The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Electric Guitars

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-10-2013, 05:45 PM
David Eastwood's Avatar
David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 7,502
Default Ngd - tlo

TLO - Tele-Like Object.

After much reading, much YouTube research, and a tempting offer from Rondo Music, one of these just arrived. It's branded as a 'Douglas' - semi-hollow Tele, two P90 pickups, for a ludicrous $99.95 + shipping.

The finish is excellent. The neck is lovely, the fretwork very clean. Tuners are adequate, as is the string-thru 6-saddle bridge. Electronics as expected - tiny, tiny pots, an enclosed 3-way switch, and solid, but hurried, wiring. Still, it all works.

Setup was pretty good - it needed a quick truss rod tweak to correct a bit too much relief, and the intonation needed a little work after installing a fresh set of D'Addarios.

The pickup heights were way out of whack. When I took it apart to investigate, I discovered that for each pickup, one of the screws was going thru a piece of foam between the bottom of the pickup and the body, so everything was getting hung up. I moved the foam and installed springs. Also the mounting screws are too big - the heads don't fit between the pole pieces, so they don't sit flush. Easy to correct, and a cosmetic issue only.

How does it sound? Well, this is where all the setup niggles pale into insignificance. It sounds *great*. I can't believe I've played for over 40 years without owning a guitar with P90s; it's also close to that long since I've had a Tele-style guitar.

I'm really very impressed. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this one.

__________________
Martin 0-16NY
Emerald Amicus
Emerald X20
Cordoba Stage

Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-10-2013, 06:09 PM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 43,425
Default

David - Congrats! Are you planning any "upgrades" to the guitar or just play it and have fun with it.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-10-2013, 06:57 PM
David Eastwood's Avatar
David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 7,502
Default

Right now, just play and have fun, Dru. I bought it with a view to upgrades, but I don't want to jump into anything until I've got to know it a bit better.

One thing I know will bug me is single-coil noise with those P90 clones - but in playing it so far, I've been able to ignore it quite well. The tone is so glorious, I hate to mess it up! Besides which, apart from GFS, most humbucking P90-style pickups would cost me more than the guitar did

Most likely the first things I'll tackle will be electronics - switch and pots.
__________________
Martin 0-16NY
Emerald Amicus
Emerald X20
Cordoba Stage

Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-10-2013, 08:08 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,965
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by eatswodo View Post
...I can't believe I've played for over 40 years without owning a guitar with P90s...I'm really very impressed. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this one...
Same way I felt when I got my LP a couple years ago - that's the tone I've been looking for my whole life...

Enjoy...
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-11-2013, 07:41 AM
Garthman Garthman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,396
Default

Congratulations. It just goes to show that you don't have to spend $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to get a good guitar (that's something I've believed for a very long time).

Looks good too
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-13-2013, 01:14 PM
CoolerKing's Avatar
CoolerKing CoolerKing is offline
FKA matthewpartrick :)
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Havana
Posts: 5,344
Default

Cool deal! I'm working on a 72 tele thinline style kit right now.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-13-2013, 02:47 PM
stratokatsu's Avatar
stratokatsu stratokatsu is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Miami, Florida
Posts: 8,526
Default

Congratulations on the new guitar. I have a couple guitars from Rondo, an SX version of a Strat and Tele. Both, straight out of the box sounded really good. Both required minor tweaks and string changes and both were intended for mods that have never been done.

Use it in good health.
__________________

Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Electric Guitars

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:14 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=