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turnerawt
October 24th, 2008, 05:03 AM
Hello,
I finally decided to change the electronics of my MIM Telecaster Custom 72 RI. I wanted to replace all the 250K pots by 500K pots, and a coil split on the humbucker. I decided to split the humbucker through a DTDP push/pull pot, and use the neck coil as single coil.
The first thing I noticed was the bad soldering job done at the Fender Factory... hmmzz.
Although I already liked the sound of the off-factory telecaster, I like the sounds now even more, especially the split humbucker sound.
I few thing I came across (for people who decide to perform the same modifications):
- Be extremely careful when you solder the extra coil split wire on the humbucker. The tiny pickup wire also is soldered on this point. Don't overheat it, otherwise the pickup wire will get unsoldered, and then you really have a problem.
- The push/pull pot doesn't fit nicely in the hole in the pickguard, because it's metric (European) , while the hole is meant for American sized pots. You have to install an special bushing ring to make it fit.
- The push/pull switch only comes in a split shaft version, while the knobs are meant for solid shaft ones. You'll have to get an ring round the shaft so the knob will fit perfectly.
Al the mod's are worth the while. You don't have to change the appearance of the guitar to get new cool sounds.
One thing I most definitely didn't do was installing a treble bleed capacitor/resistor. Strangely enough, when I lower the volume of both 500K pots a bit, a new and very nice sounding tone appears, which I like very much.
here are some pictures:
Coil split cable and humbucker:
http://alanneke.hyves.nl/fotos/383426594/0/mqp0/
500K pots and push/pull:
http://alanneke.hyves.nl/fotos/383426598/0/QZni/
another view:
http://alanneke.hyves.nl/fotos/383426607/0/ermG/
Next project is to replace the 3 saddle bridge by a 6 saddle one. Everyone says that sound and sustain don't improve by this mod, but intonation with the 3 bridge saddle is a pain in the youknowwhat.
I finally decided to change the electronics of my MIM Telecaster Custom 72 RI. I wanted to replace all the 250K pots by 500K pots, and a coil split on the humbucker. I decided to split the humbucker through a DTDP push/pull pot, and use the neck coil as single coil.
The first thing I noticed was the bad soldering job done at the Fender Factory... hmmzz.
Although I already liked the sound of the off-factory telecaster, I like the sounds now even more, especially the split humbucker sound.
I few thing I came across (for people who decide to perform the same modifications):
- Be extremely careful when you solder the extra coil split wire on the humbucker. The tiny pickup wire also is soldered on this point. Don't overheat it, otherwise the pickup wire will get unsoldered, and then you really have a problem.
- The push/pull pot doesn't fit nicely in the hole in the pickguard, because it's metric (European) , while the hole is meant for American sized pots. You have to install an special bushing ring to make it fit.
- The push/pull switch only comes in a split shaft version, while the knobs are meant for solid shaft ones. You'll have to get an ring round the shaft so the knob will fit perfectly.
Al the mod's are worth the while. You don't have to change the appearance of the guitar to get new cool sounds.
One thing I most definitely didn't do was installing a treble bleed capacitor/resistor. Strangely enough, when I lower the volume of both 500K pots a bit, a new and very nice sounding tone appears, which I like very much.
here are some pictures:
Coil split cable and humbucker:
http://alanneke.hyves.nl/fotos/383426594/0/mqp0/
500K pots and push/pull:
http://alanneke.hyves.nl/fotos/383426598/0/QZni/
another view:
http://alanneke.hyves.nl/fotos/383426607/0/ermG/
Next project is to replace the 3 saddle bridge by a 6 saddle one. Everyone says that sound and sustain don't improve by this mod, but intonation with the 3 bridge saddle is a pain in the youknowwhat.