I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

Rich_S

HomeGrownToneBrewologist
We write about it, but then don't post pictures for some indeterminate amount of time, right?

This guitar arrived several weeks ago, while I was out of town on the business trip from hell. I managed a few minutes here and there to put it the way I wanted. Now, at least it LOOKS the way I planned it, though I still need to change out one pot to hopefully get it sounding right.

It's a 2010 MIM Tele in Artic White (which is creamier-looking than the name indicates). I got it off a guy on the TDPRI with no pickups, but WITH a Fender HSC for $320. It's immaculate, so I think I got a good deal.

I dropped in the tapped Quarter Pounder and the custom 2-pots/no-switch control plate that I had on the blue Tele for a while, and turned it into the Quarter Pound Esquire of Doom (Q.E.D.) After ignoring the results of the poll I posted a few weeks ago, I put on a black Esquire pickguard from GuitarFetish.

It's awesome. The black-on-white color scheme and the QP give it a real Les Paul Junior vibe; it's very punk rock. Think Billie Joe Armstrong's white LP Junior, or the Ramone's matching Mosrite and P-Bass. Stripped down and badass, with a just a touch of flexibilty provided by the spin-a-tap setup where tone pot ought to be. There really is something to the lose-the-neck-pickup-gain-some-tone thing that they talk about with Esquires; it's very open and airy, though not actually that twangy, due to the stock 6-saddle bridge. (I might change it out for a compensated Wilkinson 3-saddle at some point down the road.)

Unfortunately, I'm too busy recovering from all the missed family obligations left over from the 5-week BTFH, so I don't have time to break out the camera, charge the batteries, and find some decent light to get some pics. Soon, maybe, but not for the next few days.

Let the name-calling commence.
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

sounds cool - cant wait to see / hear it ...

i hope all returns to stable and peaceful at the S household soon ...

t4d
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

No more Iceman for me, here are the pics:

Esquire_1s.jpg


Esquire_2.jpg


I haven't played it much plugged-in yet, but unplugged, it sounds great. There's definitely something to the Esquire's "lose the neck pickup, gain some tone" mythology. It has an open, clear sound, with more detail. It's not really a "twang" thing - if fact this guitar isn't really twangy due to the modern 6-saddle bridge. I might go with a compensated 3-saddle in the future.

Anyway, I love it in all its stripped-down, rock-n-roll simplicity.
 
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Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

One volume, one tone, one pickup. That is so "shut up and rock" it's scary.
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

Awww she looks lonely in the corner all by herself! Great guitar!
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

Classy, but badass. Nicely done!
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

It is awesome.

It would be 3x more awesome if you converted it to the stock Esquire switching. It would retain your current tones as they are in the middle position. It would also give you a no-tone-pot option, which, with your tap, would give you two extra "treble boost" settings. Plus it would give you the "dark" setting, which with your tap, would actually be two dark settings. Six tones from one pickup, all of them very easy to access.
 
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Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

Beautiful, simple, elegant, classy guitar.

So where exactly do you buy that "new guitar backdrop leopard skin" fabric? I see so many pics with that stuff. Is that part of the official NGD formula? ;)
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

Spank that plank hard! Every Tele needs some wear to look correct.
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

I'm rather liking the look of that - looks simple but classy. Did someone say clips already?
 
Re: I'm no expert, but is this how we do a NGD?

So where exactly do you buy that "new guitar backdrop leopard skin" fabric? I see so many pics with that stuff. Is that part of the official NGD formula? ;)

Xssive has a dedicated piece of fabric for photo shoots. I just use the tacky chaise lounge in the family room.
 
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