Crafting a Masterpiece:
Guitar making is a labor-intensive process that demands patience and perseverance, but the end result is always worth the effort – a masterpiece that sings with clarity and resonance.
My Tele's beginnings:
While steeped in tradition, guitar makers are pioneers of innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of design and construction. Not so much this story, as my Tele began it's life as a pickguard that I fancied, from a batch of Orange Figured Maple production pickguards.
A year passed, before I located an old 'found' builder's trestle plank of Oregon/Douglas Fir - could this be a Tele body??
The Heart of a Guitar:
At its core, a guitar is more than just a collection of wood and metal – I hoped to infuse this Tele build with a unique voice and character of it's own, that resonated with my mind's ear of what I'd been missing, as I'd never owned a Tele previously.
OK... I could handle the body side of the build, but a neck?? No way, as my workshop was just not that well equipped. After purchasing two after-market Tele necks, we proceeded. Splitting billets of that hard as iron Doug Fir, bookmatching, and bonding that 'top' to an Australian Cedar body blank.
One of the greatest joys of guitar making is seeing an instrument come to life as a build progresses... I'm not going to go to endless details, but after a year of grabbing a few minutes each day to work on 'Tele', I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I finally realised the degree of work that goes in, before you see that beautiful guitar hanging on display in-store, that you've lusted over for years.
Conclusion:
In a world filled with mass-produced commodities, the art of guitar making stands as a beacon of authenticity and craftsmanship. It's a tradition that spans centuries, yet continues to evolve with each passing day. So the next time you hear the strum of a chord or the wail of a solo, take a moment to appreciate the craftsmanship and passion that went into creating the instrument behind the music. For in the hands of a skilled guitar maker, a simple piece of wood becomes a symphony waiting to be played.