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1961 repro Telecaster

bourbonsamuraibourbonsamurai Posts: 1,638
edited May 2020 in General Guitar Discussion


12 years ago, i got a call from a friend of mine here in New Orleans.  "i just finished a guitar, you might wanna come by the shop and take a look, this one is ALL you."  i knew i'd be leaving that shop with a guitar before i even put the phone down.  this is my #1, which i have spent the last two weeks bringing back from near death.  it's got Fralin overwound pickups, a custom set of saddles (one aluminum, two brass), and an extra thick bridge and neckplate.  under the hood are CTS vintage taper pots, and a real deal, vintage, paper in oil black beauty .047uf capacitor.  years ago, when i was gigging this guitar regularly, i had folks occasionally offer five figure sums for it, because at the time, i had all the original parts on it, and it really looked like a pre-CBS Fender.  it sounds exactly as you'd imagine it would, by its looks.  i'm not digging the exposed neck pickup, so i might replace it with a Duncan LaBrea, and i also think a mint green, wide bevel pickguard would suit the Burgundy Mist Metallic finish better than the blood and vomit stained "white" guard that's on it now.
Post edited by bourbonsamurai on
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  • Dinosaur David BDinosaur David B Posts: 18,271
    So this is a 61 reissue from 12+ years back?  FWIW, I think the existing pickguard wear looks like authentic wear and tear, but the mint would look good too. All depends on the aesthetic you're going for.  
    I threw me guitar out. Why bother? Why bother? Use it as a coffee table. Because I can't play it like that. 
    -- David St. Hubbins.
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  • cvansicklecvansickle Posts: 6,292
    I've never been able to bond with a typical Strat, but a Tele is a guilty pleasure for me. It's just a fun guitar to play, and can sound great clean or dirty. The Reverend Pete Anderson Eastsider T is the only Tele type I have now, but it definitely scratches that itch. The only mod I made to it was Schaller straplocks.

    I've heard good things about that Duncan LaBrea set. I'll be curious to hear your findings if you go that route for the neck.
    Death Or Glory - Who Dares Wins!
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  • Duojett71Duojett71 Posts: 9,597
    edited May 2020
    So this is a 61 reissue from 12+ years back?  FWIW, I think the existing pickguard wear looks like authentic wear and tear, but the mint would look good too. All depends on the aesthetic you're going for.  
    Yeah I am a little confused as well.....but what I got from reading that is one of Cary's luthier friends in NOLA, built a '61 reproduction Tele....using modern electronics that were very close to the original. 

    Just out of curiosity Cary....the guy that built it....was it your friend Jack( I think that was his name) that you used to work with at the Vintage Guitar shop downtown? He is the guy I wanted to build me a Strat...
    Post edited by Duojett71 on
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  • bourbonsamuraibourbonsamurai Posts: 1,638
    Dinosaur David B said:
    So this is a 61 reissue from 12+ years back?  FWIW, I
    think the existing pickguard wear looks like authentic wear and tear, but the mint would look good too. All depends on the aesthetic you're going for.  
    no.  the only Fender product in this whole guitar is the waterslide decal on the headstock.  Jack, the builder, bought the neck (quartersawn maple and slab rosewood board), and body (Alder), from Allparts, raw and unfinished.  he got the electronics, except the pickups (original pickups were Van Zandts) from Mojotone, and the capacitor ($$) he already had in his possession.  in '08, you couldn't just buy pre-reliced parts like you can now, so he aged the hardware himself, using muriatic acid.  sprayover finishes were just coming into style at the time, so underneath the Burgundy Mist Metallic, is a nicely faded Sonic Blue.  he applied all the sealer, paint, and nitro himself.  original frets were vintage sized, so i had it refretted with 6105 Sanko wire, and around that time, i replaced the Van Zandts with the overwound Fralins, and added the custom bridge, Glendale saddles, and flipped the control plate to reverse specs.  a pretty interesting story for this guitar!  if i decide to do a mint green 3 ply guard, i'll just put the white one in the box with all the other parts it used to have.  the beauty of Fenders!  very few mods are irreversible..
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  • bourbonsamuraibourbonsamurai Posts: 1,638
    edited May 2020
    I've never been able to bond with a typical Strat, but aTele is a guilty pleasure for me. It's just a fun guitar to play, and can sound great clean or dirty. The Reverend ewww Pete Anderson Eastsider T is the only Tele type I have now, but it definitely scratches that itch. The only mod I made to it was Schaller straplocks.

    I've heard good things about that Duncan LaBrea set. I'll be curious to hear your findings if you go that route for the neck.
    i'm interested in the LaBrea because, the last 10 years, every Tele neck pickup sounds like a Fender Twisted, very Stratty and scooped.  that LaBrea sounds really think and chewy.  i think it would mate well with the Fralin overwind in the bridge.  this guitar, as it is, is already a real outlaw country sounding axe.  deep as a well, and a really nasty twang on top.  i'll let you know if i pull the trigger on it.
    Post edited by bourbonsamurai on
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  • Dinosaur David BDinosaur David B Posts: 18,271
    OK. So that's a far more interesting story. Curious to know what it weighs, Cary.  A lot of Teles weigh in less than strats because they don't have a heavy trem block. Is the bridge pup noiseless?
    I threw me guitar out. Why bother? Why bother? Use it as a coffee table. Because I can't play it like that. 
    -- David St. Hubbins.
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  • bourbonsamuraibourbonsamurai Posts: 1,638
    Dinosaur David B said:
    OK. So that's a far more interesting story. Curious to know what it weighs, Cary.  A lot of Teles weigh in less than strats because they don't have a heavy trem block. Is the bridge pup noiseless?
    it's right under 8lbs.  neither pickup is noiseless, although i ordered the bridge pickup RWRP, so it is noise cancelling in the middle position.
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  • bourbonsamuraibourbonsamurai Posts: 1,638
    Duojett71 said:
    So this is a 61 reissue from 12+ years back?  FWIW, I think the existing pickguard wear looks like authentic wear and tear, but the mint would look good too. All depends on the aesthetic you're going for.  
    Yeah I am a little confused as well.....but what I got from reading that is one of Cary's luthier friends in NOLA, built a '61 reproduction Tele....using modern electronics that were very close to the original. 

    Just out of curiosity Cary....the guy that built it....was it your friend Jack( I think that was his name) that you used to work with at the Vintage Guitar shop downtown? He is the guy I wanted to build me a Strat...
    yep.  Jack Cole, from Irma Thomas' band, and Marva Wright and the BMWs, as well.  also, Jack is still playing 4-5 nights a week with Smoky Green and The Excelleauxs.
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