Telecaster Help

CiaranK

Hi all,

I am hoping some of you can help me out. I've been trying to decide on what guitar to get for some time. I keep changing my mind. Tele, Strat, Tele, Les Paul, Strat... I think I have found what I want. I don't know if it can be done. I want to get a Telecaster, But I want to put in a middle pickup. A neck Humbucker and I want to have a 5 way switch. I think the best positions would be; Humbucker, Humbucker & Neck, Neck, Neck & Bridge, Bridge. That way I can have the traditional tele sounds and then have the added humbucker with it for solo stuff. Just a more versatile guitar. Is this possible to be done? Would it effect the sound of the guitar drilling for the humbucker and would the humbucker be too loud compared to the other pickups, I would probably need an extra volume knob for just the humbucker right? Can that be done? And then how much would it cost? I want to get it out of a shop rather than online. I was thinking X-music, do they have somebody that does work like that. I know Waltons do. I hope you can help me.

Thanks,

Ciarán.

Mataguri

CiaranK wrote: »

I want to get a Telecaster, But I want to put in a middle pickup. A neck Humbucker and I want to have a 5 way switch. I think the best positions would be; Humbucker, Humbucker & Neck, Neck, Neck & Bridge, Bridge. That way I can have the traditional tele sounds and then have the added humbucker with it for solo stuff. Just a more versatile guitar. Is this possible to be done?

Yes

CiaranK wrote: »

Would it effect the sound of the guitar drilling for the humbucker and would the humbucker be too loud compared to the other pickups, I would probably need an extra volume knob for just the humbucker right?

The bulk of the wood is still there so it wont make too much of a difference. As for volume differences just find a humbucker that has a similar output level to the single coil you wish to use and it will be fine. Also lowering the pickup with reduce its percieved output.

You wont need a seperate volume knob for the humbucker but you can always install one if you feel the need.

As for cost I'd imagine it wouldnt be cheap to get this work done in the shops in town. Ideally you should pickup a Nashville Tele or a Nashville Tele body like mine below:



It already has a large enough route for a middle single and a neck humbucker.

CiaranK

Mataguri wrote: »

Yes



The bulk of the wood is still there so it wont make too much of a difference. As for volume differences just find a humbucker that has a similar output level to the single coil you wish to use and it will be fine. Also lowering the pickup with reduce its percieved output.

You wont need a seperate volume knob for the humbucker but you can always install one if you feel the need.

As for cost I'd imagine it wouldnt be cheap to get this work done in the shops in town. Ideally you should pickup a Nashville Tele or a Nashville Tele body like mine below:



It already has a large enough route for a middle single and a neck humbucker.

Thanks very much for the reply! I glad it can be done. I'd imagine the pickup would be €100-150 approx. I can see where the best place to get it done is closer to the time. It will probably be a few months before it is done. I'll probably go in to town or X-music and chat to somebody who i've bought stuff from previously. Thanks again.

rgjmce

i think if you really want your perfect guitar, you should really consider warmoth. www.warmoth.com they make custom bodies and necks. I haven't done one but I've heard they are amazing.

CiaranK

rgjmce wrote: »

i think if you really want your perfect guitar, you should really consider warmoth. www.warmoth.com they make custom bodies and necks. I haven't done one but I've heard they are amazing.

I've heard good things about them before. Do they put it together or do you have to do that your self. I was never any good at doing anything with wood. Would be a bit nervous trying to do it myself. Would it work out much cheaper? Looks like it would be.

rgjmce

CiaranK wrote: »

I've heard good things about them before. Do they put it together or do you have to do that your self. I was never any good at doing anything with wood. Would be a bit nervous trying to do it myself. Would it work out much cheaper? Looks like it would be.

you would have to put together yourself but you get someone else to do it for you if your nervous about it. Yeah I spent a while thinking about doing a custom strat HSH set up, the cheapest was about 500 but really depending on what you want, cool paintjob, neck etc, the price would go up a bit but not too much