Ordered a whole bunch of parts from GFS

[Robert]

I finally got around to order parts for my guitars. I got pots, bridges, wire, input jacks, 5-way switches, you name it - just so I can upgrade some of my cheap guitars. Got a '51 replacement bridge too. I went kinda a crazy at GuitarFetish.com and got a lot of stuff, but now I should be set for a while.

The only thing they didn't have were nuts - I want to replace them on all my cheap guitars. Should be fun to get my guitars fixed up a bit!

I have scratchy pots on a couple so that will be nice to get rid of.

[oldguy]

Congratulations, Robert! Always nice to have the guitars playing nice and in good working order. Are GF's prices good? I haven't heard of them before.
Glenn

[sunvalleylaw]

I finally got around to order parts for my guitars. I got pots, bridges, wire, input jacks, 5-way switches, you name it - just so I can upgrade some of my cheap guitars. Got a '51 replacement bridge too. I went kinda a crazy at GuitarFetish.com and got a lot of stuff, but now I should be set for a while.

The only thing they didn't have were nuts - I want to replace them on all my cheap guitars. Should be fun to get my guitars fixed up a bit!

I have scratchy pots on a couple so that will be nice to get rid of.


Nice! Might be fun to see a parts list to see what parts could be considered for upgrading enconomical axes.

[Robert]

GuitarFetish have really good prices, and the parts seem good quality from what I've heard.

Steve, I just got a bunch of different things like I mentioned. Most of it is for backup and fun improvement projects, like fixing scratchy pots and crappy input jacks.

[Plank_Spanker]

DVM will be proud of you. :D

[NPauly]

You'll have to let us know what you think of the GFS '51 bridge. I'm thinking of picking one up for my "project" '51, but I'm also considering just putting Graph Tech saddles on the stock bridge. I'm curious to hear what your thoughts are ...

[Hogfullofblues]

Sounds like THE place for parts. Thanks for the tip, I already put them in my favorites for future reference.
Robert, did you get a new volume/tap from them for your '51 too?

[Robert]

Yes, Hog, I did. I hope it works better.

[marnold]

Make sure to let us know how the '51 mods go. I changed the strings on mine when I set it up and didn't find it to be too huge of a pain. I could definitely see replacing the volume pot though.

[tremoloman]

Robert, please post an update and your opinions on the upgrades when you can. I'm very interested in replacing the '51 bridge to get rid of the dang buzzing myself.

Funny thing is GuitarFetish.com is in my state of Taxachusetts, so I can get my stuff in a day. Maybe I'll stop being cheap and just get it!

[kerc]

I wrote a simple review of the '51 bridge in the "Reviews" forum here. :) In summary, it's a good improvement over the stock one.

[stingx]

Guitar Fetish is an excellent online business. I highly recommend their GFS Boutique PAF humbuckers. I bought them to replace the Duncan Designed ones in my Schecter Elite. They sound fantastic. I can't believe how cheap their parts are. Just an excellent company. Oh, almost forgot...my pickups arrived 2 days after ordering. http://members.shaw.ca/wenpigsfly/smileys/thumb.gif

Here's a picture of them in the Schecter.

http://www.stubble.org/temp/guitars/schecterPT-GFS-002.jpg

[Tone2TheBone]

Nice looking guitar and zebra pups. I love zebra pups. How much were those GFS Boutique PAFs?

[stingx]

Tone, I think about $68 bucks for both including shipping. They really do sound fantastic.

[F_BSurfer]

I've ordered from them couple times excellent place have some pots and pickups on the way now

[Robert]

I got my parts today. Looking forward to making some improvements to my guitars! I'll be back with more details once I find the time to get started. Maybe on the weekend.

[Tone2TheBone]

Rob do a parts replacement photo tutorial.....

[Robert]

I wrote up a little story of my upgrading experience. Read it here - http://www.dolphinstreet.com/blog/squier-51-upgraded-bridge-replaced.php

I'll add pictures later.

[Tone2TheBone]

Rob, saw your dolphin site and read your descriptions. How does the volume knob on the '51 act? What do you want it to do? It's a push/pull knob that splits the coil on the humbucker right? Shoot me an email.

[Robert]

It's a push/pull that does a coil split yes. The volume knob doesn't clean up so well - it mostly reduces volume. I want to behave like my Tele knob but maybe that's how it wired? I don't know enough about wiring these thingamabobs.

[abraxas]

It's a push/pull that does a coil split yes. The volume knob doesn't clean up so well - it mostly reduces volume. I want to behave like my Tele knob but maybe that's how it wired? I don't know enough about wiring these thingamabobs.

Robert, just read your review.

What you want to do with the volume pot is called "treble bleeding" and it's commonly done by wiring a resistor across the two hot terminals of the volume pot. There is a better solution that I've used and can be found here:

http://www.kinman.com/html/toneWorkshop/perfectGuitar.htm#volumePots

Hope this helps. ;)

[Robert]

Thanks a lot Abraxas! I just gotta go find that kind if resistor somewhere. That should fix it. Thanks again - live and learn!

[marnold]

Is that the way your Tele is wired?

[abraxas]

Thanks a lot Abraxas! I just gotta go find that kind if resistor somewhere. That should fix it. Thanks again - live and learn!

Robert, something important I forgot to mention. Is the volume pot on the 51, logarithmic? Log pots are usually stamped with "A", but sometimes they're not. If not, volume increase/drop will be linear, no matter what.

Those resistors/capacitors can be found in every electronics store.

[r_a_smith3530]

Just as a comparison, I am currently getting genuine CTS pots for $4.50 each. CTS is generally what you will find inside of either Gibson or Fender Custom Shop instruments, and domestic G&L's. Also, genuine SwitchCraft jacks can be had for about $3.50 or so. The original CTS pots in both my old '83 G&L S-500 and my '84 Gibson Les Paul Studio were absolutely flawless, with nary a hint of extraneous noise throughout their range. There are other places where I will cut costs but switches, pots and jacks aren't one.

My recent fretless SX jazz style bass upgrade is a perfect case in point. Taking in the three pots and the jack, I would have saved less than ten dollars by swapping out the noticeably scratchy stock pots for ones that are virtual duplicates. Instead, I got hardware that will outlast the bass in question!

I also did the same recently for my kid's neglected Squire Affinity Strat. Here, I used GFS pickups (the Texas Hots), because I didn't want to throw $150 worth of Duncan pickups into a $150 guitar, but again, to get the most out of those GFS pickups, I went with CTS and Switchcraft hardware, replacing the pots, jack, and 5-way. I ended up with an instrument that I am not embarrassed in the least to hand off to a visitor for a jam session. I've already received several very favorable comments on the guitar.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Thanks for the info Rob. Last night I replaced the strings on my Godin Radiator
and decided to take off the huge MOTS pickguard & take a look inside.

The two volume & one tone pots were all 250K. There was a green capacitor (I assume that is what it was) across the tone pot, but there were no markings on it. Do you have an idea what type of capacitor that might be?

[sunvalleylaw]

Just as a comparison, I am currently getting genuine CTS pots for $4.50 each. CTS is generally what you will find inside of either Gibson or Fender Custom Shop instruments, and domestic G&L's. Also, genuine SwitchCraft jacks can be had for about $3.50 or so. The original CTS pots in both my old '83 G&L S-500 and my '84 Gibson Les Paul Studio were absolutely flawless, with nary a hint of extraneous noise throughout their range. There are other places where I will cut costs but switches, pots and jacks aren't one.

My recent fretless SX jazz style bass upgrade is a perfect case in point. Taking in the three pots and the jack, I would have saved less than ten dollars by swapping out the noticeably scratchy stock pots for ones that are virtual duplicates. Instead, I got hardware that will outlast the bass in question!

I also did the same recently for my kid's neglected Squire Affinity Strat. Here, I used GFS pickups (the Texas Hots), because I didn't want to throw $150 worth of Duncan pickups into a $150 guitar, but again, to get the most out of those GFS pickups, I went with CTS and Switchcraft hardware, replacing the pots, jack, and 5-way. I ended up with an instrument that I am not embarrassed in the least to hand off to a visitor for a jam session. I've already received several very favorable comments on the guitar.

Great information. Thank you. When I do get a guitar for my kid, or a backup for me, I will be looking into that. What is your source for the CTS and Switchcraft parts?

[Tone2TheBone]

Thanks for the info Rob. Last night I replaced the strings on my Godin Radiator
and decided to take off the huge MOTS pickguard & take a look inside.

The two volume & one tone pots were all 250K. There was a green capacitor (I assume that is what it was) across the tone pot, but there were no markings on it. Do you have an idea what type of capacitor that might be?

tOt - a ceramic tone capacitor...probably either .022 micro farad or .047 micro farad most likely the .022

[r_a_smith3530]

Great information. Thank you. When I do get a guitar for my kid, or a backup for me, I will be looking into that. What is your source for the CTS and Switchcraft parts?

Usually, I get stuff from Torres Engineering, but sometimes from Allparts. I also get stuff from my friend Steve.

Torres Engineering (http://www.torresengineering.com/index.html)

Allparts (http://www.allparts.com/cmtpage.php?filename=Home)

My friend Steve, a.k.a. Guitar Pro Shop (http://www.guitarproshop.com/)

BTW, if you are in Illinois and need some really high class work done, Steve is your "go to" guy. If I broke a headstock, Steve is the only guy (outside of Dan Erlewine) that I would trust to make it right. I have seen Steve put Humpty Dumpty back together again numerous times!

[kerc]

You can get CTS pots (and a LOT of other stuf) from Guitarpartsresource.com. Quick service and easy to deal with.

:)

I put CTS pots in my First Act ME501 and it did wonders for the sound..."Opened" up the tone. It already has nice Alnico humbuckers, so this axe is sounding pretty good.

[sunvalleylaw]

You can get CTS pots (and a LOT of other stuf) from Guitarpartsresource.com. Quick service and easy to deal with.

:)

I put CTS pots in my First Act ME501 and it did wonders for the sound..."Opened" up the tone. It already has nice Alnico humbuckers, so this axe is sounding pretty good.


Thanks guys. I have bookmarked all yourlinks in my Music bookmarks folder. Will have to split that folder up soon due to how full it is getting. :p

[Robert]

Are the CTS pots much better than the GuitarFetish pots? I don't really know what the difference is.

[F_BSurfer]

right now the only differance between the GFS and Cts pots is cosmetic and not functional have not test any of push pull pots from GFS will soon as far as there 250 k and 500 k pots though they all have been more than acceptable they have a narrower shaft and longer shaft

[r_a_smith3530]

right now the only differance between the GFS and Cts pots is cosmetic and not functional have not test any of push pull pots from GFS will soon as far as there 250 k and 500 k pots though they all have been more than acceptable they have a narrower shaft and longer shaft

Time is the judge of a great pot, and CTS has stood the test of time in countless guitars and amplifiers. Come back in twenty or thirty years and repeat that statement about there being no functional difference between CTS and the Alphas! Alpha pots are not of the same quality as CTS. There is a visible difference in the assembly quality, and if you take the two apart, you will see the difference inside as well, with better quality bushings, reostats, and wipers in the CTS product.

There is a reason why CTS pots are spec'd for top end guitars, and also why they are the pot of choice for the top luthiers in the country. If you look into the control cavity of an old Fender Tele, or the control panel of a silverface Twin Reverb, you will find CTS.

My 1984 Les Paul was getting ready for a refret job, but its original CTS pots were working as well as on the day it was new. Similarly, my '83 G&L S500's CTS pots (all 1981 date codes) worked just as flawlessly. I can also say the same for my '85 G&L L-2000 bass, as its pots, per Leo's specs, are CTS.

Anyway, YMMV, but that extra dollar is cheap insurance against the sound of static as I adjust my volume or tone. For that reason, I choose CTS.

[Tim]

I put 500 K CTS pots in my Tele Custom. I loose a lot of volume and frequency when going from 10 - 8 on the volume dial. Anything below 8 really affects the tone. By the time I turn down to 4 or 3, I only have a flat response signal. I am using a .022 cap on the neck pup and a .047 cap on the bridge. Is this normal response to the CTS pots?

[duhvoodooman]

I put 500 K CTS pots in my Tele Custom. I loose a lot of volume and frequency when going from 10 - 8 on the volume dial. Anything below 8 really affects the tone. By the time I turn down to 4 or 3, I only have a flat response signal. I am using a .022 cap on the neck pup and a .047 cap on the bridge. Is this normal response to the CTS pots?
Tim, sounds like you should try that "treble bleed" technique described in the Kinman link in Abraxas' post further up this thread....

[tot_Ou_tard]

I put 500 K CTS pots in my Tele Custom. I loose a lot of volume and frequency when going from 10 - 8 on the volume dial. Anything below 8 really affects the tone. By the time I turn down to 4 or 3, I only have a flat response signal. I am using a .022 cap on the neck pup and a .047 cap on the bridge. Is this normal response to the CTS pots?
Tim,

Not that I know what I'm talking about, but were those linear or logarithmic tapers?

I'm looking for strat-style saddle intonation *Screws & Springs*. I don't need new saddles only the adjustment screws. I couldn't find them at guitarpartsresource.com, nor at Stewart Mac. Anybody know where I can get these? I should probably email those sites, I'm sure that they *must* have them.

[Johnny Z]

Oh yea they do a good job at GFS. I picked up some tele parts and a tele type staggered Humbucker for the neck, sounds wonderful, now I can finally play decent jazz on my Tele. I'll be getting a few parts for a Hard Tail Strat I'm building.

[ShortBuSX]

Tim,

Not that I know what I'm talking about, but were those linear or logarithmic tapers?

I'm looking for strat-style saddle intonation *Screws & Springs*. I don't need new saddles only the adjustment screws. I couldn't find them at guitarpartsresource.com, nor at Stewart Mac. Anybody know where I can get these? I should probably email those sites, I'm sure that they *must* have them.

What kinda saddles do you have? Ive got 6 import saddles with all the hardware youre talking about...and Im also fixin to replace all 6 saddles on my Strat too(import as well), BUT my point being is Ive gotta find the saddles AND the hardware is almost always in the same catagory. So if the import parts arent good enough Ill get you a link...okay?

[ShortBuSX]

Bridge height adjustment screws(link) (http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/screws_bridge.htm)

Im guessing youve got the American saddles...as mine arent all the same lenght, and I could also use some longer ones to get my intontation spot on.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Bridge height adjustment screws(link) (http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/screws_bridge.htm)

Im guessing youve got the American saddles...as mine arent all the same lenght, and I could also use some longer ones to get my intontation spot on.

Yeah, I'm looking for longer screws too, for the same reason.

Thanks Shorty!

[ShortBuSX]

I dunno why they just dont make those height adjusting screws all the same length?

Yall probably arent going to believe this but I use those nickle plated brass Strat saddles on my Squier Tele...I really wanted one of those bridges with the 3 brass saddles to draw more twang out, but wasnt into all the drilling to make it work...so I just went with the nickle plated brass Strat saddles, and I gotta say it worked great! So much so that I plan to replace the import saddles on my Strat and get another set of these...sounds nicer than the alluminum ones, cant wait to hear the difference on the Strat.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Yeah, I'm looking for longer screws too, for the same reason.

Thanks Shorty!

The springs also seem a little weak. If I move the saddle towards the headstock, I often have to push the saddle out by hand & then tighten the screw a bit to get it to be stable. So I'm still looking for new screws n' springs.

[M29]

Hello ShortBuSX,

Do you know where I can get decent saddles for my Chicom Strat? I feel like the stock saddles are sucking the tone right out of this thing. I have been comparing them to other saddles and they appear to be narrower then U.S. made parts which would put my string spacing askew.

Thank you for your time and help.
M29

[ShortBuSX]

Can you show me the saddles youve got? Which bridge/tremolo?

Do you want Fender saddles or what? Ive got a couple of suggestions, but it depends on what you want and are looking for.

[M29]

ShortBuSX,

These look like dicast or something. The guitar sounds somewhat dark and I don't think it is the wood but it may be. If I get good saddles it will tell me for sure if the wood (agathis) is suspect. I would like something equivalent to U.S. Fender, if there is something that is cheaper that would be great.

http://webpages.charter.net/tankm4/chstbri.jpg

Thank you

M29

[Tone2TheBone]

Thats a cool micrometer where did you get that M29?

[ShortBuSX]

Agathis? Then yours is a Squier? My Squier Tele is made out of that too...I like it.

Anyways, if its an import then you should be able to use the same saddles I am. Nickle plated brass (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Vintage-Strat-Bridge-Sections-Set-of-6?sku=361341)

But also check out http://www.angela.com/ and BOOKMARK it!!! Youll refer to it over and over again, and they are a great source for Fender small parts...and CHEAP TOO!!!
But it seems the guitar parts section is down currently...but they have all the old vintage style saddles too.

If memory serves me correctly I went to GraphTech (http://www.graphtech.com/) to confirm sizes and widths before I swapped mine. Youll have to do a search on there for your make and model...

[Mark]

Thats a cool micrometer where did you get that M29?
Here ya go T2B.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47257

Digital calipers are great for guitar work. You can also do a search they are offered at different prices. Real handy!

[M29]

Thanks Mark, that is right where I got mine. That is a great deal for 15.00 I paid 20.00 for mine and that was an awesome deal! They work great I still like my (old school calipers) but these are nice too.

ShortBuSX Thanks for the links, I did not know you could check sizes on these I just thought they were imports and all they had were U.S. sizes. Thanks!

M29

[ShortBuSX]

ShortBuSX Thanks for the links, I did not know you could check sizes on these I just thought they were imports and all they had were U.S. sizes. Thanks!

M29

If memeory serves me, I thin the saddles are measured center to center(of the height adjustment screws).

BTW, do you have plans to sell that Strat body???

[Tone2TheBone]

Hey thanks you guys!