chops1983

I Had a few problems with the clear... i was getting witness lines after block wet sanding, so i got a little guidance from the paint shop. The tips they gave me and this is a 2k poly product was to thin to 40% and have a wide and wet fan spray, when spraying nitro it will blend into the previous coat but 2k lays on top, so after sanding back almost fully to bare timber i relayed with the new gun settings and got much better results. The other difference with my finishing technique, i actually orbital sanded starting with 800grit working my way to 2000 and then just added water to the top. Was much quicker easier and i didnt get any swirls. I know cheating right?

Last shot of the 2 together!

Well thats it!

Chad.

A Few more...

A close up of the binding which ties into the PG.

Some sunshine to show up the flame maple

Just thought i would finish off this thread. Haven't been round these parts for a while... Life is flat out on my end with work. Ever since ive been home from europe, which is going on a year now ive been so extremely busy its ridiculous...The good news is ive sold one of my other builds ( sad to see it go) and there's been quite a bit of interest in building guitars for a couple local musicians. Once ive found some time hopefully in the new year i will be building another semi Tele the same as the one in this thread but for a leftie... ive got to build a bass guitar for another guy and ive been working on another original design for myself. Ive had to make no promises for these builds though as i just don't have any time.

Anyway ive manage to scrape a few spare hours together to finish the solid Tele in this pair. All the hardware is the same as the semi except for the pickups which i decided to try a set of golden age Tele pickups with the vintage wiring kit. These pickups are really nice, Alnico 5 mags lots of clarity and are pretty well balanced, i do prefer to roll the tone back to half and just roll the volume off a tad and they sound lovely.... Ive only spent about half an hour playing the guitar as i just finished putting it together on the weekend. Plays alot like the semi, but sounds very diiferent. Has a wonderful thick unplugged tone and chords really ring out nicely. I guess thats the full solid body. Speaking of the body, the forearm bend and belly carve make this guitar a really comfortable guitar to play... ive never really played a strat but probably much the same.

Some Pics.

Sorry to all the GOTM winners of last year...but i much prefer this line up of guitars to the winners poll! So many lookers in this bunch i don't actually think there would be a guitar i wouldn't want to play here! I went for madhats april guitar. Simple,stylish and looks like it would be a joy to play! So many other goodies though, ScottR, Metalheads, RAD's it was a tough choice.

Chad.

for other people who dont know, we've already had this conversation. some people really like this design, as well as a couple of others iv done, whilst others (including you) really dont. as i said before, you cant please everyone. some people think paris hilton is "hot". i think she looks like shes been hit repeatedly with a shovel. and so on and so forth.

in fact, on another forum, some people (regarding another design) assumed that i was a professional designer. not a guitar designer, a graphic or other designer. im not saying therefore im fantastic and you're wrong. its just down to opinion. i like these designs. you dont.

i like my version better than yours. maybe other people would like yours better

I sent that pic to you to get an idea what I was talking about. I asked if I can post something in to your thread, you did not approve and I sent it to you in a PM!

It is a quickly butchered sketch in photoshop to show where I think you were wrong. It was not how I think it should have been done, anyhow it shows the areas you should work on with...

The headstock, if you want it to look like donald duck, that is your choice... It is a matter of opinion.

But the bass side of the body. It is not just mater of opinion. It is out of shape. If you cannot figure out why please ask and I'll analyze it for you...

EDIT: changed Anyhow to anyhow,

Henrim,

I think its funny how your trying to tell Hooglebug he is wrong on his own original design...if ya don't like it, go read another thread!

Hoogle,

I personally really like the overall design, i think the headstock really goes well with it. IMO the upper bout could be shaved a little but this is my opinion. I have a drawing of a new design i drew 2 years ago and the end of the fretboard is almost identical to yours...great minds think alike!

The ES is awesome BD!

I think ive voiced how much i like these already.... hows about a shot of these two together?

Chad.

That is some seriously good work BD...Im not even a LP fan but she looks tops mate! The burst on that guitar is spectacular Good to hear about the lacquer, the nitro i spray with tends to chip a bit and also scratches easily...as long as i get a few finished pics before any scratches, but then its game on!

Hurry up with the ES!!!

I agree SR, very cool inlays indeed.... sort of same, same, but different. Nice work Doug i love a good iceman and the theme is killer!

I use timbermate, i find i need to do a few passes to fill the grain with a flat flexible painters spatula. You can definately tint it though which is handy.

Well p/ups came on Tuesday and the Semi is all done...Thanks Mike for the Killer set of Guitarheads p/ups they sound great to my ears. They're the super twang plus set. Bridge is real crunchy with high gain, gets that classic AC/DC Malcolm Young rhythm sound, neck is warm,deep and smooth almost too perfect for what i want for playing some blues and the middle setting is a really nice blend which sounds lovely clean.... i must say i'm very happy with this git Ive been playing it acoustically for a couple of weeks and it's a very lively instrument, i was quite concerned at what it would sound like as Drak early on in this thread mentioned that he isn't a fan of the tone of Tele's with no meat behind the bridge. but i'm happy with it. It has definately helped the balance of the guitar now all the parts are in, it was a little light on the body side before. Finish weight is 3.160kg... a tad under 7 pounds.

The guitar sustains beautifully, other Tele's ive played have lacked a little in this department, but the brass compensated saddles seem to do the trick very nicely, they also intonate very well. There's 2 things wrong with it though. When i was hammering in the final string ferrule the finish chipped off, had this have been a build for a customer i would have cried my little eyes out as i would have had to try pull all of them back out and refinished, but as it's mine i moved on and have drop filled the finish, i can't sand it or buff it but at least the timber is sealed. The other problem is a bouncy fret which hasn't quite seated, so when i leveled the frets it would push down leaving the fret a little high meaning fret buzz. Any tips on how to fix this would be appreciated. I figure i could inject a little CA glue under the fret and try clamp it down, it would at least fill the void underneath and give it something solid to sit on and then re-level and dress the fret.

A couple of quick pics i took today, they aren't to clear was shooting into natural light and the battery was telling me it was gonna die.

I'm now 1 step closer to owning my dream guitars, just need a 335 and ill be set, of course the real deal is what i want but this will do for now!Ill try get a few good shots over the w/end before i ruin it

Ohhhhh ill take the one on the right.... nah the left.... definately the right... looking good BD!

Hey Mike,

I think the theory is definately there, the other day when i screwed the neck on the Semi tele i used both E strings to hold the neck tight into the back of the neck pocket and also to check the alignment on the bridge. I couldn't tune up to pitch but i could lift the guitar and move it without the neck falling out, I was surprised i could do this.

My only concern would be the transfer of vibrations to the body and thus the bridge for sustain. The best sounding electric guitars to my ears always seem to be guitars that when strummed open, you can feel more of the vibration of the strings travelling right through the body timber, they almost feel alive! I often wander through music stores strumming guitars open listening for good ones and then feeling the butt ends of them. I find the best sounding ones always vibrate alot,... i must look like a weirdo to the staff. I strummed a vintage Burns once and stopped dead in my tracks, best sounding electric ive ever done this to, gave it a little grope and sure enough it vibrated better than a....... I could be totally crossing into Voodoo territory though.

You have probably already thought of this but you could also install a locking thumbscrew at the end of the neck between the pickups that could be adjustable to set neck angles for interchangable bridges.

Wow that was long, if you read all that good for you!

I think the PG stays...especially after the strong argument from Mike!

Hopefully if i don't go up to the city this w/end i will be able to finish everything except for the p/ups. This guitar is sitting in my room taunting me to put it together but i'm just under the pump this week and don't have time to do little things after work each day.

Nah just joking SR

This is a shot standing in the door of the shed looking up our driveway. This is one of the biggest trees on the block, a big old Redgum or Marri we call it. Used for furniture and flooring here in the southwest.

Here im standing to the left of the tree in the above pic and facing a little to the left.

Standing in the same spot but facing 90 deg left and looking at the house i built with my father in law and our family friend who is a builder. To the left of the house and at the bottom of the block we have a nice creek that runs in winter, fun to mess around with the dogs down there.

And spinning another 90 deg to the left the shed where i build guitars.

Chad.

So i got the frets levelled, dressed and polished this afternoon and also swirl removed the body, so now this Tele is ready for assembly... I'm trying to figure out if i wanna use the pickguard or not? I quite like it, as does my wife but the top of this guitar is quite nice... maybe a vote is needed?

Pickguard

No pickguard

Fretdressed neck

And a pic for SR of the bush

What do ya's reckon? PG or No PG?

Blackdog,

Ive already expressed how much i love these builds... but i think your wife just added the icing on the cake, they look absolutely amazing mate. Vintage correct construction and finish....simply beautiful!

Hurry up and finish em so i can vote for them in GOTM!

Chad.

Hey,

Got all the parts yesterday So mock up pics to come later tonight.

SR, i would love to live in the rain forrest but i live in plain old aussie bushland on 2 acres in the Southwest of the country. I'll take some snaps for ya...

I've read lots of good things about RAD's p/ups so ill PM him and have a chat. For now Our souls has hooked me up with some p/ups he doesn't need...what a fantastic bloke!!!

Anyway Off to the old salt mine!

Chad.

Hey,

Got the semi body buffed today...still needs a swirl remover but it's looking pretty shiny. Tomorrow the parts will be in my hot little hands and ill start to put this guitar together!

Chad

Hey Scott, Workingman,blackdog,

Thanks for the support...

The cars fine now, bit of scrubbing and love and she's looking good! Work isn't too bad, just did a couple days up in the city for family and start back with one of the builder's i was working with before i left on monday so i should be ok. Plus, i have a few private jobs coming up, decks,pergola's etc but it's nice to know people have been waiting for me to come home to build their project's.

I know what you mean Blackdog... u see so many modded Tele builds...but i only own humbucked guitars and have no SC gits so it will be cool to have something different. I've been looking at p/ups and i think i'm sold on a SD alnico 2 pro for the rhythm p/up and the SD vintage broadcaster for the bridge p/up. The sound bytes on the SD website sound great and i think they're right up my alley. I will be mostly playing blues with these so those p/ups seem like a good match.

Anyway hopefully ill get some time to buff out the body this w/end and ill post up some pics!

Cheers,

Chad

Cant see it myself! Photo's aint working for me...anybody know why?

This is gonna be a looker when she's all finished Wes!!! Good work!

Hey Scott!

I am indeed back from Europe and yes we had a blast...getting my life back in order. My car got wet on the inside over winter and i've come home to a mould infested car complete with rusted tools and the worst of my rusted tools was my favourite 2. Both my routers! So i've been playing with bleach and cleaning my car and spent the day today de-rusting my tools!

Although i did take time out to order all the parts from stewmac for the Semi tele so they should be here in a week. Unfortunately i won't be able to finish them as a pair as debt won't allow it and work around these parts is sparse! I'm naughty to even finish this one... So anyway,... i left off with both the necks and the body of the semi sprayed. Will hopefully polish out the semi's body this weekend. Ill have to wait for p/ups though as i cant afford them, but it's ok ill assemble the guitar without them and set it up etc. to play acoustically.

Some pics for ya....

The neck on the right has had a light rub with some 0000 steel wool, nice and smooth!4 coats of sealer if i remember correctly.

Chad.

I voted for Osorio, Les Pauls are not easy builds and this one turned out great, finish is beautiful and the bigsby gives some real vintage Mojo.

MK hit the nail on the head, there are many great builders on this site and i would find it really hard to compare a builder who has a 2 year waiting list and sells his guitars for as much and more as high level factory customs to builders who don't do it as their day jobs but still build beautiful guitars.

Chad.

Hi Chad ! Thanks for the comments. My all-time favorite guitar has always been the Les Paul, but I have to admit that lately I find the 335 more and more appealing.

In any case, and for obvious reasons, a Les Paul build will never be as interesting as a 335. It is an unusual beast, and very seldomly found as a home-built project.

When I was considering my options for rebuilding the destroyed ES-335 I had, I searched the internet for a thread about building one, and could not find much. I would have loved at the time to find a thread like the one I'm trying to keep here. I'm glad you find it interesting.

Hey BD,

Ive searched the net as well looking for a good build thread for a 335 and haven't really come across one either, so from all the people on the net looking for one from now on... Thanks!

I guess it's not such a home built guitar because of the formed top and back plates. I also found that guy who you got your top and back through and reckon what you have done is the best option in building one. You see 335 builds where people carve the top and back but it's not the same IMO and would produce a totally different sound from an original. They really are a beautifully designed guitar and yours is gonna be awesome when its finished!

Chad

Bask in it's glory!

I just vomited in my mouth a little....

Ace Tele's RAD. I love the back of the hotrodded Tele, the carves that hit the core timber look as sexy as it gets... for me it definately makes this guitar!

Chad