guitar strap

[rdb]

Still practicing my long lost carving, etc skills, so don't be too critical, or look too close...lol. This is for the Telecaster. I have a template for the Strat. Usually, anyone who has one will have it modded with different pickups etc, but you still need a bascic fit template.

So... I'm wondering if youse guys have any idea where I might find a good selection of basic templates for these guard thingys. I enjoyed working this piece, and have some good ideas for future ones. Not sure the western style will be appreciated by the telecaster crowd, but just a first attempt. I suppose dragons and such could work.

Anyways, thanx for looking.

[pete]

Are you crazy!?! You aren't a player are you?

NOT APPRECIATED BY THE COUNTRY CROWD!!!!???????????

Make as many as you can- they will sell.

Talk about the classic country guitar. It has to be a tele.

[pete]

ps- really nice work. Gives me an idea for my 5 string "tele"mandolin

[rdb]

Pretty funny! I live in a most country area of NC, and there are very few country musicians! They are mostly rockers!, with some bluegrass.

Thanx!

Good idea! My 1890 Elias Howe gourd mandolin would look good with some kind of medieval lookin scene! Maybe a lute player in the forest.

[pete]

here's my tele- got a Les Paul special and Gibson(of course)

Edited November 20, 2007 by pete

[Art]

Hi Pete,

Bartolinis and 20 frets? What the heck is it?

Art

here's my tele- got a Les Paul special and Gibson(of course)

[rdb]

It's for playing in the woods...short barrel doesn't hit the trees when your rockin out....

PS..I like it...A perfect blues rhythm gitar, and the color of my pickguard would look great!

Edited November 20, 2007 by rdb

[Romey]

You can buy a pick guard and use it as a template, they aren’t expensive but i suggest you get an actual fender tele guard to use as a template as knock off guitars often don’t fit the bridge plate, neck pick up of neck pocket very well. I build custom teles once in awhile and have had this issue a lot with different companies, as well as some knockoff teles have 5 hole, 6 and 8 hole guards for screw holes.

Pete is correct Teles and leather guards and full leather covers have been in style and popular since at least the early 70`s.

Waylon Jennings is a prime example of this as every tele he played was full leather covered. Tele plays are a VERY close nit community across the world and real real good leather work for covers and guards is spread fast and I often thought would be a very prosperous niche. Dragons I doubt would go over real good on a tele, it’s a "traditional" guitar and MOST, not all but most players are going to be traditional, you’ll not find a lot of shredders on a tele. You’re talking traditional country, blues, jazz, rockabilly and classic rock crowd. Not really your dragon and sword crowd. If you wanted to do figured carving, I just had a though of classic cowgirl WW2 style pin up girl would be huge if done well.

Edited November 21, 2007 by Romey

[rdb]

Thanx Romney...good advice!

From my luthier friend, he says also that the pgs are too tight against the neck, and when they come in for repairs, they have actually pushed the neck out of whack, or it's hard to realign the neck without modifying the guard too.

[pete]

this is my latest. It's made by Roger Bacorn. Bass pick-up and really warm for the soft jazz stuff.

Edited November 21, 2007 by pete

[Romey]

Mine isnt to tight, its close but not quite touching, it can happen for sure but the neck is bolted on from the back, and there is a truss rod in most tele necks, I dont see a tight guard puching a 3 foot plank out of wack, for one to be THAT tight I doubt one could get the guard on to begin with

Edited November 21, 2007 by Romey

[rdb]

Pete - That's a pretty one. I like the finish, almost a Tobacco Sunburst, but different.

To make my straps match the sunburst, I use a combo of Tan antique, with a dry rub of med brown along the edge, sometimes an edge run of black.

Romney - your right, but I think he meant mostly on the older ones where the neck tension has caused some problems and you have to kindof wiggle the neck back into alignment. The plastic guards don't leave any wiggle room, you have to shave them a bit. At least with the leather, there shouldn't be such a problem. An old product improving the modern...kewl.

[Romey]

All I know is that god for truss rods,hehe

[Romey]

I ment THANK GOD

[johnny7]

I think it looks cool like it is.

[corter]

ya, that's awesome. I build guitars, i'd love to learn how to carve and put one of those on an instrument.

[rdb]

That's pretty funny corter, I started up again doing leather, so I could earn enough to start building guitars...so, we're even....lol

The dreadnought kit was $450 dollars from stewmac. I figured that would be a good start.