Sharing my new wiring: Tele w/ Esquire switching

garrett · February 2nd, 2008, 05:46 PM

I love my Nashville Tele that I converted to an Esquire, but I'm moving soon and decided to trim down to only three guitars. I'm a Bill Lawrence fanatic and was using his Q-Filter Esquire wiring. The Tele is a keeper for sure, but for versatility's sake it needed a neck pickup. Enter the L-610, Bill's take on a P-90.

I didn't want to give up the Esquire modes, so I installed a 3-way mini toggle for pickup selection. You could also use the traditional Esquire wiring or any other modified Esquire wiring with this arrangement. You can just keep it on the bridge pickup to play it like an Esquire, or take advantage of the new options provided by the neck pickup. 9 total tones to pick from.

The mini toggle is surprisingly intuitive to me for pickup selection. It's really easy to change positions with my pinky. Much better than the blade switch for me.

I can attest though, that it doesn't sound exactly like it did with only one pickup. I immediately noticed that the bridge pickup sounded different once the neck pickup was added. I'm now convinced the Esquire mojo is real. Oh well, it still sounds really cool.

I haven't seen this done before, but surely I'm not the first?

RotelliCaster · February 12th, 2008, 04:40 PM

I installed an L-290TL-E with the cap/Res combo and the Q-filter last night. Becky hooked me up with this esquire rig and the B.L. Esquire wiring schematic.

I like the pickup and but I don't get the Q-filter thing! Is there another way to wire it for an Esquire other that the way the diagram supplied with it shows?

I have seen several other ways to wire it for 5 way and push pull pots..... on another forum, but nothing "Esquire Specific". I don't care for the Q-position as it is wired now. It works like a regular tone knob through the first half of the knobs taper and then it starts cutting the volume for the last half (going from high to low). The bottom end of the tone pots taper, in the q-position, sound like I moved my amp 50 yards down field from me. That is different tone effect, but I can't find a use for it.

If this is all there is for an Esquire with a Q-filter I'll keep the pickup and go back to the standard multi cap wiring, and TRY the Filter in another plank with some of the other suggested wiring. I'd like to get something cool from a twenty dollar tone gadget (that would buy a bunch of caps)

I have learned not to give up when it comes to the Lawrence's products and their incredible customer service and support.

voided3 · February 12th, 2008, 05:10 PM

That's exactly what I was thinking about doing to my Esquire should I ever want a neck pickup! I like that stock tone circuit too much (not to mention this is easier than rewiring the existing switch)!

February 2nd, 2008, 05:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
garrett Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Adelaide, Australia Age: 29 Posts: 168	Sharing my new wiring: Tele w/ Esquire switching I love my Nashville Tele that I converted to an Esquire, but I'm moving soon and decided to trim down to only three guitars. I'm a Bill Lawrence fanatic and was using his Q-Filter Esquire wiring. The Tele is a keeper for sure, but for versatility's sake it needed a neck pickup. Enter the L-610, Bill's take on a P-90. I didn't want to give up the Esquire modes, so I installed a 3-way mini toggle for pickup selection. You could also use the traditional Esquire wiring or any other modified Esquire wiring with this arrangement. You can just keep it on the bridge pickup to play it like an Esquire, or take advantage of the new options provided by the neck pickup. 9 total tones to pick from. The mini toggle is surprisingly intuitive to me for pickup selection. It's really easy to change positions with my pinky. Much better than the blade switch for me. I can attest though, that it doesn't sound exactly like it did with only one pickup. I immediately noticed that the bridge pickup sounded different once the neck pickup was added. I'm now convinced the Esquire mojo is real. Oh well, it still sounds really cool. I haven't seen this done before, but surely I'm not the first? __________________ --Garrett--

February 12th, 2008, 04:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
RotelliCaster Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bethany, OK Age: 41 Posts: 410 13 Photos	Esquire Wiring I installed an L-290TL-E with the cap/Res combo and the Q-filter last night. Becky hooked me up with this esquire rig and the B.L. Esquire wiring schematic. I like the pickup and but I don't get the Q-filter thing! Is there another way to wire it for an Esquire other that the way the diagram supplied with it shows? I have seen several other ways to wire it for 5 way and push pull pots..... on another forum, but nothing "Esquire Specific". I don't care for the Q-position as it is wired now. It works like a regular tone knob through the first half of the knobs taper and then it starts cutting the volume for the last half (going from high to low). The bottom end of the tone pots taper, in the q-position, sound like I moved my amp 50 yards down field from me. That is different tone effect, but I can't find a use for it. If this is all there is for an Esquire with a Q-filter I'll keep the pickup and go back to the standard multi cap wiring, and TRY the Filter in another plank with some of the other suggested wiring. I'd like to get something cool from a twenty dollar tone gadget (that would buy a bunch of caps) I have learned not to give up when it comes to the Lawrence's products and their incredible customer service and support. __________________ " Trust me, I saw this in a cartoon and I'm pretty sure I can do it! " http://www.myspace.com/bmwsteve Guitar Photos

February 12th, 2008, 05:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
voided3 Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 628	That's exactly what I was thinking about doing to my Esquire should I ever want a neck pickup! I like that stock tone circuit too much (not to mention this is easier than rewiring the existing switch)!