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denny
February 4th, 2004, 05:05 AM
Well, got a new MIM(2003) Tele in the box for Xmas... Black w/white pickguard. I have not played an electric for abt 5 years. First off, it played well, strung w/9's, tweak on the truss needed, action a little high, but I like the maple neck.
My project for this guitar (I am more of a tech than a player I fear):
1. Replace the stock pickups
2. Shield the guitar (done this for other players using aluminum foil)
3. Install a 5-way switch (thanks, deaf eddie)
4. Reverse the control panel.
Ordered Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II pups after reading the comments on this board. More on pups later.
Ordered shielding kit and assorted rolls of copper tape along with super 5-way switch from stewmac. (I ended up using only the copper tape, and used some braid from RG8 cable for the "tunnels".)
Picked up assorted stuff from Radio Shack.
Obtained copper guilding foil from Hobby Lobby. (Used this for backing the pickguard.)
First off, after dissassembling the guitar, I found the following problems:
1. The ground wire for the neck pickup had a toothed ring connector, but the thing was lodged halfway down the surgical tubing, insulating it from the pickguard. ( I had noticed static pops when touching the pickguard.)
2. When removing the control panel, the lead from the volume control pot to the output jack was not soldered!!! The lead was apparently crimped, but there was NO SOLDER ON THE LEAD OR THE CONTROL POT CONNECTION. ( I had noticed popping noises when tapping on the control panel, and when playing).
3. All of the tuning pegs were loose... seriously loose... most of them required at least 3/4 turn to tighten. (This was the first time I had the strings off.)
I ran into minor problems with the modifications:
1. The new bridge pickup had a copper ground plate, and did not fit into the body route. I had to extend the hole about 1/4 inch forward to accommodate the new pickup.
2. The control plate did not fit reversed. I had to undercut the forward edge of the routed hole so that the (now volume) pot would fit.
After the mods, I can say that:
1. The guitar is now full quiet, even in a computer room, with the amp on full blast and the guitar in a stand.
2. The bridge pickup is similar to the stock, except the sound is now more "chimey" than "jangly". The sound has a more "airy" sound.
3. The neck pickup is similar as well, but has more "meat", like a 12 inch speaker compared to an 8 inch speaker. With the tone control rolled off, it sounds almost like a hollow body w/humbucker neck.
4. I replaced the stock tone cap with a RS .047 green "chicklet" cap. I think the tone control is now only useful over the first half of its range, but am still testing. I may put a series resistor or replace the tone pot/cap, but we'll see.
5. The 5 way switch is fantabulous. Positions 1,3 and 5 are normal TELE sounds, but...
Position 2 is similar to the normal "middle" switch position, but has *much* more dynamic range and punch.
Position 4 is KILLER SQUAWK. On a clean amp setting, it sounds like it's singing through it's nose. Add some crunch, and the harmonics BITE.
I love the 5-way switch, and I think I like the control panel reversed... the stock knurled volume knob may still be too large to do swell swells...may replace with a minu knob; the shielding (and correction of electrical problems) works better than great... will need to work on the tone control...
NOW, if I can just learn how to play this thing..
denny
My project for this guitar (I am more of a tech than a player I fear):
1. Replace the stock pickups
2. Shield the guitar (done this for other players using aluminum foil)
3. Install a 5-way switch (thanks, deaf eddie)
4. Reverse the control panel.
Ordered Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II pups after reading the comments on this board. More on pups later.
Ordered shielding kit and assorted rolls of copper tape along with super 5-way switch from stewmac. (I ended up using only the copper tape, and used some braid from RG8 cable for the "tunnels".)
Picked up assorted stuff from Radio Shack.
Obtained copper guilding foil from Hobby Lobby. (Used this for backing the pickguard.)
First off, after dissassembling the guitar, I found the following problems:
1. The ground wire for the neck pickup had a toothed ring connector, but the thing was lodged halfway down the surgical tubing, insulating it from the pickguard. ( I had noticed static pops when touching the pickguard.)
2. When removing the control panel, the lead from the volume control pot to the output jack was not soldered!!! The lead was apparently crimped, but there was NO SOLDER ON THE LEAD OR THE CONTROL POT CONNECTION. ( I had noticed popping noises when tapping on the control panel, and when playing).
3. All of the tuning pegs were loose... seriously loose... most of them required at least 3/4 turn to tighten. (This was the first time I had the strings off.)
I ran into minor problems with the modifications:
1. The new bridge pickup had a copper ground plate, and did not fit into the body route. I had to extend the hole about 1/4 inch forward to accommodate the new pickup.
2. The control plate did not fit reversed. I had to undercut the forward edge of the routed hole so that the (now volume) pot would fit.
After the mods, I can say that:
1. The guitar is now full quiet, even in a computer room, with the amp on full blast and the guitar in a stand.
2. The bridge pickup is similar to the stock, except the sound is now more "chimey" than "jangly". The sound has a more "airy" sound.
3. The neck pickup is similar as well, but has more "meat", like a 12 inch speaker compared to an 8 inch speaker. With the tone control rolled off, it sounds almost like a hollow body w/humbucker neck.
4. I replaced the stock tone cap with a RS .047 green "chicklet" cap. I think the tone control is now only useful over the first half of its range, but am still testing. I may put a series resistor or replace the tone pot/cap, but we'll see.
5. The 5 way switch is fantabulous. Positions 1,3 and 5 are normal TELE sounds, but...
Position 2 is similar to the normal "middle" switch position, but has *much* more dynamic range and punch.
Position 4 is KILLER SQUAWK. On a clean amp setting, it sounds like it's singing through it's nose. Add some crunch, and the harmonics BITE.
I love the 5-way switch, and I think I like the control panel reversed... the stock knurled volume knob may still be too large to do swell swells...may replace with a minu knob; the shielding (and correction of electrical problems) works better than great... will need to work on the tone control...
NOW, if I can just learn how to play this thing..
denny