# Concept: Agile Tele 7



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

I know there are a few folks here interested in a seven-string Tele, and since USACG seems to have put the brakes on developing bodies, necks and pickguards so we could build our own, i thought it might be time to throw another idea proposal Kurt's way...

So here's my design proposal for an Agile T7:
































It's mostly faithful to tradition, but with a few modern twists.

The reversed headstock option wasn't as well-received as i thought, so i've flipped it back to being a "normal" headstock.

Thoughts? Feedback?


----------



## ohio_eric (Jul 15, 2008)

I like it other than the reversed headstock. It looks awkward on a Tele.


----------



## Elysian (Jul 15, 2008)

ohio_eric said:


> I like it other than the reversed headstock. It looks awkward on a Tele.


----------



## Randy (Jul 15, 2008)

I really dig it, other than the reverse and the style of the headstock... it just looks kinda like "Oh, well it looks kinda like a Fender except it isn't." 

Other than that, though... they look ace. 

I would buy one of those in a heartbeat.


----------



## djpharoah (Jul 15, 2008)

I agree with the reverse tele headstock - just doesnt look good. Also why go for a single bridge pup since choices for a single in 7 string pups is very limiting.

Maybe have a H-H tele model and a H-S tele model.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Heh. I can't figure you guys out sometimes. I thought everyone would be all over the reversed headstock. 

As for the shape, i tried to do a blend of a few different ideas to get it into trademark-safe territory, but still have something elegant and distinctive.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

I like the headstock design a lot! I like it reversed too, but that's not a preference of mine, it can go either way, and so far it looks like people don't like the reversed headstock 

Good job on the mockups man!


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

djpharoah said:


> I agree with the reverse tele headstock - just doesnt look good. Also why go for a single bridge pup since choices for a single in 7 string pups is very limiting.
> 
> Maybe have a H-H tele model and a H-S tele model.



Kurt has the resources to have a Tele-style bridge pickup made to our specs. We could probably use specs from Scott's Duncan Custom Shop 7-string Tele bridge pickup so if people wanted an aftermarket boutique option, they could go that route.

I deliberately did NOT pursue anything other than a traditional Tele bridge and bridge pickup because those are things that really define the Tele tone. A regular bridge and a humbucker in that position would make this just a "Tele-_shaped_ guitar" which was not the design objective.


----------



## Randy (Jul 15, 2008)

Those mockups are friggin' great, no less..

I'm really excited to see where this goes.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> Kurt has the resources to have a Tele-style bridge pickup made to our specs. We could probably use specs from Scott's Duncan Custom Shop 7-string Tele bridge pickup so if people wanted an aftermarket boutique option, they could go that route.
> 
> I deliberately did NOT pursue anything other than a traditional Tele bridge and bridge pickup because those are things that really define the Tele tone. A regular bridge and a humbucker in that position would make this just a "Tele-_shaped_ guitar" which was not the design objective.



Hmmm.... If Kurt could pull off a good single coil pup, then I'd say go for it!


----------



## Daggorath (Jul 15, 2008)

It would be cool to have a reverse headstock if the shape was altered a bit, just doesn't look right somehow.


----------



## awesomeaustin (Jul 15, 2008)

I've always wanted a sevenstring tele!!! Any idea for a production Tele7 is ok'ed by me.
An option for a bridge humbucker would be cool, maybe an option for no pickgaurd, and a differnet headstock design, or that one non-reversed.

But they look great, Especially the first one


----------



## ohio_eric (Jul 15, 2008)

Pete at Vintage Vibe said he can make seven string Tele bridge and neck pickups (no metal covers on the neck pickup though). I was very happy with the service I got from him on my humbucker sized P-90s and have been very pleased with the sound of them.


----------



## st2012 (Jul 15, 2008)

I like it, I dont mind the reverse HS either. I would go humbucker in the bridge and single coil in the neck though.


----------



## auxioluck (Jul 15, 2008)

I like the reverse headstock! I do think it should be H-H though, as yeah, single coil 7 pickups are hard to find. Dimarzio D-Activators would be cool. Just to keep the passive feel.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

st2012 said:


> II would go humbucker in the bridge and single coil in the neck though.



NOT A TELE!


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

auxioluck said:


> I do think it should be H-H though



NOT A TELE!


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 15, 2008)

I like it! I'm undecided on the reverse headstock. I'm not really with the RHLC in general, especially on a Tele, but somehow that doesn't look so bad. Good job on the headstock shape, too. Most of the time I see a Tele type guitar that's not a Fender, I think, "Ohh, that's nice!" until I see the headstock, which usually ruins it for me. I like that one, though.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Guys, the intent here is not to create a Tele-_shaped_ guitar with humbuckers, active pickups, a trem, whatever... it's to capture the classic Telecaster tone, feel and vibe in a seven-string. That means a traditional Tele-style bridge and a proper Tele single coil in the bridge position.

I would prefer to get this project off the ground by addressing what i perceive to be a void in the seven-string market, and if a true "Tele-style" 7 can be made, THEN we can talk about all the Tele-_shaped_ mutations that people might like to see.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> I would prefer to get this project off the ground by addressing what i perceive to be a void in the seven-string market, and if a true "Tele-style" 7 can be made, THEN we can talk about all the Tele-_shaped_ mutations that people might like to see.



Sounds like a plan!

Think you could mock up a black(or vintage white!) one too? I like this one:


----------



## scott from _actual time_ (Jul 15, 2008)

i do think that 7-string Teles are a goal worth pursuing. i wonder if we approached USACG with a big group order, if they would be willing to make some bodies & necks then. i don't mind getting unfinished bodies/necks because i can finish them myself, but i'm not sure how many other people would.

the bridge itself is an issue--that would have to be designed from scratch and a manufacturing line set up. the ones i had custom-made from a machine shop were feasible for the USACG parts because my bridges could be bought in small lots for people who want them. i don't know how feasible it would be for a budget guitar company to do the design and set up the manufacturing because they would have to make way more of them. it might be tough to convince them to do all that rather than just use flat-mount strat-style bridges.

the pickup is way easier, since it would be very similar to a normal 7-string single except with wider pole-spacing and a different baseplate. Kent Armstrong also makes 7-string Tele bridge pickups.

i do really prefer a normal headstock, especially on a more classic-vibe guitar like a Tele.


----------



## Drew (Jul 15, 2008)

djpharoah said:


> Maybe have a H-H tele model and a H-S tele model.



If anything, if there's more than one offered I'd do S-S and H-S. 

That said, if this happens, I'll buy one in a heartbeat. 



darren said:


> NOT A TELE!



Darren, I love you man, in a very masculine, non-gay sort of way.


----------



## Mr. S (Jul 15, 2008)

I like it, I like the reverse headstock idea too though I could see why people might not like it on a tele  this being said, im not a _massive_ fan of the style of the headstock but it's certainly not something that would stop me from buying one, out of intrest why didnt you go with the headstock agile uses on their teles?

http://www.rondomusic.com/photos/electric/tc730tbf4.jpg

good stuff as always though Darren, I'd love to get that tele sound on a 7 for recording, now we just need a Agile acoustic 7 and an Agile Strat 7


----------



## noodles (Jul 15, 2008)

I would prefer a neck single and regular headstock, but neither of those are a deal breaker for me. As you said, the bridge and bridge pickup is where it is at.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 15, 2008)

Mr. S said:


> I out of intrest why didnt you go with the headstock agile uses on their teles?



Well, he did describe it as a traditional Tele design with some modern appointments, so my guess would be it has something to do with that.


----------



## Apophis (Jul 15, 2008)

Nice idea


----------



## olejason (Jul 15, 2008)

I like the regular SX tele style headstock.

I'd like a single coil in the neck too but it wouldn't be a deal breaker to have HB there. What were you thinking as far as neckshape? It seems like a lot of people here want a guitar for metal that happens to be shaped like a tele. I'd rather stick with the traditional tele vibe throughout.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Drew said:


> Darren, I love you man, in a very masculine, non-gay sort of way.



[action=darren]gives Drew a big, manly, back-slapping hug. [/action]

First post updated with Vintage White and Black options. Seeing them all lined up like that, makes me think of just how cool this would be. All those colour combos are just classic.

Hmm... maybe a hollow Tele Thinline?


----------



## Drew (Jul 15, 2008)

Let's start small. If Kurt can move a whole order of Tele7's, a thinline would be an easier sell. 

As long as it has a maple board, tele bridge, and at the VERY least I can replace the pickguard to stick a neck singlecoil on it, I'll buy one, beat the shit out of it, and play blues on the thing. 

Of the ones shown, my vote is for the creme, but with fretboard dots.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Drew said:


> I'll buy one, beat the shit out of it, and play blues on the thing.



 

Teles are one guitar that absolutely look better with that "ridden hard and put away wet" look to them.


----------



## noodles (Jul 15, 2008)

Natural ash finish FTW. Although I will take any color I can get, short of Peterson Pink.


----------



## noodles (Jul 15, 2008)

Drew said:


> As long as it has a maple board, tele bridge, and at the VERY least I can replace the pickguard to stick a neck singlecoil on it, I'll buy one, beat the shit out of it, and play blues on the thing.



I'm sorely tempted to buy a Tele, take off the neck, tie a rope to it, tie that to the back of my car, and drive around a parking lot with it. I bet it would come out perfect.


----------



## Mr. S (Jul 15, 2008)

noodles said:


> Natural ash finish FTW. Although I will take any color I can get, short of Peterson Pink.



That should be saved for any future agile Strat 7's


----------



## turmoil (Jul 15, 2008)

noodles said:


> Natural ash finish FTW.



+1 to this

and also, i would definitely be into that guitar if it had a non-reversed headstock. just my .02


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Updated with a non-reversed headstock and added a "blonde" finish as well.

I also modified the headstock shape so the scallops aren't quite as extreme as they were. It's now a hybrid of a Strat and a Tele headstock with a little bit of a corner on the inside of the tip, so it's slightly reminiscent of the SX headstock. I just find the SX headstock to be a little too "Stratty" for a Tele.


----------



## turmoil (Jul 15, 2008)

wow, those look great dude!! i love it!


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 15, 2008)

I liked this the best. But a vintage yellow might look good to.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 15, 2008)

TheMissing said:


> Sounds like a plan!
> 
> Think you could mock up a black(or vintage white!) one too? I like this one:



How about trying one with this type of pickguard. I think sunburst with black pickguard would be awesome. And yes, this is a tele...but that doesn't mean it couldn't be a FAT tele.... how about: Humbucker(Bridge) Lipstick-7(neck) The lipstick tone is killer. Then just add a coil tap to the bridge bucker. That way, if you're like me and would love to own a 7 string tele, but still want a bridge humbucker since thats what I use the most, and if you want the tele twang....you've got it in the lipstick(which can also make some KILLER solo tones) and the coil tapped humbucker.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> Updated with a non-reversed headstock and added a "blonde" finish as well.
> 
> I also modified the headstock shape so the scallops aren't quite as extreme as they were. It's now a hybrid of a Strat and a Tele headstock with a little bit of a corner on the inside of the tip, so it's slightly reminiscent of the SX headstock. I just find the SX headstock to be a little too "Stratty" for a Tele.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Just a little something i whipped up for the headstock.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> [action=darren]gives Drew a big, manly, back-slapping hug. [/action]
> 
> First post updated with Vintage White and Black options. Seeing them all lined up like that, makes me think of just how cool this would be. All those colour combos are just classic.
> 
> Hmm... maybe a hollow Tele Thinline?



 Thank you for the black/white mockups! They look killer! I'm seriously gassing for the white one!!


----------



## Mr. S (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> Just a little something i whipped up for the headstock.



 thats awesome


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> a vintage yellow might look good too.



Good suggestion! Added.


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 15, 2008)

I know this is blasphemy, but what about an open trussroad, it does make adjustments easier, but it's not especially vintage.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Yeah, the truss rod is one of the details i haven't worked out yet. I think the SX guitars have an exposed truss rod at the headstock end, so that's probably what i'd go with.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> Just a little something i whipped up for the headstock.



 Brilliant!


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> Yeah, the truss rod is one of the details i haven't worked out yet. I think the SX guitars have an exposed truss rod at the headstock end, so that's probably what i'd go with.


----------



## scott from _actual time_ (Jul 15, 2008)

Drew said:


> at the VERY least I can replace the pickguard to stick a neck singlecoil on it,


flexibility in the neck pickup is easy to do--a route that will hold either a humbucker or a single, like i did on mine. then you get someone to copy the pickguard and you're set.



noodles said:


> I'm sorely tempted to buy a Tele, take off the neck, tie a rope to it, tie that to the back of my car, and drive around a parking lot with it.


ha! actually, i think the neck is there as an attachment point for the rope!


----------



## Elysian (Jul 15, 2008)

i approve  much better with the standard headstock, and i love the headstock design, very cool work darren.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

Since there seem to be a lot of requests for a single coil in the neck position... How about wiring it up to a push/pull pot so you can still get single coil sounds from the neck? Sure a push pull pot is 'NOT A TELE', neither is a neck humbucker


----------



## yevetz (Jul 15, 2008)

Eh........ I think that we need to find difference not in color ......I mean like there is must be classical (TWO singles) model. Also hollow body model with two singles. As for me, I'd buy a solid body double single or a hollow body double single model.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

TheMissing said:


> How about wiring it up to a push/pull pot so you can still get single coil sounds from the neck? Sure a push pull pot is 'NOT A TELE', neither is a neck humbucker



That's almost certainly how i'd want it done, either with a split or series/parallel option on the neck pickup. To me, the neck pickup isn't as critical to that vintage Tele spank as the bridge plate and bridge pickup are.


----------



## noodles (Jul 15, 2008)

scott from _actual time_ said:


> ha! actually, i think the neck is there as an attachment point for the rope!



Yeah, but I don't wanna damage the frets.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> That's almost certainly how i'd want it done, either with a split or series/parallel option on the neck pickup. To me, the neck pickup isn't as critical to that vintage Tele spank as the bridge plate and bridge pickup are.



 Plus since it would be routed for a 'bucker already, one could easily put in an actual single coil in the future by getting a new pickguard if they chose to do so, but still have single coil sounds in the neck right out of the box. Win/win.


----------



## technomancer (Jul 15, 2008)

Build it so the bridge pup dimensions match up with the Duncan seven tele pup and I'd be all over it (even without the neck single coil)

(Preferably in finishes 2, 3, 4, or 6 )


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 15, 2008)

Oh christ I dig that! I've really been wanting a tele lately for that distinctive twang.


----------



## Anthony (Jul 15, 2008)

I would definitely buy a blonde one.


----------



## Dr. Von Goosewing (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


>



I'd definitely buy either of these. It's got to be a tele, not a tele-shaped metal guitar! As other posters have said we'll need to keep options to a bare minimum for this to happen. I really hope this idea goes somewhere


----------



## Ramsay777 (Jul 15, 2008)

I'd buy one, could make a great project guitar


----------



## Emperoff (Jul 15, 2008)

I'm not really interested on teles, but I'd totally buy an ash strat


----------



## Emperoff (Jul 15, 2008)

noodles said:


> Yeah, but I don't wanna damage the frets.


----------



## budda (Jul 15, 2008)

i'd hit it!

an S/S option would be nice, true blue 7-string tele action.

if there was a trans green finish, i'd buy it in a heartbeat. i'd sell my sister, real fast-like.  (JJ, back off! I SAID LEAVE MY PROPERTY!)


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Emperoff said:


> I'm not really interested on teles, but I'd totally buy an ash strat



Patience... patience...


----------



## scott from _actual time_ (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> That's almost certainly how i'd want it done, either with a split or series/parallel option on the neck pickup.


heh--i wired mine with a 5-way switch, and i ordered my Duncan Custom Shop bridge pickup with a coil tap.

1 - neck in parallel [because series was too loud]
2 - neck split, the coil closest to the neck
3 - neck split + bridge tap at vintage output
4 - bridge tap at vintage output
5 - bridge full blast!



> To me, the neck pickup isn't as critical to that vintage Tele spank as the bridge plate and bridge pickup are.


very true. your cool mockups have strat-style square saddles, but if you really want the bridge to sound authentic Tele, you'll want it with round barrel saddles.


----------



## Thrashmanzac (Jul 15, 2008)

holy marathon, those look soo good!


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

budda said:


> i'd hit it!
> 
> an S/S option would be nice, true blue 7-string tele action.



I like it as is, and as we discussed earlier, the neck pup'll be splittable so you can get single coil tones right out of the box, and if you wanted to put in a single later, you just need a new pickguard.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

scott from _actual time_ said:


> heh--i wired mine with a 5-way switch, and i ordered my Duncan Custom Shop bridge pickup with a coil tap.
> 
> 1 - neck in parallel [because series was too loud]
> 2 - neck split, the coil closest to the neck
> ...


Ah, very nice setup! As with the Intrepid, we'll probably want to keep this as simple as possible from the factory, and then the end user can change and customize things as needed.



> your cool mockups have strat-style square saddles, but if you really want the bridge to sound authentic Tele, you'll want it with round barrel saddles.



Yep. Those saddles are just what i had handy, as these really are just first-draft mockups that i threw together today. I think going with brass barrels and a brass baseplate (if possible) are going to be key.

I've sent the link to this thread to Kurt, so hopefully when he gets a chance, we'll hear input from his side as well.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 15, 2008)

I LOVE the Broadcaster look. I'd totally stick a blank pickguard on there and go for the Esquire deal... I never use the neck pickup on a Tele anyways.

Although, the Tele "series" sound is great with the two varied pickups... hmm...


----------



## Shannon (Jul 15, 2008)

Looking great, Darren!

A couple of notes:
1) What about making a few with the reverse headstock as an option? 
2) I know a humbucker is the bridge would be considered blasphlemist (sp?) on a tele, but given the severe lack of aftermarket 7-string single coils, why not make a humbucker an option. With a megaswitch or coil tap switch, you can easily tap a humbucker for that single sound.
3) And please make it 22 frets! 21 is just wrong.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 15, 2008)

BTW, it's impressive how obnoxiously "traditional" the people on the Agile forums are. Geez.

Agile Guitar Forums - Powered by XMB

EDIT: +1 to the 22 frets idea.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

The mockup is 22 frets. Even *I* have limits! 21 is just silly.

I wouldn't mind getting a couple of them with reverse headstocks... maybe we can do a 27" scale version with a reverse headstock. 

Aftermarket 7-string Tele pickups aren't commonplace, but Seymour Duncan, Jason Lollar and Pete Biltoft (Vintage Vibe Guitars) do make them.


----------



## scott from _actual time_ (Jul 15, 2008)

darren said:


> we'll probably want to keep this as simple as possible from the factory, and then the end user can change and customize things as needed.


yep--i was just showin' off. 

Kent Armstrong also makes a very economical 7-string tele bridge pickup.



> I think going with brass barrels and a brass baseplate (if possible) are going to be key.


actually, you want a steel baseplate. the original Teles had steel bridges (brass was the strat bridges), and lots of folks like Callaham think that's a main part of the tele sound. my custom 7-string Tele bridges are steel.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Good to know... thanks for the info, Scott!


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 15, 2008)

Even better on the 27" scale reverse headstock... I played a 28.625" warmoth baritone Tele once and loved the sound and feel. The perfect baritone guitar, in my opinion.


----------



## Kronpox (Jul 15, 2008)

Man, I knew those guys on the AGF were addicted to tradition, but I never pegged them as the 'valiantly defending the world against the evils of 7 string guitars' types 

These mockups are sick. First I was all HURR DOESNT HAVE HUMBUCKERS ISNT METAL HURR but I could totally dig on a straight-up 7-string tele. If these get made then sign me up for one.


----------



## darren (Jul 15, 2008)

Saddles swapped out for brass "barrel" saddles, and the logo applied to all headstocks.

I think it's my goal to make this as "un-metal" as possible... that said, some of the greatest (and heaviest) Led Zeppelin riffs were recorded using a Tele or a Danelectro.

I initially tried out the reverse headstock because i remember the Robin Ranger had that "vintage Tele with a reversed headstock" vibe, but i now see that they've gone to a "normal" headstock on the Ranger. 

But i really like the idea of doing a baritone Tele with a reversed headstock. 

Twang City, here we come! All aboard for Twang City!


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

TemjinStrife said:


> BTW, it's impressive how obnoxiously "traditional" the people on the Agile forums are. Geez.
> 
> Agile Guitar Forums - Powered by XMB
> 
> EDIT: +1 to the 22 frets idea.



Yeah, I saw this post:



Guy from agile forum said:


> Nick,
> 
> When someone starts with post #1 spreading the gospel of 7 string guitars, it appears (to me) they are here with an adjenda.
> 
> ...



...What a douche! I don't understand how someone can be so rude like that. Especially when he said "Why a 7 string?".... Because there are a million 6 string Telecasters... All darren did was present a good idea. 

On that note, hats off to Darren for his ideas and mockup skills


----------



## Rick (Jul 15, 2008)

What a tool.


----------



## Groff (Jul 15, 2008)

Since this particular 7elecaster model isn't supposed to be a metal monster, i'm assuming this isn't a baritone. What would the scale length be?


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 15, 2008)

Wow I really didn't expect that reaction, why the stigma over a number a strings? 

I really like this idea, and I've been wanting a telecaster recently.


----------



## Emperoff (Jul 15, 2008)

And I remember a recent thread called "7 strings hate no more?" 


PS: Douches


----------



## MerlinTKD (Jul 16, 2008)

Ridiculously awesome. You, sir, are the man.


----------



## playstopause (Jul 16, 2008)

Kronpox said:


> These mockups are sick.





Shannon said:


> A couple of notes:
> 1) What about making a few with the reverse headstock as an option?





darren said:


> But i really like the idea of doing a baritone Tele with a reversed headstock.
> Twang City, here we come! All aboard for Twang City!



Oh yes.


----------



## Shannon (Jul 16, 2008)

I'd still love a 25.5" 7-string Tele with a reversed headstock! That'd be sick.

Also, I'm not sure if it's a "Tele" pup, but Rio Grande makes 7-string single coils.


----------



## AgileLefty (Jul 16, 2008)

Kronpox said:


> Man, I knew those guys on the AGF were addicted to tradition, but I never pegged them as the 'valiantly defending the world against the evils of 7 string guitars' types




guys, i'm "nrussell23" over on the agileguitarforum. trust me, it is only a certain few who are being disrespectful about this idea. i only saw 3 people in that thread make a negative comment. one of them is a 15y old kid who just started playing guitar and worships slash because of the guitar hero games. another one NEVER has anything nice to say about any guitar unless it is one of his own "customs"

the other one is in his mid 80s and means well, but doesn't always come off that way. that was "mickey". he really is a nice guy, but just dosen't understand all these crazy new things us young whipper snappers come up with these days  

darren, i really appreciate you coming over to us and sharing your knowledge, ideas ect... about designing a guitar. like i said in ur thread, please don't let them leave a bad taste in ur mouth about the AGF. 

nick (nrussell23)


----------



## yevetz (Jul 16, 2008)

scott from _actual time_ said:


> heh--i wired mine with a 5-way switch, and i ordered my Duncan Custom Shop bridge pickup with a coil tap.
> 
> 1 - neck in parallel [because series was too loud]
> 2 - neck split, the coil closest to the neck
> ...



Ok then maybe we should make 2 humbs with more classical wiring?

from neck to bridge

1 neck hum
2 neck single
3 2 singles (from both pickups)
4 bridge single
5 bridge hum


----------



## Shannon (Jul 16, 2008)

AgileLefty said:


> one of them is a *15y old kid *who just started playing guitar and worships slash because of the *guitar hero *games.
> 
> another one *NEVER has anything nice to say *about any guitar unless it is one of his own "customs"
> 
> the other one is in his *mid 80s* and means well, but doesn't always come off that way. that was "mickey". he really is a nice guy, but just dosen't understand all these crazy new things us young whipper snappers come up with these days



Ahhh, that explains everything. Thanks for clarifying. I'm been checking out the forum for the last couple of days & most people seem really nice. 

Fellow ss.org members: Remember, a few bad apples doesn't necessarily spoil the bunch.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 16, 2008)

But I don't like apples.


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 16, 2008)

Shannon said:


> Ahhh, that explains everything. Thanks for clarifying. I'm been checking out the forum for the last couple of days & most people seem really nice.
> 
> Fellow ss.org members: Remember, a few bad apples doesn't necessarily spoil the bunch.



That reception makes the recent "cracking down" on the public areas of this fourm make more sense.

Asshattery like that can put a sour name a forum.


----------



## Shannon (Jul 16, 2008)

Zepp88 said:


> That reception makes the recent "cracking down" on the public areas of this fourm make more sense.
> 
> Asshattery like that can put a sour name a forum.



Yep. I've seen many forums that have been absolutely ruined due to baffoons & assholes. This, sure as fuck, ain't gonna be one of them. 


[action=Shannon]watches you.[/action]


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 16, 2008)

Shannon said:


> Yep. I've seen many forums that have been absolutely ruined due to baffoons & assholes. This, sure as fuck, ain't gonna be one of them.
> 
> 
> [action=Shannon]watches you.[/action]


----------



## DDDorian (Jul 16, 2008)

Great idea! Pity the USACG plans seem to have fallen through, but I've heard only good things about Agile so if these plans were to eventuate I'd be all over one. Just a thought - some people seem interested in a bridge humbucker and/or a reversed headstock, so maybe there could be two designs: the one as seen in the original post, and a 27" baritone model with reverse headstock and a bridge humbucker. Thoughts?


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 16, 2008)

Well, my reasons for wanting a 7 string Tele would be to have that classic Tele sound. But...a "metal" version with more a more aggressive look and features might generate sales as well.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 16, 2008)

But making the Tele metal kind of defeats the whole reason this is being made in the first place... even though you may be right about sales, which is kind of sad. Not that I'd be opposed to a HH Tele-type.


----------



## DDDorian (Jul 16, 2008)

Well I wasn't suggesting a "metal" and a "non-metal" Tele, and I personally agree with those who want an authentic Tele build and sound. It just seems that humbuckers, a reverse headstock and a baritone scale are about as radical as the more purist approach would allow, and someone who'd be willing to deviate for one of those options would be happy with all three. Who knows.


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 16, 2008)

I dunno, I'm just speaking from what I'd like personally, and that's Darrens design.


----------



## Thrashmanzac (Jul 16, 2008)

darren, once again your designs are fucking ace!
i personaly love the S-H config of the pickups, and i am currently praying to raptor jesus that this comes through, much like the agile 8


----------



## Splees (Jul 16, 2008)

Drew said:


> Let's start small. If Kurt can move a whole order of Tele7's, a thinline would be an easier sell.
> 
> As long as it has a maple board, tele bridge, and at the VERY least I can replace the pickguard to stick a neck singlecoil on it, I'll buy one, beat the shit out of it, and play blues on the thing.
> 
> Of the ones shown, my vote is for the creme, but with fretboard dots.


Same here man. I love the singlecoils in my tele. I'd pick the sunburst or blonde. I was actually thinking about doing a customized order from rondo when they start that up again; getting a seven string tele. maybe i won't have to.


----------



## scott from _actual time_ (Jul 16, 2008)

Shannon said:


> Also, I'm not sure if it's a "Tele" pup, but Rio Grande makes 7-string single coils.


theirs are all strat size and strat specs. they're great pickups, but not the right specs for a Tele neck pickup or the right string spacing or baesplate to mount in a Tele bridge. 

technomancer tried to get them last winter to start making pickups to fit my 7-string Tele bridges, but they wanted a bunch of advance orders before they would start doing anything. with Duncan Custom Shop already building them (and neck ones too), it didn't seem worth the trouble.


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

DDDorian said:


> Great idea! Pity the USACG plans seem to have fallen through, but I've heard only good things about Agile so if these plans were to eventuate I'd be all over one.



USACG was some company I really knew nothing about, and in my experience, most companies are very hesitant to accommodate seven string players.

Meanwhile, Agile has a history of giving us exactly what we want, and at very reasonable prices. I have nothing but good expectations for this.


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

scott from _actual time_ said:


> theirs are all strat size and strat specs. they're great pickups, but not the right specs for a Tele neck pickup or the right string spacing or baesplate to mount in a Tele bridge.
> 
> technomancer tried to get them last winter to start making pickups to fit my 7-string Tele bridges, but they wanted a bunch of advance orders before they would start doing anything. with Duncan Custom Shop already building them (and neck ones too), it didn't seem worth the trouble.



I don't care what pickup it comes with, since I'll simply send it off to Wolfetone for a rewind. He's a great resource to have.


----------



## ohio_eric (Jul 16, 2008)

DDDorian said:


> Great idea! Pity the USACG plans seem to have fallen through,



It's sad the American economy is going tits up and forcing small businesses to be very conservative with new products. The USACG project was actually pretty far along , I have seen the options they planned and the CAD renderings, but for now it's dead in the water. 

I hope this Agile thing does work out. More options for guitar players are always a good thing.


----------



## Demeyes (Jul 16, 2008)

I'm really only getting into Teles myself. I picked up a cheap 6 string one last week and it sounds great. I wouldn't mind having a 7 string one too, it'd have to have at least one singlecoil though. I could have picked up a tele copy with 2 humbuckers in it but in fairness what the point in that?


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 16, 2008)

Idea: using a 4 way switch (neck/neck+bridge parallel/bridge/neck+bridge series) 
+ a coil tap/parallel for the neck humbucker


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

TheMissing said:


> Since this particular 7elecaster model isn't supposed to be a metal monster, i'm assuming this isn't a baritone. What would the scale length be?



25.5" just like a real Tele.


----------



## Groff (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> 25.5" just like a real Tele.



Cool.  This is shaping up to be a killer axe!


----------



## TheHandOfStone (Jul 16, 2008)

I could see this thing as my first 7.


----------



## B Lopez (Jul 16, 2008)

Nicely done, darren.

I wouldn't buy one though.


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> Saddles swapped out for brass "barrel" saddles, and the logo applied to all headstocks.



Barrels are cool, as long as we don't go so traditional as to have the wider, two strings to a saddle design.

Man, what is with that Mickey guy over at the Agile forums? Someone piss in his Kool Aid?


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

There are some six-string Tele bridges available that use "vintage" style materials and design, but have six individual saddles for more accurate intonation adjustment. The two-strings-per-saddle design would be totally inappropriate for our needs.

So i'm going to be putting together detailed specs for Kurt in the next couple of days... anything else i'm missing?


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

Make sure it has the Tele cup jack.


----------



## technomancer (Jul 16, 2008)

noodles said:


> Make sure it has the Tele cup jack.



+1


----------



## yevetz (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> anything else i'm missing?



Ok then maybe we should make 2 humbs with more classical wiring?

from neck to bridge

1 neck hum
2 neck single
3 2 singles (from both pickups)
4 bridge single
5 bridge hum


----------



## ohio_eric (Jul 16, 2008)

Just make sure it's a big hunk of ash and a maple neck with a Tele style bridge and pickup and all will be well.


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

Vova, i appreciate the feedback, but a two-humbucker setup is not what we're going for to start. Maybe in a future run. 

Here's a couple more mockups of a baritone version... 27" scale (1 fret longer at the nut end) and 23 frets! (so the baritone neck will be a direct replacement for the 22-fret 25.5" scale one, without having to adjust the neck pocket or alter the body routing)...

In triburst and "Peterson Pink":


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

noodles said:


> Make sure it has the Tele cup jack.



Good call. 

My only issue with that, however, is that i always use right-angle plugs at the guitar end of my cables, so they stay out of the way. Are tele-style "cup" jack plates recessed, or does the jack barrel still sit flush with the edge of the guitar?


----------



## yevetz (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> Vova, i appreciate the feedback, but a two-humbucker setup is not what we're going for to start.



Ok then maybe one classic model? I mean two singles


----------



## wannabguitarist (Jul 16, 2008)

I love these two:








Especially the blond one if the grain is really gonna show through like that. I've always wanted a 6-string telecaster with a neck humbucker so this is perfect

Just make sure it's string through! Not one of those cheap bridges that only allows you to put the strings in behind the saddles. And a reverse headstock option would be cool, but not a deal breaker.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 16, 2008)

How about this? Sorry, I just wanted to see how it looked. 









If this tele design comes to life with our without my tweaks, I would still LOVE to see a MONSTER TELE somewhere down the line..... Arched top neckthru Mahogany w/ maple fretboard, White with matching (reversed) headstock, floyd rose, and single humbucker.

This is not probable but a B-Bender would be awesome.


----------



## yevetz (Jul 16, 2008)

One more. If it will be wired in a way that we can get single coil in neck then it's all cool


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 16, 2008)

Would it be instead possible to get a 28.625" scale bari neck so we could get the full 24 frets? Or perhaps a 1-fret overhang on the 27" to keep it at a good 24 frets?

Or would those compromise playability too much? I remember there being some opposition to the 28.625" scale on the Intrepid, so I don't know. However, offering a 25" and a 28.625" would cover some good bases without an odd fret count.

Personally, I'd prefer the 28.625" as I like guitars with a lot of tension, especially for some deep twang. 25.5" might be a bit floppy and buzzy for me (but I run a .070 on my Dean Evo 7 low B to get enough "fight").


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

28.625" was actually my next thought. And a 28.625" scale baritone T6 as well, for those who are more "traditionally" inclined. My only concern with that is that it might end up being a little neck-heavy.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 16, 2008)

With an ash body, it'll be close... but I don't think it'd be the end of the world.

Plus, this gives people who look for a T6 baritone a possible source for 28.625" conversion necks.


----------



## reptillion (Jul 16, 2008)

Neck humbucker single neck kicks ass!


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> Good call.
> 
> My only issue with that, however, is that i always use right-angle plugs at the guitar end of my cables, so they stay out of the way. Are tele-style "cup" jack plates recessed, or does the jack barrel still sit flush with the edge of the guitar?



Ah, you'd be screwed.


----------



## RXTN (Jul 16, 2008)

i don't like it... never liked teles


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

reptillion said:


> Neck humbucker single neck kicks ass!



I'm not sure what you're saying here...



RXTN said:


> i don't like it... never liked teles



No problem. It's definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but it looks like enough people like it that it might see the light of day.


----------



## JBroll (Jul 16, 2008)

Sexy. Period.

Jeff


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

noodles said:


> Ah, you'd be screwed.



Would a football/oval jack plate be close enough?


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 16, 2008)

I kinda like the Peterson Pink one.


----------



## GiantBaba (Jul 16, 2008)

Everything looks great Darren. Love that pink one and the black and white designs.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 16, 2008)

I don't care really about the output jack being a football type, and I doubt many others will. I use straight and right-angle plugs, and I'd rather it be more compatible and less "authentic" than more "authentic" and less compatible.


----------



## Groff (Jul 16, 2008)

GiantBaba said:


> Everything looks great Darren. Love that pink one and the black and white designs.



There's a pink one?  (EDIT: Found it)

Who let Drew in here?


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> Would a football/oval jack plate be close enough?



It's not a deal breaker. It's just that the cup jack is vintage Tele cool.


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

Spec sheets for your perusal:


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 16, 2008)

Great work! I would totally go for the T7B!

I'd almost argue against the push-pull on the humbucker as stock, as that could be a rather costly option.

For real vintage fans, could there be an argument for black dot inlays? Or is inlay-less the "calling card" of SS.org? I don't mind either way, but I will admit that the blank board looks odd in this context.


----------



## ibznorange (Jul 16, 2008)

26.625" Baritone tele??! Seriously?!

ZOMG WAAAANT


----------



## playstopause (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


>





I know what i'll be dreaming of tonight. Darren RULES.


----------



## awesomeaustin (Jul 16, 2008)

TheMissing said:


> Yeah, I saw this post:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



+1

Great Idea!






^


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

Kurt's probably going to talk to the factory after the first batch of 8s are delivered. If this happens, it will probably be the regular T7 first, then maybe some variants.

But don't expect these to happen super-fast, as things like the bridge and pickup would need to be sourced.


----------



## GiantBaba (Jul 16, 2008)

Jumbo frets eh? Love the designs but I'm a low/narrow fret guy


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 16, 2008)

Why not propose Two models? There is obviously demand for both the standard tele-7 like yours, and also one with humbuckers. Have something like This for the "custom" model:


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 16, 2008)

I like the white one, I don't care what body shape it is, but a 28.625 baritone sevenstring neck is exciting no mater what.


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

What do you guys think? Jumbo frets or medium frets?

I was thinking jumbos, just to give it a bit more of a modern feel, which most people will be accustomed to, but if we want to make it more true to the vintage vibe, we can go medium.


----------



## noodles (Jul 16, 2008)

Fuck medium frets.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 16, 2008)

noodles said:


> Fuck medium frets.



+1 Jumbo!!!!! Extra Jumbo!!!! Dunlop 6000!!!


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 16, 2008)

hmm... I'm undecided on the jumbo/medium issue. I have guitars with both and they're great... but I guess jumbo makes bending a little easier. I'd definitely go with jumbo fretwire on the baritone, as it's more of a "vintage modern" guitar anyways.



Desecrated said:


> I like the white one, I don't care what body shape it is, but a 28.625 baritone sevenstring neck is exciting no mater what.



Seriously. I'm pretty tempted by the idea of a Telecaster in F# or G open down an octave, for some really, really deep slide fun.


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

Okay, here's a question:

If we can only build ONE of these, which would you rather have first? The standard T7 or the T7 Baritone?


----------



## JBroll (Jul 16, 2008)

My vote would be on the Baritone.

Jeff


----------



## ohio_eric (Jul 16, 2008)

I think the standard would your best bet to start with.


----------



## technomancer (Jul 16, 2008)

Standard


----------



## giannifive (Jul 16, 2008)

Thanks for the mockups, Darren. This is the most interesting 7-string design I've seen in a long time. (Which is ironic, since the Tele is a 55-yr old design.)



darren said:


> Okay, here's a question:
> 
> If we can only build ONE of these, which would you rather have first? The standard T7 or the T7 Baritone?



Standard, S-H config, jumbo frets, non-reverse headstock. I prefer the sunburst finish, btw.


----------



## scott from _actual time_ (Jul 16, 2008)

i'd prefer the standard model.

ash sounds nice and snappy, and Fender has used both ash and alder in both Strats and Teles over the years, but i personally think ash is more the snappy strat sound and alder is more the bright twangy tele sound. my Tele 7 is alder, and it sounds great--very bright. you might keep alder in mind as a body wood, especially with ash being more expensive.


----------



## Drew (Jul 16, 2008)

Standard. The idea here, as I understood it, was to make a bone-stock traditional Tele, but with an extra string. A bari would be a pretty big departure from that, and would probably turn some people (myself included) off. 

I'd also prefer jumbo frets. The Tele for me is the perfect neck to bend on - it BEGS for bluesy overbends. Thanks to SRV, heavy frets are sort of the norm for bluesy playing, so it's not like it's even a "modern concession" or anything anymore. 

I'd also prefer to see it S-S simply because neck singlecoils rule, and to avoid the problem of the volume drop as you go to the bridge pickup, but that's not a dealbreaker for me - it just means I'll have to source a new S-S pickgruard and some replacement pickups. 

Also, if the final product comes in "Drew Peterson Pink," I will NOT be amused.  


(erm, unless they send me a free cream one for the use of my name )


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

Heh. If you're getting a free one, it'll be to match your Polo shirt.

And no, i don't think that colour will be in the final batch... i didn't include it on the spec sheets, but i mocked it up just for fun.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 16, 2008)

How much trouble would it be to procure a 7-string lipstick for the neck?


----------



## yevetz (Jul 16, 2008)

Standart....but hey...are we will get single coil in neck?


----------



## Dr. Von Goosewing (Jul 16, 2008)

Drew said:


> Standard. The idea here, as I understood it, was to make a bone-stock traditional Tele, but with an extra string. A bari would be a pretty big departure from that, and would probably turn some people (myself included) off.
> 
> I'd also prefer jumbo frets. The Tele for me is the perfect neck to bend on - it BEGS for bluesy overbends. Thanks to SRV, heavy frets are sort of the norm for bluesy playing, so it's not like it's even a "modern concession" or anything anymore.
> 
> ...



 on all points. Black dot markers would be nice. Can we have S-S config with a humbucker route under the guard? None of this is a deal breaker for me, but I'd really like to see something as close to a regular tele as possible. Any chance of the ashtray type bridge? 15" radius wouldn't stop me buying, but something a bit more vintage would be cool.

In case you hadn't guessed, my vote goes for the standard T7 first. I'll go out on a limb here and say that the vast majority of people looking for a baritone 7 want it for metal, tuning to F, &tc. I feel that's missing the point of this a little.


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

As it stands now, i like the humbucker in the neck. It makes it more of an all-around versatile setup, and this config is quite popular with jazzers and rock players, so it might make it more universally appealing. It's all about the bridge pickup sound, really.

There's something about a blank fretboard that i find appealing. I have to be honest here... these designs i come up with are mainly born out of me wanting a particular kind of guitar. So they're aesthetically driven by what i think looks good. 

If you guys think you'd like to have dots on the neck, it's open for consideration, but i prefer the look of it without. It's one of those things that can be added relatively easily later on more easily than it can be removed.

Regular lipstick tube pickups are actually pretty wide. They might do the trick. Kent Armstrong makes one that's wider than a standard single-coil, and it's designed for mounting in a pickguard. Maybe contact him to see if the string aperture is wide enough for a seven-string. I suspect it might be.

I doubt we'll be able to get an ashtray-style bridge. That will be an expensive part to manufacture. I'm guessing it'll likely be a bent and CNC milled piece of steel.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 16, 2008)

darren said:


> As it stands now, i like the humbucker in the neck. It makes it more of an all-around versatile setup, and this config is quite popular with jazzers and rock players, so it might make it more universally appealing. It's all about the bridge pickup sound, really.
> 
> There's something about a blank fretboard that i find appealing. I have to be honest here... these designs i come up with are mainly born out of me wanting a particular kind of guitar. So they're aesthetically driven by what i think looks good.
> 
> ...



I like the humbucker in the neck, but I think the lipstick would make me want to buy it even more. I've wanted a 7 string with a lipstick for a Long time. Now that I think about it, the single coil in the bridge would be Awesome especially for recording. If you've ever heard the band Wintersun, the main guitarist uses a Tokai Tele with a single coil, and then they use a jackson dinky. Those two together on the rhythm sounds Killer! I completely forgot about wanting to be able to do that in the studio. If the price is somewhat low like im sure it will be, I will definitely be buying one. Hopefully we won't have to wait as long as we did/still do for the Intrepid.

Darren, what program do you use to create these mockups? Im just curious, it looks like it would be Great for logo design etc. I could probably get some good use out of it.


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 16, 2008)

A lipstick would be awesome, but I think I like a humbucker a bit more, also from a production point of view it might be simpler and cheaper to just do a humbucker.


----------



## darren (Jul 16, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> Darren, what program do you use to create these mockups? Im just curious, it looks like it would be Great for logo design etc. I could probably get some good use out of it.



I use Adobe Illustrator. And about 15+ years of experience.


----------



## GiantBaba (Jul 16, 2008)

I realize I'm overwhelmingly in the minority with my fret preference, it wasn't my intention to be contrary or to start an debate. I would still likely consider purchasing the baritone model if the price was right


----------



## JBroll (Jul 17, 2008)

I think the biggest problem with smaller frets, as someone who is pretty neutral on that choice on its own, is that, while you can file large frets down, you can't make small frets bigger. Big frets accommodate more people either way (although filing isn't fun, it's an option - and a cheaper option than a full refret), so if I had to make that call not as a player but as a luthier or manufacturer I'd put jumbos on there.

Jeff


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 17, 2008)

JBroll said:


> I think the biggest problem with smaller frets, as someone who is pretty neutral on that choice on its own, is that, while you can file large frets down, you can't make small frets bigger. Big frets accommodate more people either way (although filing isn't fun, it's an option - and a cheaper option than a full refret), so if I had to make that call not as a player but as a luthier or manufacturer I'd put jumbos on there.
> 
> Jeff



That is a really good argument.


----------



## DDDorian (Jul 17, 2008)

As it stands, I'd buy either one of these models; if it was within my means I'd buy both. I'd love a singlecoil neck pickup for the standard model but it's hardly a dealbreaker, the baritone pretty much needs a humbucker though. As for which one should be presented to Kurt first, I'm guessing that right now more people would be interested in the baritone, so being able to sell all of those would make him more receptive to the standard model, but what do I know Poll?


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 17, 2008)

I'd prefer the baritone as I like to "fight" my Teles a little bit, but I'm in the minority here it seems. I'd also prefer an S-S config with a humbucker route, although as I said before odds are I will just put a blank pickguard on it and go all Esquire.


----------



## awesomeaustin (Jul 17, 2008)

Definetly the Baritone




7deadlysins666 said:


> Why not propose Two models? There is obviously demand for both the standard tele-7 like yours, and also one with humbuckers. Have something like This for the "custom" model:


Awesome!!!!


----------



## eightballhemhorrage (Jul 17, 2008)

baritone w/ maple FB but the traditional tele look. i HATE the tele custom pickgaurd look. and a lipstick would FACKING RULE. is there someplace i can get a 7string stacked humbucker for the bridge on one of these? maybe a 27' baritone to give a middle ground between traditional and ERG. my stef 607b has that scale length and you can still do big bends and tune standard but down tuning doesn't give you an instant overcooked spaghetti feel. i really like this "give kurt options and see what happens" deal that has been going on!! we get some cool shit outta it


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 17, 2008)

As far as frets, jumbo for me!


----------



## DDDorian (Jul 17, 2008)

Oh yeah, frets... Jumbo for the baritone, either for the standard model (personally I prefer medium but it's hardly a dealbreaker).


----------



## halo56 (Jul 17, 2008)

i would pick both up most likely as long as they are routed for H-H regardless of what is actually in them. Also can anyone guesstimate what the price would be on each of these?


----------



## playstopause (Jul 17, 2008)

^

Knowing Rondo, you could expect a price tag below 1000$. My guess would be 800-900$-ish.


----------



## noodles (Jul 17, 2008)

darren said:


> I doubt we'll be able to get an ashtray-style bridge. That will be an expensive part to manufacture. I'm guessing it'll likely be a bent and CNC milled piece of steel.





There is a reason it is called the ashtray: everyone took the useless thing off and used it as an ashtray. You cannot palm mute with it in place. Hell, you cannot even pick near the bridge with it on.

Let's leave that useless relic in the past, so we can keep the price point down.


----------



## noodles (Jul 17, 2008)

Drew said:


> I'd also prefer to see it S-S simply because neck singlecoils rule, and to avoid the problem of the volume drop as you go to the bridge pickup, but that's not a dealbreaker for me - it just means I'll have to source a new S-S pickgruard and some replacement pickups.



You can also tap a neck humbucker. I'm a fan of options.


----------



## darren (Jul 17, 2008)

playstopause said:


> Knowing Rondo, you could expect a price tag below 1000$. My guess would be 800-900$-ish.



If you were asking for a one-off custom, it might be that much, but Kurt's goal is usually to hit the sub-$500 price point, which _shouldn't_ be too hard. 

If he can make the Intrepid Standard and sell it for $525, which required him making a new bridge and pickup, the T7 shouldn't be that far off, since it will be nearly identical in spec, but simpler in construction. (No dual truss rods needed on the neck, for example.)


----------



## darren (Jul 17, 2008)

noodles said:


> You can also tap a neck humbucker. I'm a fan of options.





I'm a little torn on this issue, but ultimately, i think the humbucker in the neck is a better option.

There aren't any production 7-string Tele neck pickups available, so the options would be to either develop a second custom pickup or use a 7-string strat single coil in the neck. On the plus side, if someone wants to put a humbucker in there, they're just going to have to swap the pickup and cut the hole in the pickguard to fit.

A neck humbucker with a coil split will give people the best option, i think. It'll have a passable single-coil tone in split mode (probably about as good as a budget Tele neck pickup is going to sound) and will give us humbucker players a sound we can't get out of a single in the neck position. The downside is that if someone wants a single in there, they're going to need a new pickguard.

But i stand by the specs as they are now, because i think they'll make for a great-sounding and versatile guitar that will have a pretty broad appeal.


----------



## playstopause (Jul 17, 2008)

darren said:


> If you were asking for a one-off custom, it might be that much, but Kurt's goal is usually to hit the sub-$500 price point, which _shouldn't_ be too hard.
> 
> If he can make the Intrepid Standard and sell it for $525, which required him making a new bridge and pickup, the T7 shouldn't be that far off, since it will be nearly identical in spec, but simpler in construction. (No dual truss rods needed on the neck, for example.)



Yeah, you're right. I had my custom price in mind, not a "batch" price. Well, I do hope for a price around the 500$ mark (if this model sees the light of day), but I really doubt it's goin' to be below the 500$ mark. Just a feeling. Even if it's in the 500-600$ range, that's still pretty god damn cheap.


----------



## Splees (Jul 17, 2008)

darren said:


> I'm a little torn on this issue, but ultimately, i think the humbucker in the neck is a better option.
> 
> There aren't any production 7-string Tele neck pickups available, so the options would be to either develop a second custom pickup or use a 7-string strat single coil in the neck. *On the plus side, if someone wants to put a humbucker in there, they're just going to have to swap the pickup and cut the hole in the pickguard to fit.*
> 
> ...



I don't know of any places that sell them. You'd just have to get one made.  I know I'd swap out that humbucker for a single later on if I could find one. So maybe they could send one cut for the humbucker it would come with and one for a single. I know they did that in the past with a strat. It came with a black pickgaurd on the guitar and a white pearloid as a spare or something...


----------



## God Hand Apostle (Jul 17, 2008)

Surf Green, that's all I'm sayin'....oh...and traditional dots. Now that's all I'm sayin'.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 18, 2008)

Oooh... Surf Green + maple baritone!


----------



## Groff (Jul 18, 2008)

darren said:


> Okay, here's a question:
> 
> If we can only build ONE of these, which would you rather have first? The standard T7 or the T7 Baritone?



Standard. Save the baritone for later. We want this to be a Tele. A mean clean spank machine. 

...And make the baritone a H-H metal machine.


----------



## reptillion (Jul 18, 2008)

Neck singlecoil would kill it for me.
I play a gibson sg so i like medium frets, but on a tele jumbo would be killer, but i cant stand 24 fret bolt on jumbo a V, so i dont know about a tele. 
Baritone should not be first.
HH no way would i buy it, thats why we have ibbys and gibsons, otherwise it would just be a tele shaped guitar


----------



## supertruper1988 (Jul 18, 2008)

First of all Darren FANTASTIC work with these 

Could you mock up one with the '70's style bullet on the end of the truss rod?

And can we have one in red with a white pick guard?


----------



## Pablo (Jul 18, 2008)

The blonde 7elecaster looks absolutely stunning! I am not really in the market for one of these... and I am salivating!!! IMHO ash and maple are the woods to go for with a Tele (alder and maple for Strats BTW). Moreover, you should stick to your initial idea: a Telecaster, just with seven strings.

Cheers

Eske


----------



## olejason (Jul 18, 2008)

Definitely keep it standard scale. Like mentioned before, a tele should be a bending machine. A baritone in standard tuning does not make a bending machine. There is precedent for downtuning a tele but that 'slinky' sound is part of the appeal imo. Playing a 30" scale tele tuned to G is just a roundabout way of making it a metal guitar


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 18, 2008)

And I give to you, what should be the 2nd run tele.... the METAL tele!


----------



## technomancer (Jul 18, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> And I give to you, what should be the 2nd run tele.... the METAL tele!



Pass.. put a neck pickup on there and I might thing about it


----------



## God Hand Apostle (Jul 19, 2008)




----------



## Skullet (Jul 19, 2008)

what about a tele without a pickguard , Black Hardware,Baritone Scale , H/H Configuration, Ebony Fretboard, Reversed matching Headstock like(the one on the Septor)?


----------



## BigBaldIan (Jul 19, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> And I give to you, what should be the 2nd run tele.... the METAL tele!



So very, very, wrong yet strangely compelling. 

The original designs get the thumbs up from me though.


----------



## Christopher (Jul 19, 2008)

darren, thanks for putting all this together. As a recent Agile addict I would love to see a Tele 7! Count me in but I'm also in the camp that it should be as close as possible to a current Standard Tele specs, just with an extra string.


----------



## turmoil (Jul 19, 2008)

i really, really love what you have going on here darren! i really hope i have available funds to order one of these if and when the time comes.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 19, 2008)

turmoil said:


> i really, really love what you have going on here darren! i really hope i have available funds to order one of these if and when the time comes.



+1 a 7 string Tele with the specs Darren made would be awesome. 

I just hope for a Metal tele sometime soon after.


----------



## mnemonic (Jul 19, 2008)

i could totally go for a tele-shaped metal guitar, like one of those SC sigs, but i guess thats best saved for a custom or maybe a separate run after the classic-style tele's are done.


----------



## Kotex (Jul 19, 2008)

The second sunburst one.


----------



## Vairocarnal (Jul 20, 2008)

I think it would look better if the lower horn stayed the same as the other strat-type models, (Deadly and pointy), reverse headstock (From the strat models), OFR and a carved top...drool.


----------



## Pablo (Jul 20, 2008)

I always loved the look of the thinlines... Here's my take on a slightly untraditional Thinline, which should please both traditionalists and shredheads.


----------



## Shawn (Jul 20, 2008)

Those are really cool. I'd love to see one built, would love to play one too. Nice work, Darren!


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 21, 2008)

What about some comfort contours?
I'd like a tele with a tummy cut and a forearm cut...

then why not a 4 way switch?


----------



## darren (Jul 21, 2008)

I've heard that there already is a Tele that's all smooth and ergonomic, with forearm and tummy cuts... it even has FIVE pickup switching options.

It's called the "Stratocaster".


----------



## Drew (Jul 21, 2008)

darren said:


> I've heard that there already is a Tele that's all smooth and ergonomic, with forearm and tummy cuts... it even has FIVE pickup switching options.
> 
> It's called the "Stratocaster".



 

I guess if push came to shove a neck 'bucker wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me, much as I'd prefer a single. 

I personally WOULD prefer it wiith dots, though. I don't mind playing blank fretboards, really, but I think black dots on maple would really play up the vintage vibe, which IMO is sort of the point of this exersize.


----------



## wannabguitarist (Jul 21, 2008)

darren said:


> I've heard that there already is a Tele that's all smooth and ergonomic, with forearm and tummy cuts... it even has FIVE pickup switching options.
> 
> It's called the "Stratocaster".



but that doesn't have 7 strings


----------



## mnemonic (Jul 21, 2008)

so if that usag custom guitars sevenstring strat thing fell through, why not ask kurt to make a sevenstring strat? woudn't a strat sell better than a tele?


----------



## Pablo (Jul 21, 2008)

mnemonic said:


> so if that usag custom guitars sevenstring strat thing fell through, why not ask kurt to make a sevenstring strat? woudn't a strat sell better than a tele?


I'm sure it would, but darren wants a Tele


----------



## El Caco (Jul 22, 2008)

That's nice  but I want a Agile Intrepid 7 before that comes out.


----------



## Mattmc74 (Jul 22, 2008)

Bartone tele with no pickguard would be killer!


----------



## darren (Jul 22, 2008)

Pablo said:


> I'm sure it would, but darren wants a Tele



Hey, i've already got a Strat. 

You can't blame me for having at least _partially_ selfish motivation, can you?

Well, yeah... you can.


----------



## Pablo (Jul 22, 2008)

darren said:


> Hey, i've already got a Strat.
> 
> You can't blame me for having at least _partially_ selfish motivation, can you?
> 
> Well, yeah... you can.


Well, I have a custom Strat 7 on the way, so I'm absolutely not complaining about an added Tele option 

But blame you? Of course I blame you! I blame you for potentially making me very unpopular with my Mrs. 

With that said, I would do exactly as you are doing on a project like this: I'd go by what I'd want myself, gut feeling and feedback from others... and still end up going for what I'd want  I truly wish all guitars in the world were made to fit my favourite specs (maple neck, scalloped maple fretboard, stainless steel jumbo frets, alder or swamp ash body and a shitload of mojo). As it is, I'm limited to modding my way there or getting custom instruments... But I do my best to get by!

I'm really looking forward to seing this project moving forward and with the usually decidedly sensible prices Rondo demand for their instruments, there might just be a 7elecaster in my future as well... Now, if Rondo also end up making a thinline with the proper pickguard, I'll cream my pants!

Cheers

Eske


----------



## Emperoff (Jul 22, 2008)

wannabguitarist said:


> but that doesn't have 7 strings



That's why we need a 7-string strat 


Me wants this with 7 strings...


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 22, 2008)

darren said:


> I've heard that there already is a Tele that's all smooth and ergonomic, with forearm and tummy cuts... it even has FIVE pickup switching options.
> 
> It's called the "Stratocaster".



No need to be so sarcastic!!! I was only proposing ideas!!!

- 4-way: it's also present on some fender stock models and position 4 is the serial of the 2 pick-ups
(now if the 4 way isn't enough traditional then why it is ok a humbucker in the neck and the coil tap?)
- Ergonomics: well telecasters aren't the most comfortable guitars out there ...not that I'd buy a tele without confort-cuts 

So if somebody ask me if I prefer a Tele with 4w and cuts or a Strat I'd still prefer a Tele!!!


----------



## mnemonic (Jul 22, 2008)

Emperoff said:


> That's why we need a 7-string strat
> 
> 
> Me wants this with 7 strings...





i had major gas for one of those for aaaages. too bad they never made a lefty version 

i guess the american deluxe ash strat i got instead will just have to hold me over


----------



## noodleplugerine (Jul 22, 2008)

Whats on the first page is perfect.

I don't think you should change a thing.

Its a 7 string telecaster, no more, no less, Teles were allways supposed to be simple - Its great.

For what its worth, natural blonde with a black scrathplate or candy apple red with a white scratchplate, those are what I'd get.


----------



## noodles (Jul 22, 2008)

Pablo said:


> I'm sure it would, but darren wants a Tele



So does Noodles.


----------



## darren (Jul 22, 2008)

74n4LL0 said:


> No need to be so sarcastic!!! I was only proposing ideas!!!
> 
> - 4-way: it's also present on some fender stock models and position 4 is the serial of the 2 pick-ups
> (now if the 4 way isn't enough traditional then why it is ok a humbucker in the neck and the coil tap?)
> ...



Okay, sparky... first of all, before you go around slinging negative rep for "unappropriate sarcasm" [sic], you need to spend a few more months and understand that sarcasm is _a way of life on this forum_. If you don't like it, well, then i'd say you need a thicker skin.

I'm taking all feedback under consideration, but if you read this thread from the beginning, you'd know that we're trying to make a bare-bones true "Tele-style" guitar. 

Yes, the humbucker is a deviation from the "classic" Tele specs, but is a very common and acceptable mod. Adding Strat-like body contours and 5-way switching (there are no 4-way switches that i'm aware of) takes it further out of the bare-bones spec that we're trying to achieve. If you want to rewire it to your own specs, you're certainly welcome to.


----------



## budda (Jul 22, 2008)

darren said:


> If you want to rewire it to your own specs, you're certainly welcome to.



which should cover a lot of people who are interested


----------



## st2012 (Jul 22, 2008)

People get poked at all the time here and it's all in good fun. Leaving him negative rep was a bit over-dramatic dude, we're all friends here.


----------



## Pablo (Jul 22, 2008)

noodles said:


> So does Noodles.


I smell a conspiracy


----------



## Shannon (Jul 22, 2008)

So uh, let's get this thing submitted to Kurt already! GASing hard for this one!


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 22, 2008)

Shannon said:


> So uh, let's get this thing submitted to Kurt already! GASing hard for this one!



Yeah....and hope we don't have to wait as long as we did/Do for the 8 string.


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

Kurt told me he's not going to talk to the factory about this until the first batch of 8s have cleared.

Patience, djentlemen! Patience!


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 23, 2008)

darren said:


> Kurt told me he's not going to talk to the factory about this until the first batch of 8s have cleared.
> 
> Patience, djentlemen! Patience!



Makes sense.

Kurt is a total badass for listening to us.


----------



## Christopher (Jul 23, 2008)

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, reconsider the humbucker at the neck. The whole point of a tele is the singles and getting that middle position twang.


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 23, 2008)

Christopher said:


> Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, reconsider the humbucker at the neck. The whole point of a tele is the singles and getting that middle position twang.



That is why you have a coiltap so that you can run it with only one singlecoil.


----------



## Christopher (Jul 23, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> That is why you have a coiltap so that you can run it with only one singlecoil.



I know, I know. The thing is, I've never heard a coil tapped humbucker that sounds like a real single. There is a huge difference, it's the reason I grabbed my Agile Strat in the first place.


----------



## AgileLefty (Jul 23, 2008)

darren said:


> Kurt told me he's not going to talk to the factory about this until the first batch of 8s have cleared.
> 
> Patience, djentlemen! Patience!




i love you darren!! 


please come back to the AGF too!!!


----------



## Anthony (Jul 23, 2008)

I really, really, really, really want one. Dear god.


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 23, 2008)

darren said:


> Adding Strat-like body contours and 5-way switching (there are no 4-way switches that i'm aware of) takes it further out of the bare-bones spec that we're trying to achieve. If you want to rewire it to your own specs, you're certainly welcome to.



I said 4 way,

yes it does exists tele 4 way switch - Google Search

It's a really common mod on teles - it's not a strat-like switch.


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I'd never heard of that before.

I think this falls under the category of "mods better done by the end user". Keeping the price of parts to a minimum will help keep the costs down and therefore, the chances of it actually being made higher. I'm not sure everyone would be willing to pay $15 more for the guitar if it had that specialized switch in it. 

The same applies to the single-coil in the neck position. It's going to add to the startup costs to get a custom Tele-style single made, especially when a lot of folks are going to rip it out and install something else. An off-the-shelf 7-string humbucker is probably the best thing to put in at the factory, and then people can customize to suit.

If i can boil this project down to its basic elements, the goal here is to get a 7-string Tele neck, body and bridge made. All other hardware and electronics can be customized by the end user, so "cheap and cheerful" is the way we want to go. 

We have to ask ourselves, "What configuration will sell the most guitars?" I know that may sound a little grossly commercial, but Kurt has to be sure there's a good business case for building this for us. If we can put together a really cool but basic "modder's special" Tele-style guitar, i think we have a better chance of the guitar being a hit than making a more expensive "hot rod" model that may not have as much universal appeal.

With regard to the neck pickup, if you want single-coil type tones, i'd suggest you look at Rio Grande pickups, particularly the Tallboy 7, or Swineshead pickups in the UK. They're built like a pair of single coils joined together (using Alnico rod magnets), so chances are, their split sound is going to sound more like a single coil than a humbucker built using a bar magnet.



Rio Grande said:


> A true humbucking for people who will not compromise on the "single coil" mode of a standard humbucking type pickup. Fits a conventional humbucking cavity but when split to one coil gives you the sound of a "true" single coil. Why? ... because it is! This feature when combined with a middle position single coil will give you the ultimate "quack" tone in the #2 position of your 5-way switch. Sounds fantastic in the full humbucking mode too! A greater harmonic range than a regular bucker. Imagine the natural response of the perfect single coil buckerized!


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

BTW, i've mocked up the fretboard with black dots... I can't say i'm a big fan, but there's no denying that they do help make it look a little more conventional. 

This actually might be a good thing, since this instrument has great "crossover" potential, and might appeal to non-rock players who might want to take their first step into extended-range tuning or to have the low-end baritone twang without losing their normal voicing on the higher strings.

What do you guys think? Dots or no dots?


----------



## ohio_eric (Jul 23, 2008)

Dots, it does make it look far more traditional.


----------



## giannifive (Jul 23, 2008)

I'm still a fan of the blank fretboard. Personally, I find it to be classier than simple black dots.

Also, I agree with what you said about making this a modder's special. Simple and to the point to keep the costs down, but with enough flexibility for modders to be happy. For me the S-H pickup config fits this perfectly.



darren said:


> BTW, i've mocked up the fretboard with black dots... I can't say i'm a big fan, but there's no denying that they do help make it look a little more conventional.
> 
> This actually might be a good thing, since this instrument has great "crossover" potential, and might appeal to non-rock players who might want to take their first step into extended-range tuning or to have the low-end baritone twang without losing their normal voicing on the higher strings.
> 
> What do you guys think? Dots or no dots?


----------



## Christopher (Jul 23, 2008)

I understand Darren. Unfortunately a humbucker at the neck is a deal breaker for me and I think you'll find MANY traditional tele users who will agree.


----------



## playstopause (Jul 23, 2008)

Christopher said:


> I understand Darren. Unfortunately a humbucker at the neck is a deal breaker for me and I think you'll find MANY traditional tele users who will agree.



Imho, I highly doubt that "traditional Tele users" will buy a 7-strings Tele anyway, so I don't think their opinions matters that much. I think Darren is trying to come up with a trad. Tele that will please 7-strings guitar players, not traditional 6-strings Tele players.


----------



## Christopher (Jul 23, 2008)

playstopause said:


> Imho, I highly doubt that "traditional Tele users" will buy a 7-strings Tele anyway, so I don't think their opinions matters that much. I think Darren is trying to come up with a trad. Tele that will please 7-strings guitar players, not traditional 6-strings Tele players.



Sorry, I guess I misunderstood his above post. When Darren mentioned his concern for what configuration would sell the most, I thought he and Kurt WOULD be concerned about what traditional tele users would want.

Believe it or not alternate tunings and baritones have been popular in the country music genre for far longer than they have in the rock world and teles are the tool of choice for many country players. I live out in the sticks here and the majority of players I know fall more into the country / blues / southern rock genre and I could actually see them embrace the concept of a seven string tele. For tele traditionalists though a humbucker anywhere on a tele is a no no.

I'm not trying to stir up shit here, if it can't be done it can't be done. I'm just saying that there's a reason why the majority of Fender Tele models have only singles, that's what tele buyers want and that's what sells.

If you're really interested in this selling to more than some hard rocking seven stringers who happen to want a tele to play around with you should look at singles a little more closely. If not, then maybe you should go full tilt and do the version with all the "mods".

Either way I think it's a cool idea, I just don't need a tele with a humbucker, considering that it effects two of the three tones available on a tele, I think it's a big deal. 

This is the same reason I didn't jump on the Fender / Squire strats that were produced. If want humbuckers on a seven string I'll go with a super strat design. If I want a seven string strat, I want bolt on neck, 25 1/2" scale and three singles. 

Okay, I'll shut, go make your guitars man!


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

I can see the "crossover" players being split into three possible groups:


Country players who are interested in adding baritone range with the Tele sound
Rock players who are interested in venturing into extended range but don't want the "shred" associations of most available sevens
Jazz players who want a more conservative-looking instrument
Of these groups, the only players i think would REALLY insist on a single in the neck position are the Country players. I'm operating under the assumption that hard-core Tele players are probably not going to be satisfied with the stock pickups anyway, and would likely be swapping them out regardless.

I think for the most part, rock and jazz players would be happy with a humbucker in the neck, and i'm almost certain that for jazz players, it would be their preference.

When we get a little closer to Kurt wanting to talk to the factory, i'll bring up the possibility of trying to do multiple models, one with a neck-position single, but the directive he's given me right now is to determine the specs of the _one model_ that would sell the best. 

While a splittable humbucker isn't going to appeal to the Tele "purist", i think it's probably the best compromise position to get this guitar out the door to the widest possible audience at the lowest possible cost. But i'll definitely ask Kurt how a neck-position single-coil would affect the cost. (It would most likely have to be an open-coil design without the chromed cover.) If that's the preferred layout, i don't have a problem with that, because swapping out a single for a humbucker is a pretty straightforward mod.


----------



## Christopher (Jul 23, 2008)

darren said:


> I can see the "crossover" players being split into three possible groups:
> 
> 
> Country players who are interested in adding baritone range with the Tele sound
> ...



Cool enough man, this is your baby. We happen to disagree on what we believe the masses want but don't let that rain on your parade. 

Hell, I didn't even know that jazz guys liked teles. I always thought of them as anti singles in general. To me the tele has always been about roots players; rock, country, blues, etc.

I think it's awesome that Kurt is stepping up and helping us out. I've been nothing but impressed with him and the Agiles. You just have to look at my guitar stands to see that.

In all honesty, I think you may find it much easier to get guys to agree on specs for a seven string strat and I would replace my ST-1000 with one in a heartbeat. Rock on bro!


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

Two notable jazz Tele players that come to mind are Mike Stern and Ed Bickert.

Stern even has his own Yamaha Pacifica signature model based on his old Tele.

Ed Bickert:


Amazing that he got that warm tone from the stock pickups, and very unconventional for a jazzer to play a solidbody at the time.


At some point, Ed installed a humbucker in the neck position.

Mike Stern:


This is an older one when he was playing his Tele.


Newer footage of him with his Yamaha.


Nothing is set in stone yet with this guitar... it's a collaborative process, and as much as i'm trying to design the instrument that *I* want, i'm totally open. Part of me does agree with you 100% that a purely traditional approach might be the best way to go, and leave it up to the player to "hot rod" it, as they have for decades.


----------



## Christopher (Jul 23, 2008)

Cool, thanks for the references. I'll be the first to admit that I'm completely ignorant of the jazz genre as a whole. Great players, the music doesn't speak to me though.

I was just throwing my 2 pennies in.


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 23, 2008)

[action=74n4LL0]prefer it with dots...[/action]


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 23, 2008)

I like the dots.

Also, Bill Frisell loves Teles... 

I'd prefer a neck single if at all possible. But that's just me. Neck 'buckers tend to be a little wooly and "woofy" for most sounds I play with... and neck singles just sound better clean to me.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 23, 2008)

the dots look great! I'd keep them. Makes it more classic looking to me. I can't wait...I want one delivered to my doorstep now!!


----------



## noodles (Jul 23, 2008)

Sorry, Darren, but the dots look great.


----------



## Groff (Jul 23, 2008)

noodles said:


> Sorry, Darren, but the dots look great.


----------



## budda (Jul 23, 2008)

dots please 

and im pretty sure you'd get a convincing enough single sound w/ a tapped neck bucker.. wired in series or parallel, whichever works best.

you lads ever played 2nd and 4th position on a C7 Blackjack? Hello 'twang' (to a degree)


----------



## Rachmaninoff (Jul 23, 2008)

I must confess I thought it would not be a good idea.
But these mockups caught me.
Hey, they look beautiful.


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

It looks like the dots are getting a favourable response. No worries, as i agree that i think it helps the "vintage" vibe even more.

I'll definitely ask Kurt about the possibility of a single in the neck position.

Oh, and the model has a proposed name, too.

Kurt has been building a theme around aviation-derived names for a lot of the Agile instruments. Since i'd already sort of named it the "T7" i was looking for something with a "T-" designation, and i found this:

T-6 Texan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



> The T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft designed by North American Aviation, used to train fighter pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II. The T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. The USAAC called it the "AT-6", the US Navy, the "SNJ", and British Commonwealth air forces, the Harvard. It remains a popular warbird aircraft.



So, this guitar is now (unofficially) known as the T-7 Texan. Candy Apple Red added to the colour options.


----------



## Shannon (Jul 23, 2008)

As a lover of no inlayed necks, I gotta say that the black dots DO look great for this particular guitar. Retro meets traditional.


----------



## darren (Jul 23, 2008)

I'm quite surprised that i'm liking them myself. It somehow just makes a Tele-style guitar seem more complete.


----------



## Shannon (Jul 23, 2008)

Definately.


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 23, 2008)

God I fucking want one! 

Any talk of a price yet? So I can prepare for the purchase?


----------



## darren (Jul 24, 2008)

My completely unofficial, off-the-record and non-binding guess is it'll be around USD$500, give or take a couple hundred. 

Taste the rainbow!


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 24, 2008)

My completely unofficial, off-the-record and non-binding response is, fucking sweet!


----------



## daniboy (Jul 24, 2008)

and i bloody want one in natural.


----------



## BigBaldIan (Jul 24, 2008)

Pretty traditional all the way (apart from it being a 7 of course), digging the natural options.


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 24, 2008)

Really 15" radius ? Isn't that a little to much on a tele. 

And also, I think the vintage yellow would look better with white pickguard.


----------



## Justin Bailey (Jul 24, 2008)

this is probably a bad idea, but, in keeping with the whole simple modder's special AND the traditional idea, what if we just left off the neck pickup altogether? Kind of like the old Esquires? This way they can put whatever neck pickup they want into it, and they don't have to go out and buy a new/special pickguard (as long as they dont fuck up when cutting the original) plus it'd lower the cost a small bit.


----------



## darren (Jul 24, 2008)

The vintage yellow i modeled after a more opaque version of the original Butterscotch Blonde finish.

.:: Fender®.com ::.

Justin, that's not a bad idea at all. What do you guys think?

The 15" radius is one of those modern touches. It's not a super-extreme flat radius, but it's not as tight as Fender's original 9.5" radius. I think a really radiused fretboard wouldn't be terribly comfortable on a seven, and would fret out on the upper strings. So it's a more modern spec, mainly for the reasons of playability.


----------



## Dr. Von Goosewing (Jul 24, 2008)

This guitar is now looking more or less perfect to me... great job!


----------



## giannifive (Jul 24, 2008)

darren said:


> The 15" radius is one of those modern touches. It's not a super-extreme flat radius, but it's not as tight as Fender's original 9.5" radius. I think a really radiused fretboard wouldn't be terribly comfortable on a seven, and would fret out on the upper strings. So it's a more modern spec, mainly for the reasons of playability.



I think even 12" on a 7-string would be too curved. I vote for a 15" radius.

And I still prefer a neck humbucker. You can still get single-coil tones from it when tapped, and if it's got alnico pole pieces it will sound just like a real single coil.


----------



## Justin Bailey (Jul 24, 2008)

We could either have it wired like the original Esquires, and have the switch be a tone switch, like this...







or strip it down even more and have it with just a volume and a tone, but the original size of the control plate so people can upgrade, or even modify the existing one like this...







also, sorry for butchering your work darren.


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 24, 2008)

darren said:


> The vintage yellow i modeled after a more opaque version of the original Butterscotch Blonde finish.
> 
> .:: Fender®.com ::.
> 
> ...



That make sense.


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 24, 2008)

giannifive said:


> I think even 12" on a 7-string would be too curved. I vote for a 15" radius.
> 
> And I still prefer a neck humbucker. You can still get single-coil tones from it when tapped, and if it's got alnico pole pieces it will sound just like a real single coil.



I had a bc rich with 14" And I thought it was to curved, but I thought this guitar was for jazz players and country rockers and they might enjoy it. But fuck them, this is for the ss.org members, and we want it flat


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 24, 2008)

I like the 15" radius and dots on the neck.

And +1 on the Esquire deal, or at least on the S-S configuration.

I am still a big fan of the baritone idea, but we'll see how this plays out. A "butterscotch blonde" Esquire or S-S Texan with black pickguard will do me just nicely.

Although, the Baritone idea is not a terribly difficult option to add from the factory at a later date. They already have the 28.625" scale fret slotting machine set up for the Agile baritones and 8-string, and it would essentially be the body and electronics of the Texan with a 28.625" scale neck bolted on.


----------



## Kronpox (Jul 24, 2008)

a big no on the no neck pickup idea. I'm voting for a humbucker for all the reasons pointed out in the thread, but a single coil would be fine too. If I've got to order a pickup and hack up the pickguard and install it and wire it then that's just too much work for me, given that I primarily just want this for the novelty.


----------



## reptillion (Jul 24, 2008)

We needs a neck humbucker!!! anyone tried out the single coil blaze?(for bridge)


----------



## noodles (Jul 24, 2008)

darren said:


>



So, I have this problem: I can afford one, but I want four of those colors.


----------



## noodles (Jul 24, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> Really 15" radius ? Isn't that a little to much on a tele.
> 
> And also, I think the vintage yellow would look better with white pickguard.



Small radii fretboards and narrow frets are two "vintage" features that should be left in the past. They both make many older guitars completely unplayable to me.


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 24, 2008)

When we switched for the single-coil in the neck?
my preferences for the neck pickup are:
traditional single with crome cover > humbucker > single coil without cover
...so unless we can make a traditional single neck pickup (Very low probability) I'd prefer an humbucker...


----------



## Drew (Jul 24, 2008)

darren said:


> My completely unofficial, off-the-record and non-binding guess is it'll be around USD$500, give or take a couple hundred.
> 
> Taste the rainbow!



Pure sex. Like, seriously. That's all I could ask for in a seven string Tele, dude - my only problem would be choosing a color.  

If this comes to fruition and I manage to get an order in in time, dude, I'll need your address to send you a thank you card and like a bottle of wine or something.


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 24, 2008)

Texan, eh? I like it!


----------



## Pablo (Jul 24, 2008)

giannifive said:


> I think even 12" on a 7-string would be too curved. I vote for a 15" radius.


The vintage fender 7,25" radius would be hopeless and due to the wider neck the modern Fender 9,5" radius would be too small for me as well as well. I really think 12" is as round as you can comfortably get away with on a 7-string... But I would absolutely prefer something in the 14"-16" region - 15" fits the bill perfectly!



giannifive said:


> And I still prefer a neck humbucker. You can still get single-coil tones from it when tapped, and if it's got alnico pole pieces it will sound just like a real single coil


 Let's just get one thing straight: it's cool that you prefer humbuckers, but *NO* - with the exception of Rio Grande's Tallboy Humbucker (which IS two SCs in a humbucker fixture) a split humbucker simply doesn't sound like a good single coil!

However, whether we end up with an Esquire configuration, SS or SH, I'll probably get one... and mod it to suit my preferences.

Cheers

Eske

P.s.: If Agile sticks to the standard Tele measurements, it would be VERY easy to mod a regular 6-string pickuard to suit our twisted 7-string needs...


----------



## giannifive (Jul 24, 2008)

Pablo said:


> Let's just get one thing straight: it's cool that you prefer humbuckers, but *NO* - with the exception of Rio Grande's Tallboy Humbucker (which IS two SCs in one fixture) a split humbucker simply doesn't sound like a good single coil!



That's the pickup I was thinking of! The Rio Grande Tallboy. And I agree with what you're saying, as it's just what I meant (but apparently didn't get across). You can get single-coil-ish tones (not like a true single, but with more sparkle than a humbucker) with a tapped humbucker, but they won't sound like a true single coil unless you use a pickup with alnico poles, like the Tallboy.


----------



## Shannon (Jul 24, 2008)

I want these...all of these!


----------



## darren (Jul 24, 2008)

74n4LL0 said:


> When we switched for the single-coil in the neck?
> my preferences for the neck pickup are:
> traditional single with crome cover > humbucker > single coil without cover
> ...so unless we can make a traditional single neck pickup (Very low probability) I'd prefer an humbucker...



Nothing's set in stone yet. Logistically, a chrome cover on the neck pickup is very unlikely to happen. Is it the tone of a chrome cover you want, or just the aesthetic?


----------



## Pablo (Jul 25, 2008)

darren said:


> Nothing's set in stone yet. Logistically, a chrome cover on the neck pickup is very unlikely to happen. Is it the tone of a chrome cover you want, or just the aesthetic?


I'm guessing aesthetics - practically no-one prefers the tone of the traditional Tele neck PU to, say, that of a Strat... I'd throw a Strat SC at it in a flash!

Darren, with all this talk of people's PU wishes, I would suggest going for a universal rout under the pickguard, that would also accomodate the few gnarly geezers wanting a SC in the middle position.

Cheers

Eske


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 25, 2008)

Emperoff said:


> I'm not really interested on teles, but I'd totally buy an ash strat


I have hooked up with a new company in GA that had CNC capabities & will roll on this


http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...ring-strat-deconstruction-reconstruction.html

also have found white 7 string single coil covers & quite a few pick up makers


----------



## 74n4LL0 (Jul 25, 2008)

darren said:


> Nothing's set in stone yet. Logistically, a chrome cover on the neck pickup is very unlikely to happen. Is it the tone of a chrome cover you want, or just the aesthetic?



well both aesthetic and tone...you know maybe a strat single coil is better tone-wise 
except if what you really want is a true tele tone...
I don't know if all the people that prefer a single in the neck prefer one without cover...
maybe an idea is to put an humbucker similar to rio grande one in there so that the split really sound like a single coil...


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

The idea of putting a humbucker in the neck was to use a product Agile already has at their disposal, in order to keep costs down. I didn't want to have them develop TWO custom pickups for this guitar. 

I'm almost tempted to suggest to Kurt that they use the Kent Armstrong Tele single in the bridge and a strat-style single in the neck. The only thing i don't like about those is that they're likely epoxy-potted in closed EMG-style covers.


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 25, 2008)

may I suggest this new design pickup which is 3 in one humbucker size








P-Rails: Humbucker that Splits to a P-90

Santa Barbara, California - Some would argue that guitarists are a greedy bunch. They want it all. And they want it now. Two of things they want are the full and rich sound of a humbucker and the fat and clear tone of a vintage P-90. Five decades after the creation of Seth Lover's classic design, the humbucker pickup still reigns. It's the loud and proud sound of rock 'n roll from Zeppelin to black metal. And guitarists love the sound of the venerable P-90 single coil. Predecessor to the humbucker, the P-90 is the archetypal fat single coil that gave rise to the tones that birthed jazz, blues, rockabilly, and classic rock.

Until now, if a guitarist wanted both tones, either they would either have to install both a humbucker and a P-90 in different positions in the same guitar; or they'd have to haul two guitars to the gig. Enter P-Rails&#8482;, Seymour Duncan's newest pickup. It's a full-size humbucker that splits to a full-size P-90; and P-Rails are available in both neck and bridge-calibrated positions.

In a guitar setup for two humbuckers, a pair of P-Rails will give even the greediest guitarist the best of both humbucker and P-90 worlds. A single two-way switch (push-pull or mini-toggle) allows the player to switch between both full-size humbucker and P-90 sounds. 

But the greediest guitarists would not be content with merely two great and as-yet unachievable tones in the same guitar. No... the greediest guitarists would also want the unmistakable chime and "cluck" of the legendary Stratocaster® as well. For them, P-Rails delivers, thanks to its Alnico-powered rail pickup. A three-way switch (DPDT on-off-on) brings in the added dimension of an authentic-sounding vintage Strat®. And, when both the neck and bridge rails are used together, the tone is reminiscent of the "2" and "4" sounds on a great Strat's five-way pickup selector switch.

P-Rails are available individually or in a neck and bridge set. Other than the addition of the switch, no other modification is necessary to achieve a wide variety of classic guitar tones. Like all Seymour Duncan pickups, P-Rails are hand-built in Duncan's Santa Barbara workshop.

Specifications: Mode D. C. Resistance
Resonant Peak


Neck Humbucking 12.60KOhm
4.0KHz

P-90
7.20KOhm
7.1KHz

Rails
5.45KOhm
5.6KHz


Bridge Humbucking 18.35KOhm
2.9KHz

P-90
10.05KOhm
5.5KHz

Rails
8.30KOhm
3.8KHz


Magnet: two Alnico 5 bars
Cable: four-conductor


----------



## Drew (Jul 25, 2008)

flickoflash said:


> may I suggest this new design pickup which is 3 in one humbucker size
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Unlikely. Duncans are pretty premium pickups - it'd almost certainly be cheaper for Agile to design and wind two new pickups in-house than to put Duncans in this thing.


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

Not gonna happen.

1) That pickup is a patented design by Frank Falbo, licensed exclusively to Seymour Duncan. 

2) When i inquired with Frank about getting the SD Custom Shop to make 7-string versions of these, there are several logistical challenges, mainly the fact that certain parts like the blade pole piece don't exist in seven-string width. 

So the only source for that pickup is Duncan, and even THEY can't make a seven-string version of it yet.


----------



## Drew (Jul 25, 2008)

Off topic - Frank Falbo's the fucking man.


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

My jaw hit the floor when i saw the videos of him demoing that pickup. I'm tempted to get a bare-bones mahogany H-H six-string just so i can put those pickups in it.


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 25, 2008)

Where is Agile located ? It not one of those China knock off companies that were producing those fake Made in USA Les Pauls & others is it ?


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

Rondo Music: About Us


----------



## noodles (Jul 25, 2008)

Shannon said:


> I want these...all of these!



Cool, I'll just wait and buy yours from you when you sell it.


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 25, 2008)

darren said:


> Rondo Music: About Us




Rondo Music Electric Guitars


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

So what's your confusion?

Lots of companies make guitars with Strat and Tele bodies. But Fender didn't enforce their trade marks or design patents for years, so by the time they took action, it was too late. The only things they DO enforce are their names and headstock designs.


----------



## noodles (Jul 25, 2008)

I showed some pics to my buddy the Tele fan, and he brought up a good question. Will the strings be fed through the body? That is pretty key to the Tele sound, since you need the sharp angle over the brass barrel saddles.


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

Yes. If it's not on the spec sheet, i'll add it.


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 25, 2008)

darren said:


> So what's your confusion?
> 
> Lots of companies make guitars with Strat and Tele bodies. But Fender didn't enforce their trade marks or design patents for years, so by the time they took action, it was too late. The only things they DO enforce are their names and headstock designs.


I was just wondering if they are afilidated with this bunch 




Are they made in China ?


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

Rondo said:


> While we sell 1000s of items from 100s of manufacturers, our primary on line focus is SX Guitars, Agile Guitars, Douglas Guitars, Valencia Guitars, Brice Basses, CNB Cases, Drummer's Design and Century Drums.
> 
> Since about 1985 Rondo Music has built these custom brand instruments to our specifications based on our customer's requests. The instruments are imported from a variety of countries including China, Taiwan, and Korea.


----------



## darren (Jul 25, 2008)

BTW, the spec sheet does specify that the strings are to be mounted through the body. I've also updated the "vintage yellow" to be a more true "butterscotch blonde" and it's now slightly translucent.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 25, 2008)

Hey Darren... any chance of a Surf Green or Seafoam Green model?


----------



## Thrashmanzac (Jul 25, 2008)

fuck...
those look so good!
man you have some skills darren


----------



## supertruper1988 (Jul 25, 2008)

Darren = THE MAN 

I want a Candy Apple Red one and a Blonde one 

S-S is the way to go i have a tele and the neck single is my favorite pickup ever


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 26, 2008)

What radius board was decided ?


----------



## Zepp88 (Jul 26, 2008)

Oh my god the yellow is sooo much better now.


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 26, 2008)

I think the sunburst would look much better with a rosewood board


----------



## Edroz (Jul 26, 2008)

TemjinStrife said:


> Hey Darren... any chance of a Surf Green or Seafoam Green model?





i will have no choice but to buy one if that happens!


----------



## budda (Jul 26, 2008)

oh like you'd have a choice anyway


----------



## Shannon (Jul 26, 2008)

darren said:


>



Every one of those colors are soooo cool in a vintage-y kind of way, I'm having severe difficulties trying to figure out which one I want more. Decisions, decisions...


----------



## MerlinTKD (Jul 26, 2008)

Awesome. Just freaking... awesome.




DAMN I wish I had money... or credit... or knew someone with money or credit!! 


I know a couple Tele players (one has a '72 Custom, the other plays a Thinline, and a Wayne's World Strat ) who, I think, would love these and be open to trying them, especially at Rondo/Agile's low cost.


----------



## darren (Jul 27, 2008)

Not my favourite, but i aim to please. 

If this gets green-lighted for production, we may have to conduct a poll on the colours that will sell best, because i'm not sure if all of these will be able to be produced right away.


----------



## budda (Jul 27, 2008)

just offer one in snow white


----------



## darren (Jul 27, 2008)

White enough for ya?


----------



## budda (Jul 27, 2008)

yes, yes it is  

and i'd totally get the rosewood/ebony neck too hehe


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 27, 2008)

darren said:


> Not my favourite, but i aim to please.
> 
> If this gets green-lighted for production, we may have to conduct a poll on the colours that will sell best, because i'm not sure if all of these will be able to be produced right away.



I am a sucker for Seafoam Green. Thank you, that looks awesome.

Too bad I can't rep you again so soon...


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 27, 2008)

TemjinStrife said:


> I am a sucker for Seafoam Green. Thank you, that looks awesome.
> 
> Too bad I can't rep you again so soon...


 look really good with rosewood fingerboard & clay dot inlays

are you going for the amber aged look neck?


----------



## Emperoff (Jul 27, 2008)

darren said:


>



Holy shit Darren, that's fucking awesome!  Any chance to get exactly the same specs but in a strat shape? I think that If kurt is going to introduce a "vintage" 7 string, I'd say that he should offer both, the tele and the strat (and I'll buy one of each! )


----------



## Mr. S (Jul 27, 2008)

Oh shit, these just keep getting better and better!  the Butterscotch Blonde one has my name on it


----------



## Shannon (Jul 27, 2008)

Darren said:


>



Oooooo, try adding full black binding & black hardware to this one. 
Maybe a black pickguard too, but I can't decide if black or white would look better.


----------



## technomancer (Jul 27, 2008)

darren said:


>



I need to change my pants, they just filled with something white


----------



## budda (Jul 27, 2008)

yeah, it has that effect


----------



## Shannon (Jul 27, 2008)

Stickied this thread.


----------



## 7deadlysins666 (Jul 27, 2008)

Shannon said:


> Oooooo, try adding full black binding & black hardware to this one.
> Maybe a black pickguard too, but I can't decide if black or white would look better.



How about WH UV style?

Slightly off white with White pickguard and pickups That would be awesome.


----------



## Rachmaninoff (Jul 27, 2008)

darren said:


>


OMFG loved, loved, loved that !!!


----------



## TomAwesome (Jul 27, 2008)

That Albino with the ebony board is starting to look a lot less vintage Tele, but man is it slick! That's probably the kind of aesthetic I'd want for a HH version.


----------



## Rick (Jul 28, 2008)

Shannon said:


> I'm having severe difficulties trying to figure out which one I want more. Decisions, decisions...



Does this statement surprise anyone?


----------



## Thrashmanzac (Jul 28, 2008)

darren said:


>


 
i now have a new life goal


----------



## darren (Jul 28, 2008)

flickoflash said:


> are you going for the amber aged look neck?



No. I really don't like the look of them. They always end up looking too yellow or orange. (My bass player has a short-scale SX bass, and that vintage neck tint is one of the few things i don't like about that bass.) 

I'd rather just have a satin poly over natural maple, and let it acquire the aged patina on its own.


----------



## darren (Jul 28, 2008)

Shannon said:


> Oooooo, try adding full black binding & black hardware to this one.
> Maybe a black pickguard too, but I can't decide if black or white would look better.



Actually, i wanted to go the opposite direction, making the pickups white for even more of an "albino" effect.


----------



## Shannon (Jul 28, 2008)

Rick said:


> Does this statement surprise anyone?


Of course, not!


----------



## yevetz (Jul 28, 2008)

darren said:


>



Oh yes!!!! Oh yes!!!!! The natural is WIN!!!! It will be by preorder or they will give it for serial making?


----------



## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 28, 2008)

i dont really like tele's much


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 28, 2008)

Stealthtastic said:


> i dont really like tele's much



I don't want to sound rude to you, but I don't see the point in walking into a concept thread just to post that. This thread is for sharing ideas about a possibly agile in the future, not share everybody's personal taste of guitars.


----------



## Groff (Jul 28, 2008)

Stealthtastic said:


> i dont really like tele's much



Neither do I... But I want a white one SOOOOOOOO bad!!!


----------



## JBroll (Jul 28, 2008)

Stealthtastic said:


> i dont really like tele's much



Well, there are about 69,321,666 *other* threads you could be posting in if that's the case...

[/facepalm]

Jeff


----------



## playstopause (Jul 28, 2008)

Stealthtastic said:


> i dont really like tele's much





Too much information.


----------



## daniboy (Jul 29, 2008)

how close are we to making this a reality?


----------



## darren (Jul 29, 2008)

Kurt isn't even going to talk to the factory about these until the first batch of Intrepids come in, so don't expect any word on production feasibility until at least September. 

At this point it's unknown if it will be cost-effective for Rondo to have made. It's also impossible to say at this point whether this will be a "limited production" run (like the Intrepids, where a 50% deposit is required) or whether they might be a regular production model. 

Patience! The Intrepid took 2.5 years to go from concept to production. These things don't happen overnight.


----------



## Kronpox (Jul 30, 2008)

but I want it _nooooooooow_...


----------



## Desecrated (Jul 30, 2008)

Kronpox said:


> but I want it _nooooooooow_...



+1

_[annoying voice mode]_
Daddy Darren, are we there yet??? 
_[/annoying voice]_


----------



## supertruper1988 (Jul 31, 2008)

it would be cool to see this a reality before 2.5 years go by tho


----------



## Emperoff (Jul 31, 2008)

darren said:


> Kurt isn't even going to talk to the factory about these until the first batch of Intrepids come in, so don't expect any word on production feasibility until at least September.
> 
> At this point it's unknown if it will be cost-effective for Rondo to have made. It's also impossible to say at this point whether this will be a "limited production" run (like the Intrepids, where a 50% deposit is required) or whether they might be a regular production model.
> 
> Patience! The Intrepid took 2.5 years to go from concept to production. These things don't happen overnight.



At least for a tele it's more or less clear that we want to keep it in a vintage look, so I don't think the specs will change too much from the last designs you made. To me, it looks perfect, and I think the rest of the guys think the same. 

I'd order a butterscotch blonde or a natural one for sure!


----------



## darren (Jul 31, 2008)

One of the main holdups with the Intrepid was the availability of reasonably-priced parts. We may have a similar challenge with the T-7, as we want an authentic Tele-style bridge and pickups, which don't really exist. 

Actually, i should clarify that.

Kent Armstrong DOES make a Tele-style bridge single and a generic single coil that could be used in the neck. What i don't like about these is that they use solid plastic covers (and they're likely potted in epoxy) so they look more like EMGs than vintage pickups. That said, i think some guys would probably be replacing these with more vintage-style units anyway, so they're at least something to install at the factory if Kurt can get an OEM deal, which may be less expensive than having Agile develop their own pickups for this guitar.

The bridge is another thing, but hopefully not too difficult, since it's really just the base plate that needs to be manufactured. The saddles can be obtained relatively easily.

How would you guys feel if the pickups had solid black tops with no pole pieces showing?


----------



## playstopause (Jul 31, 2008)

I think it looks freakin' cool, especially on the black one. Anyone know if they sound vintage though? I like the idea of a modern look with a vintage sound.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Jul 31, 2008)

It would look odd on more traditional colors, but on black and white instruments they look fine. 

I'd probably be swapping them out anyways, so it doesn't really matter.


----------



## darren (Jul 31, 2008)

That's kinda what i'm thinking... for most of us, they might be "good enough" and for those who really want to go the purist route, there are a few really nice high-end sources like Duncan and Vintage Vibe.


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 31, 2008)

I gonna have my strat PU made by WB Custom Pickups: guitar pickups wound by hand in vintage style & white covers


----------



## playstopause (Jul 31, 2008)

^

They make 7-strings versions of their pickups? Can't find any on their website.


----------



## darren (Jul 31, 2008)

Cool... another custom pickup builder! WB makes seven-string pickups?


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 31, 2008)

playstopause said:


> ^
> 
> They make 7-strings versions of their pickups? Can't find any on their website.


Yes they will custom build you directly anything you like


----------



## darren (Jul 31, 2008)

Those WooSung Chorus Industries pickups look interesting. The 7-string Strat pickups with the big 1/4" Alnico rod magnets look cool. I'd love a Tele version of that. How does one go about ordering from them, or do they just supply OEMs?


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 31, 2008)

WooSung Chorus Industries site does not work correctly for me (only pickups &cannot scroll down)


----------



## Shannon (Jul 31, 2008)

Darren, 
Just throw in the ones that are "good enough." Kent Armstrong makes some pretty nice pups, so I'm sure his "good enough" pups will problably sound great. And like we said in the beginning, "If a buyer doesn't like the pups it comes with, you can always have pups custom made."


----------



## flickoflash (Jul 31, 2008)

What wood will be used ?


----------



## darren (Aug 1, 2008)

It's all on the spec sheet.

I'm calling for an ash body (preferably a lightweight swamp ash) and a maple neck and fretboard.


----------



## supertruper1988 (Aug 1, 2008)

ok here is a proposal for us to munch on

I know that we are going for the "vintage vibe" but do you think we could get a version for the AANJ with the screws and washers instead of a plate, it is the one thing that i HATE on my strats and my tele compared to my ibby


----------



## yevetz (Aug 2, 2008)

darren said:


> How would you guys feel if the pickups had solid black tops with no pole pieces showing?



Don't really care about how it looks what color etc.....only about sounf and 7 string tele


----------



## daniboy (Aug 2, 2008)

yevetz said:


> Don't really care about how it looks what color etc.....only about sounf and 7 string tele



+1. however, the pole pieces spacing must match the string spread.


----------



## TheOrangeChannel (Aug 6, 2008)

Just for giggles has anyone approached any pickup makers to inquire about a 7 string tele bridge pup? I know Kent Armstrong and Duncan make one, but I'd be wondering about a Hot Rail or a Lil' 59 style one for mod purposes. Even if you put a stacked bucker in a tele bridge slot you still get some twang and additional cut that is desirable due to the angle of the pickup. 

Goodtimes tho! I'd definitely buy 2!

Laters,
Jon


----------



## darren (Aug 6, 2008)

There are a few boutique pickup makers that will do a seven-string Tele pickup, but we're not likely to be putting one in this guitar as the stock pickup for cost reasons.


----------



## technomancer (Aug 6, 2008)

So where is this at, anyways? Have you talked to Kurt about it?


----------



## TomAwesome (Aug 6, 2008)

darren said:


> Kurt isn't even going to talk to the factory about these until the first batch of Intrepids come in, so don't expect any word on production feasibility until at least September.
> 
> At this point it's unknown if it will be cost-effective for Rondo to have made. It's also impossible to say at this point whether this will be a "limited production" run (like the Intrepids, where a 50% deposit is required) or whether they might be a regular production model.
> 
> Patience! The Intrepid took 2.5 years to go from concept to production. These things don't happen overnight.


----------



## technomancer (Aug 6, 2008)

I is be smart with my readin


----------



## gatesofcarnage (Aug 7, 2008)

I think you should put a stacked humbucker in the bridge and a single coil in the neck that way you can get humbucking tone while maintaining the tele look.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Aug 7, 2008)

gatesofcarnage said:


> I think you should put a stacked humbucker in the bridge and a single coil in the neck that way you can get humbucking tone while maintaining the tele look.



We're trying for Tele tone AND look here. Otherwise there's no real point.


----------



## dissident (Aug 7, 2008)

Love it! If this happens and the price is right i would buy one.


----------



## Drow Swordsman (Aug 13, 2008)

Cool idea, I really wish we got serious about making the 7 string acoustic though..


----------



## darren (Aug 13, 2008)

I have a feeling that a 7-string acoustic is going to be a little more limited in appeal. Have any of you guys tried Rondo's acoustics?

My feeling is that with an electric guitar, as long as the fundamentals are there (decent quality woods and construction) there's a LOT you can do to improve it. But with an acoustic, if it isn't a stellar guitar out of the box, you're pretty much stuck with it. I think that's part of the appeal with a lot of Rondo's offerings. Put in top-quality pickups and make some hardware upgrades, and they're excellent instruments for a very fair price. But acoustics aren't like that. And sometimes you have to go to a store and play dozens of them before you find the one that's just "right".

Even my Ibanez AJ-307 i wouldn't characterize as a "great" acoustic... it's definitely good, but it has some shortcomings that are just inherent to the instrument itself, and it's never going to sound like a good Taylor or Martin.


----------



## Christopher (Aug 13, 2008)

darren said:


> I have a feeling that a 7-string acoustic is going to be a little more limited in appeal. Have any of you guys tried Rondo's acoustics?
> 
> My feeling is that with an electric guitar, as long as the fundamentals are there (decent quality woods and construction) there's a LOT you can do to improve it. But with an acoustic, if it isn't a stellar guitar out of the box, you're pretty much stuck with it. I think that's part of the appeal with a lot of Rondo's offerings. Put in top-quality pickups and make some hardware upgrades, and they're excellent instruments for a very fair price. But acoustics aren't like that. And sometimes you have to go to a store and play dozens of them before you find the one that's just "right".
> 
> Even my Ibanez AJ-307 i wouldn't characterize as a "great" acoustic... it's definitely good, but it has some shortcomings that are just inherent to the instrument itself, and it's never going to sound like a good Taylor or Martin.



I've got both of Agile's acoustic / electrics offerings (6 & 12 string) and they're pretty cool for the price but they're basically just that. They're fine for knockin' around or playing live but you're not going to fool anyone into thinking they're Martins or Taylors in the studio. They're based on Ovations and they do all right but not even in the ball park of the AJ 307 I had. Of course I could get four of them for what I paid for my AJ 307.


----------



## CaptainD00M (Aug 15, 2008)

... Any chance of a Strat?

dont get me wrong i think a Tele is a bitchin idea... i just like strats


----------



## Vairocarnal (Aug 19, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> And I give to you, what should be the 2nd run tele.... the METAL tele!



Wow, that's almost the exact guitar I've (literally) been dreaming of...with a few exceptions of course: Rosewood finger board, EXTRA jumbo frets, barbed vine inlay, interceptor style reversed matching headstock, gold hardware, humbucker in the bridge w/coil tap and a 696mm neck with 23, maybe 24 frets and the interceptor style lower horn....that would be the awesome.

I'd give/sell my only kidney for that guitar...or my sus7ainer.

Maybe a quilted kelly green or some combo of quilted green/red for the finish.



P.S. Would someone be kind enough to do a mock-up of this for me?


----------



## Justin Bailey (Aug 19, 2008)

Vairocarnal said:


> Wow, that's almost the exact guitar I've (literally) been dreaming of...with a few exceptions of course: Rosewood finger board, EXTRA jumbo frets, barbed vine inlay, interceptor style reversed matching headstock, gold hardware, humbucker in the bridge w/coil tap and a 696mm neck with 23, maybe 24 frets and the interceptor style lower horn....that would be the awesome.



so basically is it's not at all like the guitar you want


----------



## Kronpox (Aug 20, 2008)

Justin Bailey said:


> so basically is it's not at all like the guitar you want



Hey hey hey be fair, he still wants the single cutaway and the trem! It's basically the same guitar!


----------



## Vairocarnal (Aug 21, 2008)

Justin Bailey said:


> so basically is it's not at all like the guitar you want



Lol, pretty much but it's the closest representation to that "dream-guitar" than anything else I've ever seen. Sure, there were a "few" minor details that here and there that were "slightly" different but effectively it's still the same axe. 

Aesthetically however, that's another story.

If the powers that be decide to produce the metal tele I think it'd be cool if it had an RG style pickgaurd... with an un-routed body to retain body mass. That'd look sick.


----------



## jrf8 (Aug 22, 2008)

7deadlysins666 said:


> And I give to you, what should be the 2nd run tele.... the METAL tele!




that really isnt a telecaster at all.


----------



## playstopause (Aug 22, 2008)

Jesus guys, quit that "It's a Tele" / "No that's not a Tele" discussion...
Darren has clearly said over and over again was this thread is about.
If you want a "metal" Tele, just start a thread of your own.


----------



## jrf8 (Aug 23, 2008)

playstopause said:


> Jesus guys, quit that "It's a Tele" / "No that's not a Tele" discussion...
> Darren has clearly said over and over again was this thread is about.
> If you want a "metal" Tele, just start a thread of your own.



um sorry but that charvel is nothing but a single cut stratocaster, the agile that darren speced out is actually a telecaster, plain and simple


----------



## playstopause (Aug 23, 2008)

... And that's what i'm saying. 

I was just refering to the "what makes a Tele or not" debate that's taking about half this (otherwise really great) thread.


----------



## reptillion (Aug 28, 2008)

so is this gunna happen or not?


----------



## darren (Aug 28, 2008)

I'm waiting for Kurt to get through the next couple of weeks before i start bugging him. He's got a LOT of product coming in (and being shipped out) in the next couple of weeks.

So please show some patience.


----------



## DeathCubeK (Sep 5, 2008)

How did you create the images in the first post?


----------



## darren (Sep 5, 2008)

I use Adobe Illustrator, and i have been building up a library of parts and woods that i've used in mockups over the years.


----------



## Vairocarnal (Sep 8, 2008)

That's very clever.


----------



## darren (Sep 23, 2008)

Well, the Agile custom shop is accepting orders (or at least quotes for orders) for a short time, so it might be possible for someone to test the waters with a custom 7-string TC.

http://www.formsite.com/rondomusic/customorder/

That said, i've just sent the latest spec sheet to Kurt to see what he thinks.


----------



## supertruper1988 (Sep 24, 2008)

Not that i could afford it i think its an awesome thing you are doing here darren. keep up the good work


----------



## MF_Kitten (Sep 28, 2008)

Kurt said he wanted to push on these guitars... i agree! 

personally, i&#180;d love to see 27" scale and bridge humbucker as an option on these, for the people who like to really rock socks... i know, it&#180;s not "tele-like" and stuff, but that&#180;s why i want to see it as an OPTION, like a separate model with a humbucker instead of a single coil. it would be the ultimate guitar! so classy, yet so metal... i&#180;m already sucking up the consept, hah!

seriously, 27" bridge humbucker and neck single coil, and otherwise standard specs... that would rule!

also, just to avoid feedback issues, maybe the humbucker model shouldn&#180;t have the large bridge plate, and instead have a standard hardtail bridge with the humbucker drect mounted.

anyone?


----------



## kurtzentmaier (Sep 28, 2008)

Thanks

Ok, yes now that the intrepid 2nd production orders are in, we can move on to other models. I have the following concerns with this one:

While fender has no trademark on the telecaster body, they do on the headstock and more importantly on the word &#8220;Tele&#8221; &#8211; So I am very concerned about the use of &#8220;telecaster or Tele&#8221; in the spec sheets, title and throughout this thread. In fact this precludes me from making this model. To explain further, if you make a guitar that has a body and pickups that are exactly like a fender telecaster, that&#8217;s perfectly legal. But if you call it a tele copy or even say it has tele pickups, you are going to be in trouble. It may seem wacky, but we have to work within our legal system. So with those legal criteria in mind, at this point I would say we are not going to make the model discussed in this thread. However if we want to discuss other 7 string designs that have the same body shape, but do not use any trademark terms or shapes I am open minded to pursuing them in another thread.


----------



## darren (Sep 28, 2008)

I thought it was fine to say "Tele-style" since it's inspired by or "in the style of" a Tele.

I'll see if i can take some time to revise things and will re-post.


----------



## DDDorian (Sep 28, 2008)

I think the reason you've seen us referring back to the Tele over and over in this thread is to drive home the point that this isn't being planned as the standard metal guitar with a different body shape. I'm pretty sure anyone who looks at the spec sheet would be able to fill in the blanks without needing "TELE TELE TELE" everywhere so that shouldn't be an issue. The name "Texan" was mentioned at some point and I think that's quite apt.

As for the headstock issue - would a reverse headstock be enough of a difference to keep Fender off your back?


----------



## darren (Sep 28, 2008)

I'm hoping the headstock i've designed should already be sufficiently different enough to avoid any potential infringement issues. It incorporates design inspiration from some existing headstock elements, but is not a direct copy of any single headstock that i'm aware of.


----------



## darren (Sep 28, 2008)

Kurt, would you be up for doing a 7-string AL-3000? I've heard great things about the six-string versions, and it could be another good addition to flesh out the "vintage" 7-string line.

A 3100 or 2900 (chambered) would also be cool.


----------



## Justin Bailey (Sep 28, 2008)

a nice agile jazz 7 in the spirit of Veillette guitars would be amazing. 


















kind of jazz guitars that are a little more ergonomic, and easier to carry around and maintain.


----------



## darren (Sep 28, 2008)

Can we continue this discussion in the new thread?


----------



## eightballhemhorrage (Sep 28, 2008)

MF_Kitten said:


> also, just to avoid feedback issues, maybe the humbucker model shouldn´t have the large bridge plate, and instead have a standard hardtail bridge with the humbucker drect mounted.
> 
> anyone?



(texan = word that we shall not speak again per kurt)

i am down with everything you said other than this. part of the whole "texan" lore is the bridge. a humbucker in a "texan" should still rock the big plate. if you want to direct mount you can do it under the plate but some of us(Ilike me  ) want that "texan" twang with no hum.

i would put up right now for this guitar ONLY IF it was 27" everything else can stay. i would even take a hum-tastic single in bridge and neck but it MUST be 27" (or more) if i am buying a Seven.


----------



## darren (Sep 28, 2008)

Again, can we please move this discussion over to the new thread?


----------



## eightballhemhorrage (Sep 28, 2008)

sorry!!!! i moved over there now!!


----------



## Shannon (Sep 28, 2008)

Topic moved to THIS thread.

This one = closed.


----------

