As one of this cult, I not only understand the obsessions that took you on this journey but, I heartily approve of all the fantastic choices you made! It took a village to make that guitar. Congratulations on making your option anxiety worse when you visit the guitar boat! Nice work Sir. Props to your “team”. Dem’s weapons grade cats!
I’m telling you, Zac, we’re brothers from another mother. I’m all about 7.25 radius and B width on Fenders. I also like the chunkier necks. I have an aversion to flat shredder type thin necks, could never play them. Same with basses; I really dig the vintage radius on my old Japanese ‘51 RI Fender P Bass. You’ve got some killer tones on that B bender Tele!
Thank you, Zac! I’d been dying for more nerdy Tele-centric content and this definitely scratches the itch! I’ve just finished building my second parts Tele and it’s my favorite guitar now.
Suberb build...you are indeed fortunate to know and access such iconic resources...and we mere mortals enjoy the daylights out of your journey (and MAY be just a TAD jealous...but hey!) 😎
Absolutely! Love the 7.25 radius. Most everything else feels planky to me. Don't care much for flamed maple/birdseye however I love quartersawn straight grain necks. You guitar has fantastic voicings. Those blended alnico pickups are well thought out and compliment the various gauge's of string. My compliments!
Great sounding Tele!. Personally, I've gone back to standard two pickup/three position switch. I've found that too many choices is not a good thing for me. I just end up playing around with all the different sounds/tones, rather than actually playing! I used to have all my Teles with a five position switch: Bridge - Bridge and Middle out of phase - Bridge and Middle parallel - Bridge and Middle series - Neck.Souned great, but like I said,......
Wow, Zac! Great sounds in ALL positions. "Jack of all Trades" guitars can often feel compromised. But that guitar seems to master so many of the great sounds we're all looking for!
I had to borrow a Tele with a glaser bender on it since mine is in the shop….again!! Sending up prayer for it lol. That was a challenge not to bend by mistake. Great tool though
That's a great looking and sounding Tele. I've just put a Nashville style tele together, mine's double bound sunburst with a nice fat maple neck. I'd love to add a B bender to it!
Inventive 3-pickup Tele mods always interest me. Mine has a stock neck, 1980's Don Lace in the middle, and a Dimarzio 'TwangKing' in the bridge, w 5-pos Strat switch. No mod yet to get to ALL of the possible pickup combos happening. Your lift-switch/knob seems like a solution.
Zac, hope you have the answer for this, but I was wondering with the blender pot switch In the down position, and the selector switch in the neck position, doesn’t the blender pot still work for that middle pick up and neck pick up? Love your vids. Tnx RJR
Nice ! Chops helps ! I just wanted a Tele years ago. Sq Black And Chrome looked good but none played well. Look at an orphan Sq 20th anniversary Fat Tele. Think Andy Summers. Got it fixed (fret mill and dress). The HB bit was pretty common apparently so sorta a,,,,well not :)
Very classy looking Tele and it sounds great. Bill Kirchen's current Tele has a wide neck- I will have to have a closer look at it. Many years ago I got a close look at his old "coal burner" which had some very interesting play wear on it but is now retired.
What are you going to do with the Dano neck that was on this one before? Maybe build another partscaster? That would be a fun video series! Sorry to encourage more sickness…
I'm not sure I have a radius preference. I've got everything from 7.25 to 12. But I have zero issues with 7.25, my Strat and my best Tele are both 7.25. I have no idea what some people have against 7.25, I can do Gilmour bends on them without issue. Hendrix, SRV, Clapton, and Gilmour himself didn't seem to choke on bends. Sure, this wasn't an interesting comment to make, but I never claimed it would be...
Looks and sounds awesome. I’ve found that if a guitar has more than 3 sounds, I start spending too much time trying to find the right one. I put a mini humbucker with a coil split in the bridge of my Tele. I love the versatility, but having 5 sounds to choose from makes my brain start to go a bit fuzzy.
Just uses a 5 way switch and 2 pickups. The usual tele tones we all love + the neck with the tone rolled back a little (pre dialed in) and a ‘half out of phase’ tone that sounds a little like an in between strat. I loved Nashville wiring when I did it but kinda missed the classic 2 pickup look so for me it trimmed out some of the sounds I didn’t use often. Also, whilst I’m here. I tried your mod to just put the tone control on the bridge pickup and holy cow. I’ve now done it to every guitar I own. Such a difference!
I have built 4 teles since I started following your channel. The modular nature of bolt on guitars make them such a cool instrument. Thank you for sharing your journey. Any retail pickups you would recommend that are easily available? I have the duncan la brea set after watching your video in one of my Telecasters and they sound great.
As it is today, it’s a dream guitar! So versatile, is it your “number one”? Have you ever played the “Law & Order” theme song on it? I’m gonna have to buy another Tele for mods after this😄 Thank you for sharing the story
Maybe I missed, but why the Duncan Hot Stack wired single choice? Sounds great, but why not a 50s or 60s style Strat? Is it a Brent Mason period correct thing? I figure you do everything for a reason Is the Andy Summers book and Easter Egg for a new episode? Cheers
@@AskZac that’s what I suspected. Sometimes you have to have the “official” thing. It does sound good, but it might sound better with a maroon cover, if you know what I’m sayin’.
At first I thought "You are gonna make this guitar sound better than Leo Fender?" Then I thought "This 74 Fender swamp ash sunburst body will make this Tele sound better than this aftermarket brick." Go figure.
TL:DW “I kept the body, the pickguard, control plate, knobs (but not pots), and strap pins.” 😛 Those pickups with the A2, A3 & A5 pole pieces are too cool 😎 for this nerd! I still don’t completely “get” the wiring, but every combo sounds great. It’s funny but I ended up with a different way to get to the same place on the mid-bridge pups together. I have a a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound bridge pickup that is tapped on a Strat. Full power and the middle pup just takes a bit of bite off, but the 3rd knob is a variable coil tap. Turned down it sounds very Strat-like. Same place, different route. (I also put a steel plate under the QP so it sounds more like a Tele.)
Man, you’re picky! But if you know what you like why not get it? Cool Tele! With so many options I think I’d lose my mind. I’ve been more into one pickup guitars lately.
Hit the nail on the head mate: it's the frets, NOT the radius that makes old guitars hard to play. Put medium jumbo frets on a 7 1/4 radius board and it plays like butter.
Zac, that sounds wonderful. By adding all of that, it sure would beat the cost of a Franklin Petal Steel!! Thanks for another great demo. ....Russell D.
Hey Zac, have you ever had any issues or heard of any issues of the cable that attaches the saddle to the b-bender lever breaking and need replacement and if so do you know how hard it is to replace the cable? I assume eventually it will need replacement and was wondering would it be tough job to replace.
Cool guitar..👍🏼..but,ya know? A guitar is actually it’s neck.. and pickups. So you’re not really modding’ yer body.. you’re putting the body on different guitars..hah! I’m so FOS.. but it really is a cool guitar..!👍🏼
Frankenstein was a “one-of”. This Tele is more of a Darwin in that it reflects an evolution, it has morphed into many parts and sounds. Either way another great segment.
You definitely have a Tele as versatile as Brent Mason’s now! There isn’t one sound out of all those pickup options that I didn’t like. Super cool!
Thanks, Jay!!
As one of this cult, I not only understand the obsessions that took you on this journey but, I heartily approve of all the fantastic choices you made! It took a village to make that guitar. Congratulations on making your option anxiety worse when you visit the guitar boat! Nice work Sir. Props to your “team”. Dem’s weapons grade cats!
THANK YOU!!!
Dude, that tele sounds so good. I especially love the stratiness of the bridge and middle pickups together.
I’m telling you, Zac, we’re brothers from another mother. I’m all about 7.25 radius and B width on Fenders. I also like the chunkier necks. I have an aversion to flat shredder type thin necks, could never play them. Same with basses; I really dig the vintage radius on my old Japanese ‘51 RI Fender P Bass.
You’ve got some killer tones on that B bender Tele!
That is one sweet tele! Those Ellis 2,3,5’s and the blend....you just sent me back down the rabbit hole! Those really sound sweet!
Is Ellis making those? I thought his 50/60 were A5 and A3, not 5-3-2. Thats what Budz does.
@@cap217cap217 he said they have three types, maybe they were custom wound for him...watch the video!
@@cap217cap217 unless I heard wrong...
Thank you, Zac! I’d been dying for more nerdy Tele-centric content and this definitely scratches the itch! I’ve just finished building my second parts Tele and it’s my favorite guitar now.
Cool! A Fender Tele with a 18 speed transmission. Brent Mason would even like that one. I always loved the 7.25 neck.
Just noticed the Ol’ Roadhog back there on the shelf!
Always watching
Suberb build...you are indeed fortunate to know and access such iconic resources...and we mere mortals enjoy the daylights out of your journey (and MAY be just a TAD jealous...but hey!) 😎
Thanks. Yes, I am a bit spoiled...
What a versatile setup
Hybrid magnet action! Very cool!
Absolutely! Love the 7.25 radius. Most everything else feels planky to me. Don't care much for flamed maple/birdseye however I love quartersawn straight grain necks.
You guitar has fantastic voicings. Those blended alnico pickups are well thought out and compliment the various gauge's of string.
My compliments!
Really nifty (my highest praise)
...and love the way you play
Cheerios
Man Zac that neck pickup is so nice. I had Joe do the same wiring, really loving it. Awesome episode.
THANK YOU
You're just like us, Zac. We love our guitars and have to keep tinkering with them. We just can't help it. 🤠
So true!
It’s a sickness!
Thats a killer looking Tele color/neck etc....it's that binding
Great sounding Tele!. Personally, I've gone back to standard two pickup/three position switch. I've found that too many choices is not a good thing for me. I just end up playing around with all the different sounds/tones, rather than actually playing! I used to have all my Teles with a five position switch: Bridge - Bridge and Middle out of phase - Bridge and Middle parallel - Bridge and Middle series - Neck.Souned great, but like I said,......
I love this guitar!
I'll use it on the next colab
@@AskZac Yes!
Wow, Zac! Great sounds in ALL positions. "Jack of all Trades" guitars can often feel compromised. But that guitar seems to master so many of the great sounds we're all looking for!
Thanks!
I had to borrow a Tele with a glaser bender on it since mine is in the shop….again!! Sending up prayer for it lol.
That was a challenge not to bend by mistake. Great tool though
The Andy summers Book is a great read!
It is fantastic
Thanks for feeding the gear heads! I hope to get a bender soon in one of mine. I’m awaiting approval from the budget dept… lol.
Good luck!
That is one beautiful guitar Zac!
That's a great looking and sounding Tele. I've just put a Nashville style tele together, mine's double bound sunburst with a nice fat maple neck. I'd love to add a B bender to it!
Love that guitar, but especially loved the part at 8:44! 😁
Love a Tele with a middle pickup. Trying out a freeway 10 way switch on mine just now. Tempted to try a jaguar pick up in the middle one day
I have the same strap on my Squier Jaguar. Not 'aged', just old ;)
YES
Anyone else catch the Roadhog record behind him? Mighty fine!
Looks like a joy to play Zac!
There’s something about that guitar body. The 57 is killer but you sound most comfortable on this guitar and your 68. Just my opinion.
Inventive 3-pickup Tele mods always interest me. Mine has a stock neck, 1980's Don Lace in the middle, and a Dimarzio 'TwangKing' in the bridge, w 5-pos Strat switch. No mod yet to get to ALL of the possible pickup combos happening. Your lift-switch/knob seems like a solution.
Terrific content, Zac. Great sounding Tele.
Now I’m inspired to build one with a V neck. Thanks!
YES
That thing sounds awesome!
Zac, hope you have the answer for this, but I was wondering with the blender pot switch In the down position, and the selector switch in the neck position, doesn’t the blender pot still work for that middle pick up and neck pick up?
Love your vids.
Tnx RJR
Nice ! Chops helps !
I just wanted a Tele years ago.
Sq Black And Chrome looked good but none played well.
Look at an orphan Sq 20th anniversary Fat Tele. Think Andy Summers.
Got it fixed (fret mill and dress).
The HB bit was pretty common apparently so sorta a,,,,well not :)
Very classy looking Tele and it sounds great. Bill Kirchen's current Tele has a wide neck- I will have to have a closer look at it. Many years ago I got a close look at his old "coal burner" which had some very interesting play wear on it but is now retired.
That is beast. Love it.
that is just a great tele
Fantastic mods ! Im still partial to your esquire. But this guitar can do it all and then sum
Absolutely!
this hot rodding stuff went out in the eighties
Sounds great!
I'd like to add a Tele to my arsenal. Which is the most economical Tele which come routed for a middle pickup?
Hi Zac, after your latest mods that Tele really twangs, love it!... 👍
Glad you like them!
Very nice. I dig that blender. What amp were you using here?
Fender Vibro Champ Reverb
Hey Zac, have you tried Lindy Fralin's vintage tele pickup set (or vintage hot)? If so, how do you rate them for vintage tele tones out of interest?
I think its a great set. I prefer the vintage over the hot
What are you going to do with the Dano neck that was on this one before? Maybe build another partscaster? That would be a fun video series! Sorry to encourage more sickness…
I had to trade in the old neck to Dan.
I'm not sure I have a radius preference. I've got everything from 7.25 to 12. But I have zero issues with 7.25, my Strat and my best Tele are both 7.25. I have no idea what some people have against 7.25, I can do Gilmour bends on them without issue. Hendrix, SRV, Clapton, and Gilmour himself didn't seem to choke on bends.
Sure, this wasn't an interesting comment to make, but I never claimed it would be...
That really sounds great. I like the 3 magnet pickups. Is that similar to the Brent Mason pickup. I think that one only had 2 "zones".
Similar
Looks and sounds awesome. I’ve found that if a guitar has more than 3 sounds, I start spending too much time trying to find the right one. I put a mini humbucker with a coil split in the bridge of my Tele. I love the versatility, but having 5 sounds to choose from makes my brain start to go a bit fuzzy.
I find myself in the same category.
I don’t think theres a possible way to have too many options. My favorite is hss, coil split and neck on switch gets me all the choices i need
Awesome
Native Sons guitar strap on the 'Frankenstein Tele' ?.......I got two and they are great !
I was sure to include a treble bleed circuit in my current franken-tele.
Zac, have you ever tried the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme?
I have not
Just uses a 5 way switch and 2 pickups.
The usual tele tones we all love + the neck with the tone rolled back a little (pre dialed in) and a ‘half out of phase’ tone that sounds a little like an in between strat. I loved Nashville wiring when I did it but kinda missed the classic 2 pickup look so for me it trimmed out some of the sounds I didn’t use often.
Also, whilst I’m here. I tried your mod to just put the tone control on the bridge pickup and holy cow. I’ve now done it to every guitar I own. Such a difference!
Very nice-- what is the bridge?
50/60 Ellis
@@AskZac I mean the actual bridge-looks compensated?
I have built 4 teles since I started following your channel. The modular nature of bolt on guitars make them such a cool instrument. Thank you for sharing your journey. Any retail pickups you would recommend that are easily available? I have the duncan la brea set after watching your video in one of my Telecasters and they sound great.
As it is today, it’s a dream guitar! So versatile, is it your “number one”? Have you ever played the “Law & Order” theme song on it? I’m gonna have to buy another Tele for mods after this😄 Thank you for sharing the story
Maybe I missed, but why the Duncan Hot Stack wired single choice? Sounds great, but why not a 50s or 60s style Strat? Is it a Brent Mason period correct thing? I figure you do everything for a reason
Is the Andy Summers book and Easter Egg for a new episode?
Cheers
The pickups is what Glaser used in the 80s. There are most likely better pickups to use, especially if you are wanting a better middle alone sound.
@@AskZac that’s what I suspected. Sometimes you have to have the “official” thing. It does sound good, but it might sound better with a maroon cover, if you know what I’m sayin’.
Nice! What throw did you get on the bender?
medium
Very nice!
Thank you! Cheers!
Any idea what the widest nut fender ever made for a tele ? I’m thing 52 or 53…maybe ?
At first I thought "You are gonna make this guitar sound better than Leo Fender?" Then I thought "This 74 Fender swamp ash sunburst body will make this Tele sound better than this aftermarket brick." Go figure.
Do you use Franken tele on gigs ever or is just for fun at the house?
I have gigged with the guitar from 1997 thru today. It was on gigs earlier this year.
TL:DW “I kept the body, the pickguard, control plate, knobs (but not pots), and strap pins.” 😛
Those pickups with the A2, A3 & A5 pole pieces are too cool 😎 for this nerd! I still don’t completely “get” the wiring, but every combo sounds great. It’s funny but I ended up with a different way to get to the same place on the mid-bridge pups together. I have a a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound bridge pickup that is tapped on a Strat. Full power and the middle pup just takes a bit of bite off, but the 3rd knob is a variable coil tap. Turned down it sounds very Strat-like. Same place, different route. (I also put a steel plate under the QP so it sounds more like a Tele.)
Man, you’re picky! But if you know what you like why not get it? Cool Tele! With so many options I think I’d lose my mind. I’ve been more into one pickup guitars lately.
Hit the nail on the head mate: it's the frets, NOT the radius that makes old guitars hard to play. Put medium jumbo frets on a 7 1/4 radius board and it plays like butter.
Agreed. Frets not the radius,
Wow, what a weapon of mass destruction - please tell me Fender or somebody make a version of this I can buy!
You are a beast
Zac, that sounds wonderful. By adding all of that, it sure would beat the cost of a Franklin Petal Steel!! Thanks for another great demo. ....Russell D.
Hey Zac, have you ever had any issues or heard of any issues of the cable that attaches the saddle to the b-bender lever breaking and need replacement and if so do you know how hard it is to replace the cable? I assume eventually it will need replacement and was wondering would it be tough job to replace.
I have not heard of them breaking.
@@AskZac thanks Zac. I did read of one breaking but I’m thinking it’s a rare occurrence.
Why don't you ever mention Bill Kirchen who is most definitely a Telecaster master?
Did I miss anything? You don't have a tone control, do you?
No tone
So you turned your tele into a strat.
Almost
Cool guitar..👍🏼..but,ya know? A guitar is actually it’s neck.. and pickups.
So you’re not really modding’ yer body.. you’re putting the body on different guitars..hah! I’m so FOS.. but it really is a cool guitar..!👍🏼
Great point
Frankenstein was a “one-of”. This Tele is more of a Darwin in that it reflects an evolution, it has morphed into many parts and sounds. Either way another great segment.
Well said!
Kitchen sink tele