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The term “partscaster” sucks. Let’s do away with it.  

5/1/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
My latest project:
The neck is a Warmoth roasted maple with a compound radius rosewood fretboard, a boatneck carve, and narrow tall frets. The body is a 2 tone burst from a Fender Vintera 50s tele with a nice cream colored 3 ply pickguard. I upgraded to a set of Lollar Vintage T pickups, and of course it has a set of aged Bensonite compensated saddles. I plan on replacing the pots and maybe installing a 4 way switch as well. To say the least, I’m totally loving it.

But with aftermarket pickups, neck, electronics, and hardware, is it now by definition a partscaster?

I don’t care for that term. Partscaster has a negative connotation. When I hear “partscaster” I think of an ugly guitar, Jerry-rigged together with tape and bandaids by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, and later listed for double its value on Reverb.

I refuse to call my guitar a partscaster. My guitar is a custom tele. I selected the components, finished the neck, crowned and leveled the frets (I’m an amateur but it turned out pretty good), put it together and set it up and it’s GREAT. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine and I love it.

My friend Chris has a custom thinline tele that he put together a couple years ago. It’s beautiful. Roasted maple neck with a compensated nut and stainless steel frets (pleked). Tastefully aged blue body with a pearloid pickguard, and a set of Seymour Duncan antiquity II pickups. It is probably the best tele I’ve ever played. The action is low with zero buzz, the frets are incredibly smooth, it weighs like 6 lbs, and it sounds amazing. It’s a work of art, and the thought of calling his custom thinline a “partscaster” is straight up ridiculous.

So who is with me? Let’s get rid of this stupid word. Your guitar that you customized and designed to your exact specs is awesome and belongs in a category that doesn’t imply being lessor than.

Anyway, happy Saturday y’all. Keep on rockin in the free world.

2 Comments
Greg
5/2/2021 11:02:46 am

I think the term "partscaster" needs a lot more nuance than its current "blanket-statement" status. As it sits, a partscaster could be a $50 bately playable hunk of wood and wire or a $2000 Nash. 95% of partscasters fall somewhere in between those two extremes, and most of them are very capable, playable guitars.

The best playing and sounding strat I have ever played is a "partscaster" I assembled for a customer from a US Fender body, a Warmoth neck, and an unorthodox electronic setup. The customer and I built it to look rough, but deliver the goods sonically. Aesthetically, it could be labeled a partscaster. Pick it up and plug it in, and it is a custom guitar.

Sadly, if I was building it to sell, it wouldn't fetch enough money to cover the cost of parts (let alone my labor). Why? Because it's not a Fender. It's a lowly "partscaster". Go figure.

I think that if a standard of quality can be met with a parts guitar, it deserves a better name. "Custom Guitar" works for me.

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Slideslinger
11/1/2022 09:27:43 am

Just don't call me late for dinner!!!

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    Kendall, owner of Bensonite, average guitarist

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