My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

[ratherdashing]

The Canadacaster (Fender MIJ 60's Tele Custom with a red maple leaf on it) is the neglected middle child of my collection, between good ol' Number One and my "new baby", the lovely sunburst Strat - not to mention the Warmoth LP that's on the way. I barely play it anymore, which is really a shame because it's such a great guitar. Part of the problem is the pickup switch is broken, and only the bridge position works reliably. I'm also not satisfied with the neck pup's tone, and I wish it were a bit more versatile. Other than that, it's an outstanding instrument.

So here's what I'd like to do right away:

1. Replace that !@#$% switch with a working one (I have tried fixing it by bending the pins, but it keeps breaking).

2. Replace the neck pickup with something more interesting, either a P90, a mini humbucker, or a single-sized humbucker.

And maybe a few months down the road, I'd also like to:

3. Replace the bridge pickup with something tapped, and wire it through a push/pull pot.

So if anyone has suggestions for the neck position, or which tapped Tele bridge you like (Hot or Quarter Pound), I'd like to hear them.

Thanks!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

SD Custom Mini-Hum, Custom Shop BG-1400! :naughty:

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

^ Thanks, unfortunately I don't think I'm willing to spend custom shop $$$, so the BG-1400 is out. Good suggestions though.

 

[pinto79]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

GFS have a set of Blade type Tele pickups that are supposed to be like Bardens (Could just be looks tho) I have one in my Kramer (Tele Shape etc) and I'm looking to get the neck version soon. They sell for about $30 US each. They could help make your Tele Interesting...

http://store.guitarfetish.com/catepisethle.html

They make a "Modern Vintage" and a "Cool Vintage" version also...

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Do what I did. I have a MIJ Thinline and I installed a Hot Tele lead with a tap and a nickel Pearly Gates in the neck.

I wired it up using a standard 5 way strat switch. In position 1 I get the tapped bridge output, pos. 2 gives me tapped lead + neck, pos. 3 is the neck by itself, pos. 4 is the full STL-2 with the PG, and pos. 5 is the Hot Lead on its own.

I also use a push/pull pot to split the PG, giving me 3 more sounds.

With this set up (and my GT-8), I can do country twang, Keef style chording, REM style jangle, fat blues leads (clean or dirty), STP style grind, and even some nu-metal chunk with the tone rolled back.

I highly recommend this combo.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Do what I did. I have a MIJ Thinline and I installed a Hot Tele lead with a tap and a nickel Pearly Gates in the neck.

I wired it up using a standard 5 way strat switch. In position 1 I get the tapped bridge output, pos. 2 gives me tapped lead + neck, pos. 3 is the neck by itself, pos. 4 is the full STL-2 with the PG, and pos. 5 is the Hot Lead on its own.

I also use a push/pull pot to split the PG, giving me 3 more sounds.

With this set up (and my GT-8), I can do country twang, Keef style chording, REM style jangle, fat blues leads (clean or dirty), STP style grind, and even some nu-metal chunk with the tone rolled back.

I highly recommend this combo.

That sounds really cool. I can't do a full-sized hum though (anything bigger than a P90 will compromise the maple leaf logo), but a mini hum or single-sized hum would work fine. Couple of questions for you:

1. Is that a super switch? I can't see how you would get those switching options otherwise, but then again I'm no ArtieToo

2. How does that hot tele lead sound tapped? Compare it to a vintage Tele lead type of pickup if possible.

Thanks!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

1. Normal 5 way switch and a push pull pot to split the Pearly. The schematic on the SD site is the one I use.

2. Think Jim Compilongo and the 10 Gallon Cats. Bright and twangy, quite good actually.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Just connect the tapped output to the "bridge" position, neck to the "middle" position and the full output bridge to the "neck" position of the standard 5-way Strat switch. The middle position would actually be the output from the push/pull that splits the humbucker.

Sounds cool...

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Ok, I get it now. Thanks guys.

One more question: is there any point in splitting a single-sized hum? I can't imagine it sounding that good.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Ok, I get it now. Thanks guys.

One more question: is there any point in splitting a single-sized hum? I can't imagine it sounding that good.

On their own, they're OK, not great, but when combined with another pickup, they sound fantastic.

A friend of mine has a JB Jr in the bridge of his Musicman Albert Lee sig. guitar paired with a Dimarzio VV Blues in the neck (no mid pickup) and they sound great together with the JB wired in parallel.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

On their own, they're OK, not great, but when combined with another pickup, they sound fantastic.

A friend of mine has a JB Jr in the bridge of his Musicman Albert Lee sig. guitar paired with a Dimarzio VV Blues in the neck (no mid pickup) and they sound great together with the JB wired in parallel.

Sweet, thanks. Now I need to decide which single coil hum to get. I doubt I'll bother splitting it.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Sweet, thanks. Now I need to decide which single coil hum to get. I doubt I'll bother splitting it.

Are you getting it for the neck?

If so, I'd suggest a mini humbucker. I have a SM-1 in my Fernandez 50's style axe paired with a JD Lead and it's great. It walks the line between a single coil and a PAF class pickup very well.

If you want to split it, go with the SM-2 or -3.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: My Poor Neglected Canadacaster

Are you getting it for the neck?

If so, I'd suggest a mini humbucker. I have a SM-1 in my Fernandez 50's style axe paired with a JD Lead and it's great. It walks the line between a single coil and a PAF class pickup very well.

If you want to split it, go with the SM-2 or -3.

Yeah, it will be for the neck. I think I'll go either Hot tapped or QP tapped for the bridge.

I was thinking of a mini hum as well, but now I'm leaning towards a single-sized hum, or maybe a Cool Rails. I will have to listen to some clips and ponder it.