NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

[dg27]

This was a very long time in the making. I have always loved Tele guitars.









I had a lot of help in terms of getting everything exactly the way I wanted.

Tony Dudzik did a great job on the custom designed pickguard, which I wanted to be based on the Thinline Tele guard.

Kip Elder did a fabulous job on the nitro.

Matt Brewster did an outstanding build.

I also greatly appreciate the help I got from Derek Duncan and Scott Miller, who ensured that everything was planned for noise-free series/parallel switching.

Don't know what to attribute it to, but the note definition is outstanding. I can get everything from extremely growly to a heavy bottom.

Here are the detailed specs:

Neck:

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Warmoth AAA Birdseye maple; circa 2003, “A” profile
Headstock:

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Tele bass
Fingerboard:

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Birdseye maple
Neck finish:

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clear lacquer
Fret wire:

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stainless steel
Body:

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Warmoth Custom T bass; swamp ash, forearm & tummy cuts
Pickguard:

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Custom 3-ply: Parchment pearloid/Black/Parchment
Neck plate:

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chrome, 4-hole
Neck plate pad:

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black plastic
Strap knobs :

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Schaller strap locks
Jack:

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Electrosocket for Tele
Bridge:

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Gotoh 201
Tuners:

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Gotoh GB7
String button:

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vintage round retainer for bass, chrome
Volume pots:

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Seymour Duncan; 250k, vols 1 & 2;
Tone/DPDT:

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Bourns; tone & DPDT for series/parallel
Control knobs:

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J bass knobs
Pickups:

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Seymour Duncan CS SCPB neck and bridge; matched set, noise-free
Strings:

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GHS bass boomers, heavy (115-95-70-50)

Pickups: Maricela Juarez, SD Custom Shop
Wiring schematic: Scott Miller, Technical lead, SD Custom Shop
Build: Matt Brewster, 30th Street Guitars; New York: http://www.30thstreetguitars.com/
Finish: Pacific Blue nitro, by Kip Elder, Starr Guitars: http://www.starrguitars.com/
Pickguard: Tony Dudzik; Pickguardian: http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/
Headstock logo: Ronny Taylor: http://vidiot.wix.com/taylor-creative

 

[JOLLY]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Love it!!

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Thanks!

 

[Diminished Triad]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Nice! I order lots through Warmoth and I'm happy with how each build is turning out too.

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Thanks. Warmoth did an excellent job on the pickup routs, which were a custom order. The pickups fit like a glove. And I think the neck is my favorite among what I have.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Fender should take notes...

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Fender should take notes...

Thanks.

I started planning this years ago and last fall I saw the Fender version, which is short scale and overall feels kind of cheap, to me at least.

 

[MatelotFripon]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Wow ! Gorgeous ! I'M sooooo jealous right now ! Great build !!

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Thanks. No need to be jealous: This took a very long time.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

I love it!

 

[Wattage]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

That came out fantastic!!!

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Thanks, Ayrton and Wattage. I did the R&D (researching the parts on a lot of forums, most notably this one and spec'ing it out), but the credit goes to the guys who did the work, especially Tony (for the pickguard, which is exactly what I was hoping for), Kip Elder (for the finish, which is beautiful), and Matt Brewster (who did a fab build).

 

[PipeRain]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

I gotta admit, I have a love/hate relationship with Tele basses, but that thing is gorgeous!

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Thanks.

I saw a blonde slab body (I think it was a '72) Tele in a long-since-gone store called WE BUY GUITARS on W48th Street in New York in 1976 that was about $300. I went across the street and got my '76 Rick @ Terminal Music (also long gone) instead and have regretted it ever since. So the seeds for having some sort of Tele bass were sown a long time ago...

 

[BlueTalon]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

I'm not a big fan of Tele basses, but that instrument is gorgeous! I especially like your pickup arrangement -- very outside-the-box thinking on that.

I went across the street and got my '76 Rick @ Terminal Music (also long gone) instead and have regretted it ever since.

That's not something to regret.

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Warmoth Custom Tele Bass

Thanks.

I especially like your pickup arrangement -- very outside-the-box thinking on that.

I owe the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop a lot for that. I told them the pickups I wanted to use and how and Maricela Juarez came up with the appropriate output configuration (they are different from one another, but a matched pair). And they are totally silent--no hum no matter how I set it.

That's not something to regret.

I know; that's pretty harsh. I used it as my go-to bass for several years (till I got my '76 P). The only thing I really disliked is no forearm cut. I used to have to duct tape my forearm before a gig!