javacody Posted October 8, 2005 Report Share Posted October 8, 2005 DrummerDude, don't sweat it. Remember, 50's and 60's guitars were done by hand. They were all slightly different. Using the warmoth guitar as your base will get you probably as close as was gotten in the 50's and 60's. I've even seen photos of Broadcasters and Esquires where the back string ferrules were really out of whack. I was asking about 50's vs. 60's because they have slighly different specs (different neck shapes, fretboards, saddles, different body woods, and finishes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirapop Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 If it was anything like the Strats, they traced a template onto a blank. Bandsaw close to the line and cleaned up on a belt sander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 tirapop, would they use the belt sander for the contours as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirapop Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Duchossoir's Strat book says that the contours were marked with a template, bandsawed to the line- freehand, and then cleaned up with a belt sander. I guess they used the same technique to get the overall body profile. Anybody got Duchossoir's Tele book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 I think for elegance alone, the metric system should be adopted world wide. On a side note, aside from the US the only two countries that haven't oficially adopted the metric system are Liberia and Myanmar. And then we are not even taking about the Fahrenheit temperature description. To my recollection US is also only country using that. Rest of world is using Celcius. Okay, back on topic. Why are you so concerned about getting the "exact" 50's tele shape. First of all your building the body by hand......and even with the best templates and best specs.....this still won't be as solid as a CAD-CNC-ed body. And finding exact tele template is voodoo in itself......it would mean using the template Fender has used originally. Or using 50s tele body.......but as this body was made by hand from template.....it still isn't exact. In the 50s-60s Fender didn't have any CAD-CNC machines....so all Tele's will be bit different. They will be close......but still different. When building your first body, a Tele body that is.....I would just use different sources. Use Warmoth drawings, pics of Fender 50s teles. Using Cad files online.......mix'm all up and derive something you're happy with. There is simply no point in building exact copy......you're better off getting knock-off body on ebay........but if you decided to go the guitarbuilding route.....do something nice with it....Give it your own twist. So body will be your 50s tele inspired guitar. Unless you wanna sell the thing on ebay as a 50s tele guitar...... Just my $0.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerDude Posted October 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 RGGR, you're right. I dumped the exact copy idea because it seems that I can't find a 50's Tele plan. I am using Warmoth & Fender info and measurements at the moment. Still don't have the width of the neck socket at it's upper end. After I get it from somewhere, I'll start building the guitar. By the way, does anyone here know how to accomplish the finish on the pics below? I saw this body on eBay and I loved the transparent green finish. And that mirror shine on the back of the body is just totally amazing! I enhanced the color of the pics using PhotoShop to make them look even cooler than the original ones. Check them out: Is it possible to make such a cool finish at home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Holy heck. That's what I call a mirror finish! I like the look of it, too. ANY paint job is doable by anyone with the right skills and equipment. So the question isn't really, "can this be done at home," but, "is this a very complicated finish for a new finishing painter to attempt?" Which I couldn't give you an answer for. I'll leave that to the experts. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Well, you can get pretty close with spray cans, but if you really want a finish like that, take the guitar to a pro shop... But if you're interested in a 50s vibe, then I'd just go with the rattle cans...partly because the finish will relic more quickly....with the right kind of loving abuse, you'll have one cool looking guitar inside of a year...; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 javacody, I am no longer after one of those models (50's & 60's) Couldn't find any information about the essential measuerements of the old classics. Now I am working on a "modern" sized Telecaster, using measurements and information from Warmoth (the plan I made myself is completely based on photos, diagrams and dimensions, taken from both Fender and Warmot sites). Seems that it will turn out to be an exact modern Fender copy at the end (or a Warmoth copy, if you prefer ) Now it is template making time. What would be better: use a whole body template with all the routing cavities on it OR severall small templates for the different routes (bridge pickup, neck pickup, neck socket, etc.) instead? Thank you for all your support, people! ← This may sound stupid, but here goes. If I wanted an exact copy of a tele, I'd buy the cheapest tele body I could find off of ebay, make templates from it, measure everything and sell it back on ebay. Teles are easy to find and going this route would ensure that you get the best measurements possible. As for making a plan and templates from pics, I did it for my last project. Its a Randy Rhoads polka dot V guitar. I got a picture of the original that was as straight as possible. Although the final result is really good, I'm sure its off in terms of general geometry. It was a good execrise though. Basically, I made a Randy "style" guitar. Not a copy, not a replica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Basically, I made a Randy "style" guitar. Not a copy, not a replica. ← How about a 'hommage' ? I used the same method for my current project --took an existing body and worked up a template off that. A big advantage doing it that way is that you can use a router with a follower bit to shape the template --you get an exact copy that way. For the next one, I've been working with a photograph, and using Autocad for the drawing. But it's really difficult to find a straight on shot of most guitars (hmm, wonder why?) ...but I used the straightest one I could find, it'll be close enough to what I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 This may sound stupid, but here goes. If I wanted an exact copy of a tele, I'd buy the cheapest tele body I could find off of ebay, make templates from it, measure everything and sell it back on ebay. Teles are easy to find and going this route would ensure that you get the best measurements possible. I don't know that I'd do it exactly this way, but it gives me a GREAT idea for future tele projects! --> Since I'm not looking for an exact replica, a cheap-@$$ tele knock-off would serve well enough for me as a template-- and you'd get all the horrible electronics as a bonus, for other mock-ups and projects 'n stuff. I wonder how cheap the cheapest knock-off is going for on eBay.... Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 I got a johnson tele body on ebay for $25. It wasn't routed for the string ferrules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerDude Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 (edited) Hello, mates! One year after my latest post I'm back in the guitarbuilding world. It's time to get Telecaster crazy again. I am working on an AutoCad routing file at the moment. That file will be used with a laser-cutter to make a precise MDF template for my infamous Telecaster. I am using the measurements from the pics below for the pickup cavities. Should I make the cavities with the exact dimensions of the pickups so they would fit tightly and snugly in the cavities or should I make them a little bit wider? If yes, what extra space should be left around the pickup? Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Also the bridge pickup from Pic1 has an extra plate under it that makes its overall size a little bit bigger than the bridge pickup from Pic2. Should I make the pickup cavity according to the larger one from Pic1? Pickups of what of these two kinds are more popular or even better? Thanx! Edited March 26, 2006 by DrummerDude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckeyeDoug Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Hello, mates! One year after my latest post I'm back in the guitarbuilding world. It's time to get Telecaster crazy again. I am working on an AutoCad routing file at the moment. That file will be used with a laser-cutter to make a precise MDF template for my infamous Telecaster. I am using the measurements from the pics below for the pickup cavities. Should I make the cavities with the exact dimensions of the pickups so they would fit tightly and snugly in the cavities or should I make them a little bit wider? If yes, what extra space should be left around the pickup? Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Also the bridge pickup from Pic1 has an extra plate under it that makes its overall size a little bit bigger than the bridge pickup from Pic2. Should I make the pickup cavity according to the larger one from Pic1? Pickups of what of these two kinds are more popular or even better? Thanx! Did you ever finish the Telecaster you were working on in this String? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerDude Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Nope, I dumped that idea about one year ago. I am into building Metal guitars now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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