Suggestions for a donor guitar to make a Francis Rossi Tele?

DrJazzTap

As the vast majority of you know, I was incredibly fortunate to win a PRS CE24 Semi hollow in a raffle.

I only entered the raffle because a friend of mine did. The same guy will become a husband in November, to my partner's sister. So effectively he'll be family.

He is a lovely guy, he is trying to relearn the guitar in the last year and has bought himself a second hand PRS SE soapbar and a mustang amp.

His favourite, favourite band ever is Status Quo. He met Francis Rossi at a meet and greet earlier this year, and was completely star struck. I did plan to get him a Tele based on the Rossi guitar as a wedding present anyway. Considering how lucky I've been with the PRS, I am now moving forward with that idea.

I've spoken to my friend who builds high end relic'd copies of famous guitars. I've asked him to do the Rossi Tele and he said not a problem.

I'm after suggestions as to what would be the best donor guitar for the build. I've been advised that it should really be a string through model. It'll need a maple neck (the rossi one has a maple cap with no skunk stripe I believe), I can't seem to find that on any models.

We will be trying to model it on the latest iteration of the guitar (the triple lace sensor one). The guitar doesn't have to be 110% accurate, meaning that I'm not going to try and source genuine lace sensors (that would increase the cost of the build etc).  When he first started getting back into playing and was looking for a new guitar, he tried out my guitars. He found the PRS the easiest to play, said his fingers struggled with slimmer fender profiles. 

So ideally I'd like to find a donor guitar that he is going to play, so a tele with a wider neck (no mdphillips required). At the moment the strongest suggesion is a Squier CV 50s. I did point out if I should look for a Nashville tele, he said he can route out the middle pickup so a normal two pickup tele is fine.

The other thing I wanted to pick peoples brains about, is the bridge assembly. The parfitt model from what I can see had a Gibson style bridge. I'm struggling to identify what the Rossi unit used?

https://francisrossitelecaster.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/bridge/

The TOM is straightforward enough, it's figuring out what the strings pass through? What is that? You can see the repro on that one, is a machined piece of metal. Is that the way forward?

guitargeek62

Calling @GSPBASSES to the rescue

WezV

not sure what the tailpiece is, but given its a really simple design i would just cut one from some aluminium bar

DrJazzTap

WezV said:

not sure what the tailpiece is, but given its a really simple design i would just cut one from some aluminium bar

Thanks mate, it could have been something taken off a no name italian guitar from the 60s for all I know. I assumed it was something Gibsonesq. You know that when you do track it down, it'll be £500 :P

Pabcrane

Is your partner's sister a huge Quo fan too?

SteveRobinson

It says the latest incarnation has a Gibson style tailpiece so I'd go with that

DrJazzTap

Pabcrane said:

Is your partner's sister a huge Quo fan too?

My partner is not best pleased, she said "oh great now I have to spend a fortune too now!" I think she's gonna get her a nice watch/necklace.

Pabcrane

DrJazzTap said:

Pabcrane said:

Is your partner's sister a huge Quo fan too?

My partner is not best pleased, she said "oh great now I have to spend a fortune too now!" I think she's gonna get her a nice watch/necklace.

As long as you're in agreement - you don't want things to go sour.

I've always liked the look of Rossi's guitar, even never having hot into the band.

ICBM

If you don’t want to pay for original Lace Sensors, have a look for a Fenix guitar from the early 90s - they had plain white pickups that look like Laces. I think they did a Tele, but the Strat version has three pickups so it might be a better choice - you could probably buy the whole guitar for less than a set of Laces. Then put any other cheap pickups in it and re-sell...

DrJazzTap

ICBM said:

If you don’t want to pay for original Lace Sensors, have a look for a Fenix guitar from the early 90s - they had plain white pickups that look like Laces. I think they did a Tele, but the Strat version has three pickups so it might be a better choice - you could probably buy the whole guitar for less than a set of Laces. Then put any other cheap pickups in it and re-sell...

You do know, you're worth your weight in gold? Thanks mate, will have a look in a bit.

soma1975

Just use Whatever You Want. 

paulnb57

Find a Tele with a neck that is right, the body will be modified anyway, you could use flat top single coils with Mustang covers

HAL9000

DrJazzTap said:

Pabcrane said:

Is your partner's sister a huge Quo fan too?

My partner is not best pleased, she said "oh great now I have to spend a fortune too now!" I think she's gonna get her a nice watch/necklace.

Just tell her to Roll Over, Lay Down...  ;-)

GSPBASSES

 

I can certainly supply you with a TC body and neck that can easily be converted to the Rossis guitar. I just need to know what wood you want the body to be made from Swamp Ash or Alder, and what type of frets you want.

I supply bodies and necks without hardware or electrics and no finish on them.

pintspiller

ICBM said:

If you don’t want to pay for original Lace Sensors, have a look for a Fenix guitar from the early 90s - they had plain white pickups that look like Laces. I think they did a Tele, but the Strat version has three pickups so it might be a better choice - you could probably buy the whole guitar for less than a set of Laces. Then put any other cheap pickups in it and re-sell...

I wanted a Fenix Tele when they came out. A shop in Belfast was getting a "container full of them" for the Christmas market 25 years ago but had sold them all by the time I rolled round with my £99. Fender closed them down soon after - I think they made Squiers for a time afterwards.

GSPBASSES

.

TTony

https://youtu.be/WtnbAvdJG5w

Helpful for some options?

That Rossi Tele has been through many incarnations.  

DrJazzTap

TTony said:

https://youtu.be/WtnbAvdJG5w

Helpful for some options?

That Rossi Tele has been through many incarnations.  

Thanks mate, having thoughts about this atm. I dint know if I'm better off buying him a Mexican tele and getting a signed rossi photo etc.