Jelloman's Double Parts-caster build thread...

Well...both on hold again...waiting for parts...again...:rolleyes:

I decided to replace the switch and pots on the tele, rather than limp along with what I have...also the proper type of chrome dome knobs...I also test fit the strat pickguard with the pickups, pots and switch installed, and the full-sized 250K tone pots are preventing the pickups to align properly with the strings...too bad I trimmed the pickguard to fit around the bridge before I discovered this...so I also ordered 2 250K mini pots and a new black pickguard...

...oh well...:shrug:...
 
Man, all those little issues can really stack up and fight you all the way to the end.....it can be especially vexing if you're ordering parts mid-way through the project and don't discover issues until you're in the go stage. Sounds like you really had to sort your way through.
 
k4df4l said:
Man, all those little issues can really stack up and fight you all the way to the end.....it can be especially vexing if you're ordering parts mid-way through the project and don't discover issues until you're in the go stage. Sounds like you really had to sort your way through.
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It's been a combination of unforeseen issues and mistakes made by the builder...I was expecting some of this but not to this degree...
 
jello - pics look killer - especially the "art" shot capturing the leaf on the deck...:wink:

Keep on it, man!
 
Dude! That is one hot tele! I think you did great and kudos for showing how frustrating putting a partscaster together can be. I am still marking parts off of my list from GFS. You gotta know what to use and what not to. Alphas are off of my list because I have had so many issues with them.
 
Thanks for all of the encouraging words, everyone...

...just to make it clear, I AM frustrated, but nore than I am during every project...I'm definitely not discouraged or ready to quit...now it's a matter of not letting the bastards beat me...I WILL get them right, and the will be BEAUTIFUL!
 
UPDATE:

Allparts box in transit from texas...should arraive 6/8/2010...not in time for the weekend but them's the breaks...
 
jelloman said:
Greetings...:Wave:

The idea here is to build 2 guitars...a hard-tail strat, and a tele...on a limted budget, using money I made selling a bunch of stuff on eBay to buy the parts, and using whatever I have lying around...and also demonstrating various finishing techniques, and some different kinds of wiring options...

The bodies were bought from the Red Dirt Guitar Works via eBay auction, and the necks are MightyMite via ebay using the BIN option from a couple of different suppliers...pickups and bridges are GFS, and assorted hardware and electrics are from GFS and Allparts...as well as my own supply...

...the obligatory box'o'parts pic...
001-9.jpg


the cost breakdown goes like this:

STRAT
body - 75.00
neck - 90.00
pickups - 68.00
bridge - 11.00
assorted hardware and electrics - 30.00
pickguard, knobs, pots and tuners came out of my parts supply...

total=275.00 approx.

TELE
body - 41.00
neck - 90.00
pickups - 65.00
bridge - 30.00
PG, plates, hardware and electrics - 80.00
tuners are out of my parts box...

total=310.00 approx.

edit: 310.00 plus 30.00 for different tuners:(
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I like your choice in the neck-wood and tunging-peg-layout selections. And that you built what you want to have - never saw one of these before.
 
reitze said:
I like your choice in the neck-wood and tunging-peg-layout selections. And that you built what you want to have - never saw one of these before.
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for real? you've never seen a build thread?:eek:

...well I'm honored to introduce you to them...please enjoy my many mistakes and corrections...

:Wave:
 
GREETINGS!:Wave:

It's been awhile since I have been able to work on these, but this weekend has been very productive...:thu:

I started by assembling the Strat's pickguard and getting the wiring done...

I had to use mini-pots in the tone positions because the full-size pots didn't quite fit in the body rout...the pickups are a vintage-wound set of GFS' '70s Grey Bottoms...and I used a .022 disc cap I had left over from a Les Paul kit...

I decided to wire them using the non-standard "Gibson '59" wiring from Premier Magazine...here's a link in case you're curious...
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2009/Jul/Gibson_50s_wiring_on_a_Stratocaster.aspx

I had a problem getting the solder to stick to the mini-pots and ended up using a file to scuff the backs...not my best or neatest work, but luckily no one can see them once the guitar is assmbled...
001-5.jpg


It's amazing how fast they finish from this point...after installing the loaded pickguard the only thing left to do is string it and set it up...which is when another issue became apparent...I could not raise the action high enough before I ran out of screw travel on the bridge saddles...It appears that there is a conglomeration of issues causing this...the neck pocket wasn't routed deep enough, the fingerboard is too thick, the pickguard is too thick, and the saddles are V'd...all of which joined to make a mess...if this were a customer instrument the solution was obvious...re-rout the neck cavity, shave the back of the fingerboard overhang, change the bridge saddles, maybe even modify or replace the pickguard...but because it's being made for my own use I was willing to go with the less-than-elegant solution...shimming the bridge...

First...try a phone card...
002-6.jpg

...not thick enough...

so some time was spent in the workshop, and a 1/8" thick piece of tempered hardboard did the trick...
008-3.jpg
 
ellengtrgrl said:
Ooohhh!! SO NOICE Jello!! :thu: How do they play and sound?
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THANKS:Wave:

they both play as well as any strat or tele I've tried...the tele is HEAVY, though...and they sound GOOD...the strat is very edgy, in a good way and the HB on the tele is beautifully mellow...I'm quite satisfied, and figuring that age may mellow them perfectly...

Mark Wein said:
Sweet!

Does the hardboard shim on the bridge affect the tone any?
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not that I can tell, mark...I played it without it first, and adding it hasn't seemed to affect the tone at all...of course it buzzed PAINFULLY without it...:wink:
 
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