Classic rock on a '72 Telecaster Deluxe

[wyattriot]

I've been itching to build a '72 Telecaster Deluxe, so I ordered the parts from Warmoth today. It'll have an alder body and canary neck, so maybe a little warmer than a standard Telecaster Deluxe, but not by much.

This will be used primarily for a 60s to 70s classic rock project I'm joining (but also to fill some gaps in my guitar collection). We're thinking the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, the Clash, the New York Dolls, etc. I know that's a lot of ground to cover, so I'm looking for versatility but trying to stay with a more vintage voicing. (I've got metal covered with other guitars.)

I'm currently looking at a set of Mules. I already have Mules in an SG but I think that guitar may be a bit too dark for this project, and with the added brightness of the guitar they may fit the bill. Stormy Mondays would probably be too polite and Riff Raffs too bright, which is why I'm thinking Mules. I've also been told that Nailbombs are very versatile and clean up well, but I'm worried that the volume would permanently be set at 5....

Anyways, any ideas or opinions?

[hunter]

I am thinking Pile Drivers  8)

[wyattriot]

I am thinking Pile Drivers  8)

Wedging that bridge pickup in there may be tricky. Luckily, I've got a rubber mallet somewhere around here....  :mrgreen:

[Mr. Air]

For humbuckers I'll say mule and if you want it hotter abraxas. If you want a tele set there could be a few sets that'll suit your bill. I'm thinking bg50s (maybe bg52s), brown sugars, yardbirds and maybe even the piledriver a suggested by hunter.

[wyattriot]

I considered the Abraxas, I'm just concerned that (like the Nailbomb) I'd keep the volume rolled off permanently. I'll check out some clips, though. I might like it better than the Mules.

And yeah, the pickup configuration is a normal '72 Telecaster Deluxe so dual humbuckers, but Gibson-sized rather than the larger Fender Wide Range.

[richard]

Black Dogs ?

[Telerocker]

I have Mules in a an all mahogany bolt-on Saint Blues and that's my guitar for classic rock. If your guitars natural voice is little warmer then a usual tele, they will fit the bill. Mules have a very balanced tonal spectrum. They sound full and warm, yet with a crisp touch that is to die for. Mules have an open, vocal tone. If you're worried about a lack of mids: Black Dog fills that gap. I would stay away from the Nailbomb, which sounds (to my ears) too modern (90's metal) and agressive.

[Mr. Air]

Like telerocker says i would stay clear of the nailbomb. Too modern for your needs.

[Philly Q]

I like vintage to vintage-hot humbuckers, but I find in a Fender style guitar (as opposed to something mahogany with a set neck) the lower-output models can sound a bit thin and too bright, even harsh.

I'd be tempted to try the "beefed up PAF" models like the Abraxas or Crawlers.   But since you already have a set of Mules, it must be worth trying them out before committing to anything else?

I like the sound of your guitar, by the way.  A Warmoth Tele Deluxe is cool.  Have you gone for a big-headstock Strat neck?  8)

[wyattriot]

I like the sound of your guitar, by the way.  A Warmoth Tele Deluxe is cool.  Have you gone for a big-headstock Strat neck?  8)

Oh yeah, I love the look of the oversized CBS Strat headstocks. :)

As far as specs go, it'll look fairly similar to a stock Fender Tele Deluxe, no fancy inlays or binding or anything. I did go with heel/forearm/tummy contours, though. And the neck is a 24 3/4 conversion with 59 Roundback profile in unfinished canary, which under stage lighting looks an awful lot like vintage maple.

So for pickups, I'm basically looking at Mule, Abraxas, Black Dog, and Crawler. I'll start doing some research. Thanks, everyone!

[Copperhead]

Remember the 72 Deluxe had WRHB pickups. If ordering the body and pickguard from Warmoth be sure to specify standard humbuckers for the routing!!! The WHRB are much bigger and the rout leaves very very little neck pocket left, less than .125!! A standard humbucker rout will leave more meat on the body up there. Also putting humbuckers in the scratch guard if it is cut for WRHB will require a mounting ring to cover up the huge hole.

I built one using a Fender Road Worn '72 Deluxe. I used a USA Custom Guitars 22 fret neck.
I used a Warmoth humbucker spaced Strat hard tail bridge. This is also important as a "real" 72 Deluxe will employ a wider string spacing.

Lastly, the 72 Deluxe uses a three bolt neck plate. I filled the holes and re-drilled it for a proper four bolt.

After trying many pups to get the right tone, I ended up with a Tone Zone in the bridge and a GFS Pro Alnico II in the neck. I think it was a little difficult to get a warmer fatter tone out of this guitar because so much wood is removed for the WRHB rout. Currently working out the jigs, I'm going to mill out a block from the body and inset a healthy block of tone wood and re-rout the neck pocket and pickup cavities.

[Philly Q]

Remember the 72 Deluxe had WRHB pickups. If ordering the body and pickguard from Warmoth be sure to specify standard humbuckers for the routing!!! The WHRB are much bigger and the rout leaves very very little neck pocket left, less than .125!! A standard humbucker rout will leave more meat on the body up there.

It's not as thin as that!  I've had a Warmoth Tele Deluxe body, and a '72 Thinline, routed for the Wide Range humbuckers, and there's a perfectly reasonable amount of wood between the neck pocket and pickup cavity:

[wyattriot]

Yeah, the Warmoth Tele Deluxe pickup routs fit both Fender WR and Gibson/standard humbuckers by default, it's the pickguard that matters. I specified Gibson pickup routs on the pickguard, so we're good there. I also opted for a Fender American Standard flat mount bridge, which is 53mm, not 57mm. And the Warmoth Tele Deluxe body and CBS Strat neck both come standard as 4-bolt.

I had briefly considered converting my stock Fender MIM '72 Telecaster Deluxe for this project, but I'm already planning on turning that into a downtuned metal machine. :)

[Copperhead]

LOL, now I'll have to find a Fender body so you can see... obviously Warmoth leaves more material up there!!
I was setting the neck and that part of the body actual cracked out on me!!! Had to glue it up.

[Copperhead]

Aahhh... here we go. Fender uses the "dog bone" rout so that they don't have to tool change to a 1/4" dia tool when routing the body on the CNC, this confounds the problem, plus it looks like they also oversize the pup and control cavities to enable less than precise assembly: