Guitarist

HOME-GROWN TONE PART 2

I don’t think I’ve ever asked a Master Builder at Fender – or indeed any other luthier – whether, after years of making guitars, they still get excited about the prospect of the outcome. I can honestly say, even though I built my first electric guitar back in the early 70s, the excitement is still there. The temptation to throw it all together bish, bash, bosh Jamie Oliver-style is very strong, but even with a basic build like this vintage-style ‘T’, I’m reminded by previous cock-ups to take my time.

In our last issue I’d prepared the neck and body, which boded well – the apparent quality of both parts is extremely high. With my aim to simply evaluate the kit, I’d left behind thoughts of a posh sprayed or reliced finish and I’d applied a quick (and reversible) sealing finish: oil/wax to the neck and a thin French polish to the body. It’s time to start the assembly.

In Build

The beauty of Leo Fender’s groundbreaking blueprint means that you don’t have to be a luthier to create an electric guitar. So long as you have basic practical skills and some similarly basic DIY hand tools,

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