Are you man enough...?

[Lew]

...to restore this if I won it?  :lol: :lol:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120378594020&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching

[AndyR]

The short answer (from me personally) is "no" :lol:

But to what state are you planning on restoring it? I'm guessing that would affect people's responses.

Oh, and Roo is bound to complain that you didn't explicitly mention "tele" in the thread title - although the use of the words "man enough" are enough to flag it up as a tele topic for most people :lol:

[Roobubba]

Hahaha Andy, thank you for pointing out it was a Tele before I clicked on the link! No need to do so, now ;)

Roo

[Madiac]

Hm, cool, but i wouldnt restore it, but rather keep it as it is, seems like a fun toy, but then again, that depends on what price it ends up selling at.

[Lew]

lol@Roo

I've asked him to send me a pic of what's under the guard to see how butchered it is,  but I imagine in the least it would be filling up the routes, re-radiusing the fretboard and a fretjob, replacing the nut, hardware and electonics... oh god I'm putting myself off...

Assuming I got it at the right price maybe Wez would enjoy doing it, I quite fancy a modded Tele at the mo... although not quite that modded  :lol:

I'm thinking bucker in the neck-sc in the middle and a hotrail style in the bridge, with Strat contours and with a trem 10" radius with 513 frets. I'm looking for a cheaper and less destructive than warmoth or buying a new American Deluxe and buchering it.... ok, maybe restore was the wrong word ;P

[FELINEGUITARS]

You wouldnt be able to re-radius the board as it is only the thin veneer board that Fender used in that era.
If it has been flattened it will already be thin, and to re-radius will take it down to the maple

There is a lot required to make that guitar nice again
That trem in particular is a huge hurdle
It's not even as nice as a Kahler

I would view it as too much work if I had to pay someone else to do it as it might get expensive (and it wasn't already mine with some sort of sentimental attachment)

[Lew]

Thanks for the advice  :D

Is your turn around still at 12-18 months?

[WezV]

i like it as it is :) at least he aint pretending  its super valuable

anyway, a complete resoration to 72/73 spec would be beyond me

as for doing what you suggest, well it wouldnt really be cheaper than doing it from scratch i'm afraid

if i owned that guitar i would be looking to plug the holes and reveneer/re-top it  either with a nice top and trans finish or a plain bit of wood with solid finish... but buying it to do that , maybe not

[Lew]

okidoki  8)

Cheers!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Thanks for the advice  :D

Is your turn around still at 12-18 months?

No - trying to be more like 9 months - especially on stuff like teles

LPs and stuff with lots of inlay can take longer

[Ratrod]

The biggest problem is that horrible vibrato. That has to go.

I'd take the thing off and fill up the holes with wood as much as possible. Mix a dye that matches the color and then camoflage the repair work by installing a Bigsby B16 vibrato.



Change the pickguard and neck pickup. Take off the sting locks and fill the holes.

Leave it looking rough.

[Philly Q]

If it was cheap enough, I'd buy it and keep it as it is.

It's been so hacked up, there's hardly anything left which actually is a '73 Tele, so I can't see the point of restoring it.  It's just a load of wood and (poor quality) parts, in bad condition.  Might as well buy a reissue or put together a new parts guitar.

Mind you, if you got it really cheap you could probably make your money back by selling the neck and neck plate, if they're genuine.

[Lew]

How would you verify that is original though? Would the stamp on the base of the neck be enough?

[Philly Q]

How would you verify that is original though? Would the stamp on the base of the neck be enough?

Good question!  I guess the sort of person who'd be prepared to pay good money for vintage parts would be able to tell.  It looks about right to me - judging mainly by the curved fretboard and the walnut plug in the headstock at the top of the truss rod, it's the right shape for the period I think.   But I'm no expert!

[AndyR]

Let's all club together and get it for Roo's next birthday :lol: