Self Build Tele Quandary

[kevincurtis]

After consultation on this board and my own thoughts I decided to sell my Lite Ash Tele as it just wasn't right for me, and then thought I would have some fun and venture into putting together a 'bitsa' tele.

The original intention was to get a basic alder or ash body and maybe add some strat contouring and then use a donor guitar for other parts where possible.

This lead to the purchase of this:


Followed by this:



Which has left me in the aforementioned quandary - the body is routed for P90's which I've never considered before and the original plan was to simply change the routing a bit to accommodate a normal tele set...but it would now seem a shame for me to go and hack away at such a nice body!

If I went for tele pickups I would be thinking more piledriver than vintage, and so maybe P90 is the way to go, with some nice nickel covers? I want this guitar to sit between my Crawler'd Strat and Apache'd Tokai Strat soundwise, so thicker than standard single coils, but still focused.

The other part of this is the wilkinson tele which I got cheap as an ex demo , but now I've got it I have to say it's a decent guitar and fantastic value for the money, I was intending using the bridge and tuners, pickguard (and maybe even the neck for a bit if I liked it) and possibly bits of the electronics. But now a bit of me is thinking that maybe I should go P90 on the new tele and just keep the wilkinson to be my 'tele guitar' when i need that kind of vibe ... so I'm open to opinions from the BKP masses! :)

K

[Twinfan]

A bit of me is thinking that maybe I should go P90 on the new tele and just keep the wilkinson to be my 'tele guitar' when i need that kind of vibe

That's what I'd do  :)

[FernandoDuarte]

Spalted Maple top? I like  8)

[Philly Q]

A bit of me is thinking that maybe I should go P90 on the new tele and just keep the wilkinson to be my 'tele guitar' when i need that kind of vibe

That's what I'd do  :)

Ditto.

And I think you'll find that the Tele bridge isn't as wide as the P90 rout, so converting to a standard Tele setup may not be an option anyway, unless you make an oversized scratchplate.

[kevincurtis]

That's what I'd do  :)

Hey TF - given your penchant for doubles... I was expecting you to suggest getting at least another as a backup, and a spare body for when I b*lls this one up :)

Phil - you are quite correct extra 1/2 inch of route on P90 (doh!), although if I was putting a scratchplate on I would probably go custom cut anyway as I'm not a massive fan of the tele version personally.

[kevincurtis]

Spalted Maple top? I like  8)

Indeed it is - I wanted plain and ordinary to do a frankenstein job on...but thought this was too pretty to miss out on! :)

[badgermark]

If i was you, (and i wish i was, that body is sexy...) I'd get a strat style hardtail bridge, or even better, a gibson-esk tunomatic or wrap around. If i never already had a p90 guitar build in the wings i'd do that myself. With a big chunky strat headstock on that bad boy...

[Philly Q]

I really must get round to putting together my Teles - I've got all the parts for two of them, but I never seem to have any time.  :(

[MrBump]

I'd love to do a parts tele - the wood on that body looks amazing, not much to do there at all...

[Twinfan]

That's what I'd do  :)

Hey TF - given your penchant for doubles... I was expecting you to suggest getting at least another as a backup, and a spare body for when I b*lls this one up :)

:lol:

[WezV]

since the tele has no bridge mounting holes thats the first thing i would decide

i would stick with p-90's since a tele bridge wont go over that route

the easiest bridge to install are ones that have the strings mounted at the back because you wont have to worry about drilling accurate holes straight through the body

this is a nice easy one to fit (3 screw holes):
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_non-trem_bridges/Schaller_Non-tremolo_Roller_Bridges.html

or a cheapy (3 screw holes and a channel):
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_non-trem_bridges/Top-Loading_Hardtail_Bridge.html

also, is it routed out for any controls yet?

[38thBeatle]

I agree with just about everyone else- go for the P90's and keep the Wilkinson as your Tele.

[Ratrod]

Love that top. Keep it clear or in a tennessee orange stain.

How about this for an idea.

Tennessee orange body, black soapbars, bigsby bridge system with TOM bridge and no pickguard.

[dave_mc]

I agree with just about everyone else- go for the P90's and keep the Wilkinson as your Tele.

i agree too. two guitars are better than one.  :lol:

[WezV]

Tennessee orange body, black soapbars, bigsby bridge system with TOM bridge and no pickguard.

myabe a little more hotrod red - but that could work really well