'74 Telecaster restoration project - DONE !!

[raphaël]

Thanks !!

I've received the clear pickguard, from Kaish, everything is lining up perfectly. I'll try to find some time to try some options and to post pics in the week-end. I'll sure need some feedbacks

And this morning I've received this early 80's (allegedly) Fender Pat Pend bridge plate. It's a very nice piece of steel, and again, perfectly in place on the body.


Question to Telecaster afficionados : do I have to shield the bridge plate itself or not? Or just the pickup cavity? Or don't need to do it at all?
I tend to shield everything on my guitars

[solfege]

Re: shielding. The bottom plate on Tele bridges shield them, and the cover shields the neck pickup. I did no shielding whatsoever on my Broadcaster and it's been as quiet as my shielded guitars.

Apparently 50s era Esquires/Broadcasters/Teles were totally unsheilded from the factory. I do not know what was factory for Teles of your era tho.

[raphaël]

I received the control plate and yesterday i've ordered the neck pickup:
The Lion King from Cavalier pickups.
I've contacted Rob yesterday at noon ("my" noon) and he replied right away, answered all of my questions and he pointed me to this pickup. So after 10 messages or so in a day, I bought it.
Very cool guy, very cool communication.

Can't wait!!

I just have to continue the finish work, to find the neck and buy/do the wiring and the tele will be done.

[jvin248]

.

I see you have ordered your neck pickup. I was going to suggest just get a blank Tele pickguard and wire just the bridge pickup for an Esquire Tele. Drive that around town for a while and then order the neck pickup if you really need it. You may find you don't

However, with a two pickup Tele, get a 4-way switch. they run around $11 online. That gives you both pickups in series as a stealth Les Paul Humbucker. It has become my auto-mod on any new Tele I'll play regularly.

Electrosocket jack retainer. Tune the jack so it sits just below the inner lip and you can basically stab the plug in the general area and the socket guides it home.

Switchcraft jack. You may want CTS as they are more common in Fender but I like Bourns pots.

A steel baseplate under the bridge pickup will reflect the magnetic field at the strings and give you a beefier output. It also shields the pickup. I have had success cutting house electrical box covers, octagon covers generally are 1/8th inch thick and that seems to work great.

I use aluminum flashing tape to shield all the cavities. Aluminum has slightly better shielding properties than copper. People use copper because it looks nice and 'costs more so it must be better' routine. Roll of Nashua tape is $8.

Shielded cable from the volume pot to the jack. This is about half the idle noise floor in a guitar, the other half is the cavity shielding.

Try out the control plate rotated 180deg so you have Vol-Tone-Switch to the rear. This is the Kirchen mod. Makes it easier to adjust the volume knob when playing without hitting the selector switch.

.

[raphaël]

Thanks for your tips !!!

I made some tests. For the pickguard.

#1 :


#2 :


#3 :


#4 :


#5 :


#6 :


#7 :


#8 :



What do you think?
If I go that route, I think my favorite is #2...and also, for some reason, I like the #8...which is weird as I like colors and flowers, while this one is very dark.

I also have another idea for the pickguard...it it works it will be pure awesomness !!!!

[raphaël]

My second idea for the pickguard will work!! I'm super thrilled but it won't be doable before may, which is kind of a bummer. But that's ok, it involves fine craftmanship with incredible skills I don't have, so I have to wait!!!

[DaddyDom]

Wow - supercool! I like #2 and #8 but I like the idea so much I would probably like whatever you showed me
What is your other idea?
Dd

[Steadyriot.]

That pickguard looks cool! I'd get annoyed with that zigzag pattern real quick though.

I second the idea of an electrosocket input and the 4way switch. Not only does the electrosocket guide your cable easier it also won't loosen like a normal Telecaster cup will over time (plus those are pretty hard to put in). One warning though, electrosockets won't always work with angled jack cables. On one of my tele's I can only use Neutrik's (which is fine because I always use Neutrik but it's a thing to consider).
The 4way switch adds an extra really useful sound to your palette. Worth the change from "traditional wiring".

I'd keep the brass plate on the pickup. Because of the plate and bridge a Tele doesn't really need any shielding on the bridge pickup but you can certainly shield it. I'd go with aluminum tape or some shielding paint.
Be careful with shielding the control cavity as parts can short out on it leaving you without sound. Be tidy in there.

Personally I hate the "Kirchen mod" but to each their own..! It's a thing to consider if you ride the volume a lot. I kept bumping into it so I run the control plate normally.

[sam]

I really like the alignment of pickguard #2

[Pacafeliz]

Yeah #2 is the winner for me too!

[marqueemoon]

Another vote for #2.

[solfege]

agree 2 is the one.

[raphaël]

And after a year of "nothing happened here", I'm glad to announce massive updates : a Fender maple neck (my first ever), harness and hardwares such as neck plate, screws and strap buttons are in their way to me.

I also had this :



a neck pickup from Cavalier pickup




"The Lion King" to be very accurate.
Rob was a great guy to talk and deal with.

And also, last but not least, I will met the woman I need to see for that custom pickguard idea. After lots of back and forth and yes but later, she is finally ok to start working on this.
I'm super excited, I'll see her wednesday or thursday.

I'll sure keep you posted if it turns right...and if it works.

Cheers !

[raphaël]

Got some parts these past few days.

I'm just confused with what I've ordered as it is a first for me : first, a brand new neck.



It's a 2020 Vintera Telecaster Deluxe.
I originally wanted a 60s Coronado neck, but as none showed up I couldn't wait anymore. But patience is a vertue and I should have wait because some finally came up for sale.
A pity. Shame on me. But I'm actually super happy with this brand new neck.
As I said, it's the first time. I've nerver had a brand new neck. And a past '77 neck also. It'll also be my one and only maple neck into a hoard of rosewood.

Anyway,
I'm also happy to have find this neck with this big 70s headstock. I actually think regular Teles headstock to be super ugly.
I've also talked with a seller who was selling a '73 Tele Deluxe neck but the profile was chunky enough to point me to that 2020 neck with a slim C shape.
So here I am, with this shinny and virtually untouched neck.


Plus it has quite the same profile as one of my favorite neck ('67 Coronado).

Then, I've also got this :

a 1966 type, with OG, CTS and a NOS .047uf Russian Pio cap.
Got it on ebay and it seems super neat.
I usually buy kits and solder things myself but it was just 10 more € and I told myself it would be great to support someone's work and life in Illinois.
I just don't know why I chose that particular harness
I've read, Russian, '66, NOS and good stuff and I was done !

Have a great day !
Cheers,
raph

[Sweetfinger]

How are you going to deal with the round heel on the Deluxe neck vs. the flat heel of the body and pickguard?