A New Project Comes To Mind...

[MrBump]

So, it's summer time and my mind has turned to a new guitar project.

I love my Tele self build - it's now my number one guitar, and is all I gig with, my Yam SG 200 being a backup.

But it can be a bit of a pig to play - a really chunky neck and smallish frets.

I'm a huge Richard Thompson fan, and I love the tones that he gets with his Ferrington custom build - a tele/strat hybrid with a tele bridge, strat middle and P90 neck.

Not sure why I'm posting this, probably just thinking out loud...  I'm thinking of doing the Warmoth thing with it, and having a proper tele body and a more modern neck (my tele has a really chunky neck, but I want this one to be a little more versitile).

I guess this is quite an unusual configuration - RT has 3 independant volume controls on his, one for each pup, and no tone.  I reckon I'd go for a traditional strat config.  And a traditional tele bridge - I think that RT just has a non-tele through bridge...

Anyone used this kind of guitar before?

Mark.

[dave_mc]

nah but it sounds like a good idea. :D

[Philly Q]

I haven't tried anything exactly like you're planning, but I do like Teles with "different" neck pickups.

If you go for a rear-routed (no scratchplate) Warmoth Tele body, they can do any pickup configuration you like and the control compartment can take either a Strat or Tele control layout.

[Andrew W]

I haven't tried anything exactly like you're planning, but I do like Teles with "different" neck pickups.

If you go for a rear-routed (no scratchplate) Warmoth Tele body, they can do any pickup configuration you like and the control compartment can take either a Strat or Tele control layout.

Looking at RT's guitar in the pic, the P90 is right up against the neck. Could you do a rear-routed approach with that? Would you have enough wood to make a strong joint from the body to the neck? I think it's a tops idea for a guitar though.

[gwEm]

theres similarities with my 'jolly roger' strat - independent volumes for each pickup, and a tele bridge for example.. though clearly both are very different guitars.

i like the surf look of RT's guitar, its a good inspiration for a build

regarding the independent volume controls, i don't think its any better/worse than a strat configuration. at first i thought the double tone strat control configuration was bizarre, but i've grown to appreciate the advantages of it.

[Philly Q]

I haven't tried anything exactly like you're planning, but I do like Teles with "different" neck pickups.

If you go for a rear-routed (no scratchplate) Warmoth Tele body, they can do any pickup configuration you like and the control compartment can take either a Strat or Tele control layout.

Looking at RT's guitar in the pic, the P90 is right up against the neck. Could you do a rear-routed approach with that? Would you have enough wood to make a strong joint from the body to the neck? I think it's a tops idea for a guitar though.

It's only the control cavity which is rear-routed, the pickups are mounted in the top of the guitar as normal, but without visible channels between the pickup cavities, so there's nothing which will weaken the neck joint.

On Thompson's guitar, the P-90 is up against the end of the neck but (I think) the neck has a 22nd fret on an extended overhang (like a Fender American Standard), so the body still has some solid wood between the end of the neck pocket and the top edge of the pickup cavity.

[Philly Q]

I have a Tele body which I was going to put a scratchplate on, but I like the weird grain patterns too much to hide them.

I've been thinking of putting a P-90 in, but I'm afraid to rout it myself i case I mess it up, should've got Warmoth to do it.  I might just go for a direct-mounted Tele neck pickup.

(Sorry, totally off topic thread hijack.  I just like this picture.  :lol: )

[MrBump]

No worries re hijacking, PQ.

There should be plenty of room for that pickup config with a standard tele body, shouldn't there?

[Philly Q]

There should be plenty of room for that pickup config with a standard tele body, shouldn't there?

A standard top-routed body? Yeah, but not if you want the Strat control configuration.... unless you get a control plate with a third hole, but that's a bit cramped.   Or you could make a BIG scratchplate, like Thompson's guitar (or like a '70s Tele Deluxe), to hide the "hotdog" shaped control cavity.

[tomjackson]

Have you seen this months Guitarist, there's a Knaggs guitar which seems to be a Strat Tele Hybrid, might be of use?

There's a clip on Music Radar, sounds great

http://www.musicradar.com/guitars

[Sifu Ben]

It's weird, I'm not that into Fenders or PRS, but I really liked that Knaggs guitar. Philly, why not just get a clear scratchplate?

[d1dsj]

Wow, both of the above Tele bodies look great... especially the one you have Phily. I really like my Super Tele, Tele shape, Strat like body contours and tummy cut, light weight and in typical Tele style feels solid. It funny how Tele's always feels the most solid to me. I have thought about routing the neck single for a mini bucker but I'm going to leave well alone, but if ever I get around to assembling a guitar it will have H/S/ Mini Bucker config. with a fixed bridge.   

[Philly Q]

Philly, why not just get a clear scratchplate?

The scratchplate was going to hide any sloppy routing if I decided to put in a P-90 (or Strat pickup, minibucker, TV Jones, or whatever), so a clear one wouldn't do that job!  It doesn't really need one.  :)

Wow, both of the above Tele bodies look great... especially the one you have Phily. I really like my Super Tele, Tele shape, Strat like body contours and tummy cut, light weight and in typical Tele style feels solid.   

Yeah, this has the Strat body contours and also an angled heel for better top-fret access (which I didn't particularly want, but it's quite neat).  I also have another couple of bodies, again with the contours.  I love the standard Tele shape but I'm not crazy about the sharp edges!  :D

[AndyR]

I love the standard Tele shape but I'm not crazy about the sharp edges!  :D

This might be a bit, er, crazy, but instead of "stratifying" a tele body, has anyone considered "SGifying" one? In other words, take the tele shape and bevel the edges of the body like an SG...

...er, probably crazy :lol:

[hunter]

I think this pickup config on a Tele will be great.

I would definitely also add a mini switch to be able to add the neck pickup to any of the other configurations.

Individual volume controls makes a lot of sense too, as the pickups might have different outputs.

I'd go for a hot Broadcaster type bridge.