My three hand built Tele's

axisus

OK, so the first isn't really a Tele, and the second 'looks' like an Esquire.

It's not everyones thing, but my hand built guitars have names. I don't name all my guitars but for practical reasons I have to name computer folders and files when building a guitar otherwise everything gets confusing at some point. I make lots of plans/ diagrams/photoshop tryouts etc. At the end of the day the name just sticks.

So ... Left guitar was my first build, back in the dying days of Music Radar forum. It goes by the name of Angel. I hand routed the cavities following pencil lines! Originally I had an Ibanez tree of life neck on it, but some years later I decided to add my own neck. The neck has a little secret in that it has light up LEDs added. I was pretty proud of the inlays, all hand made by me. Not really a Tele, it had a BK nailbomb in the bridge, a sustainer pickup at the neck and my own headstock design.

Guitar in the middle is called Chi Rho. It has had various pickup configurations, but some time ago I settled on the current Esquire look, although it actually has a stealth pickup under the scratchplate (made by Oil City Pickups), plus a coil split on the HB. The stickers were designed by me. The sun one is part of a design that I was considering putting on my bass, but it is currently hiding a finish cock-up that happened a year ago when I decided to remove a design that I had put on that area.

Guitar on the right is Mateus. My one almost trad tele. The top was made from a wine crate. The body and neck were made from a mahogany fireplace that I found in the street, so all the wood is reclaimed. Mahogany is not a Tele wood so not quite Trad!

So, I just thought I'd post these as I have started on another Tele. You can never have too many Tele shaped guitars! Code name: Mouse, it's going to be a tatty old 'barn door' guitar. I may show some build pix along the way. 

RocknRollDave

Cool, especially as they each have very much their own thing going on.

 I do love a Telecaster.

Rocker

Impressive my friend. Very impressive. 

roberty

I would rock the shit out of the middle one all day. Never seen that combo before, it is me all over. Must be so cool to play something you've made

punchesjudy

Love the middle one. 

richman6100

All three are very cool, but the one on the right does it for me. Exceptional work.

GoFish

I'll take the "right" one too, heh.

The middle looks a lot of fun.

What are the trade secrets of Ol Lefty there? Could be an Ebony board. Inlays? What's the neck pickup? And the switches man, the switches! Tell us everything.

RocknRollDave

What’s the “stealth” neck pickup in the middle one, ie is it single coil? Is it a typical Tele neck pickup sounding thing or something completely different?

axisus

RocknRollDave said:

What’s the “stealth” neck pickup in the middle one, ie is it single coil? Is it a typical Tele neck pickup sounding thing or something completely different?

You can see it in the middle here. Originally I was planning on HB bridge, P90 neck and this hidden in the middle. The sound didn't quite work for me so I swapped to a regular (not hidden) SC in the middle. Some years later I decided that I liked the Esquire look and I remembered the pickup. I'm no connoisseur of pickups but I'd say it's more of a p90-ish tone.

If you want better info you'd have to ask Ash at Oil City!

PeteC

Fab stuff - i love em! 
i like all guitars, but ultimately Teles are the real answer.   Leo got it right on the first go.  

Looking forward to seeing your next one. 

LordOxygen

They're all excellent, really liking the one on the rigth. 
Great work

RichAC

I like them all, but “Angel” is fantastic. Like a supercar, it just looks fast, even when standing still. My second post praising a Floyd-equipped Tele in as many days! Great work @axisus ;

My inner compliance officer would be a bit nervous about actually putting the word “TELECASTER” on the headstocks, but that’s probably just me.