Custom Build

[mlaursen35]

I just ordered a Carved Tele and neck from warmoth a couple of months back and I need to start getting the electronics for it. Traditional Tele Bridge and Neck, with a Strat Mid pickup carve out. I'm looking at either the La Brea or vintage Tele pickups for the bridge and Neck, and I want to do a stacked humbucker that fits in that strat spot. I'd like it to be one I can split the coils. Controls are 4 pots (Figured one pickup selector (Push pull to split the humbucker), Volume, and tone for the humbucker, and one for either the bridge or neck (Suggestions welcome).

I'd like selector options to include each independently, The neck/bridge combo, and probably Humbucker/bridge combo. I'd love some recommendations as to a good stacked humbucker to pair with those, and wiring advice. I've never done this, but a good friend who has is helping (I do have quite a bit of electronics experience though both professionally and casually). If either of those Tele pickup ideas don't pair well, I'd appreciate feedback on that.


Thank you in advance. I'm excited to do my first build.

 

[Mincer]

Stacked pickups sound a lot more single coil-ish, so what kind of sound are you after in the middle?

 

[jeremy]

so youre not doing a 5 way blade switch? just the four holes for controls?

i think the la brea set is a fine idea for the tele pups

 

[mlaursen35]

so youre not doing a 5 way blade switch? just the four holes for controls?

i think the la brea set is a fine idea for the tele pups

No, I wanted to go with a 5-way rotary, the options for controls that were available, it just made sense to go this way. The Tone pot for the Humbucker would be push/pull to split it.

 

[mlaursen35]

Stacked pickups sound a lot more single coil-ish, so what kind of sound are you after in the middle?

Just something a little different. I went Tele style because I don't have anything with quite that twang, and I thought something a little punchier would be nice in the middle position.

 

[magillver]

Welcome to the rabbit hole! If you're just starting down this path, there's a book that I highly recommend, called 'Complete Guitar Wiring' by Gerry Hayes. It has a ton of good information and is very reasonable, not just a dry tech manual:
Haze Guitars Repair — Haze Guitars https://hazeguitars.com/

 

[magillver]

Sorry, very *readable* (and reasonable)

 

[mlaursen35]

Sorry, very *readable* (and reasonable)

I may have to order that, and thank you.

 

[mlaursen35]

so youre not doing a 5 way blade switch? just the four holes for controls?

i think the la brea set is a fine idea for the tele pups

I'm thinking of putting a red devil in the middle. The tone on those is pretty unique. I'll just need to figure out wiring.