Yep it's regularly talked about on the forums, people often buy pickups and decide its not what they expected. Tim then asks what they were looking for and he will point them at something more suitable.
If you are unhappy with any pickup purchased directly from Bare Knuckle Pickups or would like to exchange it for another model, return the pickup in its original condition by registered mail within 14 days of purchase date and we will either exchange or refund the pickup.
Does mean you have to be able to solder, but if you email Tim with the guitar, amp and tone you are after he will point you at the most suitable pickup. I think Seymour Duncan used to do the same thing but obviously US is not viable shipping.
Yes I'm able to solder (I worked as an Electronics Engineer when I left the Navy many years ago). Trouble is it's hard to describe what I want compared to now other than 'less dull'. I'll have to give it some thought though and contact Tim just incase he suggests alternatives to the Riff Riff/Mule combo. If not I'm sure it'll be a good base to start from in any case.
I finally decided what to do with my old cheapy Affinity Telecaster since it wasn't getting played much once I got my MIM 50s Classic Telecaster. After a fantastic holiday in Cuba last month I got an itch for a 'Surf Green' guitar, but couldn't justify the cost of the limited choices I found (even allowing some small trade in with the Affinity).
Instead I've converted it to an 'Esquire', but with two twists; one is that the bridge pick up will be a humbucker (in a single coil size for ease of build) and two that the control panel would be blank with no switches or pots on it. The second was inspired by a blank panel I came across when looking for the Esquire pickguard. The idea is to drill them for whatever controls are needed, but I think it looks great without.
The pick up hasn't arrived yet, but I drilled for the new bridge and pickguard yesterday. Today I thought I'd put it together as is so I could check the action/intonation incase I'd made any mistakes and need to drill again before I respray it. As I'd done some measurements of string length to saddles beforehand it looks like it paid off because I had plenty of adjustment and the intonation and action is fine. It's a wider string spacing than the original bridge (though the nut is still narrow) but it seems to work fine. I had debated getting a 21 fret 'vintage' neck, but then the whole thing becomes a bit like Trigger's new broom.
This is before as a reminder:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/tele-close-up-jpg.717420/
Inspired by some cars and building in Cuba:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/cuba-3-edit-jpg.717421/
And this building (amongst many others, sorry for the wrong orientation despite me editing it):
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/cuba-1-edit-jpg.717423/
This is so far. I got most of the bits from here:
Axecaster, Build it how you want it
The bridge and control plate were B stock, but TBH look like new to me anyway. The pickguard is off white which looks less jarring than the pure white it had before. I got the metal jack socket from eBay for £3.25 inc postage to replace the original cracked plastic one. I might get one for my Epiphone Les Paul as well now.
Square JACK SOCKET, PLATE & SCREWS to fit LP Style Guitar - Chrome Black or Gold
The pick up is a Seymour Duncan little '59 humbucker, which is a single coil size. I've listened to loads of clips, but until it comes I won't know for sure if it's really going to be what I want. I'm hoping I'll end up with a sort of Les Paul Junior type vibe with this guitar, but different enough from my LP Studio with the P90s and my 50s Classic Telecaster too of course.
Little ’59 Tele | Seymour Duncan
Including the pick up it has all come to just over £105, plus a can of paint/a half litre of Surf Green lacquer (I might yet dig out my old car spray gun). Sure it's twice what I paid for the guitar 14 years ago, but if nothing else it'll be a nice reminder of a great holiday that I can play as well.
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/esquire-1-jpg.717425/ https://www.avforums.com/attachments/esquire-2-jpg.717426/ https://www.avforums.com/attachments/esquire-3-jpg.717427/
Only three small holes to fill before the respray, the three under the pickguard don't even show of course:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/esquire-4-jpg.717428/
I got the SD little '59 pick up today, so I managed to wire it in without having to restring again. I've wired it directly to the jack and with the full humbucker connected (ie the red/white wires are linked and then covered with tape). Straight into the JMP1-H it sounds really meaty and has quite a lot more output than my 50s Classic Telecaster (which has the Fender OV pickups that were previously to this blue Telecaster).
I think the objective is achieved in that they look similar, but have quite different tones and feel (the Affinity Tele has a flatter fingerboard and the string spacing at the nut is a bit narrower than the 50s Classic). It's more of a 'rock' guitar than the 50s Classic, without even adding a separate pedal in front of the Marshall.
I just need to strip it down and respray it in Surf Green as per the original plan, plus I will fit a custom headstock decal in a 50s style font with 'Cubacaster' in the name. I'll have to do this soon because the temptation to just play it is very strong. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/esquire-5-jpg.718300/ https://www.avforums.com/attachments/esquire-6-jpg.718301/
Well...a month on and I still haven't stripped it down to respray it as I've just been playing it. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 To be fair our house is upside down as we've had the builders in and my living room is a building site as I've been stripping it all out ready for them. I put my other guitars and amps away and just leave this one out as my go to guitar when I fancy an 'acoustic' strum.
Tonight I remembered the little 'free' Orange 12 watt combo I got when I bought my 'posh' Telecaster as it was tucked away 'in case it came in handy'. In my temporary kitchen practice room it didn't sound half bad playing the 'Cubacaster' through it, playing along to this term's songs via the kitchen TV (yes really, no soundbar, speakers whatever).
Maybe it's the natural reverb with all the tiled/hard surfaces but I had a ball, even singing along at times since no one was in earshot data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7. It just shows that you don't need expensive gear to have fun and make a (reasonable) sound.
I would like to have it painted in a month's time as we're doing our next end of term gig and I'd like to play it. Just depends on how much I can resist playing it through the little Orange. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I've posted a bit on the XBox/Rocksmith section, but just to add a few photos of my latest amp acquisition. It's a used Fender Blues Junior Tweed edition, with an upgraded Celestion Greenback speaker. It has a lovely juicy clean tone with my Strat and Tele guitars, which is a nice contrast to my Epi Les Paul with the Marshall JMP1H, Vox or Orange amps.
With the Strat:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/bj-strat-3-jpg.757082/
On it's own:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/bj-front-2-jpg.757083/
A celebration of all things Tweed:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/tweed-x3-jpg.757084/
Love the look of your teles, gorgeous data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
The 50s Classic looks a bit pink in that photo, but it's a semi see through vintage white really:
https://www.avforums.com/attachments/p1060559-jpg.757090/