Umami "Builds" a Guitar - Introduction

Umami's been fooling around with electric guitars and basses recently, spending money that could otherwise be spent on food.  Perhaps if he had to take the time to build one, it might slow the spending spree?  We'll soon find out, since Umami just got a Saga TC-10 Guitar Kit for his birthday!  (Thanks, Elle!)

Saga TC-10 Guitar Kit

For sale on Amazon at $107, it seemed a reasonable purchase for a learning experience that would, hopefully, result in a functional guitar.  The TC-10 is very, very similar to a Fender Telecaster.   (Here's link to Fender site:  http://www.fender.com/guitars/telecaster/).  It's not, of course; if it were, Fender's lawyers would soon be serving cease and desist orders on the offending party.

What's Inside the Box

The parts come mostly assembled.  The headstock and neck (top) come with fretboard, frets and nut already installed.  The body (lower right) is already shaped and has the pickguard held in place by a couple of screws (just for shipping purposes).

Unwrapped

The electronics are connected in sub-assemblies, so connection should be simplified.  That's in theory.  Whether that holds true in practice remains to be seen.  Elle says it's like the Millenium Falcon Lego Kit, but with way fewer parts.

So there are really only two decisions for Umami the Builder:  What shape for the headstock?  And what overall finish to guitar?  It's an interesting set of problems.  The Telecaster is one of the more traditional and classic guitars around.  Conceptually, it did not feel right to Umami to paint it over with, say, an optic yellow Pikachu.  Maybe a Stratocaster, but not a Telecaster.  Wouldn't be right.

So, what finish?  Natural wood?  Stain?  Dye?  Paint?  Satin?  Gloss?  Fade?  Burst?  What design?  None?  Abstract?  Pikachu?  How to deal with the design issues presented by the pick guard (so big!  so white!) and hardware (so cold!  so shiny!).

Can the design issues be handled on the fly?  Or must they be worked out in advance?  In the end, Umami decided on a fairly traditional "burst" finish (light in the middle, darker to the edges), but in green, which is not all that common, but which Umami had seen on a funky old Japanese guitar.  That's the plan anyway, but Umami's not very disciplined when it comes to artistic execution, so whether he follows that remains to be seen.

Next:  Headstock