Official Luthiers Forum!

When whining about not being able to find a trash git to practice fret work on, a friend said that he had something for me to use. He hands me this old Tiesco Del Ray he salvaged out of a trash can. On examination the frets weren’t bad enough to really require more than a minor dressing. The neck seems straight enough. Someone tried to do an EVH look with tape. A little research makes me think it was a late 60s model. But since it is a Japanese made git, I couldn’t just let it get thrown away a second time. My thought is to make it a working instrument and give it back to my friend. To restore it to original would cost way more than you could buy a nice copy for, so I think I’ll just strip it, repaint it, and put modern electrics in it. The spring for the tail piece is gone, so it looks like a solid tail piece is in order. The pickups are dead, the tone pot doesn’t even turn, so it’ll be a complete new set up. The pickups are surface mounts. There isn’t any routing under them until the edge of the pick guard to cover the wires from the pups. I’ve never seen a surface mount pickup, so I’m thinking a small cavity for some dog ear P90s, a contrasting wood pick guard, a three way pick up switch and a couple of good 500k pots to round it out. I’d like to keep the cost of new parts as small as possible. Suggestions? I’m looking for any ideas that would make it unique, but not cost an arm and a leg.
http://s735.photobucket.com/user/bushite/library/Teisco

Oh, man..... I'm having flashbacks to the days when my shop was in a local music store. These kids kept bringing in plywood nightmares like these, and wanting me to install a pair of DiMarzio Super Distortions and a Floyd Rose.

Just my opinion, but DON'T BOTHER.
You ever heard this old saw "Can't polish a turd?".

Do something smart like put the POS on eBay, and when you get the money you can take me out for a burger.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Well, I'll admit it's not much of a guitar--at least to me it's not. However, there is most likely a sub-culture out there that likes these cheap imports just because lots of kids used to have them. If you think it would be fun to make it a player again and you don't mind investing the time and a bit of money, then I say go for it. You'll still have a modified cheap import when you finish, but if it's a player and if you had fun doing it, then what the heck? Go for it.

Have you seen this?:
http://www.mark-cole.co.uk/teisco/

Oh I know I'll have more invested in it than it's worth. That's not the point. I'm still learning and figured if I can resurrect this poor thing, I'll have learned something. Plus when I give it back it'll show what I can do. My goal is to make it play like a much more expensive git. If I can just make it play well, I'll be happy. Word of mouth is still the best advertising. The guy who gave it to me can use it as a joke on stage. And if I screw it up.. no big deal. Great practice piece.

Now, what color would do it justice? I suppose I could do my first burst on it, but I wanted to be a little more original than that.

And Chris, I'll take you out for a burger anytime. I can probably learn more from you than the price of the burger. Shakey Dog?

Cool. Nothing wrong with learning on lo-buck stuff.
Let's stay in touch. PM me sometime.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

That's s cool project, Allan!
A lillte elbow grease should make it look good.
I'd find some cheapo pickups on Amazon and give it a wild paint job.
Sound's like a low stress fun project.
If you buddy plays the guitar, he might get get a chuckle if you returned it in working order.
The EVH tape thing is terrible on EVH guitars as well.

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Chris and Allan, Mind if I tag along If you all get together?
Now that I'm retired I have a lot more time to get out and about.

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

I've got a couple of them Tulip guitar bodies laying around on my shop. Probably got some pickups and tremolo bars also. PM me if your interested. Good luck on the rebuild.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, indeed. We need to do that.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

OK, Chris and Dave, where should we meet? I plan on retiring next year. Didn't know about Chris and couldn't find a reputable repair person. Decided to put the wood working skills to use and maybe generate a little beer money. I have an Epi LP Custom that needs a level and dress. I didn't want it to be the first and I hadn't gotten around to taking it to Baggett's boys. Maybe we could watch you work while we learn?

Lonnie - I appreciate the offer. It will be awhile before I can really get into it. I have a neck repair that needs to come first. If you have pups that work, it would save me having to route the body. Shoot me a PM if you have a pair that work and what you want for them.

That's what I love about the good forums. People helping each other.

Well, Dave lives up in Newton, you are down in Haysville, and I'm in the middle (Twin Lakes area). Great sports bar near me with great burgers and other goodies - called Shoeless Joe's. We don't have to go there, but we need to pick a day and time. Dave & I are already retired from the aircraft biz - and since you're working, that means weekends or evenings for our get-together.

What next?

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Shoeless Joe's sounds good. This weekend is spoken for, but I'm open for an evening or maybe next weekend.

Maybe we should call Larry Ayres. He lives down in Haysville, too.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

The more the merrier.

I'll try to talk to Larry next week.
Now that he has his hotrod built he may be ready to get back into Guitar/
Mando building.

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

Yeah, I saw his car at the Blacktop Nats. Very green!

Man, that guy is such a good inlay artist....

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I think he won best of show at Blacktop

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

Larrys up for it. He's will to host it

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

Ask Larry if there's anything I can do to help him if he's hosting. I'm close, so I can help do food or whatever. I still have a couple of gallons of home brew that needs tended to.

PM sent

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

Noon tomorrow at Shoeless Joes see ya there

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

Had a GREAT lunch with David and Allan!
Thanks for coming guys!
Hope you liked the burgers at Shoeless Joe's.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Always fun to talk with other builders.
Thanks for letting me tag along.
Still can't believe I didn't let you pick up the tab.

_________________
Say what you do, Do what you say.

Had a great time! We have to do this more often and get Larry there also.