Telecaster wiring. Modern Vs Vintage

[-Shaun-]

Hi,

I was wondering if you knowledgeable chaps could help me with something.

I’m in the process of changing the wiring in my Fender CS 63 Tele to modern wiring with a 4way switch. Currently it has the old style wiring, were when the switch is set to the neck pickup it sounds as if the tone control were rolled off.

Like is

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=1953_tele

One thing is confusing me, the wire which grounds the bridge. My current wiring doesn’t have it, but modern wiring needs it. So..

1)   How/where do you attach the wire to the bridge?

2)   Why is it the old style wiring doesn’t require this ground?

Thanks

Shaun

[Philly Q]

In most Teles, the bridge is grounded through the bridge pickup's metal base plate - the bridge is in contact with the three pickup mounting screws, which are screwed into the base plate, which has a ground wire attached to it.

Modern Teles like the American Standard often don't have a metal base plate on the pickup, so there's a separate ground wire for the bridge.  There's a hole drilled from under the bridge plate to the pickup cavity.  You need a wire with the insulation stripped off the last 1/2" or so - this bit of bare wire is trapped between the bridge and body, then the wire feeds through the pickup cavity and into the control cavity, and is grounded on the back of a pot.

[Philly Q]

Coming back to your original plan, for the 4-way wiring I don't think you necessarily need a ground wire for the bridge (if your bridge pickup has a base plate), because you're never "switching" the hot and ground wires on the bridge pickup, so the base plate remains connected to ground.  

You are "switching" the hot and ground wires on the neck pickup, though, so you need a separate ground wire for the neck pickup's cover.

[-Shaun-]

Wow! Thank you for the indepth reply. Thats everything i wanted to know.  :D

[Philly Q]

No problem.  Let us know how the Tele turns out!  :) 

[-Shaun-]

Ok, so I’ve swapped out the switch and the pickups and wired it as per this diagram...

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=tele_4ws

....minus the wire to the bridge and wire soldered to the back of each pot.

Everything is working as it should and sounding great. However, whenever I am not touching the metal parts of the guitar it buzzes and if I rapidly take my finger on and off the metal parts there is a crackling/popping noise. I assume this is some sort of ground issue? Does anyone know the best way to fix this? Thanks.

[Philly Q]

Hmmm, if it's quiet when you touch the metal parts it suggests the string/bridge ground is OK at least. 

Dis you add the extra wire for the neck pickup cover, and make sure the pickup's ground wire is no longer connected to the cover?

[-Shaun-]

Yes, the extra wire was added to the neck by the guys at BKP so i would assume thats not the issue. Hmm, maybe its time to get a pro involved. :?

Philly, thank you for all the help!

[Philly Q]

I can't think of anything else.... is the problem the same in all 4 positions on the switch?

I wonder if it's worth trying a bridge ground wire after all?  I can't think why you'd need one, but it couldn't do any harm, and you could try it without drilling holes or wiring it in permanently.


I'm interested to know more about the guitar, by the way - is it one of the recent '63 Heavy Relics?   Got a picture?  :)

[AndyR]

I'm always interested why I read threads about this sort of buzz.

How loud is it? Are we talking loud and interferes with the notes when you're playing? If so, yes, I think there's a problem.

Or are we talking about an annoying buzz/hum that is audible if the room is silent, but if you strum the guitar, leave it ringing and stop touching metal parts... then you can't actually hear it?

If it's the latter, then ALL my guitars, for thirty years, do this. Every standard pickup guitar I've ever played plugged in does it. It's what they do. It does shows up more on single coil guitars. It gets better or worse depending on the building/room you're in and the standard of the wiring in the place.

My current place is particularly bad - I too get a click when I make/break connection with the guitar's metal parts. But I have done gigs where it's even worse - and I had to make sure I either turned the volume down or kept hold of the neck/strings between songs... let go and a big hum would appear. It the AC cycle of the power supply in the building.

(Apologies if you know this anyway, and what you're actually experiencing is this noise that might cause visits from the neighbours! :lol: It's just that, in the past, I've come across guys going "there's something wrong with my guitar's wiring", and I can go "no, it's cool, all mine do it too, listen...")