1st Build From Scratch - Based On Telecaster

[mannym]

I started my first build a little while ago, and have recorded progress on the telecaster forums and woodworker forums. I thought Id share my progress with the members here, as Ive read these forums for a while and have gained a real appreciation of your creativity and have learnt a hell of a lot.

My first build is for my 10 year old son. Its completely made from salvaged timber that I found wasting away. Two large and very heavy billets of Aussie Eucalypt for the body. The weight was huge, so a hollow body was in order, mainly to reduce the weight. This obviously poses a greater challenge for me than originally set.

I also salbvaged an old antique oak cabinet circa 1920s that was lying around my in-laws' place and was ready to be thrown out. I finally identified it as Tiger Oak, with a very detailed grain pattern. The Tiger oak will be used as the cap for the body. Teh neck will be made from salvaged Cypress I also found.

Im limited with tools so Ive had to make some stuff work as i went along with mixed results.

My first 2 neck attempts suffered some accidental damage, but they did serve their purpose in giving me a couple of practice runs and I gained the confidence to make number 3 count.

Ill be using a Wilkinson vintage style neck pickup and a humbucker bridge pup. Modern Fender tuners and hardware all in chrome.

This project was started proper in April so bear with me. Im interested to get your opinions and take on the project.

First make some templates.

[mannym]

Got the router working on the edges to get some joints happening and finlaly got pretty true. A little sanding and we are gluing up.

here's teh slavaged tiger Oak that will be used for the cap:

Glued up body blanks:

Starting to think about getting some of the coat of shellac off this veneer. She's rough around the edges, but the center that will act as the cap for the top of the guitar is solid as far as I can tell. Must clean her up - there's some real detail in that grain.

[mannym]

Here's the sanded cap:

Note the scar at the left top corner....hmmm.....the grain and veneer were shot at the other end of the board so I had to use this end. If I cant sand and fill it out, I may use a modified Deluxe pick guard to hide it.

And here it is cut - about 4 millimeters outside the line. I didnt want to split the veneer with the crappy jig saw I have. I did manage a tiny tear at the bottom of the horn. Just over the line but I reckon I can sort that one out.

Thickness the blank with the old trusty Ryobi Plane.

I looked up the Telecaster thicknesses again and they were mostly 1.75 inches or 44 mm. There were some 1.5 inch models (MIMs and MIJs I think). The blank was shaved down to 26mm and the cap is 14mm making it somewhere in between Fender's specs - 40mm. Its a hell of a lot lighter now - and once I chamber it will be a little less weight.

The back is the nicer grained finish. There are 3 scars from nail holes, but they will not play a role once the shape is cutout - just.

Here's the pattern on the front side that will be capped.

And here's the back wiped down with a damp cloth to show up the grain.

[mannym]

Cut out the main body and is ready for flush trimming.

Drilled out some wooden disks and clamped together to make some sanding drums. I used a 6 mm fixing screw and cut off the big round flat hex driver head. Fits the drill and router perfectly.

Cut a thin angled slot to pin the paper into. A couple of rubber bands at top and bottom holds it on nice and tight.

The bloody thing actually works! LOL.

Sanded body and started with "F" hole which looks nothing like an "F".

Bad photo - sorry about the blur. Here's a better close up.

[mannym]

Finished routing/trimming the body.

Drew where the chambers are going.

Started drilling out the chambers.

One more pass with the router.

Here is the chambered body sanded. Sanded and checked and she's flat and ready for the cap to glue on.

[mannym]

The Bridge Humbucker arrives. Mock up.

I managed to make a 13" radius sanding block with my router on a jig.

[img[http://scopeit.net/images/block13.jpg

Onto the neck.

After marking up two tele necks side by side, and fitting one with truss rod, i decided I could split the blank down the middle and have enough to potentially make 4 x bolt ons.

No band or table saw so free hand it is!!!

I ended up with 2 nice halves of what i believe is Meranti - I initially thought it was Cypress - but thats the fretboard.

It took a couple of careful hours but i was happy with the result as the dimensions show:

[mannym]

I whipped up a Mitre bed with a couple of angles, including the obvious 90 degree slot. I cut an 8mm thick piece from the slab I have for fretboard material (recovered cypress flooring) and marked up the lines. I plan to sand this down to about 6mm as a final thickness once its glued to the neck.

Marked up lines and started to slot. I found a Japanese draw saw at bunnings and thought id add that finer blade to the tool box.

And finished with one slotted fret board. Now to trim the neck profile and glue up over the weekend.

Finished routing the neck with my template. Just as I finished the screw came flying off the router bit and now Ive got a bearing somewhere in the garage...........

Fitted Truss rod and ready for glue.

Added a little masking tape......

Poured and spread the glue, removed tape and clamped her up.

[i,g]http://scopeit.net/images/neckclamp.jpg

Now I wait for a day or 3.

Might start on the access plates and pup cavities whilst the neck dries. Ill leave teh neck pocket alone for now, until the neck is done. I want to use the actual neck for fit.

[mannym]

Fret Board glued and dry. Removed clamps and flush trimmed the edge of the board.

Next was to mark out and thickness the headstock.

A couple of minutes later:

With the headstock down to around 16mm, I decided to test fit the tuners. The holes were a bit tight for their sleeves, so I worked them a little and started fitout.

And there you have it!

One less thing to worry about. Next I thought Ive got some time to rough out the headstock "slippery dip" transition. i was a bit curious as to how far back my truss rod access hole was, but i was about to find out. Im using a top mounted rod, that adjusts at the head like a Gibson not at the heel. I may even add a variation to the headstock and cover the access hole with a contoured plate later on. We'll see.

I clamped down the neck with some scrap to protect the headstock face and started with my little rasp.

I was surprised to find out it only took a couple of minutes for this:

I was delighted to discover just the right amount of truss rod access cavity poked through after the sand down. Right where I wanted it.

Some more sanding with paper wrapped around a rod.

And rough profile of headstock completed!

Thinking about making a profiled/curved truss cavity cover.

Edited July 5, 2010 by mannym

[mannym]

Start the headstock transition with my trusty little rasp. Its small but hogs quickly in tight places.

A little more...

Rounded the edges slightly and started on the heel.

Radius the fret board and sanded through the grits from 240-1200.

She's dry and light in colour but shiny. Next photo shows some reflection. Pretty smooth feel. Ill drill marker holes tomorrow and touch up with some sanding.

masking tape used to mark center lines.

Started the fret marker holes - will be using an aluminium ring and wood combo for markers.

[mannym]

Next the neck carve:

I start by shaving the corners off at specific angles and depths to create the first facets.

For every pass on one side I try and repeat the exact same pass on the other.

Slowly working my way around taking every edge off the previous one and creating smaller and smaller facets. The shallow D Im after at the heel end and the C at the headstock end, are starting to form.

When Im happy with the rough shape and compound transition, I start fine tuning with the hand rasps.

Now its starting to come along. So far Im happy except for the thickness. Its about 30 mm from the top of the fretboard to the center of the neck. This is where I give the neck a couple of shallow passes with teh grinder again and thin down with the files and rasps. I Like a slightly thicker neck and managed to get the thickness at the heel, middle and headstock to 27mm - perfect.

"Shoe-Shine" Sand with 150 and 240 to smooth the neck out.

Im pretty happy with the result.

Now I need to spend time sanding out the fine scratches.

[mannym]

For the access cavity I'm going to use a piece of that "Tiger" Oak for the cover.

Mark out shape cut and transfer to body.

Next I hogged out the centre.

Cut through and flush trim, ready for the outer "step" the cover sits on and screws into.

Started thinking about fret markers. Im going to use chrome hardware so I thought Id incorporate that in the neck also. Ive got some 10mm Alumi tubing and 8mm timber dowel and started experimenting.

cut up some more pipe and dowel and assembled.

Ground down the excess and fit the first one. Radius sanded with 120 to level out.

Very pleased with results so far. Started to fit and glue down the other dots.

[mannym]

Finished installing the Dots, and went through the sanding regime again.

Re-slotted fretboard and banged/glued in frets. Its official....Frets are a pain in the ####.

Marked out neck pickup cavity and routed through cap. I will do same with bridge pup cavity and then use the cap as a template to transfer to the base, before gluing the body up.

I still have to level, and crown the frets...which I believe will also be a pain in the ####.

Scale is 648mm (25.5 inches) which is about the centre of that horizontal masking tape. Its starting to come together.

Over the weekend routed the wiring channels before eventually gluing the cap onto the body.

Ill leave that for a day or 4, and then I can finish the neck pocket depth and fit the neck to lineup the strings/bridge for final bridge placement.

Whilst I wait I started testing some finishes. I bought a can of Minwax wipe on poly, and started applying coats onto the control cavity plate and a neck plate I also made from the Tiger Oak offcuts. With a light sanding in between to remove any dust or bubbles, Ive managed to apply 3 coats per day. The control plate is starting to shine and achieve some serious build up now after 14 light coats and Im guessing Im half way until I reach the desired buildup.

There are little ridges in this grain pattern but they are filling in nicely. There is some "tanning" or a slight deepening of the coloration towards a tobacco but so far I like.

[mannym]

I routed the neck pocket and bolted the neck on. The fit was good, and I marked the center line again in prep for positioning the bridge.

I also made a neck plate with the same material as the cavity covers. I dont think it will take the strain of a strung up neck though. Im going with a chrome neck plate instead.

Rounding over the body edges. Now I had a challenge because the veneered face is very thin and when I routed the round over on a scrap piece found the veneer splintering if I went close to the edge.

I ended up improvising by routing further into the body on the thinnest sides and ending up with an effect that I am happy with. The round over is a minor bevel/carve transitioning into the proper round edge.

Pictures may explain it more. The first shot shows the effect best, although the next shot will show the transition better. I transitioned the route on the face and the back as I liked the effect. Here it almost looks like a pick guard attached. The laminated cap also gives a fake binding effect.

This shot shows the transition better.

There's a couple nice scratches I picked up. Sanded out now. string holes not perfect but ferrules hide imperfections.

Mock up -

Ive drilled the jack cup hole and spent pretty much the whole day final sanding the edges and faces with 180 - 240 - 320. One good clean up and she's ready for the wipe on poly.

[Johnny Foreigner]

very impressive for a first build. looks like you have plenty of woodworking experience going into the build, which is always a help.

and you're right about frets.

[verhoevenc]

This is a GANGSTA minimalist tools build! Keep up the good work!

Chris

[mannym]

Started applying the preliminary coats of wipe on poly. Here are the first shots with 2 coats done.

[Our Souls inc.]

Looking great so far! Nice job.

[Reinhold]

I'm liking that top, I have a desk like that in my basement, but I'm kind of using it, if not it would be top wood because that is gorgeous.

[mannym]

The finishing schedule continues.

I apply one coat in the morning and one in the evening. Due to the wet cold weather in Sydney at the moment, I can only afford to lay down 2 coats per day.

After the 3rd coat I sanded lightly with 600grit, and applied the 4th. Sanded again with 600 grit and did coat 5. Just sanded again and wiped on the 6th coat. Now starting to see some buildup. My testing with this method, means it will cost me about 20 coats before I reach an acceptable full level. I know it sounds wasteful, but I really want a decent ploy coating that will rub out nice and shiny.

Results after 6 coats - 6th still wet.

[mannym]

Finishing schedule just about finished now, after 2 weeks and 20 coats later. There was sanding and leveling on the front side after each coat with 600-1200 grit. 20 for the front, 10 for the flatter back. 5 on the neck.

Next we let it sit and cure for a week or 3 before we buff up with 2000 Grit wet and dry and polish.

Here are some shots:

Here are a couple of shots of the neck with a few coats of poly and the frets levelled and polished along with the aluminium dot markers.

And I also made a neck pickup ring out of the same Tiger Oak I used for teh cap.

Needs a few more coats and polishing and its done.

Almost there now. You can see the neck has the nut installed and Im ready to string up and set the string height and slot the nut. Ill wait until at least a week of poly hardening before I attach teh neck and string her up for final setup. This week Ill start wiring up the electrics - J5 style, with the single neck, hot HB in teh bridge, 3 way toggle and 2 x 250Ohm pots.

cheers

Manny

Edited August 6, 2010 by mannym

[mannym]

We are getting there....decal time.

Here's the logo I drummed up for the headstock. Printed on decal paper.

Below is the serial number that will go on the back of the headstock. It comprises the Country the guitar was made in( proudly AUS), the year (2010) and my sons birth month as I will give this to him then (10), and lastly the very first build (0001).

Thats all for now.

Cheers

Manny

[mannym]

OK, Im nearly there. Tonight I attached the neck and strung her up. The nut slots are perfect....and then as I expected, some buzzing. Frets 15-20 are high. I have leveled them, and dont want to completely flatten them if i keep sanding them.

Now I need advice. Ive raised the saddles and clearance from pickups is good. To me it looks like the neck pocket may need a slight shave, about a millimeter or 2 max. Before I shave teh neck pocket, should I try and apply some neck relief via a truss rod adjustment? I want it spot on before I work on intonation and final setup.

Here are some progress shots. Nut ends need trimming, and electricals arent wired yet. It could use some volume knobs too. LOL.

Looking forward to some advise.

Cheers

Manny

Edited August 17, 2010 by mannym

[mannym]

Well, I found the source of the buzzing. The frets werent level and there were one or two higher ones. I also found 2 frets that had lifted up slightly. I read that the sting tension can sometimes move the fretboard and cause a fret to pop slightly. i removed and refretted.

I did have to deepen the pocket by 2 mm, and presto....no more buzz. And the action is a lot better.

[luthier1206]

contoured truss rod cover?

[mannym]

Luthier, that should have read trust rod access hole cover . Was going to bend some laminate, hence contoured.