NGD 60th anniversary Mexican Tele

[mybud]

As I mentioned before, the friend for whom I built the Black Dog (https://forum.pedalpcb.com/threads/gpcb-black-dog-1590b-build.16620/) graciously loaned me his Tele for a couple of days. Never having found a Strat that speaks to me but loving the Fender sound, I've been researching various Tele options, now convinced more than ever that the neck width agrees with my technique (such as that is). Same friend alerted me to this baby (as in the title above). Paid a little more than I would've for a Squier and am now the proud owner of a genuine secondhand Fender Tele.

She needs a bit of TLC as regards the electrics (loose ground jack) and a rewire (to include a five-way switch if doable) but she feels so comfortable to play I'm not complaining. Action also needs attention: too low for me. No doubt setting the correct radius and intonation too will bring the beast to full-blooded roaring life.

There's an indescribable snarling toan quality from the pups leading to great jollification. Never thought I'd like a maple fingerboard but it rocks too.

Thanks for reading as always. Now I'm back to scales and arpeggios (and the odd expensive chord for luck) with a vengeance.

 

[Harry Klippton]

Congrats @mybud I landed on a tele for similar reasons. Now it's my go-to

 

[mybud]

Congrats @mybud I landed on a tele for similar reasons. Now it's my go-to

Thanks, mate. My neighbours are loving it too

 

[jimilee]

Very ci, congrats. I love Teles. Swiss army guitar, it can be anything.

 

[mybud]

So... The friend who lent me his Tele came over to have a squiz at my new acquisition and we gave my Tele some TLC as follows:

1) Removed the neck to check whether the small cracks nearby the heel were serious or merely surface. Thankfully, just surface

2) Rewired the electronics, replacing the original (dodgy?) ceramic with a 47nF WIMA cap

3) Replaced the jack socket. Judging from damage to the paint around the socket, the guitar was dropped with the jack plug in place. This bent the socket and caused intermittent hum. We missioned to get the retaining screw holder bit separated from the jack, but eventually succeeded and installed a Rean jack. Hey presto and sapristi! No more hum and a solid connection

4) Flipped the control plate so switch at the bottom and pots swapped as below. Needed to extend one of the pot wires but otherwise worked painlessly


5) Gave the body and neck a thorough clean

6) Installed new strings (D'Addario EXL120+, 9.5 to 44), adjusted pickup heights per Fender specs (checking string to string balance across the fretboard), corrected intonation settings, and so on

The outcome: plays like a dream and sounds just amazing. Clear and clean with plenty of bite on tap.

We think all in all that this was a pretty good deal and I'm over the moon with my brand new axe. To thank him for his time and trouble, I gave my mate the Black Dog in a 1590B build that I posted about elsewhere.

Love this Tele to bits, couldn't be happier.

Last task, when the dust settles, replacing the three-way pup switch with a five-way for even more toanal control and variation. Moar toan, more toan, even moar toan (burbles away quietly to himself).

Right, now back to acquainting myself with the fingerboard's topology (scales, arps, and expensive chords aplenty). As always, thanks for reading. NGBS ...