Latest Project: Mahogany-Bodied Tele

[cheepaxes]

Haven't been hanging out here much lately. I've been doing most of my recreational internet use via my smartphone, which doesn't always get along with the Vintaxe board page very well.

Anyway, my latest project:

About 15 years ago I bought a piece of mahogany and took it to a local luthier who had offered to cut it into a body for me. I didn't get back to him. I lost track of him, and the wood, when he moved away. Fast forward to last spring. I found him on Facebook, he still had the mahogany, he cut it into a Telecaster shape, routed the neck and bridge pickup cavities, and drilled the holes for the string through, bridge mounting holes and output jack. I got it from him a couple months ago and have been working in it.

Last year, when I knew I would be getting a Tele body, I swapped a guy a speaker for a Tele neck with RW board. A while back I contacted him with questions about the neck. Turns out he was selling a Tele neck w/ maple board (which I prefer), which I got from him cheap with tuners. I also bought a control cavity plate and knobs from him.

I bought a bridge, with compensated saddles, on eBay.

I installed the neck and determined that the bridge mounting holes, pickup route and string-through holes were in the wrong place. I modified the bridge pickup route so I could slide the bridge sideways to the right place. I glued dowels in the old string-thru holes and redrilled those - poorly. We'll see whether I can use them.

I had a Mexican bridge pup, which I've installed and I have a Mexican neck pup that I may install, though I'm leaning toward buying some overwound Lawrence pups for this guitar.

The output jack hole, as drilled by the luthier, is too small. I'll need to make it a little bigger. I have an old-school Tele output jack cup, but I think I'll get an Electrosocket type for easier installation. I'll need to enlarge the hole a little to fit it [Edit - I got an Electrosocket jack and the hole was drilled perfectly for that].

Another friend routed the neck pickup and control cavity.

I already had a tortoiseshell pickguard.

I finished it in three coats of tung oil.

I have assembled it except for,

- installing the output jack,

- installing a neck pickup,

- potentially putting in Lawrence pickups,

- wiring it up,

- putting on strap buttons.

Here's a picture with everything in place, but before I screwed things down:

http://www.scottmcknight.com/MAHOGANY.JPG

-Scott

[Sol]

One of the nicest guitars Ive made in recent yrs was an all Mahogany Tele type guitar, after all if an all Rosewood Tele can work, albeit very heavy (I imagine) So yours will sound great, as Maple and Mahogany is a classic combination.

I had my doubts about the sound of mine but it turned out very well, so I look forward to your finished guitar.

[cheepaxes]