New Build: Alder and Maple Tele

[Mark Crenshaw]

Mark, please talk to us about how you do the wire paths after the fact, rather than as part of the lamination. (And I'm loving this thread!)

Sure. The way I do it allows a single entry into the control cavity...I like it because it's a cleaner look. Teles that have the routes under the lam or pickguard are usually top loaded with a metal control plate and tight quarters so the 2 entry points don't matter.

These photos are from the other build. I drill one hole from the bridge PU route to the control cavity and then...



...one from the neck PU route to the bridge PU route. This means the bridge has to be removed to change the neck PU but you would already have the strings off and it's only 4 screws to remove the bridge and the wires can be snaked in and out.



Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

My son is not a woodworker but loves guitars. He talks about it being neat to build one. (ie. do you want to do this together. I study your great posts and think, I don't know about this!

Hi Baxter. Give it a shot. My stepson has no interest in either guitars or woodworking...only gaming. If I had the chance to build one with him, it would be great! Just build the parts you're comfortable with. You can buy the rest to complete it. Or buy a kit from Grizzly or Saga and assemble it together. You'll both learn alot and then you can tackle building one from scratch. I would be happy to field any questions you might have in either process.

Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

Mark - Why do you make this look so easy?!?!

In mere minutes you whip out yet another Leo classic.

The body I think I could do, but the neck/fret work is a whole different matter.

But I can't stop following your threads.

It's scary at first. My first build took me months to get to the point to which I've taken this one in just 2 days. Build a body and buy a ready made neck...there are lots of quality makers out there. Or like I suggested to Baxter, start with a kit and learn the physical parts and workings of the guitar, then tackle a build. It's a blast! I really get a kick out of playing one I built.

Any questions, I'll do my best to help.

Peace,
Mark

[Greg Peterson]

Mark - I have a little slide guitar I started some time ago, but due to my man cave being out of commission for an extended period, the roughed out body just kind of sat around. That I and finally learned some basics of bottle neck slide, so the electric slide kind of lost a lot of priority.

Reading your posts has ignited the desire to get this guy going again.

[Mark Crenshaw]

The weather is terrible here this morning. Snow on the ground, flurries in the air and air temp of 13F...high of 20F for the day.

"Doo, doo, doo, lookin' out my front door"



But, thanks to the insulation I installed last summer and some plugging of air gaps around the overhead door, my portable heat pump is keeping the garage a relativel toasty 59F with very low humidity.

I'm goin' in!!!



I'll post more build pics this evening...while I'm watching my beloved Cowboys destroy the Eagles for a second straight week. Is there one of those icons for "fingers crossed"?

Peace,
Mark

[Greg Peterson]

It goes against my DNA to root for the Cowboys, but if you promise to root for my Packers tomorrow I'll send some positive waves toward Texas today.

[Bill Wyko]

The guitar looks great but the Cardinals ar taking it this year. (fingers and toes crossed) . BTW, still using the AC in the truck here in the desert. 30 miles from water.....3 feet from hell.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Back on the build today. Despite the weather it's nice and warm in the shop. I ahve to say up front, some of the pics aren't too good...my wife turned on the red eye reduction and I haven't figured out how to turn it off...it causes a delay in the flash and has resulted in some burry shots today.

I started work on the neck today. Here are the blanks layed out and ready to go. These were cut from the same billet as the top of the guitar.



My jig for cutting the TR channel is very simple. I want to build a sled like some others use, but this is so quick and easy, I haven't done it yet. It's a flat piece of maple clamped to the edge of the bench. The blank is screwed down and I set stops at each end to hault the router. I use the TR to mark lines across the blank at both of it's ends.





I made a plate for my Makita router that rides along the maple piece I have clamped to the bench. The stops limit it's travel.



You can see here how the bit lines up. I don't use a center line at this point. I prefer to cut the channel first then mark the line for alignment of the template.

[Mark Crenshaw]

After cutting the channel to depth. The TR is laid in to check the fit.



I drilled the access hole for the end of the TR...you can just see it in this shot. Drawing a center line from the routed channel...



...it's easy to finish the layout with the template.

[Mark Crenshaw]

On to the fretboard. I use the StewMac miter box and saw. I like to use a clamp to keep the blank from sliding around while I'm cutting.



Only a few more to go...



Just checking the overall thickness...I have .060" to level and radius the fretboard. Just about right.



Here's a shot after rough profiling on the band saw...I'm running 2 necks. It doesn't take that much longer and I'm starting to build up a surplus for future builds.



The TR is laid in place with a couple of dabs of caulk to keep it from rattling. I'm ready to glue it up.

[Mark Crenshaw]

After profiling the necks on my Ridgid sander...love this sander! At $200, it's an amazing value and seems custom made for shaping guitars. Abrasive refills are sold at Harbor Freight and very affordable.



Clampzilla! I like to use thick, one piece cauls to distibute the pressure evenly.



Rough cutting on the band saw saves alot of time on the sander.



Nice fit and a nice match to the top of the guitar. Lot's flame in this one.



Tomorrow... leveling, shaping and fretting.



Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

It goes against my DNA to root for the Cowboys, but if you promise to root for my Packers tomorrow I'll send some positive waves toward Texas today.

Deal! The Cowboys are up 24 to 7 with under 2 mins to go in the first half. It might be time for a Dallas playoff win...it could happen!

Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

The guitar looks great but the Cardinals ar taking it this year. (fingers and toes crossed) . BTW, still using the AC in the truck here in the desert. 30 miles from water.....3 feet from hell.

Wow, I shoveled 6" of snow out of the drive today...ohhhh. another Eagle turnover...Dallas has it!!!

[Keith Christopher]

Mark,

do you not leave a hole for truss rod adjustment ?


thanks,
Keith

[Mark Crenshaw]

Mark,

do you not leave a hole for truss rod adjustment ?


thanks,
Keith

Hi Keith,

It's there. I got this pic out of sequence in my posts but you can see it in the butt end of the neck.



That would be a big mistaketo forget that. But actually, the TR wouldn't lay fully in the channel without it, so it's a tough step to forget.

Peace,
Mark