Stimpsons TE52

stimpsonslostson

OK... So no further progress as yet, but I am doing plenty of research.

I'm currently trying to work out the best combination of Pots, caps and pickup. ANY advice is appreciated!

Pickup- 

Catswhisker TP90: Apparently it's tappable, so I can install a push/push pot & still get that "true" tele single coil twang at the push of a button.

Oil City Alligator- I've been an admirer of Ash's work for a while now & am sure this'd be a good investment.

Pots-

500k/250K? Push/push or pushpull? Log or linear? 

I'm THINKING 250k(trad tele I believe), pushpush volume, standard 250 tone, log for both.

caps- 

I need these for the Esquire mod, but I'm a biologist not a physicist, so am a bit lost! I think I'll find a good wiring diagram online & follow that, but will the extra grunt of a P90 mean I need to change the values?

ARRGGHH!! (I'm best doing my thinking NOW- the C-section is booked for 27/3/15 so as of that date I won't have a functional brain).

Roland

Pots: I'd put the push/push on the tone rather than volume pot. To my mind pickup tapping is more associated with tone than volume. Also, you tend to change the volume quickly when boosting for a solo, or even a short phrase, and it's not good if you tap the coil in your hurry and cut the volume you're trying to boost (or boost the volume you're trying to cut).  Push/pull may be easier to manufacture, and hence easier to buy, but I find them a pain to use.  However you do get a visual of whether it's on or off.

Caps: .22 is a good starting point. The actual value needed is going to depend on your pot values, choice of pickups, and personal preference.  I tend to experiment with cap values once the other variables are decided.

stimpsonslostson

Thanks @Roland.
I'll bear your advice in mind.
My thinking behind putting the pushpush on the volume is that position 1&3 of my esquire wiring will bypass the tone pot completely, so I'd need to have the switch on Vol for it to be in the circuit to maintain all my options.

Position1: Eldred cocked wah (caps->vol->Jack)
Position2: standard volume & tone
Position3: bypass tone (p'up->vol->Jack)

That's the plan.
I got the wiring diagram from premierguitar.com

Of course the switch is unnecessary if I go with the oil city p'up. I think that's the first decision I need to make.

stimpsonslostson

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Eldred_Esquire_Wiring

Roland

One of the reasons for starting with a .22 capacitor is that it's far easier to add more capacitance in parallel during testing than to take it away.  

For the same reason I prefer 500k pots because they're brighter, and it's easier to roll off brightness with the tone control than add it back in with pedals.  My Parker normally runs with the tone on 75%

Niallmo

If you use the 500k wit the Eldred mod it'll be like an ice pick with the bypassed setting. My Eldred has 250k and its "cutting", that's with a full wound original spec Broadcaster type pickup.

stimpsonslostson

Thanks @Niallmo. I'm still adjusting to the "brightness" of the tele as it is! I've totally come round to it in a band setting- it cuts through the mix really well, but I do find myself riding the tone pot when playing solo.

ab2014

Do you still have the pickguard, im getting a te30 in a few days and would like a black guard

stimpsonslostson

I do- However, I've made precisely ZERO progress since my last update... although I HAVE successfully kept my new daughter alive for 6weeks (and counting). I'm just about finding time to play for 20mins a day- still impressed with the overall quality of the TE52. It's a bargain!

The wife & daughters are going away for a couple of weeks in August- I have several big experiments scheduled for then in my lab so will never be home... except for a couple of days when I can leave things running and do my modding in peace!

If you still want it when I get around to actually doing some work on the guitar, the guard is yours.

damodai

I got one of these recently with the intention doing a few upgrades , I also got one of the Te-80's .

Quality wise I'd rate them JHS Vintage or Squier .... Hell they probably make them in the same factory ?

I've found nothing on either guitar that I really want to update , I thought they'd both definitely need something done (apart from setup).

I'm looking to you @Stimpsonslostson for inspiration and ideas

stimpsonslostson

Some MINOR progress is being made.
I've acquired a heat gun & soldering iron.
I've ordered my capacitors & a couple of other bits & bobs.

I also finally got around to taking off the control plate & having a look at the existing wiring and, more importantly, the quality of wood I'm dealing with- my whole refinish plan rests upon this being a solid slab body (no cheeky veneers).
This is what I found: the grain looks consistent throughout the depth of the body & matches the surface too! Phew.

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/04160EA6-C5A0-4659-8B54-FA8F30358D6A_zpsmr11df3z.jpg

stimpsonslostson

BIG changes tonight.
I used my soldering iron for the first time! (Having watched a YouTube tutorial). That along with a screwdriver resulted in this:

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/86CFD1DB-2FC2-4C41-AA2E-4DFD08E924B2_zpsxdpijvdj.jpg

All the screws are taped safely to the back of their respective parts, so hopefully I'll get it back together again!

Next up: Heat stripping poly at the lab & then using Wez's awesome tutorial for tru-oil finishing the guitar.

stimpsonslostson

Another day... Another update.
I fired up the heat gun.
Step1. This is messy... Cover your floor with newspaper. Gather your implements.

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/2F9CF38E-69D0-4C81-A643-739BC7F8C4E4_zpscpvuptof.jpg

Step 2: heat the finish with the gun. It'll start to bubble as it softens, get the scraper on there & GENTLY scrape the soft finish off.
I suggest starting on the back, or as I did, under the pick guard- so any scorching won't ruin your aesthetic.
Here's mid way.
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/C513F8E1-19C2-4085-BDAF-452E02522237_zpshwu7y7xm.jpg

After a while you'll end up with bare wood. The edges are hard to do, I'll tidy up using sandpaper in a day or two as there's quite a lot of the undercoat in the contours.

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b625/stimpsonslostson/Mobile Uploads/93F84BD0-8C3B-4D3D-AC88-E882345FA662_zpspgixoz4o.jpg

There's a scorch near the horn on mine- it'll be covered, but overall it looks ok.
Of slightly greater concern is the crack that's opened up a bit at the join of the two pieces of the body. It's thin, not deep & only on the top of the guitar.
I intend to fill it by injecting it (working in a lab means hypodermic needles are easy to get) with thin wood glue & wood dust.
Any expert advice on this course of action is appreciated.

Hopefully that'll be it ready for finer sanding & oiling. I'll keep you posted.

Sarge

Good going.
It looks like you've gone too hot on the poly, it really only needs gently warming for it to start to lift, if it's bubbling it'll be a messy affair, plus too hot will melt the glue in the joins.
It's going to look great though.

stimpsonslostson

Yup. Rookie error, but the glue in the joins will be salvageable hopefully. It's still completely solid, I intend to fill the crack more for the look than from a structural need. Plus, it's a good place to learn.

The back is better- I'd got the hang of warm & move rather than focusing on one spot.

Glad you like it.

JohnB

Looking good - a bit of glue ans sanding dust should fill that ok - control the spread of the glue as best you can as it will affect how the oil penetrates the surface a bit.  Should oil finish really well - wish my cheap HB S-type was that nice under the finsh, I am left with a rattle can solid finish to do which is waaaaaay out of my comfort zone

Sarge

I just reread my last post there, sorry for coming over all high and mighty, not intended at all, I'm a rookie meself dontcha know

Is this going to be stained or just oiled? Either way it's a nice grain and will look tops!

Andyjr1515

That's looking good As @JohnB says, any PVA smears will show with stained or oiled finishes. Give it all a GOOD sanding ( you'll also find that any scorch marks go quite deep) and then wipe with a damp cloth. Any remaining PVA will show as lighter patches. Just sand down to where they don't show anymore.

stimpsonslostson

Thanks again.
Today I gently sanded the area near the cracks, guided the resulting dust into the crack & then injected Titebond wood glue until they were filled.
Next, carefully wiped up any excess glue/dust mix.
It looks really good, all the cracks have totally vanished.
I'll leave it 24hrs at least for the glue to set and then start sanding off the remaining imperfections.
There's no rush... My wife isn't massively impressed with me covering the spare room in wood dust again yesterday!

Regarding the scorching, it actually looks quite cool now I've cleaned it up a bit. I can see me NOT removing it completely... We shall see.

I also had my first experiment with cutting an LP into a pick guard.
Method 1: red hot scalpel, good clean result, but slow... 1" at a time.
Method 2: Dremmel cutting disc. Fast & easy. A bit messy & imprecise.
Method 3: LP into HOT oven for a couple of minutes, this softens it so it could neatly be cut with strong scissors. When it starts to harden, rewarm & repeat.

I think I'll rough it out with the Dremmel, then use a hot knife & oven to finesse the shape, followed by a final sand & polish to give a good result.
As with all such things, patience is key.

stimpsonslostson

So... Wiring question.
My wiring diagram looks like this:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/just-pickups/108696d1326250008-esquire-wiring-eldred-mod-eldred-mod-esquire-jpg

But my guitar switch looks like this:
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/rh9159/3_way__tele_switch.jpg

Can anyone tell me how this kind of switch should be wired to pair up with the diagram? (Or even just how the lugs pair up?)
I could always get a standard switch, but this one works fine. So I'm reluctant to do so.