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Thread: LeoCaster project

  1. #1
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    LeoCaster project

    I'm planning a telecaster project, mostly using guitarfetish parts. It's called the LeoCaster, in honor of Leo Fender and because of its "lion overlooking the African savannah sunrise" theme. Here are the components:
    Guitarfetish ash tele body in transparent butterscotch:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/soashtestbot.html $60
    Guitarfetish maple vintage amber neck:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/testnemaviam.html $35
    Wilkinson compensated bridge, gold:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/wicotebrgowi.html $33
    Guitarfetish lipstick bridge pickup, gold:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/neprotulipif1.html $41
    Guitarfetish vintage neck pickup, gold:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/altepigocovi.html $25
    Guitarfetish 14:1 tuners, gold:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/gosusmgost14.html $24
    Greasygroove tele pickguard, lion face:
    http://www.greasygroove.com/proddeta...11-PG-F-S-D-TC $30
    Stewart MacDonald Black Ice tweed distortion circuit (replaces the tone cap - I never use the tele tone control):
    http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...Overdrive.html $28
    Guitarfetish hardware (jack, plates, knobs, screws, straplocks, pots, switch, shielding, tee), gold:
    http://store.guitarfetish.com/tegocoplvist.html $73

    Total: $359 in parts for a kickass tele that looks like a lion surveying an African sunrise, with all gold hardware. The only modification I plan to make is to change the headstock shape to a more traditional fender style and add headstock lettering that says LEOCASTER. I'll be toploading the strings, so I don't care about the non-standard string holes in the body.

    What do you think? Any comment will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,

    John Richards
    San Francisco
    Last edited by John Richards; 07-04-2009 at 01:16 PM.

  2. #2
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Could be sweet. Are the screw holes in the Wilkinson bridge going to fit the Asian-spaced body, though?

  3. #3
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    I just noticed the string spacing comment on their website. I wanted to topload the strings so there shouldn't be a problem. Doesn't look like there are any bridge holes pre-drilled.

  4. #4
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project


    Here's a rough mock-up using photoshop. Sorry for the non-exact symmetry, size-matching, image-flipping, etc. But it gives a rough picture.

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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Post pics as you get the pieces and get 'em assembled!

  6. #6
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    "LeoCaster"......I like it!

    Pretty beyond doubt. Keep us in the loop as the build progresses, John.

    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  7. #7
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    i think that'll be awesome. can't wait to see it all bolted together.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  8. #8
    Forum Member sting7777's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    That black ice device needs a SUPER hot bridge pickup to work. I used it with a fairly hot HB and it was still very mild.
    The lipstick tubes from GFS are nice - but will not drive that circuit.

    Beyond that - I have found that GFS parts are pretty low quality in general - lots of pot metal. I did pick up one of their Xaviere tele style guitars a couple years back and once I had swapped the nut, pots, switch, wiring, tuners, and string trees, it is a nice cheap player. The body and neck are decent for what you pay.

    Good luck!


    "Oh, Mister D.J.,
    I keep wondering why you don't play much blues anymore
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    Whatever it is, I sure would like to know"

  9. #9
    Forum Member sting7777's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Quote Originally Posted by John Richards View Post
    I just noticed the string spacing comment on their website. I wanted to topload the strings so there shouldn't be a problem. Doesn't look like there are any bridge holes pre-drilled.
    "are drilled at the factory for 10.55 spaced bridges-

    We DO NOT STOCK these bridges right now so we have discounted these bodies additionally"


    "Oh, Mister D.J.,
    I keep wondering why you don't play much blues anymore
    I don't know what you got against me
    Whatever it is, I sure would like to know"

  10. #10
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    I'm thinking that the 10.55 is just string spacing in millimeters, not holes for bridge screws, so if I top-load the strings, there won't be a problem.


    Thanks for the info on the black ice. I'll give it a try and put it in another guitar if it doesn't do anything.

    This guitar is half tone experiment, half art project.

    All the parts are on their way...

  11. #11
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Anybody know if I wire up a 4-way switch to add a series neck-bridge pickup position, if it will add up to more than 10K ohm output which will be enough to drive the Black Ice distortion circuit?

  12. #12
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    My 2001 AmStd Tele is wired with a 4-way for series/parallel operation, John. I'm not sure if it hits your 10kΩ benchmark but it is pretty hot.

    HTH
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  13. #13
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    you should as long as one pup has 3 leads, if both do, even better!

    if not, post a pic and maybe you can disconnect the baseplate from the pup itself. normally the bridge plate (or neck cover) is tied into the pup ground circuit. but you can sometimes make a 2 wire pup into a 3 wire, and that's what you'll need to run the 4 way switch.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  14. #14
    Forum Member Meaux's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    How's this LeoCaster goin John?
    Lazy Bum That Lives Off His Wife...

  15. #15
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Most of the parts came this week. A few left to go. The body and neck look really great. It's not a perfect fit, so a little woodworking is in my future, which is both fun and annoying (because I want it done right away). The matching of the amber neck and transparent butterscotch body is perfect, and the gold bridge and gold lipstick bridge pickup are amazing. I got the Black Ice distortion cube and it says it needs 8 K ohms, so maybe the series pickup configuration will be enough to drive it. I'm considering a 2" by 4" gold pickguard around the gold neck pickup because the ash is so beautiful, but the lion pickguard may end up being the centerpiece of the whole project (we'll see when it arrives). I'll post a picture of all the parts when they arrive.

    John

  16. #16
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Anyone have any idea on how I can put 3/8" lettering on the headstock that looks like this?:



    Custom decals? Little brass letters? Vinyl stick on? Starving art student with a can of gold paint, a magnifyer light and a teeny brush? Printing on a clear plastic sheet? For those with font knowledge, it's Imprint MT Shadow in bold.

    I can send the plain lettering in black and white to someone as a template. I see that greasygroove does custom diamond etching of gold plates but I'd love to have individual letters on the wood.

    Am I going over the edge?

    Thanks,

    John
    Last edited by John Richards; 07-18-2009 at 09:44 AM.

  17. #17
    Forum Member Meaux's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Send George an e-mail, maybe he can help w/ a custom decal...

    gcharles@hvc.rr.com
    Lazy Bum That Lives Off His Wife...

  18. #18
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Thanks for the decal contact.

    Here are the parts that have arrived so far. I'm fitting the neck joint today. The headstock is not shaped yet.


  19. #19
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    that looks nice!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  20. #20
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Man, you can't beat those prices at G Fetish can you?

  21. #21
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    All the parts came in except the lion face pickguard:

    Still working on the headstock shape. I need to find a teeny amount of amber stain

  22. #22
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    It's a Tele kit!

    Looking good. Keep us posted.

  23. #23
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Of course, I'll have to put these gold strings on it:
    http://www.astrings.co.uk/product_in...products_id/21


  24. #24
    Forum Member Jonnda's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Gold strings? really? Huh.
    "The other Shaltanac's joopleberry shrub is always a more mauvy shade of pinky-russet."

    "there's NOTHING WRONG with a live penguin, but...I expected a hamburger!"

  25. #25
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Gold-plated steel. $30 a set on eBay. Brian May (of Queen)signature strings (he's got the money).

  26. #26
    Forum Member Meaux's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Is that a Gibson Style 3-way?
    Lazy Bum That Lives Off His Wife...

  27. #27
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Very observant. I'm trying to keep the all-gold hardware theme. Actually, now I'm working on putting a set of five mini gold toggle switches on the control plate instead of the standard volume/tone/selector configuration. The switches would be:
    neck pickup phase (normal/reverse)
    neck pickup selector (on-parallel/off/on-series)
    bridge pickup selector (on-parallel/off/on-series)
    distortion (off/on) (with a 250K ohm resistor for the black ice diodes)
    volume (off/medium/full) (with the medium having a trim pot of 0-100K ohms)

    Here's an example of the switches:
    http://www.guitarnucleus.com/gnstore...#mini-switches GN0080EL-GLD

  28. #28
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Here's a rough idea of the circuit. It needs a couple of changes:


  29. #29
    Forum Member Meaux's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Well, I just finished a Body Replacement...

    I bought a $40, 2 pound body from GuitarFetish and had to cut my own pickguard, because the neck pocket was cut to 'Low' and there was a .25" gap at the bottom of the neck that I had to cover up... I also had a problem covering up the string holes w/ the bridge, and pickup route with the pickguard... Things were not exactly 'centered'... Control cavity and Bridge Pickup cavity wasn't routed deep, or wide enough

    But after all, it was a $40 finished body, ya get what ya pay for... and it was lite!



    I'm Happy... I wired in a 4-way w/ the Bill Lawrence noiseless 280's... I like the sound of the 'series wiring'...
    Lazy Bum That Lives Off His Wife...

  30. #30
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    I'm jealous. I'm still waiting for some parts (toggle switches, lion pickguard).

    Leo is waiting for his LeoCaster:



    I did test the sound of the bridge pickup with a temporary wiring to the jack. It sounds amazing!!! The bridge pickup is off-center, so the high E string is half the volume of the other strings. I'll have to file the bridge pickup holes into slots so that I can position the pickup correctly. Like you, I had numerous off-center and not-quite-fitting issues, but they have all been fixable.

    Maybe Leo ate the parts, sensing his imminent loss of being the center of attention...

  31. #31
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    I'm trying the Stewart MacDonald black ice distortion on this guitar (that will probably only work with the pickups in series to get the .3 volts to drive the device) and I found a very interesting website that reviews the various passive distortion circuits that can go into a guitar:
    http://www.muzique.com/lab/sat2.htm
    Very interesting.

  32. #32
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    for a second there i thought you had a locking nut on that guitar, til i realized it was capo... what a i am sometimes! looking good, that's a nice color on that body.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  33. #33
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    The capo is on it because I am doing pickup, bridge and neck setup work and I don't have a cheap way to deepen the string slots on the nut yet. I don't want to buy a nut file set that costs more than the body! I'll probably use my .025" wide mini hack saw to cut down to a 1/16" steel rod flush against the neck and the nut, and then sand out the slots that need it.

  34. #34
    Forum Member Jonnda's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Quote Originally Posted by John Richards View Post
    Indeed, but it doesn't give the answer as to why LEDs were used in that one circuit verses another type of diode. Which I find frustrating.
    "The other Shaltanac's joopleberry shrub is always a more mauvy shade of pinky-russet."

    "there's NOTHING WRONG with a live penguin, but...I expected a hamburger!"

  35. #35
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project





    The parts came in !! Time for adjustments, shielding, soldering, etc...

  36. #36
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Radical!

  37. #37
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Quote Originally Posted by Jonnda View Post
    Indeed, but it doesn't give the answer as to why LEDs were used in that one circuit verses another type of diode. Which I find frustrating.
    different clipping my man. LEDs can be used like diodes in a clipping circuit, one or the other, or both. it's all the same, they clip the signal and create distortion. the LEDs may or may not light up, but they will screw with the distortion.

    hijack over, carry on.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  38. #38
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    LED's are just diodes after all...
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  39. #39
    Forum Member Meaux's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Quote Originally Posted by John Richards View Post
    The parts came in !! Time for adjustments, shielding, soldering, etc...
    Dang John, that Pickguard looks like it was cut to that Body, Really Good Fit!

    My body must have come from the bottom of the 'Reject' barrel...

    Did you weigh that Body?

    Lookin' good, but why the 'Off Center' strap button?
    Lazy Bum That Lives Off His Wife...

  40. #40
    Forum Member John Richards's Avatar
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    Re: LeoCaster project

    Off-center strap button because my daughter-in-law got me a rocking chair with high arms and I like to play guitar in it, so the guitar tilts up and rests against my right leg. The strap buttons that are centered on my other guitars stick into my leg.

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