I have just bought a Classic '60's Tele, and I was wondering if it modding the bridge with an AV '62 or Callaham bridge or changing the tuners would be an improvement, or if the Mexican hardware is pretty good.
I'm planning on changing the pups and pots, but haven't made my mind up about the other stuff.
Thanks to anyone who can help.
i've found that more often than not the mexi stuff is pretty darn good. pots are cts and switches are crl. so you already have the good stuff. changing the cap to a sprague or other high quality cap will help a little.
as for the pups, you can find better ones. but if they sound good already, try setting up the guitar and adjusting it a little before you take the plunge on pups.
as for the bridge, i've heard the callaham is awesome. i haven't used one or heard a guitar with one on it. so i cant really say what that'll do. as for me, i love the stock fender unit (old school three brass saddle unit). but some guitars really need to the compensated saddles.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
What Chuck said.
The guitar may be fine just the way it is. Set it up properly and play it for a little while. Then, if you see something that needs changing you'll know exactly what to change. You can actually make a guitar worse by indiscriminately changing parts. Just because a certain part is supposed to be of higher quality than the original, doesn't necessarily mean it will sound better in that particular guitar. Get to know your Tele before you mod it into mediocrity.
If you're bored, you're not groovin'.
Yeah, don't just change things just to change them.
That guitar should already have CTS pots and a CRL or equivalent switch in it.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the hardware on those either.
If you'd like to improve the tone here's a freebie-
Fezz Parka has a pic of a mod where you move the wire that connects the tone pot to the volume pot from the volume pot's outside lug to the middle lug. You solder it to the same lug as the wire going to the jack.
It'll help the guiter retain highs when you turn down the volume and it won't screw up the guitar's tone.
Thanks, guys, for the great help. Much appreciated!
Wait a second?
Are we all insane? Did we actually just tell someone NOT to mod the crap out of their guitar?!!!! LOL!
What have we become?! Mature?
If you're bored, you're not groovin'.
I had one of those. I sold it because the ultra-flamey neck was troublesome and rubbery. But, boy, it was a nice playing/feeling/sounding Tele. My first "real" Tele.
The ones, 50's too, I've played since were really solid guitars.:yay
I did put a Callaham bridge on mine, but I really could have sufficed w/just the cmpensated saddles. The neccesity of THAT varies from gtr to gtr. The steel vs brass thing is a matter of taste.
The only thing I'd definitely do right off the bat is file smooth any jagged edges off of the lip of the box bridge, near the corners.
If you DO happen to have the gtr apart, sand the bottom of the bridge flat and "true." A pretty good tip from George Gruhn.:yay
Play and enjoy. Over time the guitar & your ears'll tell you what you may need to do, if anything.
PS- I really liked the stock bridge p'up on mine.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Oops.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Originally Posted by Tele-Bob
i think we're just trying to keep onefrom spending too much money on a guitar mod wise, when if hetakes his time and finds out the nuance of his given guitar he can attack the mod successfully and succintly.
okay now my head is hurting from being responsible. i think i'll go lay down on some train tracks now... :ahem
good luck on your tele buddy!
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
I appreciate all of your momentary lapses into "maturity" for my sake. Thanks for the input and well wishes, and you may now all revert back into your normal, juvenile, gear-junkee selves.
FWIW, on my Esquire I used the Stew-Mac cheapie vintage three saddle. I think it cost less than $20. It's great.
My reasoning - it's probably closer to the real vintage peice than a $100 perfect one anyway.
Neo has a good point. Most of the MIM's I've seen with the vintage bridge have the front of the bridge lifting off the body a few thou. If so on yours, I'd consider a replacement, but otherwise it probably won't make a noticable difference.
It's all more for peice of mind than anything. When you put it through a compressor, TS-9, and into a cranked amp which is miked and pumped through the house sound, I doubt anyone in the crowd will be able to tell the difference.
Once you reach a certain volume level - it's going to sound more like the amp and effects than the guitar.
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
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