Telecaster V2

Telecaster V2 Build:

Main Features:

Fender American Classic Bridge
CTS Pots - 500K (Humbuckers)
5 Way Switch
Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Humbucker
Seymour Duncan Brad Paisley La Brea Single Coil
Body, Neck, and Heel Contours
Fender Locking Tuners
Flame Maple Neck 21 Fret Neck

Build Vision:

With my Telecaster V2 complete, I was happy with the rigidity of the body. The Carbon Fiber Rods worked perfectly and stopped the body from flexing.

Here is the plan: A new and improved telecaster reusing some of the same components from my first telecaster with gorgeous body contours and a carbon fiber tube strengthened body.

Build Process and Design Choices:

Printing Parameter Optimization:

I wanted to try using only 40% infill on the body for this next guitar to save on weight while still maintaining the structural integrity of the guitar. This time around, I will also use 10% infill for the Bout pieces as they don't need to be structurally sound. Overall, the weight of the guitar should decrease, but still rigid enough to stay in tune.

Pickguard:

After doing some research, I found that the person who designed the Brad Paisley Floral Guitar cleverly spray painted the portion of the pickguard where the neck single coil pickup is placed. This hides the screws where the pickup is mounted to the body of guitar while still giving the guitar a pleaseant appearance.

Floral Wallpaper:

The intention behind this guitar is to design a Brad Paisley inspired Floral Patterned guitar. I remember seeing this guitar for the first time and immediately falling in love with it. From that moment on, I knew I would have to build one. Upon doing some more research, I found that Floral Wallpaper was laid onto the guitar body front and back before finishing the body of the guitar. This seems simple enough for me to do.

Painting/Finishing:

I want to spray paint the edges and sides of the guitar body to help blend the Floral Wallpaper into the guitar body. I would need to figure out how to finish the guitar with a gloss finish that will seal the whole guitar body and protect the Floral Wallpaper.

Volume, Tone Knob, and Switch Position:

If I go with the Wood Mounted Pickup Style, I also have the option of placing the pots diagonally like a strat or the fender telecaster custom.
If I go with the Wood Mounted Pickup Style, I have the option of using the control plate like a traditional tele, but without a pickguard.
If I go with the traditional route, I will use the standard control plate.

Ibanez AZS2200

I was inspired by Ibanez's take on a "carved top" Telecaster

Pickguard Telecaster

A more traditional style and easy way to build the Telecaster

Non-Pickguard Telecaster

Having no pickguard allows the natural wood to be displayed

Neck Heel Contour

Belly Curve Contour

Arm Rest Contour

Lower Left Bout

4 Perimeter Lines, 10% Gyroid Infill

Upper Right Bout

A more traditional style and easy way to build the Telecaster

Lower Right Bout

Having no pickguard allows the natural wood to be displayed

Control Plate

Traditional Guitar Build:

Carved Top

Carved Top Style:

Build/Design Process:

Printing Parameters: (Following Mercury Zero G Part Printing Parameters)

Printed in PETG - 85 C bed temp, 240 C hot end temp
Upper Main Body and Lower Main Body - 40% Gyroid Infill, 7 Perimeter Layers, with Infill Modifier (see below)
Upper Right and Lower Right Bout - 10% Gyroid Infill, 4 Perimeter Layers
Upper Left and Lower Left Bout - 10% Gyroid Infill, 4 Perimeter Layers
No support on the Filets for the Bouts.

Internal Carbon Fiber Rod Placement:

In the first version of the Telecaster, I used 3 rods in total. I used one main 12 mm diameter rod down the middle and 2 smaller 8 mm diameter rods along the sides of the center body of the guitar. Only using one stainless steel linear rod proved to be too flimsy and the entire body of the guitar unplayable.

In my headless guitar I decided to use 6 steel linear rods in total, which proved to be effective and stopped the guitar body from flexing. However, the new problem was that the guitar weighed significantly more and felt heavy despite being a headless guitar design.

In the second version of my Telecaster I used carbon fiber tubes. While I was building my Electric Cello, I found a 3D printed cello that used carbon fiber tubes to strengthen the cello body. Upong completing the build, the carbon fiber tubes were successful and my guitar weight was significantly reduced compared to the previous steel linear rod implementation.

Now, on the Floral Telecaster, I will continue to use the Carbon Fiber Tubes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Floral Wallpaper:

Drawing inspiration from the Brad Paisley Floral Guitars, I wanted to build my own version. When I first saw the Brad Paisley Floral Telecaster, I immediately fell in love with its floral design. After doing some more research, I found that the Floral pattern is applied on the guitar body front and back and then painted, sealed, and finished. I wanted to give it a shot and try to produce a professional gloss finish to the best of my ability.

Infill Modifier:

This was my first time using an infill modifier in Fusion360. To do this, you right click on the part and select "modifier". You can then select a shape to apply your modifier to and position the modifier in the area of the part you want to modify.

In my part I used 50% gyroid infill in the top portion and 20% gyroid infill in the lower portion. I did this to ensure that my part still had the strength where the carbon fiber tubes would be holding the core of the guitar together.

In addition, I almost bought another roll of filament, but using the modifier allowed me to save 300 grams of filament. My original filament consumption was around 800 grams. Using the modifier brought my filament consumption down to around 500 grams.

Results:

There are a lot of people who would say that adding body contours to a Telecaster is blasphemy and others who would say that body contours aren't even needed on electric guitars as they're so thin already. I think that any design added to provide a more comfortable playing experience is well worth the effort and I personally like the contours. One could argue that the contours make the guitar more uncomfortable. I don't know what world they live in, but pick up a Strat and play it and tell me its not comfortable. Then pick up a Telecaster and tell me you can't feel the difference. It's my guitar and I'm here to push the boundaries of 3D printing and play around and innovate with guitar building. I'm not here to adhere to antiquated guitar design language. Besides, I believe that the world of guitar should have new designs that are always being improved upon or introduced. I love what Ibanez is doing with their Q series, their versions of Strats like the AZ/AZES, and their Teles like the AZS line. I also love their thinline acoustic FRH10N that was single handedly brought back by Tim Henson.

One of these days, I want to add veneer and edge banding to a guitar I build.

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