Stoberto Customs

I have been working on building a telecaster for 2 and 1/2 years now. It's going to be sweet when it's done, and it's not that I don't care to finish, it's that I usually lack funds to buy the parts I need. I am not actually cutting the wood (although I would love to learn how to do that someday), but I am doing everything else from the finishing to the wiring. I am finished with the body (flame maple top and alder), and almost finished with the neck (flame maple/ebony fretboard w/ star inlays)...the two biggest obstacles by far. The body has a nitro lacquer finish while on the neck I actually used a gunstock oil finish (except for the headstock which will be lacquer).

The wiring I am pretty comfortable with, so as soon as I figure out something I can sell in my house I can finish up...I am ecstatic. I'm probably mainly excited about buying some pickups from a guy named Bill Lawrence. I was prepared to shell out around $200 for some Fralins or Bulldogs (quality hand wound pickups), but I discovered that Bill, who has been designing pickups for companies like Fender for years sells his own pickups with his wife Becky on their own website for...wait for it...$72 plus shipping. I mean are you kidding me? Once again...ecstatic.

The most daunting task I need to do is level the frets of my neck which involves using a heavy flat surface and sanding frets until they are all the same height, and then recrowning them afterwards. I think this part has the most potential for damage, and the neck was pretty expensive so I am a little nervous. I got a scrap piece of 2"x16" granite for the sanding (as I read this works well for a heavy flat surface), and I think I'm going to practice on my Kramer first.



That was my first electric guitar, and as I have a hard time parting with guitars I simply have upgraded it over the years with Gotoh tuners, and white pickguard, and even Fender American pickups and all new electronics. It's not bad at all, although it still has a plywood body.

I've been working on a logo for my guitar neck headstock. Some people just put a Fender logo on their builds, but I want to name it after me! "Stoberto Customs" is what I've decided on, borrowing a high school nick name that has stuck with me over the years. This is what I've got so far...but it is still a work in progress.

So hopefully (as the serial number indicates) I will be done before the end of 2010...anyone up for some donations?