Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
- tade
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Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
Do you think it could be a good idea?
The thing is that even if I quite like the guitar, it doesn't intonate very well and I don't like the sunburst colour it came with, so most likely I'll have to work on it. Besides, the pu's are not the best around. As far as I know only one of the pg screws will remain uncovered and the rest of the butchery would remain unseen.
Probably it would be easier to turn it into a Deluxe, but I already got one of those, so...
Anyone can think of a red light about this project that I'm unaware of?
Pd: I posted here as it's not offset related, however maybe this post should be moved somewhere else.
The thing is that even if I quite like the guitar, it doesn't intonate very well and I don't like the sunburst colour it came with, so most likely I'll have to work on it. Besides, the pu's are not the best around. As far as I know only one of the pg screws will remain uncovered and the rest of the butchery would remain unseen.
Probably it would be easier to turn it into a Deluxe, but I already got one of those, so...
Anyone can think of a red light about this project that I'm unaware of?
Pd: I posted here as it's not offset related, however maybe this post should be moved somewhere else.
- F15hface
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
Just turning it into a deluxe would need new pickups, new neck, new pick guard, new electronics, new bridge, and routing. At least. If you dislike the burst, there's also the posiblility of a refinish.
If you were to make it into a bariton you like wouln need a bridge reposition, refinish, and new pickups. Seems a lot easier.
Thats my thoughts.
Also, here or mods and projects are the best places for the project, if you do anything, probably.
If you were to make it into a bariton you like wouln need a bridge reposition, refinish, and new pickups. Seems a lot easier.
Thats my thoughts.
Also, here or mods and projects are the best places for the project, if you do anything, probably.
- tade
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
I'm afraid I didn't make myself clear there, I'm intending to keep the neck and since It seems that repositioning the bridge is a must in order to make it intonate properly, while I'm at it I would go and slap a new pickguard and pu's configuration to get the 72 aesthetics, kind of a custom 72 baritone.
- StevenO
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
What exactly are you asking? Would the neck fit on a different body? If so, yes, probably. Would it intonate? No. Can you make the stock body look like a 72 Deluxe? Yes, but it won't exactly be pretty.
Best bet is to get a new body and a conversion neck.
Best bet is to get a new body and a conversion neck.
- tade
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
I basically want to make the body look like a custom 72.
Conversion necks are ussually 28.5", this one is 27", and this is the scale lenght I want to keep. That's why I want to stick to original body and neck. The problem is that the placing of the bridge on the blacktop baritone is a little off, which results in poor intonation. The fix for this is moving back the bridge. While I'm at it, I might as well change the pickguard and all that. The question is more about how would it look or what issues might I find routing the body and all that.
Another option would be getting a '72 body and installing the baritone neck there, but it would imply replacing the bridge also plus the neck is a 4 bolt and these bodies are 3 bolt designs, I don't know if these are compatible.
Conversion necks are ussually 28.5", this one is 27", and this is the scale lenght I want to keep. That's why I want to stick to original body and neck. The problem is that the placing of the bridge on the blacktop baritone is a little off, which results in poor intonation. The fix for this is moving back the bridge. While I'm at it, I might as well change the pickguard and all that. The question is more about how would it look or what issues might I find routing the body and all that.
Another option would be getting a '72 body and installing the baritone neck there, but it would imply replacing the bridge also plus the neck is a 4 bolt and these bodies are 3 bolt designs, I don't know if these are compatible.
- fender-o-phile
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
I was lucky enough to get a black top baritone without the bridge issue. I love it. I think it sounds like a simple enough project. Honestly, routeing for pickups is relatively easy. The hardest part will be the bridge fix you already want to do. Also IMO the wrhb's might be really muddy for a baritone but that is personal taste and you might have better pickups.
Nimble Guitars - repairs, mods, setups, refins. Instagram: nimbleguitars
- tade
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
Did you stick to the stock string gauge or tried sonething diferent to make it work? I was thinking about trying something different but don't know if it will make things even worse.
- fender-o-phile
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72
I bought it second hand. I'm pretty sure they are an ernie ball baritone set. There are a few other forum members with the same guitar who had to do the fix but I don't remember who.tade wrote:Did you stick to the stock string gauge or tried sonething diferent to make it work? I was thinking about trying something different but don't know if it will make things even worse.
Nimble Guitars - repairs, mods, setups, refins. Instagram: nimbleguitars
- tade
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
I´m necrobumping this thread as finally got around finishing this project.
I ended up buying a Squire body, as they´re four bolts instead of three, installed a vintage WHRB pu I got a few years ago plus a P90 for Telecaster from the Creamery. The rest of the parts (pickguard, bridge, etc.) are pretty much standard.
Perfect intonation and no issues whatsoever, quite happy with the result.
I ended up buying a Squire body, as they´re four bolts instead of three, installed a vintage WHRB pu I got a few years ago plus a P90 for Telecaster from the Creamery. The rest of the parts (pickguard, bridge, etc.) are pretty much standard.
Perfect intonation and no issues whatsoever, quite happy with the result.
- countertext
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- StevenO
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
Looks great! I love baritones.
- burpgun
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
The guitar turned out nice! I used to own one of the Silver Blacktop Baritones. I still don't understand why Fender didn't put the bridge in the right place. I couldn't ever intonate accurately the lowest strings. Sold mine years ago when I got a Pawnshop Bass VI and found that it lived a bit better in that low guitar space.
- tade
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
I think it might be more about the bridge choice rather than its position, as it's placed just at the same spot as it would be for a standard Tele.
I assume the bridge doesn't have enough travel to be able to intonate, depending on the string gauge.
I assume the bridge doesn't have enough travel to be able to intonate, depending on the string gauge.
- greens
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Re: Should I turn my Blacktop Baritone tele into a Custom 72?
Came out great! Keef '78 vibes