The new "Tele":

[Cogs]

USACustom alder body finished in DuPont Lucite Daphne Blue & amber tint nitro clearcoats; Allparts neck; Fender bridge & p'ups; special "kb" wiring w/1 vol 250K audio taper & one 250K linear fader:

[Don]

That looks great! I love the colors!

[Kap'n]

Color is nice. Real nice!

[pc]

Gorgeous. Love the chicken-head fader knob and the color. Glad we finally drug you kicking & screaming into Tele-land.

[DanD]

Way cool, I like that a lot and I'm not really into the pastels.

I've considered a fader knob before. My first electric guitar, a Gibson Marauder, used the fader knob in place of a pup switch.

Any downside to setting up a Tele with the Fader knob and no switch?

I realize if wired as such it would always be hum-cancelling. Any other differences?

[Cogs]

Well, there is the fact that you lose a tone control, lol
Seriously, though- I've been thinking about looking into a custom-built control plate w/three holes so the tone conrol can stay. I don't really use it or miss it, but it would be good to have. It would definitely look weird, though.
Another downside is that changing p'up settings is not quite so quick as flipping the switch, but I really don't care about that, either. The variety of sounds I get is worth the extra effort & I'm sure that as I get used to it, that action will become faster. I'm already figuring out that I like about 2/3 bridge & 1/3 neck a lot. You just can't get that sound w/a switch.

[DanD]

Like you stated, I was thinking more along the lines of ordering a custom switch plate from Callaham's with just three holes. One Volume, one tone and the blender knob.

I'd like to put it in my custom made USACG Keef ('bucker/single) Tele body w/Strat body contours.

I was really wondering if the blender took some bite out of the bridge pup seeing that it's always connected to another pup. Or is the the blender designed so that at either extreme you have only one pup active?

[Kap'n]

I'm thinking rather than an extra knob, a Jazzmaster style roller knob would fit nicely in the switch slot as a blender. With a reversed control plate, it'd probably work really nice.

[DanD]

I just spoke with Callaham's and they will "customize" the blender pot to remove the carbon film at either end so in the extreme positions only the bridge or neck pup will be in the circuit.

I haven't gotten a price back from them yet but the order is for one custom Tele control plate with three equally spaced holes, wired 50s style with the tone to ground, reversed w/the blender knob near the bottom of the guitar, tone in the middle and volume up front.

Should be a fun, even if slightly expensive, experiment. I always liked the blender on my Marauder but really that was about it!

It'll be a bit before I get 'er all together. I'm considering re-sanding and refinishing the black body. It's got a few bangs and chips from being stored and trying out different necks. I'm thinking might as well clean her up some now that she has my Cray neck on her and I'm happy with it.

[Flyin'Fred]

Cool color! Daphne Blue is definitely one of my all time favorites! Does it scream? How does the neck pick-up sound?

[refin]

Beautiful!!!!

[frpax]

What a great looking Tele!

[Cogs]

Cool color! Daphne Blue is definitely one of my all time favorites! Does it scream? How does the neck pick-up sound?

It screams if I want it to! The neck p'up sounds very Strat-like & even Gibson-y at times. It's got all three sounds in spades: Clank, doonk, & woo-
lol

[cv50]

Nice one! Major kool factor!

[D'Mule]

Looks awesome! Nice color. So the fader works with the switch in the middle position but off in other switch positions? I'm still confused.

[curtisstetka]

Guitar Fetish has this available: http://www.guitarfetish.com/Custom-M...ers_p_197.html

My Tele is also daphne blue, white pickguard, maple neck, brass saddles, etc. She's a sweet ride!

[Cogs]

The switch is disconnected. There are no wires going to it. It is not hooked up. I only serves to fill the space on the control plate & satisfy Tele-nazis. Here's a quick & dirty schematic I posted over at the LPF:

[Gris]

Sweet - man, i love those Allparts necks... : )

[curtisstetka]

Wait. That's an AllParts neck? Where did you get the Fender decal?

[Cogs]

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to ban you.

[surfreak]

nice and subtle relic job too!

[Cogs]

Thanks! I only relic a guitar to the degree that the finish I put on it sucks. This one turned out pretty good, so the bugs & dirt & dust particles in the lacquer were few.
It did, however, spend a few winters in the garage, so it is covered w/a very fine checking. It looks pretty cool.

[curtisstetka]

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to ban you.