Telecaster Bass build

[sk8]

Having been gassing for a Telecaster bass for a while after getting the godin and done my research there appeared to be two choices, G&L ASAT or the new Squier VM Telecaster bass. I had mentioned it to mike before and he said he had made a telecaster shaped bass before so we got down to discussing some specs

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Basically looking at a hybrid of these really. Will be telecaster guitar shaped.

Specs we have agreed are

4 string 34 inch scale
Idigbo body
Rock maple neck with tele headstock with wendge fingerboard
Gotoh bridge and tuners plus hipshot d tuner
Aero split pup in the p position
Butterscotch blond body with tort plate and metal control plate

Simples

This will be a pay as you go build as I'm a bit skint so it may take a while

Think this will be an awesome bass that looks a bit quirky and unique.

This will be by Mike Walsh of Zoot and Purple Chili fame

 

[sk8]

Mike has sent through pictures of the templates he has now made

He scanned in a tele guitar body and then scaled it up to match the bass neck. Then cut templates out of ply.

I think it's looking REALLY good but then I would

 

[sk8]

Neck and board done ready to be assembled

 

[sk8]

Here's a couple of pic's of the neck being carved.

And a close up.

All that's left to do now is to hand sand and shape the head and heel ends and get the fingerboard on.

 

[sk8]

he T-rod on this bass is going to be a "Body end adjust" type. Therefore I need to drill a perfect hole for the end of the rod. Here's how I did it using one of my workshop jigs.

The Jig

The neck in possition

Another shot of the neck in the jig

The 7mm hole being drilled in the end of the neck

The result, a perfect hole in the exact possition needed for the rod.

 

[sk8]

Here's a couple of pic's of the Telebass (Idigbo) body blank being bonded.

In the clamps:

Out of the clamps ready for the next stage:

 

[johnson79]

Very cool. I love tele shaped basses.

 

[P. Aaron]

Very cool. Hope it comes together for you.

P.S. Is the Gotoh bridge similar to the HMV bridges Fender's putting on their AM ST's these days?

 

[sk8]

Very cool. Hope it comes together for you.

P.S. Is the Gotoh bridge similar to the HMV bridges Fender's putting on their AM ST's these days?

Yeah very similar. I had one on another bass Mike built me. No string through though but a very solid bridge

 

[eldoryder]

So....how did the project turn out? I am very interested in one of these myself!

Mike in Texas

 

[sk8]

So....how did the project turn out? I am very interested in one of these myself!

Mike in Texas

Hi Mike

It's still ongoing. Although its nearly there. My luthier accidentally book matched one of his fingers on his bandsaw so work stopped.

There are other photos but I'm waiting on home getting himself together. Hopefully I'll get some progress shots soon and also the bass

 

[sk8]

Pictures of the neck

 

[eldoryder]

So far, so good! I hope your luthier's injured finger is healing. I intend to follow this until completion. I, too would like one of these.

My dream "Tele" will have the same body, but made of ash and finished in tinted clear. The neck pickup would be a SDQP SC. I want the metal diagonal bridge similar to the guitar, but the real problem is finding or having one built with four rollers for bass! I would place a jazz pickup in the diagonal bridge position. A one-piece all maple neck and board (also vintage tinted) but with black block inlays would really do it for me. A standard chrome control plate with V/Stellartone and a 3-way switch would handle my electronics.Add a traditional black pickguard, and I'd be good to go!

I wonder if ANYONE has ever made that chrome diagonal Tele-bridge for bass?

 

[sk8]

Yeah his finger is healing. Hope to have this by the beginning of next month

It's going to the spray shop

That's one hell of a spec there!

 

[Down_Low]

Curious how this compares price-wise to just ordering a tele neck and body through Warmoth? I'm quite keen to do something similar, although with different electronics, and leaning towards going for Warmoth.

 

[sk8]

Curious how this compares price-wise to just ordering a tele neck and body through Warmoth? I'm quite keen to do something similar, although with different electronics, and leaning towards going for Warmoth.

Well the body is bigger than a Tele guitar body plus I've got belly and forearm contours (admittedly you can do these) but for me it was easier to say this is what I want make it so!

 

[FrednBass]

Looks like it's gonna be great

 

[bkbirge]

Skinny lookin' bass, sure going to be pretty when it's done. My personal pref would be for an old style P pickup rather than the split coil in a tele style but I'm sure it's going to sound good no matter what.

 

[JIO]

Looks great! You may want to move this thread to the Luthiers Corner for most people there would be all over it.

 

[ICM]

Looks nice so far, subscribed.