Help me assure that my upgrade will go smoothly.

[FenderNashville]

Hello fellow members,

I have a Squire Custom II Tele. I think it's one of the best guitars out there.

Currently, I have a Nashville Deluxe Maple neck on it (Kluson Tuners), which helps bolden and richen the tone and sustain over the Squire neck. I recommend this upgrade for all Custom II owners.

Lindy Fralin is building me a new set of P90s as I type this message. +5%/-5% braided "Gibson lead" set. I've also ordered 4 x 250k CTS pots.

So basically in about a week, I'm going to be replacing/rewiring the pickups, replacing the pots, and doing some intonation. Basically, a full setup.

Here is the wiring diagram and the parts:

http://www.squierguitars.com/pdf/current/Tele/Vintage Modified Tele Custom II- Service.pdf

Notice that the Telecaster has 500k pots currently. This makes me even happier that I'm replacing them with 250k pots to reduce the treble and brightness (yes, I'm making it less-Tele-like). Honestly, I didn't think that this guitar had 500k pots; I think Teles probably shouldn't have 500k pots in general. Am I correct in my assumption that the 250k pots will make this guitar more versatile, and make the tone more balanced?

This makes some sense, because I find that with the "Duncan Designed" pickups, I have to lower the bridge pickup quite a bit in relation to the neck pickup to reduce some of the "shrill".

Anyhow, is there anything I also need to order to make sure that the upgrade proceeds without glitches? Wiring? Other parts? Other upgrades that would really take this guitar far?

 

[Nub]

I would ask Lindy what pots he would recommend to go with his pickups... he knows his stuff.

 

[FenderNashville]

I may have mentioned this to Lindy on the phone -- don't quite remember.

I did mention to Warmoth that I'll be using Fralin p90s in a telecaster, and the dude quickly recommended me 250k pots without hesitation.

Everywhere I read, is that 500k pots don't belong in a tele, especially in one with single coils.

On top of this, I've been wanting to reduce the "high end" (I've been keeping my bridge pickup very low to do this), which is another indication that I should be using 250k pots.

I think the right decision has been made for the 250k pots. On the contrary, I like 500k pots in my les paul!

 

[Lost_N_Austin]

Phase in your changes

One thing I learned in Drag racing, don't change nine things at once. You can mask one change with another. I'd start by changing two pots and no pickups. Make sure you are receiving the desired affect. Play it a little while before you move forward on your plan.

Then maybe put one of the new pickups in the guitar using the two remaining old (500k) pots. Again check the result. Next, if you think you are still on the right track, swap the other new pickup into the guitar where you put in the 250 ohm pots. Check again. If you think you are on the right track, and you are the one who has to be satisfied, go for the other two pots. This way you will have tried every possible combination.

If you change everything at once, your chances of finding the tone you think you have in your head are a crap shoot. But I know nothing.

Good luck and let us know so we won't have to try it ourselves to know the answer.

Lost_N_Austin

 

[FenderNashville]

Thanks for the response. That's a good piece of advice. I've built a few engines in my day, and I would agree with you 100%.

What I may do to "ease" the back-and-forth tedious process (going back through and trying 5 variations) which require a bit of restringing/screwing/soldering is:

Replace ALL of the 250k pots NOW with the Duncan Designed pickups. Leave the pickup height alone (keep it constant).

Restring, plug it in, and note any of the tonal differences (there definitely will be some). Change pickup height to desired tone (I'm guessing I may have to move the bridge up a few clicks). If it sounds better at this point than before (less shrill/bright), then I would make a safe assumption that the Fralin P90s would absolutely sound gorgeous as well.

If it sounds worse somehow at that point, then I may just have to do a lot more testing such as what you were laying out with trying different pots with the new pickups, etc.

I'm still fairly 95% sure that the 250k pots are the way to go in a Telecaster, especially with fat single coils (P90) for a versatile, balanced tone.

 

[GigsbyBoyUK]

I fitted two P90s to my Strat a few months ago and tried 250k pots and 500k - I recall that one option definitely worked better than the other...but I can't remember which and in any case it was the opposite of what I had been told would work.

Moral of the story - and you seemed to have decide this anyway - fit whatever is at hand and see how she sounds. If it all seems good then you are set. If there's something you don't like, try the other option.