NGD: My First Ever Tele!

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · May 2021

Yes that's right folks, I've gone through 39 years on this earth without ever owning a Telecaster. I've finally seen fit to put that right...

Ok, so it's not actually a Fender Telecaster - it's actually a 'partscaster' put together by a local Sunderland based guitar tech - but it's close enough for me, and it's bloody gorgeous.

Spec as follows...

Body: Guitarbuild Alder body, bought as an unfinished slab and then finished in shell pink nitro and given a medium-heavy relic job

Neck: Hosco 60s style neck, again bought unfinished and then given a relic'd finish and fitted with medium jumbo frets on the 9.5" board, and a bone nut.

Hardware: Wilkinson Tele bridge with brass saddles (the one used in the Greg Koch 'Gristlecaster'), and Wilkinson vintage style tuners.

Pick-ups: Hand-wound early sixties style pickups by Sunderland's own Alan Dingwall (which sound amazing)

Electrics: CTS pots, orange drop capacitors, Oak Grigsby Switch.

All work done by Adam Stevenson, who's one of the most well thought of guitar techs/refinishers in the North of England. He made it for himself as a labour of love and is the only previous owner, but decided to free up some space and I couldn't resist taking it off his hands! Needless to say given who I got it from, the set-up is fantastic.

Props to Adam who put it together and did all the finishing:

https://www.facebook.com/GGGuitars/

Props to Alan Dingwall who wound the pickups:

https://www.facebook.com/Alan-Dingwall-Guitars-475760532507355/ ;

Jonathangus · May 2021

Lovely - have a wow.

stonevibe · May 2021

Mmmmmm strawberry! (Bod reference for those old enough)

Clecko · May 2021

Hmm. I'm 43, been playing 25 years and never in that time owned a Tele. I do get the occasional itch... Did you see the faded sonic blue one in the classifieds?

Also, that's not Robert Harris' best, mate. If you've not read it already, save yourself the time and get some guitar practice in instead.

dazzajl · May 2021

WOW!! When you do a tele, you really do a tele. That is absolutely gorgeous, congratulations sir.

Philtre · May 2021

All roads eventually lead to the Telecaster. Congrats.

kennedydream1980 · May 2021

I was so close to buying this off Adam. He really is a fantastic tech. If I need something setup I send it to him.

How does it sound?

I recently came to the realisation that a good tele really is the perfect guitar. They just fit into a mix perfectly with all the right frequencies poking through.

Hit me up if you ever decide to move it on. It will make a nice companion to my 42nd street relic tele.

andysc · May 2021

Looks stunning!

The closest partscaster I've ever seen to the spec I would dream up. The neck, frets, saddles, tuners... Lovely.

Even the relic job, which while obviously a matter of taste, and which I normally don't like, looks very good on this one! Looks like it had been played and loved, instead of bashed up.

hoops · May 2021

It's a beauty. Wow from me too!

JerkMoans · May 2021

¡Esplendidos!

Play the living shit outta the thing

Kasalic · May 2021

Lovely guitar, and I have to say I love my telecaster. I found it a bit unforgiving at first, but that is no bad thing as it forced me to clean up my technique a bit.

Hope you enjoy it for many years!

Chuffola · May 2021

Very nice. Great colour and the relic job looks good. Enjoy.

SPECTRUM001 · May 2021

That’s lovely - and to buy from a respected Tech who has set-up to their own high standards must be a dream come true !!

And it is 9.5 with MJ frets - get in !!

Kittyfrisk · May 2021

Much respect to anyone that can rock a pink tele with a yellow kimono

Is Adam contactable by those that really really really don't want any involvement with Facebook?

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · May 2021

kennedydream1980 said:

I was so close to buying this off Adam. He really is a fantastic tech. If I need something setup I send it to him.

How does it sound?

I recently came to the realisation that a good tele really is the perfect guitar. They just fit into a mix perfectly with all the right frequencies poking through.

Hit me up if you ever decide to move it on. It will make a nice companion to my 42nd street relic tele.

Sounds great, super resonant when played unplugged, and the pickups are just the right amount of twangy without being harsh.

Your tele is real looker too!

Kittyfrisk said:

Much respect to anyone that can rock a pink tele with a yellow kimono
Is Adam contactable by those that really really really don't want any involvement with Facebook?

Hah, the 'kimono' is the gf's scarf. Just thought the blend of colours with the blue, yellow and pink looked cool!

His mobile number is on his Facebook page so you could just call/text him? I can pm you his number of you really don't want to go on FB if you like?

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · May 2021

Clecko said:

Hmm. I'm 43, been playing 25 years and never in that time owned a Tele. I do get the occasional itch... Did you see the faded sonic blue one in the classifieds?

Also, that's not Robert Harris' best, mate. If you've not read it already, save yourself the time and get some guitar practice in instead.

Yeah it's a 'hand me down' from my parents, they weren't particularly bowled over by the book. Harris can be a bit hit and miss I find!

Oh, and thanks for all the kind comments to everyone else!