SX Tele Overhaul

[redman]

My family are taking turns staying with me so I gave them my bedroom which is where my work bench is so I'm using the couch right now.
I finally bought another new trim for my SX strat. https://www.guitarfetish.com/Solid-STEE ... 24707.html It works well and drop in compatable.

This is the tele as I received it.

I an replacing the the neck pup with a SD SH-1 humbucker in the bridge a SD Quarter Pounder, All Parts locking tuners, TUSQ nut, Fender roller string trees CTS pots, CLR switch and Gavitt wire. I think it's going be a monster tele.

I'm still waiting for the control panel but here's where I am with it.

The SH-1n is a vintage style replica PAF and no logo on front of pup so here's the proof it is a SH-1n

All Parts Tuners

This gives you the idea of how it will look when finished.

[Partscaster]

Nice. getting close. That will look sharp.

[redman]

Nice. getting close. That will look sharp.

Thanks bro I like it too I just can't make up my mind about the humbucker ring color. I have 3 thin enough to work the white thats on it a black one and a chrome or just not use one.

[sabasgr68]

Nice. getting close. That will look sharp.

Thanks bro I like it too I just can't make up my mind about the humbucker ring color. I have 3 thin enough to work the white thats on it a black one and a chrome or just not use one.

Yeah, I´m with you on the HB ring color. I´ll wait until you finish it up, Randy.

[Rollin Hand]

I wouldn't use one myself. It's not needed.

Personal taste, your mileage may vary.

[devdem]

Enjoying watching you do the work Getting the bug to put together another tele myself. I bought a set of Bootstrap pickups to see how I like them. Curious to see how you like your pickups in that guitar.

[Partscaster]

I like the idea of the black cover. It could blend in with dark tortoise pickguard and neck's black pickup coil. That kind of leaves the cream colored coil looking like a regular tele neck pickup at first glimpse . Which is cool, becuase its not a regular neck pickup...its like a secret weapon.

[sabasgr68]

So, Randy @redman , how´s the tele project, and how you´ve been doing? Hope everything´s good in both departments

[redman]

I finished the SX tele up yesterday man she sounds good the guitar accepted the humbucker well the SD Quarter Pounder gives me all the "twang" I'll ever need and the SH-1n humbucker takes the guitar to another dimension all together I'm not real comfortable recording myself and posting it especially since the stroke I had in 2015. With my other problems in tow I had to relearn to play and I'm no where as good as I was but this weekend I'll record some to show how it sounds. Here's how she looks I think she sure is pretty.

[redman]

@Partscaster did you notice I took your suggestion for a black mounting ring I had a white one in the first post

[sabasgr68]

I finished the SX tele up yesterday man she sounds good the guitar accepted the humbucker well the SD Quarter Pounder gives me all the "twang" I'll ever need and the SH-1n humbucker takes the guitar to another dimension all together I'm not real comfortable recording myself and posting it especially since the stroke I had in 2015. With my other problems in tow I had to relearn to play and I'm no where as good as I was but this weekend I'll record some to show how it sounds. Here's how she looks I think she sure is pretty.

Looks awesome! The black HB ring looks so much better. I´m glad you like how it sounds, that´s the most important part. Congrats!

[Partscaster]

@Partscaster did you notice I took your suggestion for a black mounting ring I had a white one in the first post

I do notice that, and it looks even nicer than I imagined. Good job on that guitar.
Look forward to any clips.

[littlebadboy]

Very nice!

Planning for any body contours? It was one of the reasons I parted with mine.

[redman]

No @littlebadboy nothing planed at this time I really like it as it is now.

[andrewsrea]

Came out very nice and I am glad she sounds exactly as you wanted!

IMHO, tortoise shell pick guards have more Fender tone in them.

[redman]

@andrewsrea I ended up taking the Quarter Pounder pup and traded up to a SD Antiquity. I have been doing business with a local brick and mortar music store Music City Asheville since the 70's when it's first owner had it in a little strip mall just outside the city in a predominately residential area.The owner I know fairly well he's a great guy one time the guy that ran sound for us got sick the day before a downtown Asheville outdoor gig and he came out and ran sound for us, we live fairly close and when I need something he brings it to me on his way home. Anyway he had a NOS Antiquity he sold me for $50 less than street price. So I swapped the SD's and it's even better than before, The only problem is I now have $375 in a used SX tele and even though I would put it up against a Fender American tele anytime I don't think I could ever get my money back because of the name on the headstock. Who cares I'm going to keep it anyway I think my next project is a super strat.

[andrewsrea]

@andrewsrea I ended up taking the Quarter Pounder pup and traded up to a SD Antiquity. I have been doing business with a local brick and mortar music store Music City Asheville since the 70's when it's first owner had it in a little strip mall just outside the city in a predominately residential area.The owner I know fairly well he's a great guy one time the guy that ran sound for us got sick the day before a downtown Asheville outdoor gig and he came out and ran sound for us, we live fairly close and when I need something he brings it to me on his way home. Anyway he had a NOS Antiquity he sold me for $50 less than street price. So I swapped the SD's and it's even better than before, The only problem is I now have $375 in a used SX tele and even though I would put it up against a Fender American tele anytime I don't think I could ever get my money back because of the name on the headstock. Who cares I'm going to keep it anyway I think my next project is a super strat.

The Tele Antiquity bridge is a good choice and I personally wouldn't worry too much about resale. I have a few guitars that have >$600 in them that will go for<$200 when I die. But for now, they are premium players that suit me well.

If you are going Super-Strat and need pickups, I have a really premo pickguard with my pickups here: https://reverb.com/item/60557073-ami-pr ... -ply-white . I can ship it to you for the AGF discount (my cost). PM me if you are interested.

[redman]

Thank you for the offer @andrewsrea I have a SD SH-4 (JB) bridge and a set of Fender Tex-Mex strat pups in fact I have already removed the lower/bridge pup for lack of a better name. I've got a set of All Parts 6 inline locking tuners a Fender bone nut a few CTS 250K pots caps and such so I just need a tremolo I'll buy another one from GF I have one in my SX strat and it works great nice fat block $39.99. I also need a neck and a body for which I ask you for recommendations and a pickgaurd I suck at cutting them out so I need to get one as close as possible to what I need so just some trim work is needed.

Here's the pups I have

Also here's my updated tele.

[mozz]

These are a really good deal right now. Not sure on the specs sizing maybe 2 1/16".

[redman]

That is a good deal @mozz thois is what I've been using https://www.guitarfetish.com/Solid-STEE ... 24707.html

[mozz]

The Amazon one is in a genuine Fender package. They are not shorty though so your guitar has to be over 1 3/4" or otherwise you can't use the backing plate.

[andrewsrea]

I also need a neck and a body for which I ask you for recommendations and a pickgaurd I suck at cutting them out so I need to get one as close as possible to what I need so just some trim work is needed.

I can help with the pickguard. I buy Musicluily.com (available on Amazon) for Strats. They have every combination including no holes for custom projects.

As far as bodies and necks, I am so picky that I personally would custom order from Warmouth. For Fender necks, I like the late 50's 'V' necks with a 7.25" or sometimes 9" fretboard radius and medium-jumbo frets (a little wider and a smidge taller than stock). For bodies, I prefer Swamp Ash or Pine - light and resonant (even though my two current Strats are Alder). If I am going to go through the trouble of assembling a parts guitar, I am going to pay a premium for the parts that make or break a guitar for me, which is typically resonance and neck feel. Pickups are important, but not a concern since I make them.

So for me, the potpourri of affordable neck and body suppliers are too risky for me to consider, and I personally don't know much about them.

[redman]

I'm no where near being that picky but you like what you like my SX strat and tele are fine with me but then again I'm not a very good player so there's that. I used to be a guitar snob and if the name on the headstock wasn't right and it wasn't made in the U S I wouldn't give it a second look that caused me to miss out on a lot of good guitars. I'm just wanting to occupy my time while I'm laid up and I don't want to spend a bunch of money because I don't have a bunch of money to spend. I do like med jumbo SS frets that's what I put in my Gibson LP.

[andrewsrea]

@redman : I am definitely not a brand snob whatsoever and like you, left that mindset a long time ago. Most of my bad gear moves have been to listening to public opinion and chasing the latest shiny object.

Neck feel, resonance and harmonics (musical application?) are key to me. If the neck is too thin and flat with sharp edges, my hands fatigue and hurt very quickly. Small frets make me work too hard, as well. And when I am testing repairs or builds, I can be playing for 3 to 5 hours a day. If a guitar doesn't resonate and fights me, that also impedes testing, writing and session work. It is a creativity killer for me.

That said, I have everything from an upgraded beginner's Yamaha G112C to a PRS McCarty Artist 10 top and for the most part, all guitars meet my criteria.

[redman]

@andrewsrea I read my post over and I see how you could think I directed that at you but that is not what I was trying to do at all. I truly was only trying to point out how much I've changed in my old age so please accept my apologies I never meant to offend you.