How to wire up my "esquire" ?

TTBZ

Finally getting the stuff for my telemaster together and starting to think about wiring. To start with I'm doing it as an esquire with a single bridge pickup, switch and 1 vol/1 tone. Having read about the normal esquire wiring I don't think it's really for me - doubt I'd find a use for not having the tone knob connected etc.

I'm getting an SD Quarter Pound tele pickup which has a tap. I was thinking I'd be better off wiring it up to have vol/tone active all the time then

- position 1, full output bridge
- position 2, tapped output
- position 3, some kind of eldred "cocked wah" sound

Can this be done and how would I do it? If anyone could explain with a diagram that would be perfect!


Edit - oops maybe should have done some more googling and found a guide haha. Says it does a "bassy presence" on position 3 rather than cocked wah though, is there any way to get it more of a cocked wah sound?

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Tapped_Esquire_Wiring

WezV

Search for the eldred mod esquire wiring

stimpsonslostson

If I were you I'd go for an Eldred Esquire wiring plan like this:

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Eldred_Esquire_Wiring

and put your push pull pot in on the volume pot to tap your pickup in all three positions (as the volume is always live in all three positions of the eldred mod). 

You'd be surprised by how good and useful the no tone knob position is.

I built myself an Eldred Esquire las year and love it.

I tend to live in position 2 with the tone at about 7 most of the time and then jump to the tone bypass for soloing/fills as it gives MUCH more bite, then I'm back in rhythm mode instantly by going back to position 2. 

TTBZ

Fair enough, I didn't think disconnecting the tone would make much difference, if it does then I don't mind giving it a go!

So what wires/connections would I need to add to the push/pull tabs on the volume pot? I'm not great at this sort of thing haha I can follow a diagram fine but anything more complicated and I get confused!

gavin_axecaster

Easiest is the first diagram you linked to - just sub the .022 cap for a .0047 cap for the cocked wah sound a la Eldred mod.

Corvus

For a cocked wah sound with drive you want a smaller cap, 022 or even less, I think I have a  .01 in my guitar - not Esquire but it has a Gretsch style "mud switch" which is the same kind of deal except a 3-way with bypass/no load, and two cap values. The lower value cap can give the cocked sound. Especially with a middy drive pedal.

stickyfiddle

The eldred thing is a huge amount of fun, as is the "no tone" option. I was actually very surprised how much I enjoyed both when I briefly "esquired" my Tele.