TL-1 Build Improvements

[WeirdBits]

Woks, the standard Bridge-only Esquire wiring basically gives three flavours of bridge:
1. Volume only, no tone (slightly hotter and brighter).
2. Volume and tone control (warmer sound).
3. Fixed treble roll-off/filter caps with volume control, no tone (darker sound, slightly less output).

Then there are other variations with different filter cap setups, bypassing the volume as well as tone, etc.

[wokkaboy]

cool thanks for explaining that Scott, I figured it would be something like that with the additional capacitors.
It's a clever way to vary the sound with only one bridge pup

[TheDangerMan]

Hey lads,

Thanks all for your tips and help - Always like to have new ideas on the back burner!
As far as the pickup selection goes, for this guy i'm going to have it pretty 'basic'.
My favourite guitar (Mexican Tele that I have had for about 10 years) is a two pickup beast, however I never touch the bridge so im really a one pickup kind of guy.

Going to resume re-screwing the bridge in place (Because of the pickup, the position of the bridge has gone out so ill make sure to get that spot on in the next few days) but ill be sure to post some progress pics when I get it done

Cheers,
TDM

[TheDangerMan]

Hey guys,

So I was going to start a new thread but instead of bothering the admins I wanted to direct a question to anyone who knows much about routers/routing.
The DangerCasters pickup replacement seems to be a smidge too big for the cavity which is pre-routed, at the risk of sounding like a newbie, is it worth me going to get a router to do a proper job in making the cavity wider?
I was thinking about getting a router for another, non-PBG build anyway but I thought I would ask on here if anyone could recommend me a good brand? And whether I can get away with using a 'Trim Router'?
Thanks!

[pablopepper]

For enlarging a pickup rout, a 'trimming' hand held router is perfect and if you have need for it elsewhere, yes I think totally worth it. If you're planning on cutting bodies, a larger 'plunge' router would be better, but not 100% necessary. I have Makita hand held routers that have been used daily for 15 years with very few problems (mind you, the older style which you can't get anymore).

[TheDangerMan]

Cheers for that Pablopepper!

I went ahead and bought a little wireless router (which is an awesome little thing!) and routed the cavity out to fit the pickup, so now its all finished!

After a quick solder and restring, here is the finished DangerCaster with mods!

The arm cut and the two other cuts on the back help out hugely with the play-ability of the thing. I dont really know what I did with the wiring but it sounds pretty wicked.
The neck is the original , but with a few modifications. Not the prettiest, but I love the way it plays and sounds so a little rough looking I can deal with!

Cheers for all the tips and tricks, learnt a lot from doing these mods

TDM

[wokkaboy]

looks good Danger, well done on the mods. So no neck pickup, is that a mini humbucker you fit ?
what does the 3 way switch do now ?

[Fretworn]

Looks great!

[TheDangerMan]

Hey Woks,
Yeah thats right, just the one humbucker sized single coil. Its weird, the pickup seems to split the blades in the humbucker so I get two single coils then both (i.e. the humbucker). Not sure if its intended, but it sounds pretty sweet!
Such a better fit to what it was when I first started!

Cheers all!

[wokkaboy]

nice work Danger, think you meant to type the switch splits the blades haha