Telemaster build Mark IV

Duppy03

With a neck purchase from @jhumber, a Bigsby from @stonevibe and some bridge modification tips from @Gagaryn the Telamaster is now in it's fourth and finest incarnation. I'm really happy with how it's turned out considering my finger in the air approach to guitar modification.

hobbio

I like that a lot.

jd0272

When ya painting it then?

markblack

nice.

DrBob

I like it, hints of Fano going on there.
Any chance of pics of iterations I-III just for comparison ?

Sassafras

Does it stay in tune when you use the Bigsby?

Duppy03

I can't find decent pics of it's former incarnations but hopefully these will do:

Mk I - Charcoal Blue Frost Metallic body, MIJ '62 RI Tele Neck, 2 x Texas Specials under the pick guard.

Duppy03

Mk II - Pretty much the same but I cut holes so that the middle and neck pickup were mounted on the pick guard as the signal was too weak with them mounted underneath. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this as it didn't stay that way for long, but this should give you an idea:

Duppy03

Whoops

Duppy03

Mk III - Pretty much the same as it is now but with the Tele Neck and without the Bigsby:

Duppy03

Sassafras said:

Does it stay in tune when you use the Bigsby?

Yes it works fine, couldn't believe it to be honest. It could do with some better saddles, ones with grooves for more accurate string spacing and probably a new set of 11's, rather than old 10's I found kicking around, to get it even better.

Andyjr1515

I like that a lot too....the bigsby (and I'm not always a fan of the bigsby look) really makes it. Head and shoulders the best incarnation so far

Duppy03

Thanks @Andyjr1515. I had never considered a Bigsby before till one came up for sale on here and my band plays a song where a need a tremolo so I thought why not. I'm really happy with it came out.

It's not something you can appreciate in pictures but the neck really make it great to play. It's one of these with a baked maple finish:

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/Strat_VintageModern.aspx

DrBob

Thanks for the pics, I agree though. The current version is by far the best !

Plukky

Really cool, the proportions all work really well, unlike the "traditional" Telemaster IMO.

jd0272

It looked lush in the charcoal frost. 

Chalky

What finish is on the body?

Duppy03

@Chalky it's a tin of Amber lacquer

ThePrettyDamned

Very nice!

Gagaryn

That looks cool. You'd probably get by by just notching the existing saddles slightly with a wee triangle file then give a buff with a freemen polishing wheel to get everything smooth and avoid ant snagging - that's what I did. :-) (B&Q have packs of little files with different profiles for a fiver or so)

TheOtherDennis

That's nice. Me like.