Charlie Christian Tele build blog - COMPLETE

Jalapeno

Starts with GSP Thinline Tele & neck, routed for Lollar CC Neck (&bridge)



to follow ... staining & oil finish (Crimson)

EDIT: Discussion on the design  here --> http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/38085/next-build-charlie-christian-thinline-tele

Jalapeno

First coat on, couple of glue spots to touch up.

Winny_Pooh

That looks great

Chalky

Are you going to route the pickguard yourself? I found the neck pickup shape a bit awkward to sit nicely in the pickguard.

Jalapeno

Chickened out and ordered one from Lollar

ESchap

The Lollar CC pickups really are great.  My favourite archtop pickup. Really responsive to the volume control.  Roll off a bit and you have P90 like mellow, full up you get the added bite of a fender style single coil. Be interested to hear how they sound in a solid body.

impmann

Jalapeno

This video is what sold me on the idea (though mine's a hollow bodied Tele, not solid)

earwighoney

Mojo Marc has some CC pickups out now.  I have some of his blade type pickups and they are immense!  

TheMarlin

MOJO also has a staple pickup coming. I'd pop the staple in the bridge and his CC in the neck, a chopped Bigsbg B17 (everything above Bigsby arm chopped off) and build the ultimate Jazzy/rockerbilly tele!!

TheMarlin

TheMarlin said:

MOJO also has a staple pickup coming. I'd pop the staple in the bridge and his CC in the neck, a chopped Bigsbg B17 (everything above Bigsby arm chopped off) and build the ultimate Jazzy/rockerbilly tele!!

Damnit.  I'm gonna do just that!!!

Jalapeno

Nothing to see yet, my God oil body/gently sand back takes a while, even in this warm weather max 2 coats a day !

6 more to go !

Jalapeno

So after what feels like an eternity of oil on/oil off - I'm pleased with the finish.

Jalapeno

Finally got a waggle on, wiring completed today.

Scratchplate securing and stringing up tomorrow !!!!!

More pics to follow .......

Jalapeno

She's finally finished !!!!!

Roland

Nice work. You're giving me ideas about making a Thinline. 

Rocker

You built a lovely guitar.  Now go and enjoy playing it.

Winny_Pooh

Good shout on the scuplted heel too. Clean and mean tones galore.

Roland

i love those sculpted heels

barry2tone

Hope you won't mind a thread resuscitation, but that is one beautiful guitar! How's it playing?

I've a Warmoth Tele body under the bed for two or three years. Tele deluxe territory - 2 pu sculpted.chambered body, Olympic White.

If anyone happened to have a similar L/H body, suitable for this kind of project, please let me know.

Oh,oh! Had to go and look. Similar body, all 3 chamfered cuts, neck p/u/ only, has jumped to $495 nowadays. Phew!

Jalapeno

Needs some tweaking to be really playable - just not had the time.  Now I'm reducing to 4 days/week from next month I hope to be able to finish it off (domestic jobs aside)