FINISHED: WezV Tele build

WezV

I have ordered the cheap basswood tele kit

I plan on doing this in 3 phases:

1) Chuck the kit together.   This will tell us a lot about the quality of the kits and how difficult assembly really is

2) Problem solving & Set-up.  I anticipate there will be some things to alter.  essentially I will be looking to get the guitar playing as well as it can without spending any money on it.  I intend to do any work required using basic tools that can be found locally

3) Mod it.  I will take it apart and do some seriously invasive mods. to be decided

WezV

I am currently thinking I will thin down the body and re-top it like i did with my first kit telecaster many years ago

possibly make it thinline whilst I am at it

TTony

WezV said:

I am currently thinking I will thin down the body and re-top it like i did with my first kit telecaster many years ago

possibly make it thinline whilst I am at it

Sounds like an interesting option for phase3.

Thanks for supporting this Wez - I'm guessing that there will be a few challenges in putting these together (given the price point), but I'm hoping that it's going to encourage lots of our members to jump in and have a go, and learn plenty through doing it.

WezV

the new top will probably be tazmanian blackwood, at the bottom of this picture

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps1e7e9b54.jpg

its a lot like Koa

WezV

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/tb1.jpg

TTony

WezV said:

its a lot like Koa

it's a lot like Pretty!

JookyChap

Hmm, I don't think mine will be that pretty

WezV

I have had that top about 10 years and offered it to loads of people along the way but none have gone for it.  I think I have a matching headplate for it too

JookyChap

You're just showing off now

WezV

I brought some luminlay the other day - i may upgrade the side dots

http://www.luminlay.com/indexen.html

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps2dfac173.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps938fce56.jpg

JookyChap

I refer you to my previous comment

WezV

yeah, its probably going to carry on for a while.

I am contemplating bending some wooden bindings for the body and possibly making it a bound neck too - although that will involve a refret so it does depend if I can be bothered

paisleysoul

WezV said:

I brought some luminlay the other day - i may upgrade the side dots

http://www.luminlay.com/indexen.html

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps2dfac173.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps938fce56.jpg

That Luminlay stuff looks ridiculous!

WezV

I ordered it direct from japan and it arrived within a few days with no customs bill. 

 

I was going to make some white dots with black rings for a guitar I am working on, but when i saw these I decided to go a different way

WezV

maybe its going to need a musicman style toneblock??

http://static.music123.com/derivates/18/001/316/897/DV016_Jpg_Large_581872_chambers_demo.jpg

WezV

order tracking says its been delivered so hopefully its with one of my neighbors as we speak

WezV

Its here.

It was sent by Yodel which always strikes fear into my heart... apparently that feeling is justified as it had just been chucked over my 7' high gates.   Not sure who the "tomkinson" is who signed for it, but is suspect it wasn't my Eastern European neighbors

The good news is it was packaged well and no damage was done.  which was also a surprise since a search for broken guitars on ebay always brings up a few from G4M

I will get pics later but initial impressions are good., certainly better than i expected for the price  - it looks like the parts fit.  the neck pocket is surprisingly tight

All the screw holes are drilled so i don't see this taking long to put together at all.... I may have a slide guitar by the end of the night!

TTony

WezV said:

 initial impressions are good., certainly better than i expected for the price  - it looks like the parts fit.  the neck pocket is surprisingly tight

Wow!  If the quality is half-decent, they're bargainish prices.

WezV

Its certainly not high quality by any stretch of the imagination, but the fit is better than a lot of cheap tele styles i have seen over the years

its not as nicely made as the brandonni tele kit I made years ago, that had a much better feeling neck right out the box - but those kits are now £195.

I will do a thorough break down of the good and bad once little one is in bed

juansolo

WezV said:

I have had that top about 10 years and offered it to loads of people along the way but none have gone for it.  I think I have a matching headplate for it too

To be fair, the English walnut I chose from your stash out-prettied it But it is lovely.

WezV

Okay, it took about 30 minutes to put it all together and take pics for you guys.  I have not done the wiring yet

Tools:

Large screwdriver

Small screwdriver

Spanner

Old candle (for waxing screw threads) 

there are a couple of things I am not happy with, only 1 that doesn't have an easy workaround(but on a part i plan to upgrade anyway).

it arrived in some packaging - there was more than this

No instructions in the box but the PDF is on the website - very basic

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps4ac7b6df.jpg

it comes with the scratchplate and neck pickup in situ???

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030556_zps5b2f2346.jpg

The body is 3 peices basswood, quite nice grain on this example and all 3 pieces are nicely colour matched.  there is some dark streaking on the front but nothing that will require any extra treatment.  in fact the front and back are pretty close to being ready for finish, althoguh the sides will need a little more sanding

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030561_zps8f4a0d1d.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030563_zps2cb0792c.jpg

somebody obviously changed their mind on the bridge these kits should have.  website still shows 4 holes, this has been changed to 3.  we will talk about the bridge a bit more soon

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030564_zps2504df9a.jpg

a lot of the routing is verging on untidy, but all perfectly functional as it will be covered (neck pocket is fine though)

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030565_zpsccd37d97.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030566_zps186f48f6.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030574_zpsffb431c7.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030575_zps137ea019.jpg

pickups are unsurprisingly cheap designs, although its worth noting that the wires are not as thin and flexible as some guitars out there

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030578_zps84f32b6f.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/P1030579_zps7b837476.jpg