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/
Comments
As for "when am I ready?" You'll never be ready. It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it. - pmbomb
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.
Hit me up if you ever decide to move it on. It will make a nice companion to my 42nd street relic tele.
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.
Play the living shit outta the thing
Hope you enjoy it for many years!
And it is 9.5 with MJ frets - get in !!
Is Adam contactable by those that really really really don't want any involvement with Facebook?
Your tele is real looker too!
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?
Oh, and thanks for all the kind comments to everyone else!