2015 sees the Home of Tone turn 10 years old, so I decided to mark the ocassion by putting together a fancy spec Telecaster build, mostly done in house but also using and supporting some of my favourite other skilled people within our little music world too.
You may recall the incredibly SparkleMaster build I put together for a customer a while back that made use of the incredible services of RF Custom so I couldn't resist including Rob in this project too. I know Rob makes and supplies bodies and necks to some superb brands, and have seem some of the beautiful materials he has used to make those bodies and necks too. So I reached out to Rob to ask if he would be able to help me source a really nice grade of flamed maple and hondoras Mahogany too. He graciously helped do so, and sent those my way ready to shape them into a Telecaster.
It didn't dissapoint in person that's for sure!
Rob very kindly joined the blank for me, so it was essentially ready for me to get straight to work with the router templates and make the body here.
Couldn't resist placing some of the hardware on the blank as I begun removing some of the outer line excess.
Then on went the template and the router went to work refining the outline shape.
With the outline routing work done, I then set to work removing some of the cavity excess so I could route the pickup and control cavities.
I'm a huge fan of the Grainger Guitar Parts brass ferrule block, and I already had their router template from my white Strat project, so it was a no brainer to go with that spec for this Tele build too.
And with that, the bulk of part one is done! Body is starting to look great, and resembles a guitar!
After some sanding and final bits here and there, the body will be heading back down to Rob at RF Custom for lacquer. It will be getting a nice amber top stain, with the exposed natural edge PRS style binding, and a clear coat over the lot. So stick around for part two to see that all done!
James
