Attn. Tele/partscaster Builders: Who’s currently making the best bodies and necks?

[topekatj]

Except for the inclusion of the Pickguard (fugly) I like a lot about the looks of the current Noventa Teles. But, I would like a 22 fret neck (w/ profile to taste), and a RW fingerboard. Also, I’d probably want a route for a standard tele bridge pickup, but haven’t fully decided yet.

Ideally the lumber would be pre-finished so I don’t have to deal with that. I’ll have no problem with electronics, assembly, and set up.

Hit me with some possible sources. Thanks 

[cmatthes]

Best all-around?  Musikraft.  I swear by their Tele bodies.  Hands-down, the best.  I’ve also been a huge fan of their necks, but Steve Parker (ex-Musikraft fret guy) at Parklane is now putting out killer necks.

Musikraft body, Parklane custom neck;

 

 

Musikraft body and neck:

 

 

Can’t wait to see the two other ones Stike is working on for me…

[topekatj]

Thanks @cmatthes

i see no string trees, are you using graduated post tuners? Also see that Musikraft doesn’t list swamp ash as a wood option for bodies any longer-  is it pretty much unobtainable at this point?

[Jeff R]

If you strike out for whatever reason, Google "The Fret Shack" for my contact info and call me during business hours. I'd prefer to talk at length than type at length.

Segue to my most recent "not for sale" ... Ash and rosewood, MJT paint/body, Fujigen/Allparts neck, Carondelet 90 and Carondelet Modern 5 (hidden push/pull in the tone control splits the H), Gotoh hardware (including staggered post tuners). I cannot put this guitar down.

[DaveL]

I like Musikraft necks,  I buy them unfinished with no upgrades and spray them myself.  Allparts

also makes nice necks for the money but I think musikraft seems to take finish better... just seems to

go on smoother and less time for wetsanding for some reason...   for bodies,  I'll use the mjt auctions

on ebay,  if you have sniper software you can get some nice deals...    I will say,   I like musikraft

strat bodies better than whoever cuts the strat bodies for MJT.  The upper horn on MJT strat bodies doesn't

look right to me, too chubby looking... If I were to do a strat, I'd go Musikraft or Guitar Mill.    I also like Dustin

Bloomer for bodies... he was a head painter at MJT and now does his own work,   his aging is more subtle

and refined than MJT,  he also does alot of closet clean nitro bodies...      

 

These are some Bloomdoom strat and tele bodies  (Guitar Mill did the bodies) that Dustin did for me.

Allparts TRO and SRO fat necks...    No longer own but they came out nice.     

 

 

 

 

 

[topekatj]

2 hours ago, DaveL said:

I like Musikraft necks,  I buy them unfinished with no upgrades and spray them myself.  Allparts

also makes nice necks for the money but I think musikraft seems to take finish better... just seems to

go on smoother and less time for wetsanding for some reason...   for bodies,  I'll use the mjt auctions

on ebay,  if you have sniper software you can get some nice deals...    I will say,   I like musikraft

strat bodies better than whoever cuts the strat bodies for MJT.  The upper horn on MJT strat bodies doesn't

look right to me, too chubby looking... If I were to do a strat, I'd go Musikraft or Guitar Mill.    I also like Dustin

Bloomer for bodies... he was a head painter at MJT and now does his own work,   his aging is more subtle

and refined than MJT,  he also does alot of closet clean nitro bodies...      

 

These are some Bloomdoom strat and tele bodies  (Guitar Mill did the bodies) that Dustin did for me.

Allparts TRO and SRO fat necks...    No longer own but they came out nice.     

 

 

 

 

 

Those Tele bodies look great, the RW fingerboards also. What’s the story with the white bands on the pickguards?

[DaveL]

2 hours ago, topekatj said:

Those Tele bodies look great, the RW fingerboards also. What’s the story with the white bands on the pickguards?

Those were some guards I got from a seller on eBay….forget the name but he’s from CT.    Supposed to be simulated wear.   Thought they looked cool once strung up.  I now do my own guards (add some nicks and give it a light mist of amber nitro).  

[RobB]

On 8/14/2023 at 1:48 PM, Jeff R said:

Fujigen/Allparts neck.

What is this? Does Allparts sub-out necks for FGN?

[Jeff R]

Fujigen Gakki's Matsumotu, Nagano facility ghost-builds the Allparts necks. At least that's what the heel sticker indicated with the six dozen or so S, T, P and J necks I've ordered from AP over the last two or three years.

[cmatthes]

23 minutes ago, Jeff R said:

Fujigen Gakki's Matsumotu, Nagano facility ghost-builds the Allparts necks. At least that's what the heel sticker indicated with the six dozen or so S, T, P and J necks I've ordered from AP over the last two or three years.

That is correct!

[cmatthes]

On 8/14/2023 at 1:09 AM, topekatj said:

Thanks @cmatthes

i see no string trees, are you using graduated post tuners? Also see that Musikraft doesn’t list swamp ash as a wood option for bodies any longer-  is it pretty much unobtainable at this point?

I usually go with staggered and/or locking tuners on builds, and they win out on the two above.  

 

As far as Musikraft and the availability of nice Ash, definitely reach out.  I got the pink hollow Tele body - no F Holes) right before the pandemic (December, 2019, I believe), and it came out so great, I later ordered another hollowbody Tele just like it, and then another hollow Ash body with a White Limba/Korina top, just for kicks.  The yellow Thinline is one of their Roasted Ash Thinline bodies, and I think I ordered that last December. 

The wood quality and work is fantastic - great figuring/matching and all of the bodies weigh well below 4lbs.  Hopefully, they'll offer an Ash option again for Teles.  I've got two of their lightweight Alder and one light Ash Strat bodies around here as well that are also either right at or just a little under 4lbs, which is perfect for me.

 

[Jeff R]

Here's that MIJ Nagano sticker AP puts on the heel. My apprentice (actually my adult daughter, Caitlin, who is at Roberto-Venn through the end of 2023) and I started putting them on the wall. The stickers are on the bottom right corner of the heel if you stand the neck on the heel. The pin mark in some of the stickers is where the awl hit them when we pre-tapped them for neck bolt pilot holes.

Convenient segue   to the Jazzcaster Telemaster Jizzblaster I finally finished yesterday. Pine body, weighs and behaves tonally like the high-grade basswood TAG and EBMM use. Loaded with Carondelet TPA duet.

It's blue (almost) twin, maple board and hardtail Strat instead of halfsie Tele bridge. Also pine and whippyweight ...

[Jeff R]

Speaking of ash, this ad just moved through my inbox ... I'm pretty sure that starting price includes standard color nitro.

 

[Travis]

I’ve got a couple of AllParts necks, Strat and Tele; both maple/maple and FAT profile. I just did a few thin coats of TruOil to finish them and they feel great. I love the FAT profile but they’re both 21 fret necks, which doesn’t bother me at all. One thing to note, both of them did come with rather sharp fret ends and unrolled fret edges so I had to do a little work there. 

I also have a Musikraft neck I got from @DaveL waiting to go on a Tele build. He did a fantastic job finishing it and I can tell just by having it in my hands that it’s a killer neck and I’m really going to enjoy it once I get it mounted. 

[Jeff R]

One thing to note, both of them did come with rather sharp fret ends and unrolled fret edges so I had to do a little work there. 

And to elaborate on that, ALL replacement necks - unless they state otherwise and/or you pay an upgrade - require varying degrees of fret work to cut the muster. Allparts, Mighty Mite, Musikraft and Warmoth, etc., none can consistently pass rocker tests on my bench. As for fret ends, too much can go wonky on ANY neck when you bounce a neck geographically between temp and humidity zones. Finished or unfinished, dressed or undressed.  That's why I told Grover Jackson on our collaborative batch of necks, you just arbor press our frets in and I will do the fret work and finishing on my end.

That's why all those brands who include pre-installed nuts send them unslotted - they assume the end user will get a formal LCP and nut dress on their end if they expect superior results. Unslotted nut = no LCP. At least every example I've seen.

[Dutchman]

I used a MIM 75th Diamond body on my last build. Bought Warmoth solid rosewood neck here. It's currently touring with the Friends of the Dead. Sounds awesome!

[topekatj]

Thanks all, esp. Chris and Jeff, for all the photos and comments. 
 

@Jeff Rreally like the stripped down look of the red and blue Tele-masters! What graduated tuners are you using? Also appreciate knowing that a final touch is needed on the frets, FB edges, etc. I’m ok with assembly, wiring and setup, assuming frets and nut are all good, but cutting nuts and fretwork aren’t a skill set of mine. Anyway, I’m still pondering the features and options at this point. 

[Jeff R]

Keys are Gotoh, my default choice most of the time because not only are the affordable and very good, they offered staggers in aged nickel. Perfect for my relics.

For non-relics, Hipshot is also a great option for keys. Lightweight, locking and non-locking options, staggered and non-staggered options, many button designs from which to pick and they are interchangeable, fair prices, and universal rail mounts to eliminate set screw holes and/or drilling new ones.

[cmatthes]

1 hour ago, Jeff R said:

For non-relics, Hipshot is also a great option for keys. Lightweight, locking and non-locking options, staggered and non-staggered options, many button designs from which to pick and they are interchangeable, fair prices, and universal rail mounts to eliminate set screw holes and/or drilling new ones.

Jeffro nails it once again.  I’ve become a big fan of the Hipshot locking stuff - I was searching for a replacement option when Sperzel started becoming more unreliable.