I recently came across a late 60's LEFTY Tele that I'm debating picking up(as a lefty it's tough to find older leftys to play...let alone a decent deal)...but I wanted to ask some questions before diving in, as it has some issues that would need to be addressed...any help is appreciated!

1. The current owner is a lefty, but he plays with the guitar strung righty, so the nut has been reveresed with a non original brass nut to accomodate him stringing it upside down. So I would want to replace that with a nut to string for a true lefty.

How much would that cost to have a skilled pro do that? And any advice on keeping it as original to the time period as possible?

2. The tone pot appears to not be working. What can be done about this? Can it be tinkered with and salvaged without having to replace the pot? And if I do have to replace it, how hard is it to find a original late 60's pot?...and how much $$$?

3. The pickguard is non original and it has been refretted...so with exception to the flipped nut, pickguard and refret, it's all original. It's definitely not a closet classic, as it's been played over the years and played hard...which gives it that nice relic/vintage look some people like and some don't....oh, and the blade selector tip isn't original.

What do you guys think?...would it be tough to clean this baby up a little, get everything working smooth and keeping it as close to time period original as possible?

Worth the trouble?...or a money pit not worth it?

I'm too stupid to figure out how to upload a pic or two, so if you want to see some, please let me know how the hell to do that and I will...


Thanks,


Ryan

Ryan,

If you can snag that Tele for a decent price, I'd grab it, run, and not look back! Lefty's are rare and usually bring a premium.

The things you need to do can be done by a good tech for not much $$$. The most expensive thing to find would probably be an original pick guard if you decide to go that route.

If you go to eBay, google Telecaster and start looking around, you'll probably find everything you'll need as far as '60s vintage Tele parts.

Let us know what you do - to me it sounds like a potentially awesome deal! Good luck!

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Old age and treachery will win every time over youth and enthusiasm.

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Thanks to another helpful member, here are some pics:

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/rian4224/7.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/rian4224/6.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/rian4224/4.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/rian4224/3.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/rian4224/8.jpg
http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/rian4224/5.jpg

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Let me get that for you... you had the tags reversed.

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the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.