Official Luthiers Forum!

Guys and girls...an electric is on the horizon...not for sale, but to get my hand in it so to speak...I need wisdom before I hack up a slab of wood...I'm thinking a flat (as opposed to carved) top, maybe a Bigsby I've got laying in waiting....hep me hep me!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Tele! Tele! Tele!!!!! You can't go wrong. Unless you let me build it Actually the Tele is such a classic comfy design and gives you alot of top as far as wood is concerned. What type of wood are you thinking.
Best, Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

There's those Saga kits available off eBay for pretty cheap. The Tele kit is less than $100. I've picked up a couple of others, the Strat and PRS models, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality for the price. It's a way to get your hand into it w/o alot of fuss.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

I second the Tele...great all around axe....dual humbucker at the neck and a DiMarzio single coil at the bridge......EEEOOOOOWWWWW

Lots of easily acquired parts for these at StewMac or eBay.....

Oh come on, build a carved top!!! Really, I think a tele style is cool, but
not as cool as a carved top. It's just more fun. Well, maybe you could do
a carved top tele! It's really not that hard. I'd be glad to offer tips and
suggestions if you decide to go that route.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Tele! Tele!

Body routs are simple, body shape is simple, wiring harness is straightforward. I'm building one right now with a minni-humbucker in the neck position and a Jerry Donahue bridge pickup, both Seymour Duncan, as per customer's request. The one I built for myself to use has an active EMG pickup set and a Fishman PoerBridge, both run through a Fishman PowerChip. I love stereo guitar setups.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Thought you'd never ask

Did some one say, "Tele?"




Then there's the "flat top hot rod" from my youth.
(Notice the hole where I robbed a mini switch to install in a friends guitar! )



Larry, they're much more forgiving than acoustics,sort of like making a craft in early high school...If you slip up, you turn it into an ash tray !



Paul

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Sweet. Paul, is that a spruce top?

I have a tele that I absolutely love. The electronics I used make it great
for alt. rock (coldplay, for example) or a Norah Jones type folky jazz.
Tele's with typical electronics have an open sound with a lot of bite and
little mid.

I waver weekly with selling it because I'd really love a strat for its tighter
sound with the high-mids. Having both would be perfect, so I'm holding
onto my tele.

I'd say let the sound steer you towards the guitar.    

Oh, man, Larry. You can buy a Tele. Design yer own!!!

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

My 'lectric is a home built tele style with single coils were they belong and a Gibson P-90 in the center under the pickgaurd with just the pole pieces sticking thru. I really get some looks when I switch that phat sounding pickup into the mix.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Here's another vote for a Tele.
And, Whoooeeee, Brock, yours is sweet!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

WOW! Man guys, now I'm not sure I WANT to build one! (I'd have to post pix here sooner or later and I am sure to suffer by comparison!). Every one of your guitars is just amazing! I do have tele templates already...and a PRS set too but that'll be at least the 2nd one....planning on maple, poplar, or ash for the body...(that's what's out in the shop from the furniture days)...and I'd use maple for the neck in any case...rosewood f/b...(don't want to start with a maple one...routing the truss in from behind is a scary proposition right now)...but, I think I'll give it a try with the electric...so look for me here with lots o' dumb questions!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Seems like everyone here is in the Fender camp. I'm a Les Paul man. Never owned a Fender.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Currently working on a tele (EMGS, how do you like yours J?) but I just finished a Les Paul Special style with an angled but uncarved top (4.5 deg. neck joint) and EMGs ( they sound good in the Paul we'll see about the tele.)

Brock, that is just beautiful(please excuse). I think my space bar quit
working from the drool. Is that going to a good home or do you get to keep
it?

I built a Tele style body in mahogany with an old Strat neck a few years ago...except I wanted it to feel more organic, so I rounded over the edges quite a bit. http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1391/bowtie011of8.jpg

Martin Edwards has just built an absolutely stunning Les Paul for a friend of his....

/\ great tone, too!!!

(sorry to flush you out, Martin!!!)   

[QUOTE=James Orr] Sweet. Paul, is that a spruce top?

[/QUOTE]

James, It is a spruce top. The guitar is actually a trial semi-hollow acoustic electric with a sitka top and a set neck joint. Alder back, maple neck.

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Hey Brock, what kind of wood is that?
Larry, I say go rock-a-billy.

[QUOTE=Kahle] Currently working on a tele (EMGS, how do you like yours J?) but I just finished a Les Paul Special style with an angled but uncarved top (4.5 deg. neck joint) and EMGs ( they sound good in the Paul we'll see about the tele.)[/QUOTE]

Kahle - I used the EMG-T set (not the EMG-TC with ceramic magnets). The EMG literature says that the neck pickup in this set is the nicest pickup they build, and I won't contest them on that - it is sweet! The bridge pickup doesn't have as much bite as a real Tele bridge pickup should have - I'd rate it as good, not great.

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

huh, wha?

OK Sam, fair enough, I raved over your celtic knot rosette so I guess it's only fair you out me on the Lezzer!!

Sumbudy up there said they were more forgiving than an acoustic, yup they are, but can work out expensive as there's more hardware to buy.

My next electric will probably be a les paul doublecut with a blue stained maple top.......

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Larry,
Don't be afraid to go with your own design for the body shape. The electric guitar lends itself to more free style possibilities.
I am currently building a chambered electric 12 string and it's just as gratifying as any acoustic build.
Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

I say design your own. Base it on a Strat. shape, but change it. Those are very comfortable guitars, with the bevels front and back.Every one's got there own taste, and I would take a Strat. over any other production electric. Alan.