Custom Build T-Style Partscaster Vintage 64s Relic: (2024)
This is my custom built T-Style Partscaster relic guitar which I completed at the end of 2024. Inspiration for this project came from owning a number of Fender Custom Shop relic guitars. To put it simply, I wanted to put together my own Master Build style Fender Telecaster without the need to be paying thousands of dollars and waiting many months for such a guitar. This Telecaster lookalike would finally be given the name "Bluebird" after the Blue Tits that would come to feed in the garden.
The body and neck are off-the-shelf products from Guitar.co.uk and were ordered as a matched pairing. The body is roasted Alder while the neck is roasted flamed maple with an Indian Rosewood fretboard and vintage frets. Electrics consist of a Fender Telecaster 52 control panel while the pick-ups are Fender Pure Vintage 64s, replacing a set of Custom Shop Telecaster Texas Specials I had originally started out with. General hardware is either Fender or GoToh which was either purchased already tarnished or parts that I tarnished using both Sulphuric Acid and Vinegar & Salt vapour methods.
The paints were supplied by Dartford's and North West Guitars. The nitro-cellulose lacquer is a metallic Pelham Blue while the neck is finished in an Amber vintage nitro lacquer. Painting is where the costs can easily mount up as you consider Grain Fillers for open pore woods such as Ash and Mahogany. And in my case dealing with a tight grained wood, that is Roasted Alder, Sanding Sealer and Primer is followed by Metallic Paint and Gloss Lacquer. Other considerations are sandpapers, cutting compounds and polishing creams.
Here you see pictured the two pick-up sets I tried out. For me the Fender Custom Shop Telecaster Texas Specials were initially chosen because I really liked the tone of them in a friends Stratocaster I was given to review. However, I quickly came to the conclusion that they were just not what I was looking for and after much deliberation I decided on the Fender Telecaster Pure Vintage 64s which to my ears have a warmer tone and are less edgy sounding.
Personal Comment:
When the guitar was completed it certainly looked the part and it plays like a dream. As for the tone, I'm not fully convinced about the Pure Vintage 64s but they do have a good tone. Tuning stability is good and intonation is also excellent. I also managed to pick up a Blue Fender Hard shell case to match the guitar, so... all in all, not including my time, for under £1000.00 I'm very pleased with the final result.
Can you build a Partscaster for less? Yes of course you can, there are many areas where it's possible to bring costs down, particularly paint finish costs which in my case amounted to around £200.00. For a full review of the 12 part video series showing pretty much every aspect of the build and the costs of every part involved, you can go to the Video page and work your way through the list as you please. Video number 12 covers all 12 sections within 20 minutes for those who like to view things in a hurry. If you want to know more about this guitar drop me an email.
