I now have all the hardware except the machine heads. I am leaving these since the neck I buy may come with some already. Next stage the body and neck, once I have a bit more cash!

Update June 21st 2007 Got this body on ebay from a guy in Coventry. He had bought it from The STRATsophere, who specialise in Fender parts. It was actually "fully loaded" with the original parts but as I have most of them now I will not use them. Lovely butterscotch finish, the neck pocket marks it as August 28 1996. On the left is the body just after I took off the old parts and the right is with my own parts on it. The exception is the original scratchplate since I realised mine was for an Esquire, with no front pick-up hole!

Update July 10th 2007 The neck arrived this morning. A 2005 (dated June 22nd 2005) Fender USA neck with the tuners and string guide already installed. Just needed screwing onto the body and setting up. Luckily no problems fitting it and very little setting up except intonation and saddle height. The neck seems to be okay with the 10s I usually use - I will play it for a bit and tweak as I go. For a much bigger version of the completed picture (and a few more) you can go to http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/showphoto.php/photo/8048/cat/500/ppuser/15040 [click on it for a bigger version] July 25th 2007 To hear the Tele in a mellow mood, here is "Mellow Tele". The Tele plays the lead while the background swells are my Strat. You can hear the guitar in a more raunchy mode in "Rocky Tele". Sorry about the titles, have not thought any proper ones up yet. Now hear "Funky Tele" and "Ebow Tele". [You may find it easier to right click and save]