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.
Comments
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.
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.
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.
https://sixstringsupplies.co.uk/
Our YouTube Channel for handy "How-To" Wiring Tutorials
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 : )
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.
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.
If you can follow the average semi-schematic guitar wiring diagram, the soldering is within your capabilities.
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?
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/89942/caspercaster#latest
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.
https://sixstringsupplies.co.uk/
Our YouTube Channel for handy "How-To" Wiring Tutorials
@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...
"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?