Mod questions from a novice

I have a 90's MIM Tex Mex tele special that I'm looking to pimp. Please excuse my ignorance but I've been flatpicking a Martin for the last 25 years.

Phase I: swapping out the vintage style 6 saddle bridge with a Wilkinson 3 saddle compensated brass.

Question:
Will I need a soldering iron for re-installing the bridge pu? Is it grounded to the bridge plate?

Phase II:
Swap out coil split neck humbucker (always seemed muddy to me) with a TV Jones Classic.

Questions:
I believe this guitar comes with a 500K vol pot and 250K tone pot. Is it necessary to switch out the tone pot with a 500K as well?

Also, This guitar has a 5 position switch for the coil splitting. If I hypothetically keep the 5 pos switch, what can I do with the other 2 positions?

Phase III: Add a Bigsby vibrato.

Question: My plan is to keep the Wilkinson bridge and cut grooves for the strings. Any advice on this? Also, with the B5 kits does the neck need to be shimmed or will they install without it?

Thanks in advance.

Hey, and welcomd to the TDPRI! We're practically neighbors.


Question:
Will I need a soldering iron for re-installing the bridge pu? Is it grounded to the bridge plate?

No, and yes, but the ground wire isn't soldered. Sometimes a stripped piece of wire is clamped under the bridge, sometimes a ring eylet is put around one of the mounting screws for the pickup. It'll be obvious once you take the bridge off.



Phase II:
Swap out coil split neck humbucker (always seemed muddy to me) with a TV Jones Classic.

Questions:
I believe this guitar comes with a 500K vol pot and 250K tone pot. Is it necessary to switch out the tone pot with a 500K as well?

Nope, that combo will work just fine.

Also, This guitar has a 5 position switch for the coil splitting. If I hypothetically keep the 5 pos switch, what can I do with the other 2 positions?

That's a special 5-way switch, and I honestly can't remember which one they used right now. It may be possible to do something like put the bridge and neck in series (extra output) or out of phase (kind of a stratty sound). Though honestly, if you're new to this I'd leave that for later and just put in a standard 3 way switch.

Phase III: Add a Bigsby vibrato.

Question: My plan is to keep the Wilkinson bridge and cut grooves for the strings. Any advice on this? Also, with the B5 kits does the neck need to be shimmed or will they install without it?

There are lots of threads about cutting the bridge plate. Do a search and you'll find lots of ideas, many with pictures.

The neck will likely need to be shimmed.

Thanks for the input! BTW I do have a close buddy who worked several years in a vintage guitar store who knows what he's doing with the wiring so he'll be helping me out so I may take your 5 way wiring ideas to him.