# Pine esquire project



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

hi, just finished getting this thing tweaked up nice, so ill share it.
been thinking of doing one of these for almost a year, started on it a couple months ago, but been way too busy- so the progress was made in quick bursts here n there lol.










pine body made by Andy Hamm- www.hammguitars.com
really a great body- did a few hours of sanding and tweaking here and there, and i was happy with it.
sprayed the finish over a period of 3 days- one can shellac, 2 cans nitro.
wet sanded, then polished with turtle wax paste polish-
gave me a sort of semi gloss finish- could shine up some more, but for now its good enough for me.
heres my ghetto spray booth










looks pretty enough, but keep in mind thats the only piece of nature around my place, and its a 5x5 square lol- there was a rowdy bunch of drunks, crackheads and hookers standing behind me asking questions while i did this. lol good times.

neck is an allparts tmnf-v, nice vintage vee shape, 71/4 radius, vintage fret size, nitro finish.
gotoh kluson repro tuners


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

fender av52ri bridge and pickup (bought from steviemac ages ago for another guitar, but used here instead)










strap knobs, ferrules, knobs and jack cup from bezdez, 
allparts neck plate, control plate and string tree.


----------



## Tarl (Feb 4, 2006)

Beautiful work and an awesome guitar!!
:banana:


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

250k cts pots, 3 way switch.
the wiring is a bit different-
position1- vol and tone (vintage sprague pio .02 cap)
position2- .0033 cap (vintage rmc) gives me a trebly cocked wah sound
position 3- .01 cap (vintage rmc) gives me a dark cocked wah sound
the whole thing shielded with copper tape.










this is a crazy sounding guitar- its a tele, but it snarls and screams like its possessed. 
the pine body is really light, and very resonant. you can feel every note vibrating through it. awesome:smile:


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

oh yeah- Andy- i figure its time i paid you for the pine m8:food-smiley-004:


----------



## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

nice guitar... like the choice of electronics.

where did you get the neck... made it yourself?


----------



## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

fraser, that look's awesome! I love that pine knot in the back. I'll bet it sounds and plays great. You are a very talented person. Way to go dude!:food-smiley-004:


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Tarl said:


> Beautiful work and an awesome guitar!!
> :banana:


thanks tarl!



> nice guitar... like the choice of electronics.
> 
> where did you get the neck... made it yourself?


thanks KHINGPYNN,
those caps came out of my collection of ancient amp and radio parts lol- seemed a good idea
nope i didnt make the neck- i got it from allparts- i dont have the equipment or time to get that involved.
btw- its the nicest feeling neck ive ever had- love the v profile.



> fraser, that look's awesome! I love that pine knot in the back. I'll bet it sounds and plays great. You are a very talented person. Way to go dude!


thanks mario- i love the knot too!
it plays like butter, and sounds shockingly good. like a tele on crack!:smile:


----------



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

That looks great - I bet it sounds awesome too. Those pine teles seem to be all the rage on various forums. I have an Allparts neck on my Tele - super comfortable.


----------



## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

What a beauty!


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

rhh7 said:


> What a beauty!


I quite agree. Gawd do I ever hate you!

(I have problems changing speakers and tubes - Ima Clutz!!)


----------



## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

NIce job Fraser, that is a real beauty!


----------



## keto (May 23, 2006)

Really nice! :bow:

I dunno if I ever posted it here, but I started then never finished a series of Tele's for me and my kids. 18 months later (now), I've made inroads into getting back to work on em. All I have to do to finish the first one is lacquer (including teaching myself how to paint with a compressor & spray gun) and age a couple more parts. Lots more work to doing the whole thing (minus necks, I bought Warmouths) than would initially appear!

Again, kudos on a great looking piece.


----------



## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> I quite agree. Gawd do I ever hate you!
> 
> (I have problems changing speakers and tubes - Ima Clutz!!)


I'm the best member of your group! I'm really bad with electronics and either my hands with manual working!

Really nice lookin' tele! Did the neck is heavier than the body or the balance is kept?


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> That looks great - I bet it sounds awesome too. Those pine teles seem to be all the rage on various forums. I have an Allparts neck on my Tele - super comfortable.


thanks bagpipe-
pine is an excellent tonewood, and its cheap, i guess thats why its popular.
had i never read the various forums, i never wouldve used it. arlo west convinced me.



> What a beauty!


thanks rhh7!



> I quite agree. Gawd do I ever hate you!
> 
> (I have problems changing speakers and tubes - Ima Clutz!!)


thanks robert!
really its not hard, just time consuming. Andy made me a good body, and had he not routed the neck pocket or something correctly, it wouldve been a whole lot more difficult.
i was just going to use a tru- oil finish- easy peasy, but i had nitro spray bombs, and figured why not. nitro is a very forgiving finish. easy to repair mistakes etc.
anybody with some setup skills and basic knowledge can do this.



> NIce job Fraser, that is a real beauty!


thanks ripper!



> Really nice!
> 
> I dunno if I ever posted it here, but I started then never finished a series of Tele's for me and my kids. 18 months later (now), I've made inroads into getting back to work on em. All I have to do to finish the first one is lacquer (including teaching myself how to paint with a compressor & spray gun) and age a couple more parts. Lots more work to doing the whole thing (minus necks, I bought Warmouths) than would initially appear!
> 
> Again, kudos on a great looking piece.


thanks keto
i used rattle cans for this- but its the same with a gun, you just need to be careful- a couple light mist coats, let dry, then heavier coats that will stick to the previous ones. you get a run or a bug in it or something, let dry, then add more nitro, it melts in- then you can level with wetsanding.
i repair screw ups as i spray with nitro, just by paying attention, and taking my time. its not hard.
i spray cars and forklifts at work with a gun- the trick is to get the mixture the right consistency, and your spray pattern correct- and to practice on scrap lol.


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Ti-Ron said:


> I'm the best member of your group! I'm really bad with electronics and either my hands with manual working!
> 
> Really nice lookin' tele! Did the neck is heavier than the body or the balance is kept?


hi ti-ron, thanks
nope its a perfect balance. i dont have a scale, but this is now the lightest electric guitar i own, and ive got about a dozen strats and teles.
i just tested, and this esquire , if i balance it in my palm at the lower middle cutout on the body, it just sits there- no neck dive.
i use the kluson style tuners- theyre really lightweight, so maybe that helps-
i thought about making the body a bit lighter with some routes etc- glad now i didnt- its a good bit of luck how nicely balanced it is- like a throwing knife, or a dart:smile:


----------



## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Very nice Fraser. You should do a recording of the guitar. I'm sure people would like to hear how it sounds.


----------



## simescan (May 15, 2007)

Great job Fraser, it looks very professional :bow:.......It must feel good to play a guitar you built.
...If I only had the talent...


----------



## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Nice one Fraser. 
Satisfying eh? Bet it sounds great. I have heard a pine Tele before and it has a unique spank !!!!
How have you got it wired up?

Pete


----------



## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Hey bud..........awesome job, fine looking guitar


----------



## soundhound6 (Jun 30, 2008)

Nice build Fraser...would love to hear those electronics and pine body in action.Looks and sounds sweet, by your description!

Any chance of you posting the wiring diagram. That would be interesting to see. :food-smiley-004:

Jan


----------



## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

Wow! That's and awesome build Fraser. Very nicely done.


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

thanks all!
ive made some clips, but all too long really lol- ill try and edit something down for ya 

the wiring looks like this-









pardon my sloppy photoshopping of an existing schematic please-
note that the .01 cap and the .0033 cap are not connected to each other, just looks that way in the drawing.
i wired it up like a typical esquire, then laid a bunch of caps out and taped them to my desk- hooked up some jumpers with alligator clips, and tried them all out. these are the cap values that i settled on. i wanted to have 2 useable but unique tones besides the standard one in the first position.
this wiring gives me 
position1- volume and tone
position2- trebly cocked wah sound
position3-bassy cocked wah sound


----------



## soundhound6 (Jun 30, 2008)

Thanks for posting the diagram,Fraser..I appreciate it.:food-smiley-004:

Have a great day! Jan


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Very nice job Fraser.

I'm curious though, aside from the nostalgia of it being an Esquire, why did you choose to go with only one pup?


----------



## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Laddy..me boy...next time...lets find a piece pine with out blue mold ....sorry to rain on your parade........ got a piece of cedar that will give a one piece body with your name on it.

looks good though


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Very nice job Fraser.
> 
> I'm curious though, aside from the nostalgia of it being an Esquire, why did you choose to go with only one pup?


thanks man,
it wasnt so much about making an esquire, more the fact that i dont like, and never use the neck pickup in my other tele, nor do i use it much on strats even. so it seemed pointless to spend the money on another pickup. thats really all there is to it- 
i also wanted to see if there was any truth to what they say about the lesser magnetic pull of an esquire producing more snarl and snap. and yeah- i think it does lol
this guitar wasnt really made to reproduce any certain year or model, just a bunch of 50s style parts. if i was to list my preffered parts on a tele, and how id want it styled, then this would be it



> Laddy..me boy...next time...lets find a piece pine with out blue mold ....sorry to rain on your parade........ got a piece of cedar that will give a one piece body with your name on it.
> 
> looks good though


lol- but pat i like the mold:smile:
i like the mold, and the sap streaks and spots and the dents and all:smile:
cedar is my favourite acoustic top wood- a cedar tele- hmm, im kinda liking that idea

and that boys and girls, is frasers 1000th post.


----------



## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

fraser said:


> and that boys and girls, is frasers 1000th post.


A moldy one at that  congrats...... on La Esquire Le Grande


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

danke pat
i posting the long version, but i switch positions every minute or so
http://media.putfile.com/fraser-karo-esquire


----------



## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

fraser said:


> danke pat
> i posting the long version, but i switch positions every minute or so
> http://media.putfile.com/fraser-karo-esquire


sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

:rockon2::rockon2::rockon2:


----------



## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

It sounds even better than it looks.


----------



## soundhound6 (Jun 30, 2008)

*Pine Esquire Rocks!*



fraser said:


> danke pat
> i posting the long version, but i switch positions every minute or so
> http://media.putfile.com/fraser-karo-esquire


Hey Fraser....Are you playing straight into your amp and only using the natural
distortion of the guitar/amp,or are you running a pedal also?

Whatever it is, you got some pretty [email protected] sound there! :rockon2:
Do you know what your pup's output is...5-6 vintage..or a hotter 7-10 more modern kind of vintage?

Jan


----------



## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

I just listened to the clip and I like the crunchy classic rock sound you got out of it as well as the Jimi Hendrix kind of vibe from the demo. Nice playing Fraser.


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

thanks guys-



> Hey Fraser....Are you playing straight into your amp and only using the natural
> distortion of the guitar/amp,or are you running a pedal also?


actually its just a pod- using a 59 bassman model
to get that kind of sound with my amps it wouldve been really loud in my apartment lol.



> Do you know what your pup's output is...5-6 vintage..or a hotter 7-10 more modern kind of vintage?


its a pretty low output pickup, fender original vintage- same specs and materials as an early 50s pup-alnico 3 magnets, copper base plate, cloth wire etc-
here are the specs
Original Vintage Telecaster 
DC Resistance 7.2K
Inductance 3.27 Henries

on the clip i didnt touch the volume and tone at all, its just the 3 positions full out.


----------



## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

fraser said:


> oh yeah- Andy- i figure its time i paid you for the pine m8:food-smiley-004:


Hey Fraser,

Glad to see you got it together and it worked out for you. Sounds great - I love coniferous wood for solid guitar bodies, but they are a bit of a hard sell.

If you let me use you audio clip on my website to promote the coniferous bodies, You can consider it pai in full. 

Let me know,

Andy


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Hamm Guitars said:


> Hey Fraser,
> 
> Glad to see you got it together and it worked out for you. Sounds great - I love coniferous wood for solid guitar bodies, but they are a bit of a hard sell.
> 
> ...


hey andy-
yup it worked great- you do perfect work m8
sure, using the clip sounds like a plan, its all yours.
however i never did any production, just hit record- my monitor headphones are dead, so i have no idea how it sounds except for through my speakers-
i have a feeling it may need some eqing or something.
ill send a copy of it to your email- and ill try running the original thru some mastering and see what i get.


----------



## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

fraser said:


> hey andy-
> yup it worked great- you do perfect work m8
> sure, using the clip sounds like a plan, its all yours.
> however i never did any production, just hit record- my monitor headphones are dead, so i have no idea how it sounds except for through my speakers-
> ...


 
Hey Fraser,

I just downloaded it from the site that you posted it on. Raw and unedited is good - the unpolished production really suits the character of the pine bodied guitars, it's honest - so I will just use it as is. If you send me your details I'll credit you for the clip.

Andy


----------



## soundhound6 (Jun 30, 2008)

Yeah...I can just imagine that crunch blasting out of a bassman into the surrounding suites...LOL!

Thanks for the pup info,too. 

Jan :food-smiley-004:


----------



## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

fraser said:


> sure, using the clip sounds like a plan,



ooohh 15 secs of fame too good deal :smilie_flagge17:


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> ooohh 15 secs of fame too good deal :smilie_flagge17:


lol- i figure i used my 15 seconds a couple times now over the years-
ive commited my share of atrocities
ill take this one too!
:food-smiley-004:


----------



## valriver40 (Oct 22, 2007)

great looking and sounding guitar!


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

valriver40 said:


> great looking and sounding guitar!


thanks val
still enjoying it. stupid thing is i abandoned the electric guitar some years ago as a form of musical expression. doesnt work well as a solo instrument.
but there it sits, tempting me- i pick it up and its like an eager puppy. i sit around happily wanking away on it, wasting my time, getting nothing accomplished.
even more stupidity, ive got another strat half built. had to hide it from myself in the closet


----------



## Mogwaii (Feb 16, 2007)

mmmmmmmm... Looks like fun!


----------



## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

fraser said:


> thanks val
> still enjoying it. stupid thing is i abandoned the electric guitar some years ago as a form of musical expression. doesnt work well as a solo instrument.


I disagree with you on that one. Billy Bragg does it justice.


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> I disagree with you on that one. Billy Bragg does it justice.


aye pat, he does. but im not billy bragg. i am fraser. lol:smile:


----------



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Mind if i ask what you use to finish the body?..looks awsome


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

al3d said:


> Mind if i ask what you use to finish the body?..looks awsome


hi al3d- thanks
i used 1 can clear dewaxed(bullseye brand) shellac, rattle can, as a sealer coat.
then 2 cans clear gloss nitrocellulose (cabot stain brand), rattle cans.

waited a day, then wetsanded and polished with turtle wax paste polish


----------



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

fraser said:


> hi al3d- thanks
> i used 1 can clear dewaxed(bullseye brand) shellac, rattle can, as a sealer coat.
> then 2 cans clear gloss nitrocellulose (cabot stain brand), rattle cans.
> 
> waited a day, then wetsanded and polished with turtle wax paste polish


waited only a day with nitro to sand it?...damn..everywhere i read they mentionned to let it cure like 1 month, 2 if possible.

where did you get that nitro in a rattle can also?


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

al3d said:


> waited only a day with nitro to sand it?...damn..everywhere i read they mentionned to let it cure like 1 month, 2 if possible.
> 
> where did you get that nitro in a rattle can also?


hehe, well ya ive heard that too, but never tried it. i sprayed lacquer in the days before the internet, and 24 hours always worked, so thats how i do it. other guys have the same experience with it. of course ive never tried to produce a mirror finish or anything- maybe thats why.

this cabot stain stuff i got from lowes- from a tip about nitro brushing lacquer that hammguitars posted a while back. i found that lowes also carried rattle can versions, one an acrylic lacquer, and one a nitrocellulose lacquer. as well as a poly or two. $10.00 a can. if you read the ingredients, itll have nitrocellulose listed- on cabot websites etc im only finding the acrylic version- sorry no link m8
i also got my shellac there- zinserr bullseye brand
deft nitro is available online in canada in rattle cans, but its got uv protection stuff in it. the cabot stuff doesnt im sure, because this guitar has already yellowed some lol.


----------



## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

fraser said:


> hehe, well ya ive heard that too, but never tried it. i sprayed lacquer in the days before the internet, and 24 hours always worked, so thats how i do it. other guys have the same experience with it. of course ive never tried to produce a mirror finish or anything- maybe thats why.


That is where the differences are. I have never used a spray can so I have a hard time visualize how much is in a can. I use a spray gun. The first ones I sprayed leveled out great but the was probably more material than from a spray can. It took awhile to cure. 

I did a neck though and gave it two quick hits not wanting it two thick. I was able to wet sand it the next day.


----------



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> That is where the differences are. I have never used a spray can so I have a hard time visualize how much is in a can. I use a spray gun. The first ones I sprayed leveled out great but the was probably more material than from a spray can. It took awhile to cure.
> 
> I did a neck though and gave it two quick hits not wanting it two thick. I was able to wet sand it the next day.


my prefered gun at work holds only about an eighth of a gallon, thats enamel paint mixed with xylene. the cans i used for this guitar were i think 11 ounces- about the same i think. but hell, as a kid they taught me to count and add and estimate and shit, then said- ok now were metric. ive been lost ever since, and always measure by sight to get by.


----------

