Relic Owners - Question from a builder

[DANOCASTER]

I'm starting to build more teles now - more full-time than it used to be at least.

My question is this :

assuming they LOOK vintage and traditional :

Is it more important TO YOU that it be "Vintage Correct" ( 7.25 radius, small frets, non-compensated saddles ) or would you rather have a slightly more modern radius like 9.5 or 10" - w/ larger frets and compensated saddles ?

chime in w/ your opinions

[Mondoslug]

Me I like the larger frets but I could deal with 'em on a vintage radius neck plus I see no disadvantage to good intonation.

[esoteric pete]

9.5 rad, med jumbos, glendale saddles.


thats how i likes my teles.

YMMV.

[RDM]

+1 on Large frets

[Boobala]

I just bought a CS '60 Relic Strat from Dave's Guitars because it had a 9.5" radius and larger frets.

[LIGHTNIN1]

9.5 and medium jumbos, although I could deal with the 7 1/4, too. Big yes on the compensated saddles.

[guitarplayaman]

large frets

[AlexF]

subtle compound radius f'board, big V shape neck (warmoth's boat neck is perfection), slightly larger frets (but definitely not huge), compensated saddles please :)
Al

[JMintzer]

9.5 and medium jumbos, although I could deal with the 7 1/4, too. Big yes on the compensated saddles.

Same here, but I prefer the 9.5" radius...


Jamie

[dave s]

Personally, I won't consider a guitar with the vintage 7.25 radius.

In order: 9.5" radius; larger frets; compensated bridge.

dave

[Mike Navarro]

Recommendation my friend, don't limit your possibility's with one or the other, do all of them (7.5, 9.5, 10, 12), and let the customer to choose, thats what I do, or you think Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors just for fun?!!! or is 32?!. Second, you have to considerate that the "serious Teles Vintage Lovers" normally look for the Fender real thing, why a clone?, I posted a picture of one Tele made in the shop, but if you see the photo, I made it thinner and with a back contour, the radius is 12", and I did it this way because I gave a option of a "Vintage Fender Tele" look, but with a feel of a modern guitar as a option for that guitar player who just want to show the Tele as a look thing!, It,s work for me!
http://guitarzonepr.com

[gkelm]

...more modern radius like 9.5 or 10" - w/ larger frets and compensated saddles ?

Yes, all the way!

Greg

[Cobra]

I think most folks can hang with a 9.5" radius, it's a nice middleground.
I prefer 6105 frets, again a nice middleground between jumbo frets & vintage frets.
The combination of these two makes for a guitar that's playable for most, while not straying too far from vintage spec.
Just my .02....

[A440]

I like the 10" radius and 6150 frets

vintage looks, but modern playability for me.

I actually like the 1 and 5/8 nut. big necks are great for tone, but might be good to offer different neck profiles also.

[gkoelling]

9.5, med. jumbo, compensated three brass saddle bridge, vintage tuners.

I've seen pics you've posted of your work.


Best of luck to you.

[K-Line]

Personally, I won't consider a guitar with the vintage 7.25 radius.

In order: 9.5" radius; larger frets; compensated bridge.

dave
From builder to builder, this is my experience. It took a while to sell the vintage spec guits, a long while. Some I replaced necks and started over. Minimum 9.5 radius, 6105 frets are a plus, no threads. Med-c contours (like .85" at least), fat necks are great but move a bit slower. Comp saddles are a must avoid the Barden bridges, his saddles are tinny sounding to me, fat, thick saddles. I like all the comps like Callaham, Glendale, etc but find the ones from AllParts to have the best tone. OK bring on the rotten tomatoes and the boos. Remember opinions are like you back side........everybody got one, and it stinks!

[Tallhorses]

I own three Fender relics... Two of them teles. I like the 9.5" radius with med jumbo frets. For neck shape I like early 50's U shaped or soft V. BIG!

If you can...keep the traditional tele headstock. Even better if it's blank...wink wink.

[Cobra]

Gledale bridgeplates are the bomb for more vintage sounds, they ring like a bell. I have them on two of my Tele's, but they are pricey...
I've had real good luck with Glendale hardened steel E/A saddle, brass for the other two...

Callaham bridgeplates are also very cool, same as barden to my ears (just the bridgeplates, not saddles), definitely not vintage sounding, bigger tone, more sustain, more modern, more rock 'n roll... A nice alternative...

[jetlag]

I just ordered a white blonde, white guard relic'd 50's tele from a TGP builder and asked for a 7.25 to 9.5" compound radius, neck similar to fender's 10/56 (soft V to C), but 1-11/16" nut, with 6100 frets. I am gradually phasing out all of my vintage guitars as players and replacing them with relics etc - I find the straight 9.5" radius necks a little too flat, so the compound is a nice compromise. A straight 9.5" radius would be my second choice. All of my old guitars have been refretted with either 6105s or 6100s for playability anyway, so no way would I want vintage spec wire. Oh, and I intend on putting a glendale bridge on the guitar with some sort of compensated saddle. So really, I think I'm in the same boat as most - I want basically a vintage guitar with a few modern upgrades - stuff you'd do to your vintage guitar if it weren't worth so much.

[El Kabong]

A 9.5" neck, 6105s and a Glendale bridge with the Outlaw saddle set makes me smile.

[diego]

Flatter radius, bigger frets, bridge that will play in tune...

[Boogie92801]

I bought a 63 relic from Daves a little over a year ago and this has become my number 1 guitar. It has 9.5 radius and 6105s. I owned an original 1955 tele and I can say the modern radius and frets make the guitar a better tool. As far as why I chose a relic over a modern tele. The bridge is a big part of the sound, but overall it was very light weight, thin finish, and the feel all contribute to this being a much better palying and sounding instrument than any modern counterparts that I played. I really dont care what name it is or what the make up is as long as it playes, tunes and sounds good. Comfort is also a factor.

[Dave Orban]

Larger (or compound) radius.
6105s
Compensated saddles (3, NOT 6)
Good pickups, i.e. Don Mare



Oh, and no sissy necks. ;)

[codyj84]

My Rocketfire has a 10" neck. Fits like a glove. Never been a fan of slim or vintage necks. My hands is too big. haha

Thanks for doing the poll!

[mainsale]

+1 for the modern neck radius, frets and compensated saddles