Another new Tele!

[GuitarDoc]

Cold -> Heat. Basically nitro finishes aren't very flexible. Cold causes the wood to contract and the wood and finish contract at different rates. So if you take a guitar and leave it in the extreme cold for a while and then suddenly move it into a warm indoor environment the sudden contraction of the finish can cause this cracking - or "checking".

Actually, just the opposite. The warm environment causes expansion not contraction and the warmth causes the finish to be a little softer/more flexible. Going from a warm environment into a very cold environment causes the finish to become more brittle and to contract quicker than the wood which causes the finish to crack. But going back and forth several times is the key to creating a lot of checking.

I love the color and that the body has the belly cut and the forearm relief. All Teles should be made this way...way more comfortable to play than the typical slab.

Teles were originally designed as a slab because they were quick and cheap to make. When Leo designed the Strat, it was really an upgrade to the Tele in every respect. He really did it right with the Strat, which, after nearly 70 years, still remains basically the same.

 

[GuitarDoc]

love it! how are you ever going to adjust the neck pup though?!?! if it sounds half as good as it looks, ya got a winner

I always drill two very small holes through the pick guard just above the neck pup height adjusting screws. Surprisingly, the holes don't show but they allow me to adjust the neck pup without having to remove the guard. When you think about that, that was one of Leo's worst design flaws ever.

 

[jeremy]

i always leave the guard off till i get the neck pup where i want it so it isnt really an issue. we were joking about this in another thread recently so i was just being a smartass

 

[Artie]

"checking"

Thank you. That's the word I was looking for.

 

[JamesPaul]

Well this is the last straw, in a good way! I love my Bullet S-3 neck, which is a true '81 Tele neck with a different decal. I love the '72 Tele Deluxe neck on my mutt Lead II. I love the look of all these Tele's I'm seeing on here lately.

2022's purchase is going to be a Tele!!!

I just need to find a finish that looks as killer as what I've been seeing!