Wiring a Tele

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 7 Feb 2001 1:57 pm

Forumites:
I know it's a little off-topic, but I know there are a few Telecaster players among us, too. I'm having Lindy Fralin Broadcaster-type pick-ups installed on a '52 Re-issue, and here's how I'm thinking of wiring it - looking for opinions/input - thanks: I want the bridge PU to go through the volume pot and then straight to the jack - no tone control, like an old Esquire. The tone control would operate on the neck PU. The switch wiring will be: 1)Neck PU 2)Both PU's (some tone control available from neck) and 3)Bridge PU alone. How does that sound?

Rob

Matt Farrow · Post by **Matt Farrow** » 7 Feb 2001 2:38 pm

Well, that sounds fine! Except old Esquires DO have tone controls, and a 3-way switch that changes the tone cap, too. At least the two that I have played did!

Do you need help wiring it?, because I can post a little picture here that might make it easier.

This setup would give you some of the same options that a Strat has, rather like a Strat with no middle pickup. There might be an easier way to do what you're talking about. Are you planning on setting your neck pickup with a dark sound, then switch to the bridge pickup for a bright, cutting sound? If so then you're on the right track. Otherwise, if you're just after the little extra high end that comes from bypassing the tone control, you can just wire it up in the usual way and then modify your tone pot. It takes about 10 minutes and an X-Acto knife. The Fralin pickups rule. Also, have you considered the 4-way switch that is available from Fender? It lets you get Neck, Both pickups in parallel, Bridge, Both pickups in series. That series sound is really loud and rude, and I like it.

Matt Farrow

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 7 Feb 2001 2:48 pm

Rob, I did something similar and added a phase switch to the front pickup. You have to drill a hole for a mini-switch in between the vol and tone controls, but this is a '52 reissue right? With both pickups on, the phase reverse gives a unique kind of honk.

I don't use it too often and it's nothing like the physical out-of-phase tone that Strats seem to have, but it's useful once in a while. Wire up a switch and hang it out from under the control plate to try it first, you might not like it. I'm with you on that Esquire tone, if you get that happenin' you're there.

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bterry.home.netcom.com

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 7 Feb 2001 3:18 pm

Hey:
Thanks, Matt and Bill for the speedy replies.
The Esquire had a tone control, yes, but on the old ones it was wired like this: Selector at Bridge - Bridge PU/No tone control. Selector in middle - Bridge PU with tone control. Selector at Neck. Bridge PU with capacitors that removed highs.
That Esquire bridge setting is what I'm shooting for by bypassing the tone control. The other two positions will be tone-controlled by that neck PU. Yeah, it's a re-issue and not a museum piece, but mods that can be hidden in the guitar and that aren't straying too far from the Fender mold are the kind of mods that I can do. I just want it to sound a lot better than it does now.

Rob

Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 7 Feb 2001 5:24 pm

I've got to second Matt's suggestion on the Fender 4-way switch. I rewired my Tele with one, and it's very cool. The extra series position gets a fat sound with extra gain that is nice to flip into when you need it. The nice thing about Teles is their simplicity, so you can try a few set-ups with out too much trouble.
Good luck![This message was edited by Cliff Kane on 07 February 2001 at 05:24 PM.]

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 7 Feb 2001 10:33 pm

Long-time Telecaster player here.

For original schematic diagrams of all the different factory Telecaster and Esquire wiring patterns, see Duchoisser's (sp?) book "The Fender Telecaster", available through all major Fender and vintage instrument dealers.

I'd like to someday set up a Tele with a 5-position switch, a Firebird-type mini-humbucker at the neck, a Strat pickup in the center with its own toggle switch, and a HOT bridge pickup with the option of bypassing the tone control on the bridge pickup in the rear-most switch position. Should be a razor, a bell, and a velvet hammer all wrapped up in one chunk. Or I could probably just buy one of Danny Hullihen's Jagwire specials with two Bill Lawrence pickups, install a 4-way switch to bypass the tone pot on the bridge pickup, and get about all the same sounds with enough volume to compete with the L710 on my steel.

Tim R.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 8 Feb 2001 3:47 am

I have a "Nashvile" Telecaster and it has a third (strat) pickup and a 5 position switch like the strats. This is a "stock" Fender. Stewart MacDonald has a "super switch" that is a five position that can be wired so that you can get the front pickup, rear pickup, the front and middle pickup, middle and rear pickup (and the out of phase strat sound) and then the center position is just the front and back pickups like a regular Tele.

I'm considering doing that to my Tele as the stock Fender switch in the center position is the center pickup.

Stweart MacDonald's web site is http://www.stewmac.com

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 8 Feb 2001 11:50 am

There is a Tele picker in Colubus In. who changed his plug to a Mic connector. He added an acoustic type pickup to the guitar, and he still has all of is options with the standard pickups. He uses the three prong Mic cable to floor A-B box to a Fender twin for standard tele, and the other to an acoustic amp. It sounds really great, and will make you look for the mic'c accoustic. The three wire cable will give you more options for your guitar.

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 9 Feb 2001 7:44 am

Instead of drilling a hole and adding a switch, why not get a push-pull pot or a push-push version?

Also, when doing this on a 3 pickup guitar, you can wire it up to also get two more choices: just the outside two pickups or all three together. Both additional sounds are really useful.

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 9 Feb 2001 8:19 am

I very seldom use my neck pickup alone. I'm either useing the bridge or both. So I turn my switch around and have the two I use up on the top instead of under the volume knob.

Bob Carlson

Uff Da!

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 10 Feb 2001 11:21 am

I recently got a '52 Tele Reissue. I'm not guitar player, so this is just a hobby-type thing. It's got the 'standard vintage wiring', but I don't care for it too much because the only position I find useful is to use the bridge only switch position. Do you all think I should try to switch this thing out to the modern Tele wiring? Is that reasonably easy to do? I've got the wiring diagram, the cap, and I can solder OK, but beyond that, it just looks foreign to me. I could probably do it cookbook style.

Also, although I love the sound of these PUs (or, I should say the bridge PU), the hum kind of bugs me. Any reason to think about trying one of Bill Lawrence's Tele-style humbuckers, or something similar?

Finally, any reason to install the 6-section bridge that they furnish as a replacement?

Thanks much. I know I'll never amount to anything with the Tele, but it sure is fun to play. Steel and twang - the combination can't be beat!

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 10 Feb 2001 11:46 am

Steve:
I can't help you on the re-wire. But nobody dies if it isn't done right. Just open 'er up and try again. I thought the PU's on my '52 Re-issue sounded great until I played the '51 No-caster Custom Shop job. Those PU's were bright, punchy, full of presence, and never shrill. Came home and played my '52 and found myself reaching for the tone knob to increase the treble and found it "maxed" already. They sounded muffled.
Anyway, about the bridge: I kept the brass three-saddle arrangement. It's a compromise on the intonation, but I like the sound that the brass provides. I set the intonation myself using a chromatic tuner and my ear - playing octaves and chords up and down the neck until things sounded "sweet". Kind of a pain in the rear, but the best way to average the intonation on the two-string saddles. If the Tele is your second instrument, great. You may never BE James Burton, but you can play him on TV!

Rob

Dave Brophy · Post by **Dave Brophy** » 10 Feb 2001 3:52 pm

Steve,
Almost everybody changes the wiring on the '52 RI to the "modern" design.
As far as hum goes,you could investigate shielding the guitar better or just go to a hum-cancelling pickup like Lawrence or Barden.The Lawrence pups are getting great reviews on the Tele Discussion Page http://www.tdpri.com./ and are a bargain.
I've got Bardens and love 'em,but they're real expensive.
Robert,
You can get those Nocaster bridge pickups from http://www.angela.com/ among other places.They're real popular,and I believe Seymour Duncan's "Broadcaster" bridge pup (also popular)sounds about the same.They're made like the '50-'53 'caster pickups and keep you out of "ice-pick in the ear" territory.

Terry Downs · Post by **Terry Downs** » 10 Feb 2001 4:04 pm

Robert,
I have wired several Telecasters like you have described. It works well to have the tone control out of the circuit with the bridge pickups. This schematic suggests values I regularly use, but you might want to experiment with the cap values. Does you existing wiring include a treble bypass capacitor?

------------------
Terry Downs
http://nightshift.net
terry@nightshift.net

[This message was edited by Terry Downs on 11 February 2001 at 02:09 PM.]

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 11 Feb 2001 7:28 am

Terry:
Thanks for the schematic. I'll print and save it. You said "neck pick-up out of the tone circuit" - and I'm thinking of taking the bridge PU out of the tone circuit. If you get the time can you tell me why you'd take the neck out of the tone circuit, and whether or not this wiring I'm going for will be OK. The new PU's won't be here for a few weeks, so I have time. Thanks. BTW, currently using standard post-'67 wiring.

Rob

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 11 Feb 2001 8:19 am

Steve--also not a picker. I've built a couple of guitars--one from parts, one from scratch, and I have a Squire Tele. Since I'm never going to achieve a playing level where the finesse of the components will matter (that last 2% of your sound) I changed out the bridge for a 6 saddle unit, just on general principle. The original is so crude. A fine picker can benefit from the original's tone and can compensate for the intonational compromises. But not me.
I also put a phase switch between the two pots, years ago. Gives a super thin, scratching tone. Has it's places, I suppose, but I've never used it much.

Terry Downs · Post by **Terry Downs** » 11 Feb 2001 2:10 pm

Duh...a typo on the neck pickup Robert. I corrected it to bridge above. Let me know if you need any other schematics.

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 12 Feb 2001 8:14 am

Dave said:

As far as hum goes,you could investigate shielding the guitar better...

How do you do that? I've tried several different cables, including GeoLs and some big fat, fancy, expensive-looking, pretty braided thing, but it still hums a lot.

The funny thing is this: the hum is particularly bad if I'm not touching the guitar. The minute I touch the strings or the switch/knob plate, the hum is cut in ~half. Do I need to wear rubber boots or something when I play this?

One last thing: Man oh Man...this sucker sounds good! Right into a Fender Vibrasonic or a Blues Deluxe with a little pedal delay and it is SWEET!

Thanks for any info.
Steve

Dave Brophy · Post by **Dave Brophy** » 12 Feb 2001 12:31 pm

Steve,
Here's a page with DIY instructions on shielding Tele pickups. http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/tele.html
A good guitar tech should be able to do it for not too much money,if you don't want to DIY.(Maybe 1-2 hours bench time?)
It should cut down a large portion of the hum.
Btw,I meant to add a note on the bridge saddles.A lot of people prefer the sound of the original 3-barrel bridges.Those large brass barrels contribute to the original Tele tone IMO.If you can't get it intonated to your satisfaction,you can buy "compensated" replacement saddles from Stew-Mac and other vendors.All they are is the same type saddles with with 2 of the 3 length-adjustment screws slightly bent.Old Tele trick to get better intonation.A gtr tech could bend yours for you too,if he knew Teles.
But lots of people just leave the 3 saddles as they are and compromise a hair on the intonation.Depends how picky you are.

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 12 Feb 2001 1:40 pm

Great site. Thanks, Dave.