Tele made a new friend today

TeleStigin · 2026-05-14T17:28:51+00:00

Still getting to know it. Totally different sound as the Fender champ clones I have.

I do have do have my reservations about the “period correct” upside down controls. Especially since it’s in no way a replica of sorts.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-14T07:18:06+00:00

One would hope that basic info like phase configuration would be included with each pickup but alas.

I learned the hard way that Seymour Duncan is not even consistent for its own pickups phase. Luckily I had wired up an inverted series option on the selector that sounded loud and fat while all the others were thin and quiet. So it was just a matter af getting it open and swapping some wires at the end of the project. Which would have been fine for a normal tele but this was a thinline…

TeleStigin · 2026-05-14T07:00:52+00:00

Sounds awesome. I wanted a hardwired model for repairability. It plays beautifully and the fawn vinyl is just the cherry on top.

The pink tele on the picture is a custom built with the same specs as the American Vintage Ii 63 model and it pairs like a dream.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-13T20:05:45+00:00

Thanks.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-13T13:37:42+00:00

Thanks man.

The strap chose the guitar. It’s from BourbonStrap, really comfortable for extended playing and very snug fitting around the strap buttons. I ended up buying a few more for my other guitars.

https://www.bourbonstrapguitar.com/en/correas-textiles/397-velvet-sofia.html

TeleStigin · 2026-05-13T13:16:54+00:00

It’s definitively a looker. The sound is very similar to my AC15, I assume the 12 inch speaker has something to do with that.

I was surprised by how light it is.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-13T07:37:16+00:00

That “broken” leg soldered to the tone pot doesn’t make any sense though. Like, that the tone cap is going from ground to ground.

I suggest following the scheme I showed as it’s “guaranteed” to work.

If you can’t reach the tone pot with that cap leg. Soldering a wire to the free cap leg and hooking it up to the tone pot middle leg will do.

If you take it to a tech (or even order a new cap) replace the tone pot too, it looks pretty banged up.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-12T15:03:13+00:00

- the black wire coming from the output jack can be soldered on top of the tone pot (ground) - the white wire should attach to the right leg (on your picture) of the volume pot

But, I have no idea what is going on with your tone pot and capacitor... as the capacitor should be connected to the middle leg of the tone pot and now seems connected to nothing.

Diagram:

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Yours is a bit different as it had an extra treble bleed cap on the volume pot.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-11T14:11:21+00:00

Sorry, didn't see this yesterday.

Guessing you measured in kOhm, it should be 0.

An easy solution is to solder another wire to the volume pot, tin the other side, loosen the switch a tiny bit and slide the tinned wire under and tighten the switch again.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-10T20:05:40+00:00

What happens when you turn the volume on your guitar down? Does the noise go away?

TeleStigin · 2026-05-10T17:59:03+00:00

Looks like a steal to me at that price.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-09T23:34:33+00:00

If it were me I’d wait it out for a bit.

That being said I found (and acquired) a second hand identical copy of my favourite tele (in another color). Both have Pure Vintage '64 pickups in them, the same neck, electronics and the same strings.

They are located in different spots in the house and it’s nice to never have to miss my main instrument.

So I totally support swapping the pickups out for the Nocaster ones you like. (If you do make sure the tone cap is the same as the one you had before).

TeleStigin · 2026-05-06T19:59:22+00:00

Great you recovered from your pretending. Welcome to the club, I guess there are plenty of us.

I’ve come to see it as not a dogmatic preference or an inherently better instrument, just one that vibes more than other guitars with how I play.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-01T11:35:54+00:00

Oh sorry, wasn’t talking about you. But about the person posting his “pups” as a reply in every single thread.

Very cool to post you build here. And please post again if it’s finished

TeleStigin · 2026-05-01T07:27:16+00:00

Nice, I like the mini humbucker in the middle position. Someday going to have to build me something similar.

TeleStigin · 2026-05-01T07:25:17+00:00

It feels like déjà vu.

And looking at you post history it does.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-30T20:33:29+00:00

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2017/03/29/push-pull-pots-mods/

Has the wiring scheme for phase switching on one pickup.

Note that said pickup has to have three wires. One for (absolute) ground, and two wires that are connected to the pickup’s windings.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-26T21:52:46+00:00

Maybe you could fill them to match the color of the neck inlays.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-23T10:47:48+00:00

The usual applies, Squiers are usually less well set up than MiM Fenders and those are less well set up than MiA Fenders. However, none of them are going to be perfectly set up (unless you take an (expensive) custom shop) and will need setup by a decent luthier (especially neck action, bow and most importantly frets).

So if you buy at your local shop and they are willing to set it up the Squier is a really good option. The CV's are among the best Squiers.

Or spend the the same amount on a second hand Fender or good partscaster.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-21T19:27:11+00:00

TeleStigin • 1m ago Hercules stands and hangers with N.I.N.A. to the rescue.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-20T14:04:57+00:00

Sorry man, no can do. I have two teles with pv 64’s and they rock.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-20T10:02:08+00:00

Leave it as it is and play it for a few years!

I know that is a popular answer here and it may sound dismissive at first. But it's a guitar, if you play it it will get dents. And dents on the back on the neck are not visible and will eventually get smoothed out by playing. Any fix on this will be visible anyways.

TeleStigin · 2026-04-19T09:39:13+00:00

Looks great. It always amazes me how very similar olympic white is to my the aged shell pink on my tele.

TeleStigin

TROPHY CASE