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Post subject: Re: Swapping Telecaster bodies, how difficult is it?
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:07 pm
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I don't think swapping bodies is all that difficult. To do it right, you would want to unsolder the pickups from the pots/switch before you remove them and then re-solder when you put them in the new body (4 solder joints). I guess you could just cut the pickup's leads and then twist them together and tape them, but that would be considered a shoddy method. Everything else should just screw on. You would also have to re-set the action and intonation once you put everything back together. A good idea is to mark the position of the saddles before you start, because you'll probably have to move them in order to remove the bridge. Also if the new body does not already have ferrules, you would probably want to put new ferrules in the new body and leave the old ferrules in the old body to avoid fit issues. When fitting the neck, it is important to drop it into the neck pocket from above, do not try and slide it into the neck pocket.

If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to swap the body?

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Post subject: Re: Swapping Telecaster bodies, how difficult is it?
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:11 am
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I've considered swapping bodies before. Warmoth make some very nice out-of-the-ordinary bodies. They make necks too but you have to cut your own headstock shape and finish it which is much more work than a simple body swap.

Rather than twist and solder a cut wiring connection I would suggest soldering a pin and socket connection to the wires for easy removal should you wish to reconsider the body swap. These connections work well on guitar electronics. Kinman uses them on their "DIY solderless harness" kits. I have one of these (the K9) and there have never been any issues whatsoever. I may get another in fact for the extra pickup switching capabilities. The thing I like about them is I can solder a pair of pins onto any new pickup I want to try and then swap and compare (A/B) them with relative ease and speed compared to soldering and desoldering back and forth.

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Post subject: Re: Swapping Telecaster bodies, how difficult is it?
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:55 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I've considered swapping bodies before. Warmoth make some very nice out-of-the-ordinary bodies. They make necks too but you have to cut your own headstock shape and finish it which is much more work than a simple body swap.

Rather than twist and solder a cut wiring connection I would suggest soldering a pin and socket connection to the wires for easy removal should you wish to reconsider the body swap. These connections work well on guitar electronics. Kinman uses them on their "DIY solderless harness" kits. I have one of these (the K9) and there have never been any issues whatsoever. I may get another in fact for the extra pickup switching capabilities. The thing I like about them is I can solder a pair of pins onto any new pickup I want to try and then swap and compare (A/B) them with relative ease and speed compared to soldering and desoldering back and forth.

I know I plug them a lot but Musikraft makes excellent necks with the headstock cut out already, finished and excellent fret work. The Musikraft neck on my Tele is simply perfect and the frets were perfectly done. I didnt hve them finish it for me but they do offer that as a part of buying a neck from them.

+1 on the kinman DIY

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Post subject: Re: Swapping Telecaster bodies, how difficult is it?
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:01 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I've considered swapping bodies before. Warmoth make some very nice out-of-the-ordinary bodies. They make necks too but you have to cut your own headstock shape and finish it which is much more work than a simple body swap.


You can by complete necks from Warmoth to. Headstock, frets, finish, nut and drilled for what ever tuners you want.
Example:http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?i=tn3438&Body=1&Path=Neck


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Post subject: Re: Swapping Telecaster bodies, how difficult is it?
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:05 pm
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Swapping bodies is not hard, but you do need a good grasp on guitar setup and adjustment. And yes, to do the job right, soldering is required. Soldering is not hard on a basic level. You can do this. It will be more work than you expect, especially this being the first time for you. Will make a good project for a Saturday or Sunday :) All sorts of funny things happen when you swap bodies, and the most common issue I have hit when doing this is that the neck pockets are not the same from body to body, and that sometimes you need to shim the neck to be able to adjust the bridge saddles properly. And rarely, but it does happen, sometimes the mounting holes in your neck won't match up to the holes in the body, either making it impossible to just bolt on the neck, or the neck will bolt on but will not set right in the body ( pickguard may not fit or too large a gap ).


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