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Just finished this guitar. I built it for the 2012 Tele Challenge over on the TDPRI. Specs as follows:
White Ash body
Maple neck
25.5" scale
Bone nut
Padauk fretboard
LMI's FW47104 fretwire
String through bridge w/brass saddles
Tort guard
Pickups are GFS
2 vol/2 tone/ 3-way
Guitar has belly cut and forearm contour.
Love this guitar! It plays like a dream, and the GFS pickups give me everything I could hope for in a humbucker.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Sweet! Really like that paduak fingerboard.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Thanks, Chris. I've fallen in love with Padauk. I'll definitely be using it again.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Very nice work! Very clean! Diggin that fretboard too!

That's a nice looking body. Great finish and the ash is very nice.

What glue did you use to put those two halves together?

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Thanks a lot, guys.
Zlurgh, I used Titebond original. Never found it necessary to use anything else.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Hey, Mike,
A lot of people here know that I've never built nor owned a solid body and, generally, they don't interest me too much. But every now and then I see one here that is very cleanly executed and yours is one that grabbed my attention. I'll tell you, your guitar makes me sort of re-consider my thoughts about solid bodies. Well, I've always loved hearing them played well by great guitarists, and once in a while I actually want to own one. Your guitar takes me toward those thoughts, so: Way to go! Keep them coming! (Gee, I hope that all made sense. What I'm trying to say is I LIKE IT.)

Patrick

Wow, thanks! As to your not owning a solidbody, that's cool. But I'd be willing to bet that there's one out there, with the right amp, that would change your mind.
I play mostly in church, and for several years I only played acoustic. But prior to playing in church, I spent 25 years playing the club scene(rock, country). My main instrument was the electric solidbody. In fact, I learned on one.
It took a lot of doing to change my church's mind as regards electric guitar as well. The congregation was so used to the sound of an acoustic.
But any instrument, played tastefully and well, can sound great, which they learned. I love a great acoustic. Nothing else like it on the face of the earth. But my heart has always belonged to the electric guitar. Still does.
Anyway, thanks again for the compliment, and sorry for rambling on.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Wow, Mike!
That is so tasteful!
Congratulations!
What's next?

Thanks! And to answer your question, I've got two or three ideas spinning around in my head, and a build I'm in the middle of that I needed to scrap and start over, so I haven't the faintest idea what's next, but I'll get moving on something real soon.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Hi, again, Mike,
I agree with your hunch that there's a solid body somewhere that I need to own. I think it's most likely in my head right now, and I think I probably need to build it. I do love hearing them played well, from the most soulful blues to the most distorted rock--as long as they're played WELL. Organized noise takes me nowhere, but good musicianship in any style just sends me over the top. I love guitar music in all its styles and forms. As for my current obsession, I'm conceiving another arch top. I don't know when it'll get born, but it definitely wants off the drawing board and into fruition. You've got a cool instrument there. Like I said in the previous post, keep them coming. I will look forward to seeing another from you.

Patrick

I came back to look at that git,
and the description "handsome" comes to mind.
Patrick, if you get a good old Fender tube amp,
and build a guitar with single coil,
or low impedance humbuckers,
and don't play through any effects,
and really listen,
it's like an acoustic instrument,
just different.
Just dig the "tone", man!

I concur with that assessment.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Alright. Got my camera connected. It's cheap(as in it fell apart about 5 times before I got it connected cheap), so the actual video quality isn't what I'd like, but it's not too bad. The audio was recorded from the line out on the back of my amp, straight into my mixer, and then straight to the computer. The only effects are some dirt and the reverb on the amp.
As for the contents of the video, it's just me jamming. One take, mistakes included.
It's also 3:56 long. Sorry for that, but this guitar makes it real easy to jam along and forget how long you've been playing.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Wow who needs a Les Paul? Really cool guitar.

Thanks, Clinchriver. Indeed, this guitar will do everything I need an LP for.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Rock on Mike, that sounds great, enjoyed the clip, both the playing and the tone.

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

Thanks, Comfyfoot!

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Awesome Mike!

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"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Ok...second question:

I notice in the shot of that end grain how clear the grain shows.

Did you seal that endgrain with anything prior to sanding?

Or did you just seal the whole thing after sanding?

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Zlurgh, thanks for the interest.
I sanded the wood to 220, filled with Timbermate grain filler (all surfaces), sanded back with 320(what I had on hand), then shot nitro. The only sealer used was the lacquer itself. I don't use sealer. I just shoot nitro until the wood stops absorbing it, and then start laying down coats.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

You did a great job this year, Mike. I enjoyed watching you work

Thanks, Roger. I really enjoyed yours as well. There were a lot of problems you had to overcome, and it took a lot of guts to build a concrete guitar. Especially since, if I remember correctly, the last person to try that on the forum failed miserably.
And I liked your shot with it propped up on the cement mixer.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.