kevin_lindsay

Okay, so how did the final part of the build go? it was a LONG process! Chris McIntyre began around 11:30am, we didn't stop for lunch or a later break. The final screw in the backplate was put in place around 6:45pm and I was then driven to the train station to head home. So lets see how the day went. I arrived around 9:30am at Chris's workshop beside the Easter Rd football stadium in Edinburgh. I had arrived with the Andy Summers Tele and the associated parts, as well as David King's Gibson Midtown, and gorgeous sounding Lag acoustic. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/E670115C-5388-4F2B-BF4A-D543156B849E-234-0000000CD669DE4B.jpg[/IMG] Chris set to work on David's guitars to get them sorted, then around 11:30am the work began on my Tele. Chris then got the body back to the bare finish and decided first of all that he wanted to ensure the bridge was accurately aligned with the rear mounting string holes in the body. He did this by inserting a drill bid through the outer bridge string holes into the body guide holes. Screwing the bridge down then ensured it was perfectly aligned. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/0AFEFC03-1CDE-4A82-A5F7-5F7006BF0EB8-234-0000000CDF0013B3.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/9BE603B2-6A36-480F-8138-0C1F9D0FA542-234-0000000CE35AD7A9.jpg[/IMG] He then noticed that when the bridge pickup was in place, it was scrubbing against the wall of the routed hole. On some Teles, you can see the edge of the routed hole visible under the edge of the bridge plate due to them having slightly larger pickup routing holes. Here's some pics where you can see the visible routing holes at the edge of the bridge plate: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/3358F8C9-5C41-4982-9D86-71130416A541-234-0000001E16DA67D5.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/49A9D8A6-F1EC-4C97-AB76-F96810E866BC-234-0000001E2051C493.jpg[/IMG] Rather than routing the whole cavity to a larger size, Chris simply used a sanding cylinder on his Drenel tool to increase the clearance on the two sections where the pickup was touching. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/2A51E7CE-0C3B-4C62-B721-9FCB1360447F-234-0000000CF0527930.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks matey! I also took through a couple of guitars belonging ton a friend of mine, David King (http://www.davidkingmusic.com/#menusystem ). I took David's guitars back to him this evening after returning home from Edinburgh. He loved the work done on his guitars, and asked if he could see the Tele as he is a big Police fan. It was great hearing him play Andy's lines such as "Bring On The Night", "Roxanne", and the like. David said he thought the guitar was "stunning" which was very nice to hear. It's strange hearing someone complement something I've been involved in creating.

Rectified!! [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/CFADFBC7-D4A7-4983-B3A7-C30D3E97801A-1391-00000181D858FE7C.jpg[/IMG]

Aaaagh!! I just realised the reference in the last post before mine! The neck pickup being installed the wrong way round is my fault! I put it on the pick guard before Chris wired it in place. I'll get it turned round the right way.

Nope, it's a Gibson '57 Classic PAF neck pickup in the neck position. Bridge position is a Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster pickup. I'll get the pickup volume balance finely tuned tomorrow. Don't want to disturb the neighbours tonight at this hour. I've given the guitar a quick blast through my Flynn Amps 5A3 Teeed Deluxe and it sounds really good.

It's alive!!!! I'll post more pics when I get home after traveling back across country from Edinburgh. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/12876D50-2C68-44C9-955F-0311EADAF72A-1046-000001572F1C749C.jpg[/IMG]

I might buy a pair of converse tomorrow, and pink paint so I can paint them just like Andy did with his! As for the jacket, l have to dig out my old clothes from the 1980's! Hahaha

Only 1 day to go until my Tele is complete - yippee. I'll get some pics posted tomorrow of the finished instrument. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/B4F1533A-B57A-4596-9726-53D25D4D27D6-232-00000018FC26ACF5.jpg[/IMG]

Yeah, I think that as I'm having a new finish, the bridge plate split is a bit daft. Actually, thinking about Andy's original guitar, how in earth would the bridge plate have split like that? Maybe the original owner sawed it to try and get rid of bridge squeal or something similar? I can't see how normal use would result in the bridge plate splitting.

Take your time mate. Light goats and light flatting back between coats is the way to go

I know I'm doing an NOS finish on my instrument, but I'm wondering, should I go for the split in the baseplate or not? Decisions, decisions..... [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/2BAE500E-B2CF-493A-B700-EE862610D33E-384-000000356D75D587.jpg[/IMG]

Looking good!

I'm currently listening to / watching Paul Sumon's Under African Skies documentary about the making of the Graceland album. Really great, uplifting music.

That's Manu on drums. James Watson was on Hammond organ.

6 days to go until completion! Yippee!! [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/2B03BA46-0BC5-47C4-B335-4F2FB52D098E-232-00000018FA80D07E.jpg[/IMG] I also found another pic of the relic finish on the Tribute model where you can really see the white undercoat beneath the yellow lacquer layer. Check out the rear edge of the body above the strap button. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/1650084D-AF0C-4C1A-B4C9-F2AC3A2EE320-232-0000001906FA6D4B.jpg[/IMG]

Looking good matey! You must be champing at the bit to get it set up for playing? I too am finding that I'm going back to simpler layout basses these days. Get the basic sound right, and it sits better in the mix.