6MONGBD

GuitarDoc

Bacteriaolgoist
(Translated...6 month old new guitar build day).
I'd already build a couple Teles, but decided to build a tricked-out Tele just for fun. This one has a chambered body similar to my previous one (the orange small-bodied LP), but I decided to connect the chambers and make them larger effectively creating a semi-hollow body Tele. It still has a belly relief on the back which I put on nearly every guitar I make. It's HH, mahogany body, 1/4" plain maple top slightly curly slightly birds eyed, 5 ply binding (what a pain to do), Tele bridge plate, Fender locking tuners, natural bone compensated nut, controls are located similar to a Strat but with 2 vol 1 tone with p/p to split the bridge pup and a 3 way LP toggle pup selector switch, 3 ply cream pearl pickguard I designed to keep some of the Tele vibe but to also incorporate a hint of Strat. I used a very thin satin lacquer finish as opposed to the urethane which I've been almost exclusively using the past few years. The poly is difficult to put on and finish, but it is so much more durable.

No, I don't notice any difference in tone between lacquer and poly.

This guitar is a real mutt. And it's only 6 lb 6 oz! OMG this is such a fun guitar to play. It has a tone that is Tele + 335 + LP.

Bridge pup is StagMag splitable by the bridge vol p/p pot.
Neck pup is GFS Dream 90.

Yes, again I plagiarized Fender with the headstock decal (from a '54 Tele). And, no, I didn't even think to add an "F" hole.

P1000747[1].jpgP1000751[1].jpgP1000752[1].jpg


And I'm sitting on the edge of my seat to see what critical comments Goober has to contribute. Maybe the bridge is too cheap and I should upgrade to better quality. Maybe I should have used a flame maple top. Maybe I should have put in more rocking high output buckers. Or maybe even his best advice to trash it and buy a new one.
 
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Re: 6MONGBD

(Translated...6 month old new guitar build day).
I'd already build a couple Teles, but decided to build a tricked-out Tele just for fun. This one has a chambered body similar to my previous one (the orange small-bodied LP), but I decided to connect the chambers and make them larger effectively creating a semi-hollow body Tele. It still has a belly relief on the back which I put on nearly every guitar I make. It's HH, mahogany body, 1/4" plain maple top slightly curly, 5 ply binding (what a pain to do), Tele bridge plate, Fender locking tuners, natural bone compensated nut, controls are located similar to a Strat but with 2 vol 1 tone with p/p to split the bridge pup and a 3 way LP toggle pup selector switch, 3 ply cream pearl pickguard I designed to keep some of the Tele vibe but to also incorporate a hint of Strat. This guitar is a real mutt. And it's only 6 lb 6 oz! OMG this is such a fun guitar to play. It has a tone that is Tele + 335 + LP.

Bridge pup is StagMag splitable by the bridge vol p/p pot.
Neck pup is GFS Dream 90.

Yes, again I plagiarized Fender with the headstock decal (from a '54 Tele). And, no, I didn't even think to add an "F" hole.

View attachment 86200View attachment 86201View attachment 86202


And I'm sitting on the edge of my seat to see what critical comments Goober has to contribute. Maybe the bridge is too cheap and I should upgrade to better quality. Maybe I should have used a flame maple top. Maybe I should have put in more rocking high output buckers. Or maybe even his best advice to trash it and buy a new one.

That’s AWESOME Doc… I love it! [emoji1303]

Stag Mag huh? I’ve always been intrigued by that pickup but it doesn’t get talked about very much. How do you like it?

I’ll bet that Dream 90 just sings in the neck of that thing. I have a set of them in one of my own builds and really like them… Seems like the tone is somewhere between a typical P90 and a single coil.

Great work! [emoji2]
 
Re: 6MONGBD

That’s AWESOME Doc… I love it! [emoji1303]

Stag Mag huh? I’ve always been intrigued by that pickup but it doesn’t get talked about very much. How do you like it?

I’ll bet that Dream 90 just sings in the neck of that thing. I have a set of them in one of my own builds and really like them… Seems like the tone is somewhere between a typical P90 and a single coil.

Great work! [emoji2]

Thanks Brian,

I personally really love the StagMag. it is very clear, articulate, and punchy. When split it is very Straty/Teleish.

The Dream 90, in my experience (I've had them in several different guitars) is very dependent upon the guitar it's in..the type of wood, solid or hollow, etc. In this guitar, the mahogany adds a LOT of warmth to it. It still has the P-90 character but not overly bright at all, very full, rich tone. Still has some P-90 punch and even some quack when paired with one of the StagMag coils.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

Love the color
Say it's traditional scale 25.5

What neck shape did you use?

Yes, 25.5".

I'm having a hard time remembering, but I think this one has an asymmetric modified "V" shape to the neck. I left it a little thicker on the bass side of the neck so it fills in the palm of my hand...the crook between my thumb and forefinger without giving me that baseball bat thick feel. I've got small hands so this fits me just perfectly.

One thing I forgot to mention (I'll add it to my original post) is that on this guitar I used a very thin satin lacquer finish as opposed to the urethane which I've been almost exclusively using the past few years. The poly is difficult to put on and finish, but it is so much more durable.

No, I don't notice any difference in tone between lacquer and poly.
 
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Re: 6MONGBD

Wow, you are really killing it here. This one is fantastic.

Thanks. Really. I so appreciate all of the love for my "children".

Wait til you see my next one. I'll probably post it tomorrow morning. So stay tuned. Same time, same station. (for those of you that can remember the cliff-hangers of the 50s...Buck Rogers, etc.)
 
Re: 6MONGBD

Another great one Doc.... you are prolific!! However, I do think you should completely throw this travesty away. Honestly, lets just save Goober the trouble this time. Fortunately here in San Antonio there is a guitar specific landfill (due to all of the abused Fenders played in the SRV and Hendrix style). I'll private message you my address and I'll be happy to take it down there.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

That's a good one Jeff. I'll keep it in mind.

But what if, in Goober's experience, the guitar is in such bad shape that the UPS would probably even refuse to take it? I may just have to eat humble pie and take Goober's advice after all and just throw it in the trash. Or send it to him and let him deal with it.

HEY!! That's not a bad idea. Then we all can be advising HIM to just throw it away and buy a new one.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

Were you able to flatten out the stagger for the neck side magnets so they would fit under the cover? It looks like the bridge side poles are showing.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

Very nice guitar! I like that style of humbucker in the bridge that you have there, instead of that typical style that is put in Teles.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

Were you able to flatten out the stagger for the neck side magnets so they would fit under the cover? It looks like the bridge side poles are showing.

Very observant. Thanks for asking.

Yes, didn't have a problem pushing them down so the cover would fit over them.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

Very observant. Thanks for asking.

Yes, didn't have a problem pushing them down so the cover would fit over them.
A 3-way on/on/on mini-toggle might be interesting with a Stag-Mag so you could choose either coil and humbucking.
 
Re: 6MONGBD

A 3-way on/on/on mini-toggle might be interesting with a Stag-Mag so you could choose either coil and humbucking.

I definitely thought about that. I even thought about using a Triple Shot ring to get parallel as well, but I find that the most useful tones are humbucker and bridge coil split. In bucker mode it is still crisp and clear with a very articulate top end but with some midrange fullness added. And split to bridge coil gives me that spanky Strat/Tele tone that is so nice. I have no need for anything in between in this guitar.
 
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