Build Your Dream Partscaster Guitar!

Building a partscaster is a great way to get the customized guitar you've always dreamed of, and learn essential lutherie skills along the way. In this video, our guest Dan Petrzelka shows how to build a custom t-style partscaster, step-by-step, so you can follow along at home.

0:00 Gathering Parts
3:09 Body and Neck Considerations
6:11 The Truss Rod
7:08 Choosing Tuners
9:33 Installing Tuners
17:47 String Ferrules
19:53 Strap Buttons
21:56 Body & Neck Alignment
25:06 The Bridge
26:56 The Bridge Pickup
30:27 Approximating Intonation
31:29 The Neck Pickup
33:52 Control Plate Selection
37:41 Wiring the Control Plate
44:06 Installing the Pickguard
50:15 The Output Jack
52:28 Final Wiring
54:59 Knobs and Switch Tips
57:07 Fret Buffing and Fretboard Cleaning
57:42 Final Alignment
58:15 The String Tree
59:00 Setup
1:05:51 Pickup Height
1:07:00 Sound Demo

Photos used with permission from Getty Images and Nina Raj (@ninaraj).

Check out Dan's article on our website, with even more information about building partscasters: https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/online-resources/learn-about-building-instruments-and-kits/how-to-build-a-partscaster/

Parts and tools featured in this video include:

Fender Deluxe Telecaster Body
https://www.stewmac.com/item/6576-B

Fender Classic Series 50s Telecaster Neck
https://www.stewmac.com/item/5931-M

Kluson 6-In-Line Deluxe Series Tuners
https://www.stewmac.com/item/5177-N

Vintage-style Tuner Bushings
https://www.stewmac.com/item/3461

Luthier's Digital Caliper
https://www.stewmac.com/item/0447

StewMac Shop Rule
https://www.stewmac.com/item/4905

Tuner Bushing Press
https://www.stewmac.com/item/0460

Depth-stop Drill Bits
https://www.stewmac.com/item/1710

GuitarSlinger Aged Strap Buttons
https://www.stewmac.com/item/100825

Fender 3-Saddle American Vintage Telecaster Bridge with Brass Saddles
https://www.stewmac.com/item/3228-C

Compensated Bridge Saddles for Tele
https://www.stewmac.com/item/5167

Saddlematic
https://www.stewmac.com/item/4462

TV Jones Classic Pickup
https://www.stewmac.com/item/6536

Golden Age Pre-wired Harness for Telecaster
https://www.stewmac.com/item/1931

CTS Control Pots
https://www.stewmac.com/item/0116

CRL Lever Switch
https://www.stewmac.com/item/2000

Fender Vintage Tele Control Plate
https://www.stewmac.com/item/10087

Tele Pickguard
https://www.stewmac.com/item/0061

Electrosocket Jack Mount
https://www.stewmac.com/item/4284

GuitarSlinger Aged String Tree
https://www.stewmac.com/item/100823

Digital Nut Slotting Gauge
https://www.stewmac.com/item/12203

String Action Gauge
https://www.stewmac.com/item/0670

Neck Relief Gauge
https://www.stewmac.com/item/2004

Gauged Nut Slotting Files
https://www.stewmac.com/item/0821
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