Building an electric for the acoustic player

[Pirate76]

Originally Posted by Ben There

I love hollow-bodies, so maybe you should build one because that is sure a solid-body I'd love to try. Simple, stunning visually. Nice!

Thanks! You know I’m sitting here drawing out some ideas to potentially do this next build as a true hollow body. The weight thing would be a plus but also the tonal differences and cool factor. I’d love to try one as a non-cutaway but that’s typically a no-no with electric players.

[davidd]

A Charlie Christian pickup for the neck would be a great option. Tim Lerch has them in one of his Tele's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-MVMy3hQAg&t=69s

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Pirate76

Thanks! You know I’m sitting here drawing out some ideas to potentially do this next build as a true hollow body. The weight thing would be a plus but also the tonal differences and cool factor. I’d love to try one as a non-cutaway but that’s typically a no-no with electric players.

B&G has made non-cutaways successfully. B&G Private Build andCrossroads Series HERE.

It's OK to go outside the box!

[Pirate76]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

B&G has made non-cutaways successfully. B&G Private Build andCrossroads Series HERE.

It's OK to go outside the box!

Oh yeah the Little Sister guitars! I forgot about them. Great looking guitars too. Thanks for that. I needed that validation!

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by davidd

A Charlie Christian pickup for the neck would be a great option. Tim Lerch has them in one of his Tele's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-MVMy3hQAg&t=69s

Hi David,
I put this together a few years back using a pair of Pete Biltoft Vintage Vibe CC pickups.



HE

[Pirate76]

Originally Posted by davidd

A Charlie Christian pickup for the neck would be a great option. Tim Lerch has them in one of his Tele's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-MVMy3hQAg&t=69s

Tim Lerch is the reason I went with Lollars on my dads build! His Tele sounds so sweet. I didn’t go with the Charlie Christian in the neck though as I wanted to give my dad the twang he wanted there but I did put the blade steel bridge in.

[davidd]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

Hi David,
I put this together a few years back using a pair of Pete Biltoft Vintage Vibe CC pickups.



HE

Drop dead gorgeous! I bet that sounded glorious.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by davidd

Drop dead gorgeous! I bet that sounded glorious.

Thanks David!

Like Pirate did, all my electrics have 1.75” nut width, plus a boat-neck profile with 6100ss fret wire. They’re all strung with.056-.013 so that they don’t really feel too different than my acoustics.

When I discovered Warmoth necks I never looked back.

HE

[redir]

Acoustic guitars come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and specifications so I'm not really sure you can build a guitar for an 'acoustic' player. If the acoustic player has a Martin OM for example then you could model it after that with all the dimensions of the fret board, scale length etc...

I suppose you could put a piezo in it as well.

[Pirate76]

Originally Posted by redir

Acoustic guitars come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and specifications so I'm not really sure you can build a guitar for an 'acoustic' player. If the acoustic player has a Martin OM for example then you could model it after that with all the dimensions of the fret board, scale length etc...

I suppose you could put a piezo in it as well.

Right. I guess what I meant to say is an electric for the acoustic player wanting to add an electric. You know, that little something that might make him look at mine twice before grabbing the standard Tele off the shelf.. The nut width I think is important but beyond that it would be hard to please everyone. Also, I mean, more aesthetically, via appointments like traditional binding/ Purfling combos, wood combos etc. I definitely don’t want a disaster like the Fender Acoustasonic. Just my opinion but I hate those things lol.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Pirate76

Right. I guess what I meant to say is an electric for the acoustic player wanting to add an electric. You know, that little something that might make him look at mine twice before grabbing the standard Tele off the shelf.. The nut width I think is important but beyond that it would be hard to please everyone. Also, I mean, more aesthetically, via appointments like traditional binding/ Purfling combos, wood combos etc. I definitely don’t want a disaster like the Fender Acoustasonic. Just my opinion but I hate those things lol.

Fender knows marketing, and it looks like an awful lot of players like them. I personally think they are missing out by not releasing a Jaguar version with the 24" scale length.

Since I started playing shorter scale guitars I would not be interested in anything having conventional scale length. I personally think there's going to be an increasingly larger market for short scale specialty electrics.

[Pirate76]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Fender knows marketing, and it looks like an awful lot of players like them. I personally think they are missing out by not releasing a Jaguar version with the 24" scale length.

Since I started playing shorter scale guitars I would not be interested in anything having conventional scale length. I personally think there's going to be an increasingly larger market for short scale specialty electrics.

That’s actually a great point. I could see a big market shift to shorter scale.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Pirate76

Thanks. To be honest I don’t remember the exact weight but is was over 7-1/2 lbs. I think the channel routes were offset by the locking tuners, wider thicker neck and bridge cover plate. It’s got a heft to it no doubt. When you pick it up if feels substantial, not bad but like the old silvertones. (I’ve got the weight written down in my build notes but I’m stuck to this couch due to shoulder surgery. Shoulder surgery by the way, ain’t for sissies! lol!)

Hi Pirate…
I have a 30 year old American Strat Plus which weighs around 7 pounds, and has 'heft' to it. It also has amazing sustain, and still provides tons of feedback to the player via its body when I don't have it plugged in (or turned up).

Gorgeous! Hope the new/current turns out even better than the pictured one.

[redir]

Originally Posted by Pirate76

Right. I guess what I meant to say is an electric for the acoustic player wanting to add an electric. You know, that little something that might make him look at mine twice before grabbing the standard Tele off the shelf.. The nut width I think is important but beyond that it would be hard to please everyone. Also, I mean, more aesthetically, via appointments like traditional binding/ Purfling combos, wood combos etc. I definitely don’t want a disaster like the Fender Acoustasonic. Just my opinion but I hate those things lol.

From a purely design perspective then I'd say all natural wood. I know some acoustic players like painted guitars but most like the beauty of the wood. I built an electric with a walnut body and a curly redwood top and it was a great guitar and the redwood top gave it an acoustic look.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Pirate76

So I’m starting a new Tele-Style build that (hopefully) appeals to acoustic players looking for an electric...

Specs I’m considering are based on my build below. Let me know your thoughts:

T-Style Electric
Scale 25.5”
Neck:
Nut Width: 1-3/4”
Nut Material: Graphtech Tusq XL
Neck profile: Vintage C - not too thin not to thick
Neck Material. Mahogany (optional 3A figured maple).
Single Truss Rod (optional double)
Fret board: Rosewood
Frets: medium jumbo / stainless steel
Neck finish: oil
Headstock finish: Nitro (optional oil or poly)
Tuners: Sperzel or Shaller customs

Body/ Controls:

Body: Mahogany with Adirondack Spruce Cap (3A Figured maple optional)
Herringbone Binding/ Vintage Cream Binding
Pickups: Fender Custom Shop ‘51 Nocasters (optional Lollar Vintage T neck/ Blade Steel bridge with matching tortoise shell cover).
Controls: Reverse / CTS 250K vintage taper/ solid shaft pots, 3 way switch & vintage capacitors, treble bleed.
Bridge: Fender genuine/ vintage 3 roll
Neck plate custom

Any input on this new build would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

w

Gorgeous guitar, but other than the 1-3/4" nut (far from universal among steel-string acoustic players BTW) I don't see much in the spec list that makes it specifically an "acoustic players' electric" - and FWIW other than the pickups (which were tappable for single-coil tones) and select cosmetic details (like the more acoustic-oriented bridge/headstock and chambered f-hole body) Carvin's AE185 was all over the concept 30 years ago (well before Taylor's T5), including the option of premium-grade hardwood (maple, koa) tops: