Project Telecaster

Maker: Me, from Fender and other parts

Bought From:

Supplier Item

Unit

Qty

Ext

Neck and Body Unifinished Maple Telecaster Style Body 75.00 1 75.00
Blanton Guitar and Leather Telecaster Neck (used, from a 1997 Fender Squier Tele) 89.79 1 89.79
Fender Neck Plate & bolts incl.w/neck - -
Tuning Machines incl.w/neck - -
Pickguard 14.00 1 14.00
Stewart-MacDonald Jack Cup 6.31 1 6.31
String Ferrules 5.37 1 5.37
Control Pot 500K-ohm 2.73 2 5.46
Switchcraft Output Jack Mono 2.83 1 2.83
.020mf Capacitor Package of 12 3.86 1 3.86
6mm Dome Knob Chrome, 6mm shaft 3.35 2 6.70
Tele Style Control Plate Chrome 11.74 1 11.74
3-Way Lever-action Pickup Switch Gold contacts 12.99 1 12.99
  Tele Hi-hat Style Switch Knob Black 1.86 1 1.86
Mars Music Fender Pickups

45.00

2

90.00
Straploc Strap Buttons

3.99

1

3.99
????? Schecter Tele Bridge*

45.00

1

45.00
Total 374.90

Comments: *I had the Schecter Tele bridge lying around from before; I estimated a value for it. I want to compliment all the companies/people who provided parts/materials for this project. All provided excellent materials and first-rate service.

In addition to the guitar parts, I spent about $45 on materials to finish the neck and body. I'm pretty pleased with the overall results. The guitar looks pretty good, plays well, feels good, and sounds as I hoped it would. And, of course, assembling it was fun.

I guess the overall moral of the story is that building your own is not a way to save money. I'm sure a serviceable used Tele could easily be had for the more than $400 I spent on this. The neck and body were also really on the low price end of what these replacement parts can go for. Nice necks and bodies can go for $200 - $300 each.

However, the result is a pretty nice-looking instrument that is at least a little distinctive, plus the learning process and the pride of successfully putting together a decent guitar.

Project Telecaster

Click here for more pictures.