Telecaster build, part 1: Bits.
Despite feeling safe and smug for a year and a half, and thinking I was quite content with the guitars I had, blinding guitar-fever has struck again!
For guitar #11 (hi, my name is … ), I’m assembling a “partocaster” Tele, including finishing the body.
Parts:
Via Kijiji, I traded a neglected Epiphone Valve Jr. amp for a Telecaster neck (Classic ’50s) and ordered a walnut body from Spalt King in Québec. The guitar will not have a pickguard/control plate, and so is rear routed. For Strat controls.
For the wiring, I have a Acme Guitar Works “Tone Shaper” rig for a Stratocaster. This was a Christmas gift last year, and I couldn’t get it installed in my Strat (pot holes too narrow, switch tip wouldn’t come off… ).
From Stew-Mac and Guitar Parts Resource:
- 6x chrome string ferrules
- 4x stainless steel neck screws (these are just #8 x 1 3/4″ wood screws, but good luck finding them)
- Black pickguard material – for the rear control cover
- Electrosocket jack cup. Was going to use a Les Paul style jack plate as the vintage style Telecaster cup is just too fiddly. Electrosocket is a much better fit.
- Wiklinson bridge
- Seymour Duncan P-Rails humbucker (neck)
- Seymour Duncan ‘Broadcaster’ pickup (for the bridge position)
- Telecaster switch tip
- Neck plate
- Dunlop Strap-Lok strap buttons
- Chrome, flat-mount humbucker mounting ring
- 3x chrome barrel knobs
Body will be finished in Tru-Oil.
Pick-ups will be wired so that the switch works as follows:
1. Neck rails
2. Neck humbucker (coils in parallel)
3. Neck P-90
4. Neck P-90 and bridge pickup (in parallel)
5. bridge pickup.
