Walnut Tele Deluxe project

impmann

This is something I've wanted to do for a while - I wanted a Walnut bodied guitar (as IMHO, they look amazing) and I had a spare Allparts 70s headstock strat neck kicking around. BUT I really wanted to build one of the rare versions with a strat tremolo - nobody ever seems to have these for sale, and I've never seen a body spare either...

So I bought this fine body from BooBoo guitars...

It was in their listings because of a split on the lower horn (probably caused by router bit chatter when they body was being cut).

The split continues on the back of the guitar a little way, but is near invisible on the front.

I'm fairly sure I can fix this by injecting some Titebond into the crack then clamping it HARD. It certainly will stabilize it and I'm fairly sure I can loose the worst of it with some sanding. Plus bollocks to it, its on the back and the front is going to be under a socking-great pickguard!!

One thing I do need doing is the routing for a Strat trem. I did consider doing this myself but 1) I don't have a template and most importantly 2) I don't think I could do it neatly enough, so I shall probably farm that out... 

The plan is for a black plate (black-white-black ply), Strat trem (wish I had the cash for a Wudtone), a pair of Wide Range humbuckers (not those Fender things, probably either from Mojo or Oil Ciy - haven't investigated that fully yet so not even sure what is available) and a Tru Oil finish to show off that gorgeous wood.

A question for those who have built Walnut guitars - when using Tru Oil, have you needed any grain filling or have you just sanded it and applied it?

Any comments/suggestions welcomed. :-)

axisus

I did a floyd trem rout and it turned out fine. Marked it out and cut it freehand with no template, I'm a 'have a go' sort of person. It's not rocket science, you just have to be careful (and have a router!)

WezV

walnut does need a lot of graifilling if going for supergloss - or you can just not bother

 

If you read my tru oil thread it shows an examples of wetsanded walnut which gives a partial fill and a nice semi gloss

Andyjr1515

WezV said:

If you read my tru oil thread it shows an examples of wetsanded walnut which gives a partial fill and a nice semi gloss

...which, trust me, is beauuuuuuuuuuutiful 

Andyjr1515

Should be OK if standard thickness, @impmann, but just double check that there is enough thickness to rout out the spring chamber and make sure there aren't any other top side routs that might clash with the bottom side routs ref the trem cavities...

Looks a nice bit of walnut!

paulnb57

Potential for an awesome end result there....nice!

impmann

Andyjr1515;758593" said:

Should be OK if standard thickness, @impmann, but just double check that there is enough thickness to rout out the spring chamber and make sure there aren't any other top side routs that might clash with the bottom side routs ref the trem cavities...

Looks a nice bit of walnut!

Yes, that's what I'm slightly concerned by at the moment, Andy. The routes for the pickup 'legs' are very deep and I think may break through into the spring cavity.

I need to take some careful measurements to see if it's possible. I hope so...

Andyjr1515

impmann;758631" said:

[quote="Andyjr1515;758593"]Should be OK if standard thickness, @impmann, but just double check that there is enough thickness to rout out the spring chamber and make sure there aren't any other top side routs that might clash with the bottom side routs ref the trem cavities...

Looks a nice bit of walnut!

Yes, that's what I'm slightly concerned by at the moment, Andy. The routes for the pickup 'legs' are very deep and I think may break through into the spring cavity.

I need to take some careful measurements to see if it's possible. I hope so...[/quote]

A few smallish through holes or slots shouldn't be a problem, but maybe more of a problem if the whole chamber turned out to be 'through' .... although again, if you have structural integrity, it probably wouldn't affect the sound or playability.  Main thing to check is that you are not trying to, eg, screw the bridge securing screws or bushes into fresh air 

impmann

I've taken measurements and *I think* there's a 5mm buffer between the base of the routes that are there and a regular Strat trem spring routing...

So game on!

meltedbuzzbox

Kahler for the win!!! 

:-P

impmann

Burn the heretic!!! ;-)

meltedbuzzbox

you cant burn that which is already on fire :-)

Rhoadhouse_Music

For the Tru Oil finish you should start with a 'flood' coat, then rub more oil in with 00 wire wool a small area at a time.

The 'slurry' generated by the wire wool as you apply the oil fills the grain: easily enough for a final mirror polish.

Time consuming, but ships and ha'porths of tar etc...

WezV

Rhoadhouse_Music said:

For the Tru Oil finish you should start with a 'flood' coat, then rub more oil in with 00 wire wool a small area at a time.

The 'slurry' generated by the wire wool as you apply the oil fills the grain: easily enough for a final mirror polish.

Time consuming, but ships and ha'porths of tar etc...

personally I think 00 wire wool is far too rough for finish work, and you risk it leaving bits behind in some woods

this is my method - the vid shows a walnut topped guitar being done

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/235/oil-finishes-little-tutorial-for-my-wet-sanded-oil-finish-technique/p1

impmann

Thanks guys - I've got a little while before I'll be putting a finish on this...

Today I tackled the split/crack on the lower horn. I'm fairly sure this was caused by router chatter when it was made. It looks at its worst here...

The first thing to do was to inject Titebond as deep into the crack as I could get it. Thankfully when I left my previous employer, I managed to secure some of the tools I'd bought over the 10 years I'd been there for my own use... among them was this Stew Mac glue syringe. 

It allowed me to get glue right down inside the crack before clamping the crack up as tight as I could get it.

With the excess wiped off it didn't look *that* much better, to be honest!!

I think I'm going to need to make some walnut filler for this - the rear tummy cut needs finishing off so when I've finished that with the Cabinet Scraper, I should have some walnut dust to mix with some Titebond to tidy this up a bit further.

Rhoadhouse_Music

I wouldn't mind betting you'd never know it was there once you've finished...