MIM Telecaster Modifications

[Rockbreaker]

Hey Radspin, where on Long Island do you live? I'm in Huntington, what luthier do you trust with your guitars? have you heard of Joe Jesselli? Thanks

Ed

[jebbo]

Originally Posted by aniss1001

Well stupid is as stupid does :D

Nah just kidding.

I reversed the control plate on mine simply because I like to be able to use it in my playing kind of like you would use a volume pedal; set volume to zero, pick a note/chord, turn up the volume, thereby creating a "fadein"-effect. Doing this with the control plate as it is on a normal tele is extremely akward because the volume knob is just too far away from your picking hand. Ah I not only reversed the plate I also reversed the position of the tone and volume knob respectively off course.

This isn't jebbo, I'm actualy his son. I do volume swells with my tele's volume knob and it doesn't feel awkward. I'm only 14, so I have small hands and it works fine using it the way it is. I guess everybody has a personal preference. I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but I have a question. I have seymour duncan hot rails in the bridge, and a push pull tone pot for coil splitting. I just have a standard tele neck pup. Could the pups be wired with a 4 way switch with this setup ? It could give me even more tone combinations. (If it can work.) I plan to take my tele to tech to get the neck pup swithched out with a fender vintage noiseless and if I can, I'd like to add a 4 way switch.

[aniss1001]

Originally Posted by jebbo

This isn't jebbo, I'm actualy his son. I do volume swells with my tele's volume knob and it doesn't feel awkward. I'm only 14, so I have small hands and it works fine using it the way it is. I guess everybody has a personal preference. I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but I have a question. I have seymour duncan hot rails in the bridge, and a push pull tone pot for coil splitting. I just have a standard tele neck pup. Could the pups be wired with a 4 way switch with this setup ? It could give me even more tone combinations. (If it can work.) I plan to take my tele to tech to get the neck pup swithched out with a fender vintage noiseless and if I can, I'd like to add a 4 way switch.

I definately found the stock control plate unusable for this. Also I'm currently on the lookout for a different knob. The tele ones are just too small (in diameter) and to heavy. I want one that is a LOT larger and lighter (not made of metal).

And I'm afraid you shouldn't be directing your question about 4-way switches to me because I just heard about them in this thread.

[jebbo]

Originally Posted by aniss1001

I definately found the stock control plate unusable for this. Also I'm currently on the lookout for a different knob. The tele ones are just too small (in diameter) and to heavy. I want one that is a LOT larger and lighter (not made of metal).

And I'm afraid you shouldn't be directing your question about 4-way switches to me because I just heard about them in this thread.

I wasn't directing the question towards anyone specificaly. Sorry for the confusion. I was just quoting your comment on the reversed control plate. As for the knobs, fender blacktop knobs are bigger and lighter. They look just like the knobs on the old blackface amps.

[aniss1001]

Originally Posted by jebbo

I wasn't directing the question towards anyone specificaly. Sorry for the confusion. I was just quoting your comment on the reversed control plate. As for the knobs, fender blacktop knobs are bigger and lighter. They look just like the knobs on the old blackface amps.

Hey no worries. But perhaps some people will overlook a comment if it looks like it's directed at someone else specifically. Dunno...

And thanks for the knob suggestion. I suppose you mean these? I would actually like some more in this style. Only somewhat larger. Still looking for just the right ones. They don't have to be specifically for guitars or anything. Perhaps some oldschool stereo knobs would be ideal.

[scantron81]

Oh gosh, I always forget about the Electrosocket. It's another very inexpensive and very good mod. I'm so happy with mine. Cost me $7. installed in 2 minutes. I forget about it because it does its job so well.

[zooyuka]

Originally Posted by scantron81

Oh gosh, I always forget about the Electrosocket. It's another very inexpensive and very good mod. I'm so happy with mine. Cost me $7. installed in 2 minutes. I forget about it because it does its job so well.

For a MIM Tele what needs to be done? Do you need to solder a new jack or can you just replace the cup?

[scantron81]

Originally Posted by zooyuka

For a MIM Tele what needs to be done? Do you need to solder a new jack or can you just replace the cup?

It's a direct pop in replacement for the cup. It only works for MIM and MIA models. The Squier has a different size thread and will need an input jack replacement. Not sure about CIJ models.

[zooyuka]

Originally Posted by scantron81

It's a direct pop in replacement for the cup. It only works for MIM and MIA models. The Squier has a different size thread and will need an input jack replacement. Not sure about CIJ models.

Thanks. I will probably do this. Do the wholes need to be pre-drilled or can the screws just be put in?

[scantron81]

Screws right in. If you have any concerns you could do a 1/8 or 1/4 deep guide hole, depending on the screw length. I don't remember how long mine was but I screwed it right in. :)

[Stonie]

Here is an Electrosocket fitted, just pop in the hole, pilot drill the 2 fixing holes through the socket and it's fitted!

[raga80]

Sorry for not posting before. I finally made my telecaster modifications. I put a dimarzio true velvet at the neck, a dimarzio fast track at the bridge, and a black fender pickguard. This guitar rocks. It has the telecaster tone, but now you can also play hard rock, for rage against the machine songs works amazing. The combination of the two pickups sounds really great. Here is a pick of the guitar:



I even changed 1 tube from my fender vibro champ xd with a vintage ge 12ax7. My rig has never sounded better before. Tanks everyone for all your replies.

[Sandia Man]

Another happy ending

[soulman969]

Good stuff. Another happy Tele man. Looks nice with the black pickguard raga!

[raga80]

Thanks, it does look nice with the black pickguard. My next mod will be in my mim deluxe roadhouse strat. It has texas special pickups and a tortoise pickguard. I'm planning for a dimarzio fast track 1 for the bridge, in creme color, and a black pickguard. That would be my next project.

[Gary in Boston]

There is an artical in the new Premier Guitar mag about mods you can do to your guitar.

Some are super easy and some more involved. Some good basic information

Gary

[raga80]

Thanks, I will check it out.

[waparker4]

I don't like the control plate reversed, had it on a blacktop tele, but it's a good idea if you find yourself accidentally switching pickups when get into it too much.

[kmac]

Electrosocket is a must. Its also fits on cv teles. The 4 way is cool too. Im not a fan of the reversed plate at all.

One of the first things I do is change the tone cap. The little ceramic disc caps are rubbish IMHO. I like a nice PIO cap. .047 works great for single coils. Quality pots are a must for me too. CTS pots are usually pretty close to the listed value in my experience.

[Fresh]

Never mind I thought you were in California