# Fender 52' RI Tele woes...



## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

In 2005 I bought a used (98 or 99) 52 reissue Tele from a guy down in Niagra falls. The guitar was nice enough, but I couldnt get a decent setup on it no matter what I did. Did two fret levels and still couldnt get a decent action for the life of me.

I finally got fed up and bought a Callaham Tele bridge.. and also pulled the frets, flattened the board and reinstalled some slightly larger frets.

Better yet, but still not as good as my four other home made Tele's.

I cant figure this thing out, and I think there may be something cursed with the neck. 

SOlution? Well, I am going to make a new neck for it. WHile I am at it, I am changing the pickup config yet again - and a new guard and going to dress it up a little 

I fund a killer piece of birds eye maple in my stash, and its getting a RW neck with block MOP inlays like a LP custom. Neck will be oiled, and since the body is black, I got a perloid guard.

The new pickups will be neck and middle Duncan P90s with a SD little 59' Tele in the bridge, with Strat 5 way switching and a coil cut for the lil' 59'.

Pics and results hopefully soon... but that may be sometime in late Sept. by the way it looks kqoct


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## dufe32 (Feb 5, 2007)

Pics or be banned! largetongue


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Looking forward to this one, sounds very interesting.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

If you're talking about the AV52RI its hard to believe you would do all that to it. I can understand maybe putting compensated saddles on it but basically the 52 RI is what it is. If you were going to do that many mods you'd been better off either building a partscaster or buying a cheaper guitar to butcher.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> If you're talking about the AV52RI its hard to believe you would do all that to it. I can understand maybe putting compensated saddles on it but basically the 52 RI is what it is. If you were going to do that many mods you'd been better off either building a partscaster or buying a cheaper guitar to butcher.


Well, I paid $1100 C for it used. I first changed the weak sounding pickups to a set of Fralins. Much better. However, The action was always something that I knew could be better... having built many Tele's myself that play much better.

I then did the work to the neck, thinking it was just in need of a light dressing but nope. Nothing I did seemed to make it as good as one of my own.

I already have replaced the FRalin neck pup with a P90 - now that I am going to replace the neck I thought I will throw a 2nd P90 in there.

I doint care what the guitar was "worth" stock... if I dont like to play it, then it doesnt get played and THAT bugs me.

I know once the new neck is on it it will play as good as my other's and it will get gigged and played.

AJC


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

dufe32 said:


> Pics or be banned! largetongue


yes, pics when I get it going. I have two weeks before I go to Croatia for two weeks with my wife and parents... I am trying to get it done before I go. If not, it wont be untill late Sept when I get back.

AJC


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## claptonfreak (Apr 12, 2008)

ajcoholic said:


> Better yet, but still not as good as my four other home made Tele's.
> 
> I cant figure this thing out, and I think there may be something cursed with the neck.


I definitely know how you feel. I've played a number of high end guitars that had unexpected problems. A Genuine Gibson Les Paul that wouldn't stay in tune, RI Strat's that had terrible playability (like your action problem), ect.

This is one of the main reasons that I still haven't purchased a RI strat or tele for myself. I find that I can build much more playable instruments for myself. I think that with the Vintage Reissue hype, those guitars have become just like any other production guitar, except they have a $2000+ price tag.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Well, Friday after work I toom my birdseye blank and set in the truss rod, and glued on the fingerboard.

Yesterday, I started at noon and by 6:30pm I was done. The inlays were set in, the profiles were cut, neck was fretted and dressed and then final shaping/sanding and a coat of oil and wax.

I gigged the guitar last night (we had a Fri/Sat bar gig). The Tele plays great now! 

Will take some pics Monday and post up.


AJC


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ajcoholic said:


> Well, Friday after work I toom my birdseye blank and set in the truss rod, and glued on the fingerboard.
> 
> Yesterday, I started at noon and by 6:30pm I was done. The inlays were set in, the profiles were cut, neck was fretted and dressed and then final shaping/sanding and a coat of oil and wax.
> 
> ...


does'nt it seem a bit fast?...not letting even the glue dry properly for the fretboard, even for the frets?...


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

al3d said:


> does'nt it seem a bit fast?...not letting even the glue dry properly for the fretboard, even for the frets?...


White glue - professional grade PVA that I use doesnt take more than an hour to dry. 24 hours is plenty...

After the frets are pressed in, they are ready to dress - what do you have to wait for?

I used thick CA to put in my inlays (I generally use black epoxy if I am not in a hurry) and have done this many times in the past, and use some sanding dust and thin CA from the fretboard as a filler. Its dry and ready to sand in literally 5 minutes.

The neck will need a few more coats of wax to build it up but otherwise its ready to go.

WHen I build stuff for myself, I dont piss around - I get the job done 

Speaking of glue - I use about 60 litres a year of white PVA - so I have a little experience with the stuff :smile:

AJC


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

ajcoholic said:


> When I build stuff for myself, I dont piss around - I get the job done
> 
> 
> AJC


Spoken like a true woodworker.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ajcoholic said:


> White glue - professional grade PVA that I use doesnt take more than an hour to dry. 24 hours is plenty...
> 
> After the frets are pressed in, they are ready to dress - what do you have to wait for?
> 
> ...



Oh i don't doubt you use 60 liters of glue a year, not the point. Making stuff fast does'nt mean good to me. And letting stuff cure properly, is key to me. Rushing trough something, never good. but that's my way of doing things, not necessarly the right way.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

al3d said:


> Oh i don't doubt you use 60 liters of glue a year, not the point. Making stuff fast does'nt mean good to me. And letting stuff cure properly, is key to me. Rushing trough something, never good. but that's my way of doing things, not necessarly the right way.


It can be made fast. Aj knows the drying time of glue. When you cross the line into professional woodworking you have no time to waste. There are times that you have to let it sit... but that's where planing is the key. Ultimately when you are trying to get a paycheck you have no time to watch glue dry. Aj also has to be quick because he can't his shop filled with guitar projects .... the other is priority. 
I have a very small shop... when I am doing cabinets I have no room for anything else. Customers don't really care about your shop or the process.. they paid their monies .. they want their stuff.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> It can be made fast. Aj knows the drying time of glue. When you cross the line into professional woodworking you have no time to waste. There are times that you have to let it sit... but that's where planing is the key. Ultimately when you are trying to get a paycheck you have no time to watch glue dry. Aj also has to be quick because he can't his shop filled with guitar projects .... the other is priority.
> I have a very small shop... when I am doing cabinets I have no room for anything else. Customers don't really care about your shop or the process.. they paid their monies .. they want their stuff.


Oh i agree with that..LOL...faster it's out..faster you get paid...it applies in most feilds.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Here are some poor quality pics - I am just home for a quick lunch and some paperwork before I get back to the grind....


































The neck is sweet - a really fabulous piece of birds eye hard maple I found.

The guitar now sports two Duncan P90's and a DUncan little 59' with coil cut switch - and a strat 5 way switch. On position 2, with the coil cut I can cop some awesome strat tones.

It really is a different Tele than my others, but thats what I wanted... and now it feels great, and best of all plays great!

As for speed - I work a LOT and I have a 3 hour commute home and back to work - and life on top of that. I have to get my own projetcs done when I get a free few hours! I havent had anything fail yet on one of my guitars, and I play them a lot.

AJC


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

OH..i tough you had done a replacement neck for the 52 reissue!


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

al3d said:


> OH..i tough you had done a replacement neck for the 52 reissue!


It is a replacement neck... and bridge (Callaham), pickups, pickguard (its perloid but t0o washed out to see) and wiring, and neck 

The only thing Fender 52' RI left is the body kkjuw

I have three oiled maple necks, and they are growing on me. My Peavey HP SPecial CT was the first oil/waxed neck I had played and man it feels great.

Upkeep is easy, just some hard paste wax and steel wool every few months if you play it a lot.

AJC


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Did u refinish the body as well?...only 52 i ever saw were Butterscotch finish!


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

al3d said:


> Did u refinish the body as well?...only 52 i ever saw were Butterscotch finish!


Nope, they made some colours as well during various years. This one is a late 90's I think... the bridge is put away so I dont remember the serial #...

They also made some copper ones one year.

AJC


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

better pic of the back...


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## sivs (Aug 5, 2009)

That's an amazing chunk of birdseye... if it plays like how it looks, that's one sweet guitar!!


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Holy crap! That's not just birdseye...that's a whole friggen flock! Beautiful piece of wood...


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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