Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

[Butch Snyder]

Hi all,

In deciding to heavily mod my OLP and convert it to more of a Jerry Donahue guitar based on his Peavey Omniac, I decided to mod my Tele too. Currently, it has a GFS Modern Vintage Lil Puncher Tele set. Its finish is just natural wood and it has a black pickguard. Looks like an old blackguard Tele. I'm going to buy a Baja Tele in honey blonde so I'll have a cool blackguard Tele at some point.

I want to customize it and give it a little different, not better, personality. Here are two design options I'm thinking about. There's an option based on Jerry Donahue's Custom Shop Fender Telecaster and one if my own creations. The JD Tele will have a JD bridge pickup and an APS-1 neck pickup. I'll do the JD wiring or something of the sort.

The other design is a vintage white or blonde Tele with a JD in the bridge and two APS-1's in the neck and middle. It'll have a standard 5-way switch and a white pearl pickguard. Here's some shots and don't forget to vote.

 

[Elrond39]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I'll vote for the vintage white one, but I (personally) would be tempted to hook up the middle pickup to a blend pot, rather than a 5-way switch. But, I love the look of it, so, that's my vote, for what it's worth.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I'll vote for the vintage white one, but I (personally) would be tempted to hook up the middle pickup to a blend pot, rather than a 5-way switch. But, I love the look of it, so, that's my vote, for what it's worth.

Mae govannen Elrond,

I appreciate your voting.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I like the look of the black one but prefer the 3 pickups of the blonde.
Could always use the James Burton Tele 5 way switching to give you
the best of Tele and Strat.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

About the switching of the 3-pickup Tele, I will install a 3-way blade like on a standard Telecaster and it will work the same. I will install an on/off switch for the middle pickup.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Have a look at the Fender site, search for the James Burton (USA) tele,
and there you will find the wiring diagram. It uses an Oak Grisby 5 way
switch, part number #51720.
This will give you;

1) Bridge
2) Bridge + Middle
3) Bridge + Neck
4) Neck + Middle
5) Neck

If you go to the "Guitarnuts" site you will find a wiring schematic
by Mike Richardson using the Fender Super switch and a push/pull pot
that gives you all the above plus pos 2,3 + 4 in series, 1-all three in parallel
and 5-all three in series using the push/pull vol pot.
You can also run another push/pull pot, tone, to run either neck or bridge
out of phase with other pickups.

Plus..... there is a really nice 5 way setup for two pickup guitars using the
same switch that will give you;

1) Bridge
2) Bridge + Neck-Parallel
3) Bridge + Neck-Series (more output)
4) Bridge + Neck-Series out of phase ( Very nice indeed!!!)
5) Neck

Enjoy!!
Will.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Hey Will, those are some cool suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

And I forgot to add..... the controls look absolutely stock
with all the above mods!

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Hey Dude, wasn't your avatar Steve Morse a second ago?
Or have I had one too many wines???

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I prefer the teal Tele, but I reckon the vintage white, 3-pickup Tele is more your thing Butch, so I voted for that.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Hey Dude, wasn't your avatar Steve Morse a second ago?
Or have I had one too many wines???

Sure was, I change avatars all the time...

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I need to make a correction to an earlier post.

The James Burton schematic is actually the "Nashville B-Bender Tele".

You could also use the "E" model Megaswitch to give you the same.Will.

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Voted Teal but either would look really nice and sound like cool axes to own and play! Good luck.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Well, after attending the Columbus Guitar Show ( a rather unimpressive show, unfortunately), I decided on making two Teles. The first will be a modification of my current Tele. I just finished in a rough, relicy-looking Olympic White. I'll install a set of Texas Specials in it because I want this one to be loud and proud. It'll have a really cool raw, grainy tone and be great for some rock and Blues. It'll have a 4-way switch and phase switch

The next Tele will be a white blonde model with a B/W/B black guard and an Antiquity II mini-humbucker (neck), Texas Special Strat (middle), Jerry Donahue (bridge). It'll have a 3-way switch and an on/off mini-toggle for the middle pickup.

 

[Elrond39]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

The next Tele will be a white blonde model with a B/W/B black guard and an Antiquity II mini-humbucker (neck), Texas Special Strat (middle), Jerry Donahue (bridge). It'll have a 3-way switch and an on/off mini-toggle for the middle pickup.

Sounds like a plan, and one I wouldn't mind repeating for myself some time in the future! :fingersx:

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I can't keep away from the white blondes....

 

[Elrond39]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

I'm not a huge fan of blondes usually, but I know what you mean... :naughty:

 

[J Moose]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Butch, is the PV you're looking at one of the Tele equipped "LP" shaped guitars?

If so... geez man... they're cheap and AMAZING great!

There's a PV dealer near the Shop Rite... I've played a couple of those things, like $200 guitars while buying picks and before buying groceries & alcohol... they're great. Was shocked at the low sticker price. Light weight. Good neck shape & craftsmanship... never plugged one in & don't care to really.

I can't even believe I'm saying that about a $200 Chinese guitar... but there 'ya go!

If that's the one your looking at, I'd just get that & do pickup swaps... maybe a new bridge too since the one that's on there is cheese-whiz.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

You know for these threads about choosing between two things, it's really surprising you had to come up with the idea of doing both for yourself... Sorry I didn't think of it or say anything sooner. Please post pics of your Tele as you build it, otherwise it'll be like my project where no one knows that it turned out...

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Modding my Tele - Need Some Advice...

Butch, is the PV you're looking at one of the Tele equipped "LP" shaped guitars?

No, actually I was looking at the Jerry Donahue Omniac. It's the $1300 model:34:

I do like this "cheap" one though.

You know for these threads about choosing between two things, it's really surprising you had to come up with the idea of doing both for yourself... Sorry I didn't think of it or say anything sooner. Please post pics of your Tele as you build it, otherwise it'll be like my project where no one knows that it turned out...

The problem with me is that I don't spend the time needed to really do the job right. I'm a player; not a luthier, tinker, or techie. I just see things I want to change and change them. I want to get it done fast so I can play. Either that, or I'll just buy what I want.

I have an OLP Axis copy that is being refinished by my father-in-law. It will be my Jerry Donahue Omniac guitar. I'll install the same pickups and switching too.

My homebrew Tele is going to be a raw Blue-Rock-Fusion monster that will still twang, sting, and sing. I'm going to install a set of Texas Specials in it. I'm going to buy either a Baja Tele or a 50's Tele and then see what I want to do to that guitar...