US Fender Stratocaster HSS to SSS conversion

A nice US built Strat’ but the owner wanted it converted back to the standard three single coils. The most obvious thing is the pick-guard, I’ll have to get a new one of those or it will look naff.  Rather than re-use the old switch and volume pot I think it better to replace them with new […]

Fender Telecaster setup

A quiet day in the workshop today, a couple of odd bits and bobs.  Did have a rather nice Tele’ in need of a setup.  Nothing really wrong with it, just needs a tweek here and there. The neck set was a little high, so about a 1/4 turn on the truss-rod. The action at […]

Bare Knuckle Pickups

Had a mexican Strat’ on the bench today for a pickup transplant.  I think the best way to improve the sound of any Strat’ is to re-fit it with Bare Knuckle pickups.  Their range is great and they all sound fantastic..  

Jazzmaster Build – 3rd update

I didn’t manage as much as I wanted today, it’s been another of those days.  However I did finish the wiring, apart from the pickups which are on order…. It fits in place anyway. While I’m waiting for the last of the parts (tremolo tail and pickups) there isn’t a great deal more I can […]

Jazzmaster Build – 2nd update

I had a bit of a think overnight and decided to attack the problem from the other end.  Since it’s a much better quality body than neck I think it more appropriate to adjust the neck to fit the body rather than the other way.  It would be more likely that someone would want to […]

Jazzmaster Build

Just looking ahead to this week I’ve got a fairly major project lined up, a Jazzmaster to be built from scratch… I think I’ve got most of the parts.  I’m still missing the trem’/tail but that’s on back order.  Haven’t got any pickups either yet, the customer is fairly sure what he wants but there are […]

Telecaster Custom – Rebuild 6th update

Well I finally think I’ve got it worried.  I did hope to have it finished this afternoon but then, what was I thinking, anything on this guitar was always going to take twice as long as planned! Next then the neck picukup cavity.  Needs to ba at least this much bigger… With a small router […]

Telecaster Custom – Rebuild 5th update

A few more parts arrived today, the screws for the pickups. Guess what? even that didn’t work out as easily as I would have liked.  Should have expected that I suppose, I think this guitar hates me.  Well you know what, I’m starting to hate it back!!!  One of the screw holes is very worn so the […]

Telecaster Custom – Rebuild 2nd update

Re-shaping the frets isn’t difficult, it just takes time and patience along with the right file.. Making sure only to file the edges of the fret and round it off without touching the top.  Half way through fret No.1… Some time later, all done…. The file leaves a very rough finish so each fret now needs re-polishing […]