OmaPlata

Awesome, thank you!

On a guitar with a scale length of 25.5", how much adjustment in either direction do I need for the saddles when locating the bridge? Is +/- .125" about right or do I need more or less? I have a gotoh modern tele bridge that is supposed to mount in vintage holes, however it seems 25.5" is my minimum scale length when I max out the saddle adjustment towards the nut. I would think I should be able to get the scale length down to 25.375" at least if needed to intonate, but that's not the case as I can only make my scale length longer. Does this sound right?

Hey guys, so I'm trying to decide on a set of tele pickups. The guitar is a one piece ash body, maple neck, with an ebony fretboard. The body is medium density. I suspect that this will be a bright guitar, so I'm looking for a set of pickups that will pull back a little bit of the attack and abrasiveness in favor of a creamier, sweeter, smoother tone. I'm assuming this puts my in the "vintage" sector, versus the overwound sector. I'm just hoping someone can steer me in the right direction. My budget is maybe 200 bucks for pickups. There are so many choices it's hard to understand the differences, especially since I don't have a venue to try them all. In addition, it's hard to get a good feel through youtube videos and such, because the recording quality is generally low. Is there any method you guys use to decide on a set of pickups, when you have very little experience with all the different brands? Just a few I've been looking at: Fralin Stocks or Blues Specials, Rio Grande Vintage Tallboy, Anderson VA or SC, Lollar Vintage T or 52 T or ??? Thanks in advance.

Great, thank you guys. This is the first neck I've ever bought, and my first flame maple neck, so I didn't have a reference to compare to. I'm glad I asked, as it sounds like there is no need for concern as I got my money's worth. Much appreciated.

Hey guys, just curious to get some opinions on a flame maple neck I recently ordered. I guess for what I spent on the neck, I'm not wildly impressed with the flame maple, and I was wondering if this was common to see a neck like this. Keep in mind, I only paid for regular flame maple, and not AAA flame maple, but it seems like only half of my neck is flamed and the other half is just quartersawn. The flame is stark enough to satisfy me, but my qualm is that the top half isn't flamed. Is this characteristic of and acceptable on a regular flame maple neck? What do you guys think? Should I say something to the builder or am I off base? Thanks. Also, before you ask, I won't disclose the name of the builder. Top: Very little flame Bottom: Lots more Flame Whole neck:

Well, having tried many necks, the nocaster neck had superior feel for me. I guess you could say the nocaster neck has the specs I like...

Hey guys, Specing a tele neck to be built soon and going to try to match it to an old nocaster. I was wondering if anybody could confirm some of the basics for me ust to make sure I don't goof it up. The info I want to confirm is: 1)Nut width 2)25.5" - 21 frets 3)flat or curved bottom nut 4)fingerboard radius (7.25?) 5)fret size 6)tuner hole diameter 7)thickness (.97" ?) Thanks in advance.

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted. I'm back into my project tele now(one piece swamp ash body), and it's time to order my neck. I'm looking for opinions, particularly in the department of wood choice. I'm looking for a wood that I don't have to finish, but that is tonally similar to maple. I don't mind if a little warmth is added as long as I maintain some tele bite. I'll be running tele style single coils...perhaps Fralin Blues Specials. Here's what I'm thinking: Back Countour: .95" U basically trying to copy an old nocaster baseball bat(wood density is a concern because of the size) Wood: Wenge/Wenge, Wenge/Ebony, Pau Ferro/Pau Ferro, Pau Ferro/Ebony or ????/???? Frets: Jumbo, 6150, 6100, or 6000 can't decide Rad: 7.25-9.5 compound Nut: 1.650 Anyways, I guess fret wire and wood choice are my only variables I haven't decided(other than some minor cosmetics). Anybody have some words of guidance? Thanks!

Currently I have an ash body blank that is roughly 2 inches thick. The overall goal is between 1.75 and 2". Anyways, do you guys plane your blanks before cutting the outline or plane them after you have your body shape? Also, during the course of normal sanding and finish, how much material should I plan on removing. In other words, Let's say that after finish I wanted my body to be exactly 1.75" thick. How thick should it be planed to such that after I sand it smooth and finish it I reach this goal? Also, I assume a tiny bit of wiggle(corner to corner, <.030") if you lay your blank on the table and push each corner is acceptable? I highly doubt everyone starts with a perfectly flat blank but wouldn't mind confirmation. Thanks guys.

Just curious who makes a good accurate tele pickguard. How are the GFS ones? How about StewMac? Also, who makes a decent modern tele bridge for a reasonable price? What differences can I really expect between bridges(in other words, what makes a 50 dollar bridge 25 dollars better than a 25 dollar bridge)? Also, anybody know a good source for carbon fiber pickguards(that are reasonably priced)? Thanks.

Sadly I don't own one of those...

That's kind of what I'm thinking. Do you guys usually cut your body outline and then plane to thickness or vise versa? (obviously you'd route your cavities after so you don't change their depth when you plane)

I have checked it on numerous surfaces. My cutting table(particle board), my kitchen table, and my dresser. I provided the worst case scenario. My template lays almost flat on the blank(maybe 3/64's of wiggle). It's not that bad. With ferrules on the back the guitar would never lay flat and nobody would ever notice, assuming the wood is stable(which I think it is). I guess I'm just curious as to where people draw the line.

I have a solid ash body blank and it is slightly warped(cupping). You can't tell by looking at the blank. If you set it down on a table, and push hard on one corner, the opposite diagonal corner comes off the table about 1/8". Corner to corner it's 21.5" What is the acceptable tolerance for warped body blanks? This wood seems to be stable now, just slightly cupped. Would you guys use it as is or take further steps to eliminate the warping? THe blank is exactly 2" thick btw.

I recently played a Fender custom shop guitar and absolutely loved the contour on the neck. It was 1" thick almost exactly, and seemed to be 1 inch thick all the way up the neck with minimal taper. From what I could tell, it was U shaped. Does this sound like a Nocaster neck profile? Does the fender custom shop make this comonly? If not, can anybody fathom a wild guess as to what it is? Does anybody have a drawing for the profile of the nocaster neck btw? I'd be interested to compare it to the neck profiles offered at Warmoth or USACG. Thanks!

Cool, looks like a nice little router. Out of curiosity, how much power do I need to be sufficient? I suppose amperage would be the most telling?

Do you guys think a plunge router is necessary of is a fixed based router sufficient? For pickups I plan to remove most material with a drill first anyways...

As for the tools, thanks for the advice guys. I'll check some of these suggestions out. That dwg doesn't seem like it will allow my to take it to an acrylic laser cutting outfit and cut out a template. While it's a nice drawing, I don't think it will allow me to do what I need to do. Anybody else know where a tele template has been drawn up for laser cutting?

Hello, So as my build and planning progresses, I've finally found a body wood that I like and will be getting my blank. Accordingly, this puts me in the market for a router. This will be my first build, so I will be taking things slowly and carefully. I'm curious as to what you guys recommend for an entry level router. I'm a novice when it comes to wood working(I do have some experience with metal though). To be honest, I'm a bit intimidated by a full scale router, and was originally planning on taking it slow with a dremel/dremel router attachment. Online reading has talked me out of that. I've also seen that harbor freight has a little 2.5 amp mini router thing for 20 bucks. This seems like it might work for pickup cavaties and neck pockets, but I cringe at the thought of buying anything cheap from harbor frieght. In any case, I'm curious what router setup would be ideal for a first timer for pickups and neck pockets? Something inexpensive but capable of getting the job done. My emphasis would be on something controllable and precise. Guitars will be my only application for it...at least for now. Also, I'm curious if anybody has a dxf file of a tele template that is ready to be laser cut. That means no duplicate lines, splines etc. I've seen a few online but only have a viewer to see them so I can't tell if they are ready. Hoping someone can verify one of them for me. Thanks!!!

As mentioned, that is one option. I suppose I was interested in exploring wenge as it's a bit "different" on a tele and could have some tonal advantages...

The build in question is a solid body tele with a 2 piece ash body. The guitar will be dyed transparent black and will likely have at least one, if not two P90's. The fingerboard will be ebony, the blackest I can find(likely no inlay as well). I'll be looking to complete the trio with a black neck. It will likely be a pretty thick C shaped neck(maybe 1"). My two considerations currently are to dye maple black and gloss it or use wenge. I understand that maple is going to be a good bit brighter than the wenge. I'd be curious as to how each of these would pair with an ash body and ebony fretboard? I've heard Wenge goes quite well tonally with ebony. I've never played a Wenge neck and am wondering how it compares in feel and playability to say...Padauk(I have a guitar with a Padauk neck). I do have a few concerns about wenge though... 1)I'm worried it might not be dark enough. I don't want a chocolate brown neck, I want black. I've heard Wenge does not take finish well due to the oil content and I wouldn't be able to darken it any. 2)I'm worried about weight and neck dive. I'm shooting for just north of a 4 pound body(maybe 4.3-4.5). Will I be alright or will I need more weight in the body to balance a thick Wenge neck? Also, are there any other woods worth considering with this setup/combo? Thanks! PS-Sorry for all the newbie questions. I searched and didn't come up with much but I'm sure this has been covered...

Thanks again for the responses guys. I do agree that mahagony is a great wood, but I just want something different...perhaps a little more exotic and interesting to me. In any case, I think it will end up depending on what I find with the most interesting grain pattern when I go hunting for wood. I guess I'll gauge the weight when I come to that bridge. I currently play a 10 pound tele +/-...wouldn't want to go any heavier really, but don't mind it at that weight.

THanks for the responses everyone. I haven't considered mahagony only for the reason that I already play a mahogany gibson and want something different. As for weight, I don't want the thing to be so heavy I can't stand up with it, but I don't mind if it's heavy. What am I realistically looking at for a body weight with bubinga(I think my current top choice)?

Hey guys- I'm contrmplating my second build now and trying to learn a little bit more about wood. I've read a lot but see a lot of contradicting info. I'm looking to make a tele style guitar on the heavier side, although it doesn't need to be backbreaking. Aiming for some serious sustain. Also, I'm aiming for crystal clear, bell like cleans(warm, lots of overtones with too much treble bleedoff) with a little grunt under distortion...of the blues/jazz genre. I'm leaning towards P90's for this application. I've dreamed of an all black tele, but also enjoy wood grain so I'd like to show it off. I'm thinking of doing a transparent black body and neck in one of the following: Goncalo Alves Wenge Bubinga Zebrawood I'm curious as to how each of these would serve for my application? How well do they take stain? What would a solid tele body weigh using each(speaking in ballparks/averages)? Is there an alternative that has interesting grain pattern, is affordable, and reasonably heavy? Also, this may be the first body I cut myself, so I'm curious as to their workability. Thanks!!

Contact Larry Karosa of Karosa guitars and tell him his neck is a problem and have him fix it for you or at least check it for you no charge. I totally would except Larry is in Texas or something and I am in California. It would cost more in shipping than to pay for somebody to just fix it out here, if there's a problem with the neck.