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Topic: Telecaster |
Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 8:34 am |
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I've been asked by a new guitar company to design my own signature model electric guitar. I have in mind pretty much what I want, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions. What things would you tele players ask for in your dream axe?
Here are the basics thus far:
-Chambered swamp ash Tele body
-One piece birdseye maple neck, c. '56 medium V, w/BONE nut
-Nickel hardware
-No-load pots
-Custom designed Lollar pickups
-Split post Kluson style tuners, with Bill Keith locking banjo style tuners on the E strings
-Thin medium-gloss nitrocellulose laquer finish
Any ideas?
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 8:46 am
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Way to go Scott. That's an honor.
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 8:50 am
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Thank you Rick, I don't know how well deserved it is, but I ain't gonna tell em that!
I'm pretty excited about the electronics, there's not really anything else in production quite like this one. VERY vintage, but a bit more versatile than just stock p'ups.
Any suggestions guys?
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 9:10 am
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I had a middle pup on one, underneath the pickguard. 5-position switch, 3 standard Tele positions plus the strat in-betweens, sort of.A little subtler than with an exposed pup. Looked like a standard T.
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Olli Haavisto
Finland |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 9:41 am
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Thanks Doug. Personally, I like more of a '52 ish fatter V, but most guys don't like as big a neck as I do. Tryin to make it a little more marketable. What's everyone's opinion on the neck? Which one do you like?
This is gonna be a 3 p'up model. A P-90 (8.2) in the neck, a Firebird (7.4)in the middle, and a REALLY cool vintage sounding single coil bridge p'up (7.4). It'll have a 4 way switch, first three positions standard tele, and the 4th an off for the neck and bridge pickups. There will be a 3 position mini switch betwixt the volume and tone pots for the middle pickup. Up on/in, middle off, and down on/out.
A very wide palate.
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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Bob Ritter
From:
pacfic, wa
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 1:23 pm
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Scott, what size fret wire are you going for. I like a fat neck with a true jumbo size myself...Big fat neck with honking size frets makes a big fat quacky, poppy, honky sound...Thin frets with a thin neck sounds weak but you can play faster.
What I am trying to say is size of the fret wire is just as important as the shape and feel of the neck. From my point of view of course. 
http://guitarpartsresource.com/hardware_fretwiredunlop.htm
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Let's go catch a steelhead |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 1:58 pm
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I agree Bob, I don't like thin frets, but I don't like the super jumbo either. I was thinkin .102" x .042". I like wide but not too tall.
Keep the suggestions comin' please!
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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Bob Ritter
From:
pacfic, wa
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 2:39 pm
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| That would be the dunlop 6150 size...and a vintage v neck....I like it Scott.... |
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 7:51 pm Re: Telecaster
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| Scott Shipley wrote: |
I've been asked by a new guitar company to design my own signature model electric guitar. I have in mind pretty much what I want, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions. What things would you tele players ask for in your dream axe?
Here are the basics thus far:
-Chambered swamp ash Tele body
-One piece birdseye maple neck, c. '56 medium V, w/BONE nut
-Nickel hardware
-No-load pots
-Custom designed Lollar pickups
-Split post Kluson style tuners, with Bill Keith locking banjo style tuners on the E strings
-Thin medium-gloss nitrocellulose laquer finish
Any ideas? |
Hey that's my guitar!
Scott, I tried to call you earlier today, but I'm traveling across northern Nevada and lost signal. I'll be home tomorrow and give you a call.
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http://www.oldbluesound.com/about.htm
http://www.facebook.com/cowboytwang |
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Leslie Ehrlich
From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 26 Jul 2009 10:10 pm
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If I were a country Tele picker I'd want a natural mahogany thinline Tele with a white pearloid pickguard, Bigsby vibrato, a C-shaped neck and a rosewood board. The ultimate cowboy guitar.
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Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind! |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 29 Jul 2009 12:53 am
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I'm thinkin on the Bigsby idea, and the thinline idea (still in swamp ash though).
Any opinions?
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 29 Jul 2009 5:56 am
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I like big necks too, and if I was in a music store and played 9 guitars with "standard" .830" necks and one with a big honkin' V, that's the one that would stand out in my mind. I would make a signature exactly the way I liked it, and the more different it was from the run of the mill, it seems that would add to the marketability.
You want to make it feel just like all the other guitars out there? In the (hypothetical) music store scenario, nobody can really hear subtle electronics anyway, they buy by feel. A lot of people don't know that a big neck sounds better - it just does - but that just adds to the appeal, I'd think. |
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Papa Joe Pollick
From:
Swanton, Ohio
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Posted 29 Jul 2009 10:13 am
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| I like a C shaped neck.Tall frets.Rosewood board.No load pots.CC pup in the neck.Belly cut. |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 29 Jul 2009 11:30 am
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Scott,
as I was thinking about your project and I had no idea, except a silly one, like a decal of the Frankfurt Stadtwappen (like Clarence White had), beneath the laquer.
But are you sure that only nitrocelulose laquer is sufficient? I think that a tele also needs a thick coat of polyester underneath the laquer, or at least a very thick coat of laquer.
I think the body wood should be sealed very strongly. |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 29 Jul 2009 11:50 am
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| Quote: |
| You want to make it feel just like all the other guitars out there? In the (hypothetical) music store scenario, nobody can really hear subtle electronics anyway, they buy by feel. |
Nothing about this guitar is gonna be run of the mill, trust me. This isn't a company that will be producing large numbers. I have agreed to personally set up and sign each one. More like a custom order deal.
Basically what I'm doing is taking all the best features from every great guitar I've owned in the past and combining them in this one.
I'm also trying to incorporate other players ideas that are applicable.
Joachim, from my experience nitro breathes a bit better than polyester. We're gonna borrow an old Sho-Bud trick on the finish. I want a new guitar that looks old. Vintage, not reliced.
Thanks for the input guys, please keep it coming!
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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Gerald Menke
From:
Stormville NY, USA
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Posted 31 Jul 2009 8:29 am
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Thanks for a cool post, what a great opportunity. I am of the mind that the bridge/saddles have a lot of impact on the tone also, so I would suggest some of those brass barrel-looking one, and just three, not the six-barrel type like you see on modern tele's these days. Will it come with an ashtray-like bridge cover? I always play without it, but it sure looks cool. Also curious if you will have a string tree and where it will be placed on the headstock, and what kind of break angle the strings will have going from the nut to the tuners.
Can't wait to see a picture of this guitar/hear/see a clip on YouTube someday. Through a Headstrong amp, please. 
Gerald |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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Posted 31 Jul 2009 11:47 am
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Thanks George! I decided on a three barrel bridge, threaded brass. Agreed, definately a difference in tone betwixt the 3 and 6 type. I also decided on a Bigsby B5, modded to incorporate two palm pedals. The bridge will be routed near the bottom to allow the strings to pass through to the Bigsby. To my ear, the tune-o-matic bridge set-up that comes with the B5 doesn't sound quite right. It would be easy to "notch" an ash tray cover to fit too. I like that idea.
As for the string trees, I like the round vintage ones, and a little closer to the nut than the 50's models. Two of them, E & B, and G & D, staggered.
It's comin together, thanks again for the input guys, please keep it comin!
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Scott Shipley Facebook |
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Scott Shipley
From:
The Ozark Mountains
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James Allison
From:
California, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2009 7:30 am telecaster idea
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| i would add a cup holder... |
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