mystery tele build

[teleme01]

I bought a 4way harness from kellingsound88 *** Solderless Tele wiring harness, This is wired with a 4 way lever switch. CTS A250k Solid shaft pots. The volume has a .001 cap and 100k resistor for Treble bleed, the tone has a .047 Orange Drop. This is all wired with vintage push back wire and a Switchcraft jack. This comes with a diagram.

I find that there is a volume difference between position 1 and 2 vs position 3 and 4. I haven't yet learned how to adjust pickups height on a tele. The pickups do sound good.

 

[teleme01]

Have trouble posting pictures

 

[Rick]

Going in the right direction ! What's the switching set up ? You have the series option?

 

[teleme01]

4way I'm guessing that it's neck, neck and bridge parallel , neck and bridge series, and bridge. The bridge is louder, I'm going to have to take it back apart and remount them correctly. I don't think I have the plastic spacers on right.

 

[Rick]

 

[teleme01]

Well I have taken the guitar apart and did a little routing on the neck pickup cavity so that the pickup fits better in the hole however the screw holes for mounting the pickups is a little off and the strings are not directly above the poles, I also haven't solved the volume discrepancy. I think I may have found the solution, I ordered a $12 pickup ring. I don't know if it will solve the volume issue or maybe the volume difference is normal. The pickup works but I am thinking that I may have damaged it when I cut the ground to the pickups cover and soldered the new ground wire for the 4way switch. Would excess heat or solder drip allow the pickups to still work but rob volume?

 

[teleme01]

The mystery of how this would end up is answered. I added the neck ring and now the poles line up with the strings, however there is still a huge volume difference. Is this normal or did I mess up the pickup when I cut and replaced the ground wire for 4way?

 

[stratamania]

Is this normal or did I mess up the pickup when I cut and replaced the ground wire for 4way?

Have you also tried lowering the bridge pickup to balance with the neck volume?

It is possible you have messed something up, but was the pickup tested for volume etc before modifying it.

 

[teleme01]

Strat , I had no way to test the pickup before hand , the only harness I had was the 4way. I messaged porter and expecting a response, however after texting them I saw the faq where they covered the topic. I now have the bridge really low and the neck really close, almost touching the strings and it balances. Now the neck sounds hot and clean while the bridge has hum. Do I also need a extra ground to the bridge?

 

[stratamania]

Strat , I had no way to test the pickup before hand , the only harness I had was the 4way. I messaged porter and expecting a response, however after texting them I saw the faq where they covered the topic. I now have the bridge really low and the neck really close, almost touching the strings and it balances. Now the neck sounds hot and clean while the bridge has hum. Do I also need a extra ground to the bridge?

Good, and yes, it is a good idea to have a ground wire to the bridge.

 

[teleme01]

Thanks strat, I will try that 1st.

 

[teleme01]

Good, and yes, it is a good idea to have a ground wire to the bridge.

Thanks strat , I added the ground to the bridge and while there changed the t90 to the standard bridge pickup and now all 4 positions work. One problem was that I had the hot and ground reversed on the bridge. Sounds pretty dang good now.

 

[stratamania]

Thanks strat , I added the ground to the bridge and while there changed the t90 to the standard bridge pickup and now all 4 positions work. One problem was that I had the hot and ground reversed on the bridge. Sounds pretty dang good now.

Good to hear.

If the hot and ground were reversed, it would have also been out of phase when combined with the neck, giving a thinner sound.

 

[Lewguitar]

I am approaching finality on this one, porter 9t pickups are in the mail. Now I need a harness/control plate. Lots of options, any advice,?

Reverse the control plate like Bill Kirchen does.

I'm in the midst of a Tele build and that's what I'm going to do.

I like the idea of easier volume swells with my pinky.

 

[teleme01]

Reverse the control plate like Bill Kirchen does.

I'm in the midst of a Tele build and that's what I'm going to do.

I like the idea of easier volume swells with my pinky.

That guy is purty good.

 

[teleme01]

New Canary neck