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Telecaster days 8 - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars

2008-03-13T07:14:00.003Z

I've been away for a couple of days, so I missed a couple of days of Telecaster styled guitars. But here they are again.

The Thursday Tele guitars.

Comes from the small workshop of Sleipner Guitars in Sweden. They are two Teles during production, and waiting for the final finish.

The first Telecaster is made in mahogany with two tone chambers and a spectacular walnut top and High Order Maximus pickups.

The second Telecaster is in chambered alder with a nice figured maple top and Filtertron pickups.

Telecaster days 7 - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars

2008-03-07T11:51:00.002Z

The Friday Tele guitar.

The Friday guitar is made by Moon Guitars in Japan (a very respected Japanese manufacturer ), and is a great marriage between the Telecaster and Les Paul Special. P-90 pickups and a mix between the Special and the Telecaster controls. All in a nice mahogany Tele styled body with crene binding. To me it looks mighty nice, and I would not mind trying out one of them.

Telecaster days 6 - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars

2008-03-06T08:04:00.003Z

Time for the Thursday guitar.
It's a spectacular Telecaster made by James Trussart. I really like the faded / industrial / rusty design and look, and they play just great.

Telecaster days 5 - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars

2008-03-05T06:38:00.003Z

Wednesday Telecaster.
An all Rosewood Telecaster guitar from Fender Japan. I guess that it's quite heawy. George Harrison used to play a Fender Rosewood Telecaster.

Telecaster days 4 - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars

2008-03-05T06:28:00.005Z

Tuesday guitar.
A really nice double neck styled Telecaster guitar from the workshop of Nick Huber, very stylish.

Telecaster days - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars - 3

2008-03-04T06:07:00.006Z

Monday Guitar.
A Telecaster with a brushed aluminum top from Gigliotti Guitars, the GT Custom.

Telecaster days - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars -2

2008-03-04T05:55:00.004Z

Sunday Tele guitar.
A nice Telecaster styled guitar from Ruokangas Guitars in Finland, the Mojo Supreme.

Telecaster days - Telecasters and Telecaster styled guitars

2008-02-29T11:10:00.005Z

Telecaster guitars or Telecaster styled guitar has always been a one of my favourite guitars, or as my old grandma always used to say "you always look great with a Tele on stage".
I have always enjoyed building Telecasters, but there are also a lot of different / great looking Tele styled guitars from other builders out there, and during the upcoming 10 days I will feature a new Telecaster each day from various builders, and from guitars that I have found on the net. Hope that you like them as much as I do.

Friday guitar

A great Tele" from the guitar builder John Suhr

Almost all guitarist has probably used one of his picks.

2007-09-19T10:37:00.000Z

Stig Landstrom, the inventor and patent holder of the sharkfin guitar pick passed away on September 2 - 2007, 85 years old. He worked at the Levin Guitar Factory in Gothenburg from the late 40:s, where he also helped to develop the solidbody Levin electric guitar. He had his own workshop called Ateljé Guitar. His first picks was called Gits (his initial name backwords).
Levins Goya guitars was sold in the US by Hershman Music in NY.

Stig Landstrom trying out a Levin Kentucky guitar.

Work in progress - Building a Cigar Box Guitar

2007-09-18T05:23:00.000Z

Things are moving forward with the building of my cigar box guitar.
Since the last time, I have been filing the slot for the nut. A have also made a test to see how the tunes fit.

Next in line was the drilling of holes for the string bushings at the back and at the top.

Finally it was time for the shellac finish on the neck, and I really like the amber finish of shellac.

Pamelina Custom Guitar Art Work...

2007-09-12T10:43:00.000Z

I found this guitar artwork site when I was checking Friend requests on MySpace. The artwork is amazing, and has been done by Pamelina. She has painted more then 2000 guitars, and has made artwork on guitars for Fender Custom Shop, Ibanez and a lot of other guitar makers.
To check out more of her awesome artwork and skill (and maybe have a guitar custom painted), click here to go to her site.

My progress with the building of a Cigar Box Guitar...

2007-09-12T07:19:00.000Z

The next step in my cigar box guitar build is to cut out the ends of the cigar box for the neck to pass through. I was careful so I got a very tight fit.

The next step was to rout out the top of the neck for the lid, so you got a flat top when you close the lid over the neck.

Neck and box test fitted together. Before I glue them together I will reinforce the inside of the box to add support and strength to the construction, and also cut out the lid for soundholes and for a pickup.

Comments and input on this build is welcome.

Work in progress on cigar box guitar build...

2007-09-11T10:48:00.000Z

Here are some more images and info on my cigar box guitar build.

First I thinned down the head for the tuners to fit, and to get a good angle on the strings over the top nut.

The next step was to take down the width of the neck and shape the head, to make it slimmer and better looking. Then I followed up with glueing a Wenge fretboard in 1,5 mm veener to the whole top (part of it will be routed away to make place for the cigar box lid).

I finished the neck off with holes for the tuners and rounding off the back of the neck.

Comments and views on the building is appreciated.

Cigar box guitar building

2007-08-28T06:13:00.000Z

It's time for me to build a cigar box guitar, after reading about them on the Cigar Box Guitars website. There's something special with cigar box guitars, as they have a great history and are great fun to play. One factor for the current CBGR (Cigar Box Guitar Revolution) can be attributed to many musicians desire for a more primal/rootsy sound. Blues guitarists, in particular, have picked up the cigar box guitar in an attempt to play Delta Blues in its purest form. Cigar box guitars got a voice and tone of their own, and played with a slide they have a great whining blues sound that you just can not get from another guitars.
One of the best things with cigar box guitars are that they are easy and cheap to build, and there are no set rules about their looks, specs etc., so you are free to use your own imagination and resources. They’re also small, portable, almost indestructable, weird looking, and they really attract a lot of attention and interest.

I got a couple of cigar boxes, some pine wood in the sixe of 1"x2"x3ft (25 x 50 x 900 mm) and some tuners and other hardware, that I will turn into two cigar box guitars.
Updates of my progress will follow.

Nice soft bluesy playing by Anders Lewen...

2007-08-08T13:53:00.000Z

Anders Lewen from Knockout Greg A the Blue Weather plays some nice soft blues with a T-Bone Walker influence. Does anyone know what guitar he's playing on?

FingerWeights. Maybe works, but looks quite...

2007-08-06T19:23:00.000Z

According to FingerWeights you get the following benefits.

"Used by Professional and Amateur musicians, FingerWeights increase speed, dexterity, endurance, and control for all players – all instruments. Designed specifically for musicians, the slip-on model fits comfortably on any size finger and is worn during practice and pre-performance warm-up. FingerWeights target the extensor and flexor muscles, the tiny muscles that open and close the fingers. The extensors (speed muscles) determine how quickly the musician can move from one key or string to the next. The flexors close the fingers and are essential for purity of tone.

The Musician is a unique form of athlete. Whether driven by string or wind, FingerWeights are guaranteed to improve your playing."

My view is that feeling is more important than speed when playing. But if you can get them both - what's the heck (but only in privacy).

The Meloncaster - A sparkly, pink Tele story from TDPRI

2007-08-02T08:57:00.000Z

A funny, true and amazing thread from tdpri.com on the creation of a one-off Telecaster. It's not my cup of tea when it come's to Telecasters, but one must admire his guts.

Image by Buckocaster51

Fender Introduces the Jim Root Telecaster at Summer 07 NAMM

2007-08-02T07:57:00.000Z

A truly modern Tele® guitar built for big sounds. As lead guitarist for Slipknot and Stone Sour, Jim Root is one of todays leading heavy guitarists.

This Tele was a labor of love for both artist and Fender, combining several unique features to give it an identity all its own. Special features include a mahogany body, EMG pickups, 22 Dunlop 6100 jumbo frets, black locking tuners and hardware, and a single volume knob. Available in a black finish with a maple neck and fingerboard with a white pickguard or in white with a maple neck, ebony fingerboard and a black pickgaurd. Includes black tweed hardshell case with red interior.

Model Name: Jim Root Telecaster®
Model Number: 013-4444-(Color#)
Series: Artist Series
Colors: (706) Flat Black or (780) Flat White, (Polyurethane Finish)
Body: Mahogany
Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)
Fingerboard: Ebony on (780) Flat White, or Maple on (706) Flat Black, 9.5” Radius (241mm)
No. of Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
Pickups: 1 EMG 60 (Neck); 1 EMG 81 (Bridge)
Controls: Master Volume
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade. Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
Bridge: Black 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail Bridge
Machine Heads: Black Fender®/Schaller® Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking Tuning Machines
Hardware: Black
Pickguard: 1-Ply White On: (706) Flat Black, 1-Ply Black On: (780) Flat White,
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Width at Nut: 1.650" (42 mm)
Unique Features: Mahogany Body, Active EMG Pickups, Ebony or Maple Fingerboard, Black Hardware, Flat Finshes
Strings: Fender Standard Tension ST250L, Nickel Plated Steel, Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042),
Accessories: Black Tweed Case with Red Plush Interior
Introduced: 7/2007

Eric Clapton & John Mayer on Good Morning America

2007-07-24T07:24:00.000Z

Eric Clapton and John Mayer plays Crossroads on GMA. Really nice!

"Road-Worn"Joe Strummer Telecaster - Limited edition

2007-07-24T05:51:00.000Z

The legacy of Joe Strummer (1952-2002) continues to live on, grow louder and shake up the establishment with the release of the Joe Strummer Telecaster, modeled after the beat up and battle-hardened ’66 Tele® he wielded as leader of “the only band that matters”—seminal Brit punk commando unit the Clash.

Designed in cooperation with the Strummer estate, the guitar has a highly distressed “road-worn” treatment that duplicates the original’s worn-to-the-wood layers of gray auto primer and flat black spray paint. It also features a “Revolution Rock” engraved neckplate and a limited edition art customization kit that includes Strummer-inspired stencils, stickers and graphics by designer Shepard Fairey.

The Joe Strummer Telecaster website

Cigar Box Guitar Revolution - Original, rootsy Delta Blues

2007-07-22T12:13:00.000Z

What does Jimi Hendrix, Bo Diddley, Blind Willie Johnson, Lightnin Hopkins, Charlie Christian, Carl Perkins, George Benson, Albert King, Hound Dog Taylor, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Big Bill Broonzy and Fenton Robinson and a host of other bluesmen have in common?

Well, they all started out with cigar box guitars, and today we are seing a revival for these primitive instruments (the cigar box revolution). Not only does the cigar box guitar have a great history, but they are also great fun to play. One factor for the current revival can be attributed to many musicians desire for a more primal sound. Blues guitarists, in particular, have picked up the cigar box guitar in an attempt to play Delta Blues in its purest form. They are usually played with a slide and have a great whining blues sound that you just can not get from another guitars. They're also small, portable, almost indestructable, weird looking, and they really attract a lot of attention and interest.

One of the persons behind the cigar box revolution are Shane Speal, who has taken up the title "King of the Cigar Box Guitar" for himself. He is also the man behind the The National Cigar Box Guitar Museum, that contains over 70 instruments plus historical documents, photos, ephemera and plans from the Mid-1800's to today.
Other important factors in the CBG revolution are the Cigar Box Forum (with over 2000 members - and rising), and the The Annual Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza.

A cigar box guitar can be built for less then $10-20, and a great place for getting cigar boxes is eBay.
If you don't want to build your own guitar, there are also cigar box guitars up for sale on eBay.

Instructions on how to build a CBG (cigar box guitar) - here >>
Guitar plans, bands and resources - here >>
Cigar Box Guitar Tunings - here >>

Finally two videos:

Lenny Purnell playing a Harley Davidson Cigar Box Guitar

Seasick Steve on a One String Diddley Bow

Nice bluesy playing by Tommy Kim

2007-07-18T05:54:00.000Z

Nice bluesy playing by Tommy Kim on a Swing T-thru Telecaster styled guitar.

TDPRI - Fender Telecaster discussions / forum

2007-07-11T09:26:00.000Z

As you might have noticed, I'm a great fan of the Fender Telecaster. And as my grandma always said "You always sounds and looks good with a Telecaster on stage".
If you feel the same about the Telecaster as I do, there's a site that you need to visit as often as you can. And that is TDPRI.COM / Telecaster forum - The Worlds most popular Fender Telecaster Guitar Discussion Forum.
Everything about the Telecaster is discussed there, and you will quickly make new Tele friends from all over the world - Take my word for it!

Weekly eBay Telecaster

2007-06-30T09:39:00.000Z

Nice Fender Broadcaster from 1952. Not completely original, but still very nice.

Telecaster / Telecaster clones / Inspired by Telecaster - 01

2007-06-29T09:02:00.001Z

This is a Telecaster inspired guitar made by Fernandes for the Japanese market. It usually goes by the name of Fernandes Hotei. It has been made in many different versions, with routed or graphic fronts, tremelo or hard tail bridge, single coil or humbuckers etc.

The Hotei is quite popular in Japan, with prices ranging from around $220:00 for common models, and up to $1500:00 for limited edition models.

Below are a few images on some of the models that has been made.

This one is a limited edition Hotei in simulated concrete finish.

Cheaper model with pink graphic and single coils.

More unusual model with routed top.

One more expensive TE340-HT Hotei professional.