Telebastard Update- sort of...

[Caevan O’Shite]

It's turned into a LO0O0O0O0NG Time since I first posted here about my Tele build project, dubbed the Fiender Telebastard.

Most of the way through the necessary parts and tools purchases, I unexpectedly found myself out of a job, followed by additional financial surprises- going abruptly from being able to spend like that proverbial Sailor, to having to put that guitar-build on hold. That hold-time in turn grew longer and longer...

Now- further updating you all with the following being like ripping off a Band-Aid for me- AND I REQUEST THAT IT ABSOLUTELY NOT BE A TOPIC OF ANY DISCUSSION HERE, I DON'T want to talk or read about it here, PLEASE DON'T EVEN OFFER ANY WELL-MEANT "I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT" POSTS...

My vision is failing, it got bad and then worse and then rapidly much worse. There's pretty much nothing to be done for it. Please, let's NOT discuss any of THAT here. Thank you.

Don't feel sorry for me at all, either, I had exceptionally superior vision for more than half a Century, that's how I see it (pun intended); I get frustrated, but I don't feel sorry for myself.

Of COURSE, I'll be GLAD to talk guitar stuff and related whatsuch! 🙂

It's simply that it'll be difficult or even impossible for me to do some tasks in continuing and completing the Telebastard project, and it makes no sense for me to buy some tools that I thought I'd continue to use after this, but now won't.

I WILL continue and I WILL complete it, it'll just require my having someone else do certain things, particularly soldering up the many tiny connections on the fancy 3-Way/6-Position selector-switch, filing on the nut-slots, etc., fine work that takes a sharp eye like I used to have.

    I'm gonna have a Hell of a fantastic guitar! Yay! It'll just take a few different detours than I expected, that's all.

[Dannyalcatraz]

Holy CRAP, that’s gorgeous!

[KuruPrionz]

I had 20/240 vision with remarkable close-up vision for many years. I had to wear glasses to drive but working on tiny guitar bits and soldering were very easy. 

A few years ago I had foggy cataracts and they replaced them surgically, now I have 20/30 distance vision but the super close up vision is gone forever. 

 

I've found the tool in the photograph to be very helpful when soldering things like switches, etc. You can reposition the magnifier light thingie around to the back side of the unit if needed, provide more access to things like a flipped over control panel on a Tele. I don't recall the price but it wasn't expensive and it's been a valuable tool for years. 

[Caevan O’Shite]

12 hours ago, Dannyalcatraz said:

Holy CRAP, that’s gorgeous!

I know, right?! I told Warmoth what I wanted, and they delivered. One-Piece Roasted Swamp Ash body with Vintage Tint; and a One-Piece Roasted Quartersawn Maple neck, with a " '59 Roundback" ('59 Les Paul patterned) profile, 10" - 16" Compound Radius and Stainless Steel frets. The pickguard's lacquered Bakelite.

 

8 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

I've found the tool in the photograph to be very helpful when soldering things

I do appreciate your wanting to help. I have one, it or glasses, etc. no longer helps that much, deteriorating retinas, rods and cones, the last time I was in a Doctor's office concerning it my vision wasn't nearly so bad yet but before I was out of the room, let alone the premises, a call from the Doctor to the DMV had my Driver's License already suspended.

I also used to be an exceptionally excellent Mil-Spec Solderer, if I say so, myself.

Please take no offense, I really don't want to discuss that (my vision deterioration) here.  Thank you for caring.

[KuruPrionz]

5 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

I know, right?! I told Warmoth what I wanted, and they delivered. One-Piece Roasted Swamp Ash body with Vintage Tint; and a One-Piece Roasted Quartersawn Maple neck, with a " '59 Roundback" ('59 Les Paul patterned) profile, 10" - 16" Compound Radius and Stainless Steel frets. The pickguard's lacquered Bakelite.

 

I do appreciate your wanting to help. I have one, it or glasses, etc. no longer helps that much, deteriorating retinas, rods and cones, the last time I was in a Doctor's office concerning it my vision wasn't nearly so bad yet but before I was out of the room, let alone the premises, a call from the Doctor to the DMV had my Driver's License already suspended.

I also used to be an exceptionally excellent Mil-Spec Solderer, if I say so, myself.

Please take no offense, I really don't want to discuss that (my vision deterioration) here.  Thank you for caring.

I understand. No offense taken or intended. FWIW, ALL my favorite bolt on guitars have Fatback Warmoth Necks and I have another one waiting to be assembled. I have one Maple fretboard 1 3/4" at the nut that used to have a Floyd Rose nut and does have a cracked and repaired Tele headstock - Tele body for that one, book matched walnut top wood about 3/16" thick over a 1 piece pine back, kinda heavy, one Maple 1 7/8" with scalloped fretboard and a reverse Strat Headstock on a turquoise Squier Strat body (thinner), one Baritone 24 fret maple board neck on an ash Tele body and the one in progress is a Rosewood fretboard 1 7/8" and a re-cut headstock that is sort of Tele but bigger so also sort of Strat like, it came to me that way and the body is another Strat body (sunburst) but full thickness. 

[Sharkman]

You got stainless steel frets.  What a great idea!  I have them on my Carvin and my Kiesel guitars.  They're the best.  There was this guitarist named Edward Van Halen who was also a huge fan of stainless steel frets.  I don't know if you've ever heard of him, but he used to be kind of popular.  Anyways, it's a beautiful guitar.  I love that clear deep gloss finish that brings out the woodgrain.

[surfergirl]

Beautiful guitar and I still love that case. I may have to look for one for my Stratocaster.

[Larryz]

@Caevan O’Shite,  I've been waiting for a long time to get a look at her and she's beautifull!  Glad the project is getting closer to being  finished and hope you find some good help with soldering, etc., so you can plug that baby in!!!  I can't wait to hear a review on how well she fills up your day and how you can't keep your hands off of her LoL!  You're doing a great job and keep keeping us posted!!!   😎👍 

[Dannyalcatraz]

It took me a while, but I finally remembered what your Telebastard reminded me of.

 

There was a guy on another board who had a custom Tele with a glossy-finished cherry wood body (or top/cap) paired with a chocolate-brown pickguard.  It looked like a cherry bonbon in telecaster form.

[Dannyalcatraz]

D’OH!

 

“My brain is what I forget with”,  as my dad says.  I got the description backwards: it was NOT cherry wood, it was walnut, and the pickguard was red.

 

Still looked like a cherry bonbon Tele, though.  Got THAT part right.😜

[Winston Psmith]

That dark stain really brings out the grain, and reminds me of some PRS Guitars that I've seen. You would be hard-pressed to find an off-the-rack Guitar that looked anywhere as good!

 

The $$$ you don't spend on tools can go into the electronics, and a strap worthy of the Guitar.

 

[KuruPrionz]

I have a Tele with the active EMG set of pickups. Instead of a tone control, it has an EMG SPC control, which rolls off the highs just a bit, kicks the midrange up considerably and makes a great option for going from strumming behind vocals to taking a solo lead part. I highly recommend it, simple and the battery will last for well over a year if you remember to unplug when not in use. I found I could just slightly enlarge the sides of the opening for the control panel and the battery will fit in there with just 2 screws needed to access and change the battery. 

[Dannyalcatraz]

23 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

That dark stain really brings out the grain, and reminds me of some PRS Guitars that I've seen. You would be hard-pressed to find an off-the-rack Guitar that looked anywhere as good!

 

The $$$ you don't spend on tools can go into the electronics, and a strap worthy of the Guitar.

 

Agreed!

 

For something unusual, I’ll suggest a Franklin Link glove-leather strap.  I’ve gotten a couple of these, and they’re surprisingly soft on the shoulder, even though they’re not really padded.  The construction gives them a bit of flex.

https://franklinstrap.com/product/link-glove-leather-handmade-guitar-strap/

[Caevan O’Shite]

On 4/23/2024 at 4:27 PM, Winston Psmith said:

That dark stain really brings out the grain, and reminds me of some PRS Guitars that I've seen. You would be hard-pressed to find an off-the-rack Guitar that looked anywhere as good!

 

The $$$ you don't spend on tools can go into the electronics, and a strap worthy of the Guitar.

 

 

On 4/23/2024 at 8:27 PM, KuruPrionz said:

I have a Tele with the active EMG set of pickups. Instead of a tone control, it has an EMG SPC control, which rolls off the highs just a bit, kicks the midrange up considerably and makes a great option for going from strumming behind vocals to taking a solo lead part. I highly recommend it, simple and the battery will last for well over a year if you remember to unplug when not in use. I found I could just slightly enlarge the sides of the opening for the control panel and the battery will fit in there with just 2 screws needed to access and change the battery. 

 

10 hours ago, Dannyalcatraz said:

Agreed!

 

For something unusual, I’ll suggest a Franklin Link glove-leather strap.  I’ve gotten a couple of these, and they’re surprisingly soft on the shoulder, even though they’re not really padded.  The construction gives them a bit of flex.

https://franklinstrap.com/product/link-glove-leather-handmade-guitar-strap/

That's actually not a stain at all, but just Roasted Swamp Ash, which is made darker by the *roasting process; ANY finish or oil added makes such roasted woods even darker. This has Clear coats topped with a transparent Vintage Tint.   *(Torrefaction, in a vacuum kiln, to remove moisture, sap, and impurities.)

As for electronics, that's all already covered. Pickups are a Lindy Fralin Blues Special Tele set, Hybrid Stagger. I have two different sets of Volume and Tone pots to choose from, a LOT of tone-caps of different values and types, and that Free-Way 3-Way/6-Position Switch that adds Parallel/Out-of-Phase, Series/Out-of-Phase, and Series/In-Phase to the usual three with a sideways click. Rutters Cup concave output-socket that looks vintage, is secured by screws, and allows me to use my favorite right-angle plug cable.

Some of my favorite straps and StrapLoks, check.

I love EMG's! And I really LOVE the SPC, as well! I just wanted to go passive and vintage-y with this axe, and also have the controls all appear stock and vintage/traditional/standard.

The wiring, pots, and- most especially- the tone-capacitor value will allow me to get a perceived 'mid-boost' when the amp or modeler/IR is cranked, and the guitar's volume-control is full-up and the tone-control is rolled back juuust a smidge.

Then when the volume-knob is rolled-back to clean-up and the tone-knob is maxed, it'll sound clearer and brighter and ever so slightly 'scooped' (but only because the higher treble is restored on top of the mids). Pedals that I've chosen dovetail magnificently with this dynamic and midrange-content approach. This tone-cap value and wiring-scheme is not quite as pronounced or complex as everything that the SPC does, but it's pretty cool none the less.

I'm probably going with a " '50s Les Paul wiring" adapted for a Tele, or possibly " '60s Tele wiring". The actual wiring difference is VERY simple, so I'll easily try both, as well as comparing all those caps...  I'll use some mini alligator-clips
and long lead wires to quick-change and compare.

I will go with the 'reverse' control-plate arrangement, Volume - Tone - Switch  front to back. I just might go with a push/pull tone-pot later on, if I decide to be able to switch between two very different vale capacitors on the tone-control.

[surfergirl]

The Franklin straps are nice. I'd like to add my favorite straps, Lakota Leathers. 

The black one is mine, I think it would contrast nicely with the black pick guard, the others would look nice with the Tele. 

[Scott Fraser]

13 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

I will go with the 'reverse' control-plate arrangement, Volume - Tone - Switch  front to back.

+1, yup, to get your Roy Buchanan on.

[Winston Psmith]

59 minutes ago, Scott Fraser said:

+1, yup, to get your Roy Buchanan on.

 

@Scott Fraser- @Caevan O’Shite is very fond of "Swell" effects, so that's the way to go!

[Dannyalcatraz]

I thought Bill Kirchen was the guy who first reversed the control plate on his Tele.  Or did he just popularize it?

[Caevan O’Shite]

8 hours ago, Scott Fraser said:

+1, yup, to get your Roy Buchanan on.

 

7 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

 

@Scott Fraser- @Caevan O’Shite is very fond of "Swell" effects, so that's the way to go!

I have long been a proponent of volume-swells (by numerous means) and the volume-knob "playing the amp" approach.

I'll probably start with a .0015mfd capacitor on the tone-pot, to shave off just the high treble while leaving much of the upper-mids and mids intact and unmolested.

Later, I will likely install a push/pull tone-pot so that I can switch between that .0015mfd cap and, say. a .047mfd cap for faux wah, truck horn honks, and such classic Tele tricks.
 

 

1 hour ago, Dannyalcatraz said:

I thought Bill Kirchen was the guy who first reversed the control plate on his Tele.  Or did he just popularize it?

I think that it had probably been done before he was doing it, but I could be wrong. Either way, h deserves kudos and acknowledgement.

[Larryz]

@Caevan O’Shite, Stewmac has Control plates in chrome, gold and black with an "angled slot".  It keeps the switch knob from resting on the tone or volume knobs or from being too close. 😎

 

Check out: Control Plate for Tele with Angled Slot - StewMac 

 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

10 hours ago, Larryz said:

@Caevan O’Shite, Stewmac has Control plates in chrome, gold and black with an "angled slot".  It keeps the switch knob from resting on the tone or volume knobs or from being too close. 😎

 

Check out: Control Plate for Tele with Angled Slot - StewMac 

 

 

Those ARE cool. As a matter of fact, I have at least two Tele control-plates here. One is even the same one from Stew-Mac that you posted about there; unfortunately, the large body of the 3-Way/6-Position Switch won't fit within the cavity when angled like that.

The other one is from Rutters Guitars; while the switch-slot is straight, the center hole for the middle control is moved 3/8" further from the switch to allow more room between the knob and the switch-tip. I can't remember if I got nickel or chrome. I also got a Black-Nickel plated knurled-knob for the switch-tip, from Rutters.

  Rutters 3/8" Over Control Plate for Tele

[desertbluesman]

When I built my strat/tele hybrid I used the Tele plate and reversed the way it sits in the guitar, the volume control is located nearest the rear ;pickup the tone in the middle and the 5 position switch nearest the rear end of the guitar. It works out nice easy to get the volume swells and the switch is way out of the way.

[surfergirl]

@Caevan O’Shite, @desertbluesmanif I want to reverse the plate on my G&L with the volume on top do I  just need to flip it and change the wiring or is there more to it? I have everything I need to do the soldering. 

[Caevan O’Shite]

5 hours ago, surfergirl said:

@Caevan O’Shite, @desertbluesmanif I want to reverse the plate on my G&L with the volume on top do I  just need to flip it and change the wiring or is there more to it? I have everything I need to do the soldering. 

You'd probably have to desolder and resolder the wiring so that you can swap the locations of the Tone and Volume pots. Not terribly difficult, but neatness and precision count, as does not overheating the pots and wires. You might need longer wires for some connections to reach and not be strained.

Keep the Volume-pot the volume-pot, and the Tone-pot the Tone-pot; don't just change the wires around, the pots MAY have tapers and values chosen for their respective duties. You can leave any capacitors and resistors on those pots in place, as-is (the tone cap, any "treble bleed" caps or caps and resistors), and just relocate the pots and rewire.

So desolder and remove the wires, swap the locations of the Tone and Volume pots on the plate, and then rewire everything. Make a detailed diagram of all wiring before you take it apart, and also a diagram of how it will be rearranged, so that the connections, the actual circuit wiring, is the same even though you're moving things around.

[surfergirl]

25 minutes ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

You'd probably have to desolder and resolder the wiring so that you can swap the locations of the Tone and Volume pots. Not terribly difficult, but neatness and precision count, as does not overheating the pots and wires. You might need longer wires for some connections to reach and not be strained.

Keep the Volume-pot the volume-pot, and the Tone-pot the Tone-pot; don't just change the wires around, the pots MAY have tapers and values chosen for their respective duties. You can leave any capacitors and resistors on those pots in place, as-is (the tone cap, any "treble bleed" caps or caps and resistors), and just relocate the pots and rewire.

So desolder and remove the wires, swap the locations of the Tone and Volume pots on the plate, and then rewire everything. Make a detailed diagram of all wiring before you take it apart, and also a diagram of how it will be rearranged, so that the connections, the actual circuit wiring, is the same even though you're moving things around.

This is the wiring diagram from Fralin pickups. He suggests starting from scratch with the wiring since the neck pickup wire may not reach the selector switch.

[Larryz]

@Caevan O’Shite, +1 The Rutters plate and knob positions look great and it will get the job done with a cool custom look.  I like it better than the "angled slot" concept... 😎👍

[Caevan O’Shite]

7 hours ago, surfergirl said:

This is the wiring diagram from Fralin pickups. He suggests starting from scratch with the wiring since the neck pickup wire may not reach the selector switch.

You can NOT go wrong following Lindy Fralin's directions! He's a Grand Master Expert.

Are you going to rearrange and rewire the original stock pots, switch and pickups in your G&L guitar?

Or, are you replacing any of those?

[Caevan O’Shite]

7 hours ago, Larryz said:

@Caevan O’Shite, +1 The Rutters plate and knob positions look great and it will get the job done with a cool custom look.  I like it better than the "angled slot" concept... 😎👍

If the fancy trick switch that I have would still fit within the cavity with the angled-slot, I'd have BOTH the 3/8" Over location AND the Angled Switch Slot on the plate!

I really like the way that the angled switch arrangement ergonomically follows the range of motion of the hand when using the switch; it places the switch-tip just a smidgen closer to reach, with just a little less reaching down and around the control-knobs. It's a small difference, but an actual difference.

With the "Reverse Control Plate" orientation, the 3/8" Over locating for the control-holes places both the Volume and the Tone knobs within easier reach for swells, faux-wah, and on-the-fly adjustments, a little more like they are on a Strat. A bit more room around the selector-switch is an added bonus!

It might be better yet to forego the plate and top-routed cavity altogether and go with custom hole and slot locations and a rear-routed control-cavity, but I love the classic, vintage look of the original Broadcaster/Telecaster design. Plus, it's fun to find ways to tweak all that within the limits of that original design and look, like hot rodding a classic car while still looking mostly stock! A "sleeper"!

[KuruPrionz]

10 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

You'd probably have to desolder and resolder the wiring so that you can swap the locations of the Tone and Volume pots. Not terribly difficult, but neatness and precision count, as does not overheating the pots and wires. You might need longer wires for some connections to reach and not be strained.

Keep the Volume-pot the volume-pot, and the Tone-pot the Tone-pot; don't just change the wires around, the pots MAY have tapers and values chosen for their respective duties. You can leave any capacitors and resistors on those pots in place, as-is (the tone cap, any "treble bleed" caps or caps and resistors), and just relocate the pots and rewire.

So desolder and remove the wires, swap the locations of the Tone and Volume pots on the plate, and then rewire everything. Make a detailed diagram of all wiring before you take it apart, and also a diagram of how it will be rearranged, so that the connections, the actual circuit wiring, is the same even though you're moving things around.

I will add that in the event you need another, longer piece of wire to connect anything, make certain you use a multi strand wire and tin the leads (heat with soldering iron and melt a bit of solder onto the multi-strand wire. This will make your job easier and it will assure a solid connection. After soldering, allow the joint to cool down and then try wiggling the wire gently. It should stay put, if it does and the joint is shiny, you're done. 

[KuruPrionz]

My Tele-Boogers. The walnut topped one has a well beaten Warmoth neck and currently sporting a Fishman Triple Play pickup system as well as EMG Tele pickups with an SPC instead of a tone control (mud knob). The orange one has a 28" scale baritone neck and is tuned to B. EMG SA and 85 pickups.