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New Telecaster Clone Build With Walnut Top


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Hmm, I would say just steam the dent, you'd likely be able to get it back to flat or real close, but with some truoil coats already building I don't believe it would work. Maybe if you stripped it back, steamed it out and then started again. Not sure really though, it sucks that it happened after you already started with the tru oil other wise with a soldering iron and a wet paper towel you could have likely steamed most of it or all of it out. Oh well. As for the truss adjustment there, I never saw it as a mistake or anything, just a unique idea. For the next one maybe use that extra fretboard space for the hole plus maybe put an inlay around the hole itself, like a sun with rays coming off or something, that way you could make it stand out as a feature, use an inlay and still maintain all frets intact. Very nice looking build, that walnut is beautiful, same with the neck. Good work. J

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  • 1 month later...

Finally got around to taking some pics of the progress......I sure suck at photography.

Finishedbody.jpg

Finished neck

I've got some remedial wiring questions....

First here's the simple wiring scheme that I'm shooting for. Two P90 pickups with a single volume and single tone for both. Each pickup will have a toggle on/off "kill" switch instead of a pickup selector switch.

1. For the "kill" swicth do I just wire pickup lead to center lug and bottom lug to volume pot lug or do I need to also connect something to the top toggle switch lug ?

2. I forgot to drill for a ground wire to the bridge, is it vital that it be grounded to the bridge ?

Thanks,

Steve

Edited by govtmule
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1. For the "kill" swicth do I just wire pickup lead to center lug and bottom lug to volume pot lug or do I need to also connect something to the top toggle switch lug?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wirin...tic=kill_switch

This should give you some direction on the kill switches.

2. I forgot to drill for a ground wire to the bridge, is it vital that it be grounded to the bridge?

Yep. Pull the bushing closest to the control cavity and drill there. Someone else will need to answer WHY it's so important. It's one of those things I know and understand, but can't explain well.

The finish look spretty textured. Didja get a load of dust nibs, or is it some wierdness with the flash/camera?

Edited by avengers63
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Just wire the pickups in parallel and put a kill switch on each hot lead. You will want to wire the pots like Gibson did, I think, to keep the neck vol from turning down the bridge pu and vice versa.

BTW, I think the normal 3-way selector is a lot simpler. You only have one switch to fanangle for neck, neck/bridge, bridge.

The walnut looks beautiful!!!!

is it vital that it be grounded to the bridge

Yes, you'll have annoying buzz without it. As I understand it, your body is an antenna collecting radio noise. If the strings aren't grounded, all this radio noise is not directed to ground and can get into the strings (thus into the pickups) or go directly to the pickups. When you touch amp/guitar ground, you take your antenna self and ground it, thus dumping all that crap to ground.

Edited by Geo
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http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wirin...tic=kill_switch

This should give you some direction on the kill switches.

Thanks, those kind of diagrams are what I have been looking for. I think I'm using the wrong term though when I say "kill switch" because after looking at the Duncan site, that's not what I want. I basically want an on/off toggle switch for each pickup in lue of a pickup selector switch. The duncan site shows enough of how to wire the switch though. Thanks.

2. I forgot to drill for a ground wire to the bridge, is it vital that it be grounded to the bridge?

Yep. Pull the bushing closest to the control cavity and drill there. Someone else will need to answer WHY it's so important. It's one of those things I know and understand, but can't explain well.

The finish look spretty textured. Didja get a load of dust nibs, or is it some wierdness with the flash/camera?

Is there an easy way to pull the bushing ? I hammered it in there pretty hard.

I think most of the textured look in the picture has to do with the flash and the lighting in my shop but it's not a completely leveled finish either. It's wiped on Tru-oil with not many build coats. I like the feel of a more natural finish.

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BTW, I think the normal 3-way selector is a lot simpler. You only have one switch to fanangle for neck, neck/bridge, bridge.

I think you're right.

The walnut looks beautiful!!!!

Thanks, I'm pretty happy at how much of the figure shows through the finish. I'm not sure if this piece was from a knot or burl or what but the figure goes in all directions like a swirl. It sure sucked up finish like end grain so I wasn't sure if it would just get all dark and muddy looking or if it would look nice.

is it vital that it be grounded to the bridge

Yes, you'll have annoying buzz without it. As I understand it, your body is an antenna collecting radio noise. If the strings aren't grounded, all this radio noise is not directed to ground and can get into the strings (thus into the pickups) or go directly to the pickups. When you touch amp/guitar ground, you take your antenna self and ground it, thus dumping all that crap to ground.

Thanks for the explanation ! I'll work on getting it grounded.

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Is there an easy way to pull the bushing ? I hammered it in there pretty hard.

Yes sir. Pull it out like a nail.

1) Screw the post into the bushing. It doesn't have to be all the way, but it does need to be deeo enough to stay put when pulled on.

2) Use the claw end of a hammer to pull the whole thing out. Be sure to put a generous ammount of padding between the end of the hammer and the face of the body.

I basically want an on/off toggle switch for each pickup in lue of a pickup selector switch.

That's all a kill switch is - an on/off switch.

Edited by avengers63
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Is there an easy way to pull the bushing ? I hammered it in there pretty hard.

Yes sir. Pull it out like a nail.

1) Screw the post into the bushing. It doesn't have to be all the way, but it does need to be deeo enough to stay put when pulled on.

2) Use the claw end of a hammer to pull the whole thing out. Be sure to put a generous ammount of padding between the end of the hammer and the face of the body.

that way still damages the post where the claw gets it

try this way;

although its not always as easy as they make it look in that vid - i guess thats a soft basswood body. if its difficult heat the bushing first.... if its really difficult get a spare post to use for the operation with the clawhammer (last resort only)

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(can't watch vids at work - no idea what the clip demonstrates)

Wouldn't the hammer only scratch up the underside of the "T" on the post? That would be hidden by the tailpiece, so I don't see the issue.

FWIW: I didn't see any damage to the posts I did this on. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen or that there isn't a better way. I would blindly trust Wez to know what he's talking about.

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honestly, wait till you see the vid. basically he puts a small bolt head down into the hole - then puts the post in and tightens it which pulls the bushing up

the hammer may not cause much damage if you are carefull, but its a lot more risky than the other way... thats not to say i have never used the hammer method myself

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Is there an easy way to pull the bushing ? I hammered it in there pretty hard.

Yes sir. Pull it out like a nail.

1) Screw the post into the bushing. It doesn't have to be all the way, but it does need to be deeo enough to stay put when pulled on.

2) Use the claw end of a hammer to pull the whole thing out. Be sure to put a generous ammount of padding between the end of the hammer and the face of the body.

that way still damages the post where the claw gets it

try this way;

although its not always as easy as they make it look in that vid - i guess thats a soft basswood body. if its difficult heat the bushing first.... if its really difficult get a spare post to use for the operation with the clawhammer (last resort only)

are you saying the eclipse was basswood?

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are you saying the eclipse was basswood?

No,

i dont really know anything about the guitar in the clips... what i was trying to get across is that it may be easier in some woods than it is in others - so dont expect it to be quite as easy as it looks in the clips. i also suggested that heat may help if its being difficult - i use a soldering iron rather than a flame thrower or blowtorch :D

that guy removed the bushing very easily and quickly in a way that makes it seem easier than it can really be, i suspect he may have already removed and reinstalled it before recording the clips, especially if that was in a harder maple cap. It still comes cleanly out of maple with care, you just wouldnt rush it like that

thats why i said

i guess thats a soft basswood body

rather than 'that is an eclipse with a basswood body', i am prepared to accept that my guess was wrong otherwise i would not have stated it was a guess

sorry if i dont know exactly what woods are used by each manufacturer :D

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try this way;

although its not always as easy as they make it look in that vid - i guess thats a soft basswood body. if its difficult heat the bushing first.... if its really difficult get a spare post to use for the operation with the clawhammer (last resort only)

Holy crap, that's awesome. I'll try that first thing tomorrow !

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As Wez said, in the video that bushing came out super easy, which is why he probably didn't have to bother worrying about slipping, he was barely using any force. I think as said, he had just removed it, pushed it back in for a demo of the idea. Either way its a pretty cool idea. J

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try this way;

although its not always as easy as they make it look in that vid - i guess thats a soft basswood body. if its difficult heat the bushing first.... if its really difficult get a spare post to use for the operation with the clawhammer (last resort only)

Holy crap, that's awesome. I'll try that first thing tomorrow !

Worked like a charm ! It honestly took me longer to dig through my junk tub of bolts and screws to find the right size than it did to remove the bushing. Super fast and super easy. Ticks me off that I didn't think of it.

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This has probably been whipped to death here but I'm still a bit confused as to how to wire my on/off switches for each pickup.

Duncan's website says to do it like this:

duncan.jpg

But my pickup supplier says to wire it like this:

pickupmfg.jpg

Any ideas on why these are so different ?

Double check with an ohmeter to see which pins are connected to each other and when. It really depends on the type of switch you have i.e. DPDT, DPTT, SPDT etc.

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