New tele project.

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munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
edited July 2018 in Making & Modding
Having failed to find a tele that floats my boat I decided to assemble bits together and customise my own.  I have only just started and have a nitro highway one body on the way from @CasperCaster and a Creamery 79 Bridge pickup on the way from @paulnb57 ;;;;;;;;;;;

I promised missus munckee I wouldn't put new cash into this so I have to sell before I get the rest, but will be looking for vintage style bridge, wiring etc.  My main decision at the moment is for the neck pickup, the body is routed to fit a humbucker.  I decided to try for a sound I do not already have which has narrowed it down to filtertron or p90.  From initial youtube research I'm leaning to p90 but there are a lot less videos of filtertrons.

Anyone tried both and have a preference, I'm a complete idiot at wiring, are there any potential issues wiring wise with either. If I get a bespoke harness put together do I need 250k pot for the bridge and 500k for the neck?

I've been thinking for a while about 50s wiring for the bridge pickup is it just a positive or are there negatives, can you do it for just one pickup?

Any thoughts, assistance appreciated.
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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    munckee said:
    the body is routed to fit a humbucker. 
    If the neck pickup cavity is accurately cut for a tight fit around a humbucker, it may not be long enough to accommodate a "soapbar" P90. 

    munckee said:
    narrowed it down to filtertron or p90. Anyone tried both and have a preference
    Yes and no. Tried both. No outright preference for one over the other.

    Of course, you could split the difference by having a Firebird or a mini humbucker. 

    munckee said:
    are there any potential issues wiring wise with either?  do I need 250k pot for the bridge and 500k for the neck?
    The obvious problem that might arise is the phase relationship between the two pickups. Unless modified, the Telecaster bridge pickup shares one ground conductor between the copper coil and all the metal parts of the bridge. It would be desirable for a 'Tron neck pickup to have two-conductor + shield output cable. On a P90, phase issues can be corrected been rotating both of the bar magnets.

    I would use 250k audio taper pots for both functions. Others might choose 500k. ICBM would probably do something clever with a resistor to make the neck position pickup think that it was seeing 500k.
    Be seeing you.
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    The Red 79 Pickup has a separate ground wire for the back plate.....
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    paulnb57 said:
    The Red 79 Pickup has a separate ground wire for the back plate.
    Problem solved, then. :)
    Be seeing you.
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Thanks for your assistance, do you do skype guidance when it comes to the soldering stuff : )
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    munckee said:
    do you do skype guidance?
    It is unclear whether this question is addressed to paulnb57 or me.

    I do not have Skype. Minimal research revealed it to be a Microsoft thing. [Rrrrchhtt, ph-tang!] I resent giving money to MS especially when I already have Apple FaceTime.
    Be seeing you.
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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    Why not put a Strat pickup in the neck position? Even if you already have a Strat, I don't expect the selector switch gives you neck and bridge pickups together.
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  • sixstringsuppliessixstringsupplies Frets: 429
    tFB Trader
    munckee said:
    Thanks for your assistance, do you do skype guidance when it comes to the soldering stuff : )
    YouTube :) loads on there 
    For Modders, Makers, Players

    https://sixstringsupplies.co.uk/

    Our YouTube Channel for handy "How-To" Wiring Tutorials
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    The obvious problem that might arise is the phase relationship between the two pickups. Unless modified, the Telecaster bridge pickup shares one ground conductor between the copper coil and all the metal parts of the bridge. It would be desirable for a 'Tron neck pickup to have two-conductor + shield output cable. On a P90, phase issues can be corrected been rotating both of the bar magnets.

    I would use 250k audio taper pots for both functions. Others might choose 500k. ICBM would probably do something clever with a resistor to make the neck position pickup think that it was seeing 500k.

    Hi @Funkfingers with the separate wire Paul mentioned does that mean I can buy a standard telecaster pre-wired control plate or will I need something different, probably a stupid question, I can solder stuff I don't know what any of it means though : )
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Keefy said:
    Why not put a Strat pickup in the neck position? Even if you already have a Strat, I don't expect the selector switch gives you neck and bridge pickups together.
    Hi did think about that, not sure it would be wide enough for strat pickup, my preference I think is for something I don't have.  Had neck/bridge on a classic player and it didn't amaze me.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    edited May 2018
    The Creamery pickup three conductor cable makes life easier.

    The permanent ground conductor from the bridge plate is soldered to a pot chassis.

    The other two conductor wires could be connected either way around. This will be useful because the output cable on many P90s, humbuckers and 'Tron type pickups may not permit such phase reversal.

    munckee said:
    with the separate wire Paul mentioned does that mean I can buy a standard telecaster pre-wired control plate or will I need something different
    The Creamery pickup will work with a conventional Telecaster controls wiring harness. 

    If you want to get "different", there is an eBay vendor who pre-assembles advanced circuit Telecaster controls. The pickup cables go into screw-down electrical fasteners. Hence, minimal soldering for you to perform. You get five usable sounds rather than three. 

    munckee said:
    I can solder stuff I don't know what any of it means though : )
    If you can follow the average semi-schematic guitar wiring diagram, the soldering is within your capabilities. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    I'm thinking about what neck to get, there is a difference of about £80 between an unfinished neck and one finished in nitro (back and headstock only as going for RW/PF).  I've seen spray can amber nitro for £12 but am I right I would need some kind of sealer to put on first and some kind of topcoat to go on at the end plus some skills I may not have.

    Are my suspicions correct that buying the finished one will leave me ultimately happier and similarly out of pocket than possibly bodging a neck myself?
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  • CasperCasterCasperCaster Frets: 760
    edited May 2018
    A couple of thoughts: The presence of a rosewood fingerboard makes the task of spraying easier in my opinion - no need to scrape the lacquer off the frets, and no issues with the lacquer crawling away from the edges of the frets on the fingerboard surface, as sometimes happens without sealer. So, with a rosewood fingerboard probably no need for a sealer, though it won't harm. But I wouldn't use amber alone - I'd seal with light coats of clear, then use light amber to take me to the colour I desired, then clear coat again. If you go too heavy or uneven with amber it's easier to strip it off sealed wood than if it's soaked directly into the timber. And using clear for the first and last stages means you only need two materials (clear and amber), though you'll need to factor in costs for abrasives, solvents and other sundries. If you are the type of person who enjoys the process, and wants to develop a new skill, you stand a good chance of success assuming you are methodical, and can be restrained and build up the lacquer in light coats. But the financial saving is likely to be small, and if something doesn't go right at the first attempt, finishing it yourself will probably cost you more. Of course there are loads of oil based finishes which can be applied by hand, which are viable alternatives to lacquer, and I am sure others here will suggest appropriate ones, and how easy they are/aren't to use and what they cost. One final consideration regarding skills/time/money is that with all necks there are the potential hidden costs of a fret dress and having the nut cut - many licensed necks like Allparts, Hosco and MightyMite are good, but do need some final work, whether purchased finished or unfinished. The same goes for 'Genuine Fender Parts' necks which certainly need the nuts cutting, and also often benefit from attention to the fingerboard edges and frets. Whatever route you choose, good luck, and we are all looking forward to your NGD post!
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    Excellent post @CasperCaster ;
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Thanks @CasperCaster so am i right I don't need to grainfill as its maple? and would I have to wet sand after the initial clear cost then between each coat and after the top coat?

    Electrics wise I have decided to wire from scratch rather than buy a pre wired loom as I previously intended to.  Just a standard 3 way but with treble bleed circuit.  Still haven't decided on p90 or filtertron for the bridge.
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    munckee said:
    Thanks for your assistance, do you do skype guidance when it comes to the soldering stuff : )
    YouTube :) loads on there 
    I watched your tele wiring video on youtube this morning @sixstringsupplies I thought it was really informative and easy to follow I will be getting your wiring kit when I'm ready to put it together.
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  • sixstringsuppliessixstringsupplies Frets: 429
    tFB Trader
    munckee said:
    munckee said:
    Thanks for your assistance, do you do skype guidance when it comes to the soldering stuff : )
    YouTube :) loads on there 
    I watched your tele wiring video on youtube this morning @sixstringsupplies I thought it was really informative and easy to follow I will be getting your wiring kit when I'm ready to put it together.
    thanks @munckee - hate the sound of my own voice (especially as in that video its 10% faster in able to get the video size small enough to upload from my iphone) so its a bit chipmunk-ish
    For Modders, Makers, Players

    https://sixstringsupplies.co.uk/

    Our YouTube Channel for handy "How-To" Wiring Tutorials
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Sold my squier strat today which I refinished and rewired as part of the new guitars project.  Guy came round and bit my hand off for it - feel a bit sick now its gone!!
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Neck on way, I have bought the squier classic vibe neck from casper (maple with 9.5 radius) to go with the US highway one body, considering I was looking for a rosewood 7.25 neck this couldn't be much further away; as I promised I wouldn't put new money in to missus munckee this will allow me to get it built and then see if I still want rosewood 7.25 at a later point.

    @alegree is making me a filtertron type neck pickup which is humbucker size so I can get a tele HB pickguard and crack on.  Never had a pickup made bespoke before so am excited about that.

    Considered a bigsby but budget doesn't allow and I promised my semi hollow a bigsby long ago and have never got round to it, imagine if I taunted it by putting one on this tele!

    Going on holiday to cornwall tomorrow for a week then I will be ready to acquire the last bits and nail it all together and see if it floats...
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  • AlegreeAlegree Frets: 665
    tFB Trader
    Teaser photo
    Alegree pickups & guitar supplies - www.alegree.co.uk
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  • munckeemunckee Frets: 12255
    Hi @Funkfingers nearly all the bits are here and I will soon be assembling the beast.  Just checking re your earlier comment:

    "The Creamery pickup three conductor cable makes life easier. 

    The permanent ground conductor from the bridge plate is soldered to a pot chassis.

    The other two conductor wires could be connected either way around. This will be useful because the output cable on many P90s, humbuckers and 'Tron type pickups may not permit such phase reversal."

    So when I install the creamery black goes to volume pot, white to switch and the red wire which is I assume the permanent ground goes to either pot or have I misunderstood?
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