Tyler’caster – 1963 Custom Project
She is finished! Oct. 19th 2008 to June 18th 2009 was the length of the entire process. I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality and pure beauty of this telecaster. After all of the parts arrived, I drove to Nashville to have it assembled with James Hedges at Shiloh Music. Currently on the neck, is a Lollar 52′ accompanied by (soon to be) Antiquity II Bridge pickup. The plate is a NOS Fender bridge with Callaham compensated brass saddles. String ferrules are also Callaham which match with the tone plate (500k pots, tophat switch), kluson aged tuners and slotted screws. The decal went on beautifully and is virtually flawless in design compared to an original decal. There are several things that are noticeable to distinguish this guitar as a ‘custom’ and not original telecaster. However, it is closely based off a 1963 model from body shape (Brian Poe multi-piece swamp ash), hardware, neck size and of course color. This thing plays absolutely amazing, and sounds even better!
Big thank you to RS Guitarworks for painting and relicing the guitar, as well as Ethan Luck for the outstanding pictures.
Tyler’caster Part Four
Parts have arrived! I went with Callaham vintage hardware all the way around. I’m really stoked on the quality of the stuff they sent me. The bridge plate is actually a NOS bridge that I relic’d myself. I use the muratic acid technique, leaving it sit in a tupperware box for about 4 hours. I took it out, and it did exactly what I wanted, tarnished the outer metal and added some brown dark spots all over. I then put the bridge in another plastic box, and taped it shut with screws, coins and some small rocks I found in our driveway. After 15 minutes on air-fluff in our dryer, this is what I got.
Tomorrow, I’m heading down to Nashville to assemble the guitar with James Hedges. Pickups are Lollar 52′ on the bridge and a stock Fender single up front. Here are some other pics of the guitar, pre-assembly. Please excuse the poor quality of my macbook isight.