Post Honeymoon Report - Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

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MikeC
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Post Honeymoon Report - Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

I met up with Andries Vorster (luthier) a week or so ago and what a fountain of knowledge he is! So nec minit he's building me a custom Telecaster. Here's some progress pics of the Alder body and the bolt-on Maple neck (which will have an Ebony fretboard). I agreed to an innovative neck/carbon fibre/truss-rod arrangement. The bi-directional rod will adjust from the back.
Neck Construction.jpg
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Truss-rod Adjustment Opening.jpg
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Last edited by MikeC on Thu Nov 10, 2022 9:52 am, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

Progress.. creating fretboard, first thickness sanded to 6.56mm. Then the 9.5 radius cut with a 9.5 ball noise bit. Now the fret slots at 0.7mm. Then the nut and dots.
Fretboard Progress.jpg
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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by Starfire »

Nice! Interesting, unobtrusive place to put the truss rod access.

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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by Zaulkin »

Love Andries!

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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by AiRdAd »

Looks great, but where does the battery for the EMG fit? :-)
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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

AiRdAd wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 1:01 pm Looks great, but where does the battery for the EMG fit? :-)
I can't like this, I just cant...
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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by robthemac »

AiRdAd wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 1:01 pm Looks great, but where does the battery for the EMG fit? :-)
Strange routing for a Floyd Rose, innit?
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 1:53 pm
AiRdAd wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 1:01 pm Looks great, but where does the battery for the EMG fit? :-)
Strange routing for a Floyd Rose, innit?
LOL, I guess I won't be selling it to you!
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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by Candeevr4 »

Where the route for the evertune?

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Re: "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

Fret-board glued on & dots glued in. Fret slots don't go to the edge of the neck so no protruding fret ends!
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Fretboard glued.jpg
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Re: Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

Fret-board radiused and leveled. Frets being pressed in.
Frets going in.jpg
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Re: Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by robthemac »

What's the reasoning behind the frets not going to the edge of the board? I thought that'd lead to either a pretty narrow range for fretting each note, or an unnecessarily wide board?
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

I think the frets do go to the edge of the fretboard but the tangs don't - so you won't see the tang from the side and it is perhaps smoother to the feel? EDIT: It helps prevent moisture entering the fret slot too. Here's the pre-cut frets before insertion.
Frests nipped & ready to insert.jpg
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Last edited by MikeC on Tue Jul 26, 2022 3:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by Bg »

MikeC wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:36 pm I think the frets do go to the edge of the fretboard but the tangs don't - so you won't see the tang from the side and it is perhaps smoother to the feel? Here's the pre-cut frets before insertion.
Frests nipped & ready to insert.jpg
Yeah thats the standard way to do frets when theres binding involved (not that there is here but...) It makes it easier for Andries as :

1/ He has cnc
2/ He doesn't need to muck around filling the ends of the frets where the tang is.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Follow the Progress of my "Andronis" Custom Telecaster Build

Post by MikeC »

Bg wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:43 pm
MikeC wrote: Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:36 pm I think the frets do go to the edge of the fretboard but the tangs don't - so you won't see the tang from the side and it is perhaps smoother to the feel? Here's the pre-cut frets before insertion.
Frests nipped & ready to insert.jpg
Yeah thats the standard way to do frets when theres binding involved (not that there is here but...) It makes it easier for Andries as :

1/ He has cnc
2/ He doesn't need to muck around filling the ends of the frets where the tang is.
Good to know! For a guy that's good with a soldering iron watching this build is very informative.
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