Unexpected New Tele Style Day

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 2:43 pm

I was looking through Facebook local for sale postings and came across this guitar. For the price, it seemed like a steal. The pickups are probably worth what I paid. It has a custom made neck and the body is from a Michael Kelly guitar. The pickups are custom made by a pickup maker in Gig Harbor. It has locking tuners and it looks like it has a birdseye maple veneer on the headstock. It sounds great. The neck is unfinished, so I plan to change that. Seller didn't think I needed to, but everything I read says to finish maple to help keep it from warping and such.

Here is how it started.

20181214_092410 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20181214_092425 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20181214_092415 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20181214_092437 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20181214_092451 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20181214_092429 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

I took the neck off and did a light amber dye. I will wipe some poly on it once the dye dries.

20181214_095108 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 4:49 pm

I figured I would check the electronics while I had the neck off and was pleasantly surprised. No work needed.

2018-12-14_04-47-01 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

thenewromance · Post by **thenewromance** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:31 am

Nice looking! I love contours on a Tele.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:16 pm

Started wiping on clear.

The vintage amber Stew Mac tint on light looks pretty good. I did about half the drops this time compared to the two Jaguar necks I did.

20181215_121244 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20181215_121252 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:18 pm

thenewromance wrote: ↑
Sat Dec 15, 2018 5:31 am
Nice looking! I love contours on a Tele.

Me too. I love Teles sitting down. Standing up, I want the contours or it sits crooked against my body.

Maggieo · Post by **Maggieo** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:20 pm

That is a funk machine!

natthu · Post by **natthu** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:22 pm

Good score man. Looks like a well built solid guitar.

I usually don't like the look of non-Fender headstocks on Teles, but that is probably as close to a Tele headstock you can get without causing some sort of lawsuit. I think it looks pretty good.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:31 pm

I agree. It is close, but not the same. I don't mind it so much either.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Dec 15, 2018 7:32 pm

I tried to put the headstock decal on today and the veneer bubbled up.....

I sanded it off and put some Stew Mac Vintage Amber dye on it to match what I did to the rest of it. Tomorrow I begin clear work again. LOL

It matched well. The pic is when I first put dye on it and it was still wet. It has evened out a bit more since then.

2018-12-15_05-42-10 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr