Can dry looking rosewood be "rescued"?

[Philly Q]

I'm nearly sold on the Tele idea, it works doesn't it?  :)

[PhilKing]

I have Pau Ferro and Kingwood fingerboards and they look very nice (especially kingwood).  I have a strat body with a tele neck.  It is about 2.5" deep because it has a hollow swamp ash body that is a standard strat depth, with a 5/8" quilted maple top on it.  I rounded the heel on the tele neck to fit the strat pocket and went for a worn look on the fingerboard lacquer.

[Philly Q]

I have a strat body with a tele neck.  It is about 2.5" deep because it has a hollow swamp ash body that is a standard strat depth, with a 5/8" quilted maple top on it.  I rounded the heel on the tele neck to fit the strat pocket and went for a worn look on the fingerboard lacquer.

Looks good.  Did you have to get an extra long trem block for the Wilko?

[PhilKing]

Looks good.  Did you have to get an extra long trem block for the Wilko?

No it has a regular Wilkinson trem which just clears the spring cavity, though the cavity is deeper than a regular strat.  When I looked at the body it really didn't look right with a Strat neck.   The tele headstock made it look much better.  I think Rory Galagher had a strat with a tele neck at one point.  The custom shop also makes the opposite, a Strat/Tele hybrid which I have seen John Mayer using.  It looks pretty dire in this pic, but is better in the flesh.

[Philly Q]

The custom shop also makes the opposite, a Strat/Tele hybrid which I have seen John Mayer using.  It looks pretty dire in this pic, but is better in the flesh.

It's horrible in that colour, but I just remembered there's a similar Suhr model which looks pretty funky:



(Edit:  the Suhr has a slimmer bottom horn and a side mounted jack, which improves the appearance a lot, somehow.)

[FernandoDuarte]

Just remember the difference in neck pockets between strats and tele's if you do go that way

How could I forgot that

:) Yeah, in this case I'd round off the heel of the Tele neck, rather than carving up the pocket in the Strat body - the overhanging 22nd fret would hide the mess.   And I'd have the option of changing to a conventional Strat neck at a later date.

From Warmoth it's + US$45, as they would get a paddle headstock and cut it by hand in Tele design... all handwork from them is that price...

I'm nearly sold on the Tele idea, it works doesn't it?  :)

I would tell you: not everybody will like it, but what is really important is you like it... So, if you like it, goe for it! I think it's a little bit odd, but nice!
EDIT: looks better to me that than the Strat headstock on teles!

[gingataff]

Regarding the Tele head Strat, it's like the inverse twin of Steve Morse's old Tele (now there's some big headstock love). As for the linseed oil, remember it can spontaneously combust so be careful if you choose that route ;)

[Philly Q]

Regarding the Tele head Strat, it's like the inverse twin of Steve Morse's old Tele (now there's some big headstock love). As for the linseed oil, remember it can spontaneously combust so be careful if you choose that route ;)

Yeah, I'm going to steer clear of the linseed oil.  I'll get a neck with a fretboard that isn't dry in the first place.  It was just impatience seeing some of the drier-looking necks on eBay.

You're right about Steve Morse's old Tele, I thought about that a few times when I was trying the Tele-headstock-on-Strat look.

[Kilby]

The more you mention the tele headstock on the strat the more I think I want one :(

Now of course I'm thinking of a strat with a reverse tele headstock (but I'm in work and don't have the opportunity to mock something up)

[FernandoDuarte]

(but I'm in work and don't have the opportunity to mock something up)

:D

[Philly Q]

Looks pretty good.  I like reverse headstocks, and the way they change the string tension a bit.  The only thing I don't like is the way the logos end up looking funny because they weren't designed to be upside-down.

[Kilby]

Heheheh,

I can't decide whether I like that or not (I think I do), but it actually looks more lopsided than a full sized strat headstock (which is rather a strange situation)

[Fourth Feline]

Thanks Derek.  I've read about the linseed oil option, but there seem to be very conflicting opinions!  Dan Erlewine says to use the un-boiled, raw variety, but other sources say you should only use boiled linseed oil as the raw type can remain slightly tacky and pick up bits of dirt, skin etc - which all sounds rather unpleasant.  I haven't tried either type, but I do have vague memories of linseed oil being used for school cricket bats, and that was horrible sticky muck.

Hi again Phil,   :)

Regarding the potential / reputed ' sticky' nature of raw linseed oil;   I found that the 'secret' ( as mentioned by Dan Erlwine )  is to get it on the wood - and then buffed off within 2 -3 minutes.  I found a warm finger seemed to drive it into the grain quite nicely, and when I had gone about 5 - 6 frets up the neck doing this, I reverted to buffing off that small section of fretboard. It does not need to be on there long to achieve optimum results.  Just to be absolutely sure, I started again at the first fret and repeated the procedure - but the first dose of oil had already done the best of the work.

So, the ideal seems to be push it into the grain with a warm finger, then get it off within 2-3 minutes. That way there was no trace of stickiness. Dan opined that the players with sticky guitar necks have usually let it sit there for too long and / or not buffed it up hard enough and soon enough. When I followed the 'rules' - I had great results.

[WezV]

the same technique should be used with danish oil and is also the way i would do it if using tru-oil on a fretboard.  The stickiness kind of goes on a rough scale from raw linseed oil - - - danish oil - - - tru-oil.   

Basically the amount of chemicals added to danish oil and tru-oil means it will actually harden off in the wood more than a raw oil will.. tru-oil will actually harden off on the wood if left which is what allows it to be built up almost to a lacquer like finish

[FernandoDuarte]

You guys buffs it with what? those buffing machines?