|
Post by cakeface on Feb 7, 2019 4:41:53 GMT
Hello everybody, I just purchased my first Harley Benton and went with the TE 70 black paisley and so far I’m in love with it. Did have some initial fret buzz that I was able to get some of it out with a few truss adjustments but took it to a pro, said it takes some time to adjust to the climate, coming from Germany to Nevada USA. I have some authentic original fender tele pickups from an old project and wondering what modifications to the pickgaurd/bridge I need to do for the swap, unless it’s a direct drop.
|
|
|
Post by intenselycalm on Feb 7, 2019 13:00:31 GMT
Welcome cakeface, I swapped pickups in a different HB Tele model, and the bridge pickup was not a "drop-in" change. My guitar is a TE-20, and the bridge plate had a slightly smaller opening for the pickup than the replacement (standard dimension tele pickup). The body rout at the bridge pickup was also slightly different, and needed to be modified to accept the standard Tele pickup. I don't know if this will be the case with your TE-70 however. My tele is a few years old and a different model, so HB may have changed parts and templates by this time as well, very likely a different factory now too. I did modify my bridge plate and routed the body to accept a standard dimension bridge pickup, then I changed the entire bridge. I'm like that. Here's the project: Harley Benton TE-20 - surgery/ modAnyway, welcome to the HB board, and hope you enjoy your new Tele!
|
|
3,968 posts
|
Post by salteedog on Feb 7, 2019 13:19:54 GMT
I also have an older TE-20 and I replaced the neck pickup with a Fender Neck pup. I didn't change the stock bridge pup. It was a straightforward change but did require a little bit of filing/reaming of the pickup slot in the pickguard. Because i changed only one pickup I lost the humbucking effect of the middle position. Also I think I had to reverse the ground wire connection in the pickup itself to keep it in phase. I wouldn't have had to do that if I changed the bridge pup too.
|
|
|
3,968 posts
|
Post by salteedog on Feb 7, 2019 14:55:58 GMT
? You might have, saltee. That's always the gamble when mixing pickups, sadly. True. I guess I meant if I had changed it with a Fender bridge pup from the same pair.
|
|
|
3,968 posts
|
Post by salteedog on Feb 7, 2019 15:45:40 GMT
Luck is a funny idea. We all know it when we are unlucky but rarely recognize good luck.
Good luck probably saved my life several times already unbeknownst to me.
I've had at least two memorable occasions when rotten bad luck turned out to be real good luck with the passage of time or in a broader context.
|
|
|
3,968 posts
|
Post by salteedog on Feb 7, 2019 17:02:52 GMT
I never play the lotto. If I won I'd be worried that I'd face a lifetime of bad luck to balance things out.
|
|
|
Post by cakeface on Feb 8, 2019 0:13:56 GMT
Thank you everyone for the assistance, figured I'd need to do some modifications. I know for the neck I'm just gonna get a blank template that already has a neck pickup pre cut and just mark the old drill holes.
The bridge I'm probably going to need to buy an aftermarket fender compatible bridge unless the Wilkinson will work. Might as well buy that obsidian drop in for the control board for much easier wiring.
|
|
|
Post by Vincent on Feb 8, 2019 7:31:07 GMT
I do not think I have seen a pickguard with the screw holes not drilled before. Great idea though. Do they exist?
|
|
|
Post by cakeface on Feb 8, 2019 20:04:19 GMT
I thought I could find some on Amazon a while back but I guess not anymore. I'm under the assumption that buying a pickguard made for authentic Fender Teles won't exactly line-up with the screw holes on my black paisley. Unless it actually does. Hopefully someone with a modded TE-70 can confirm this (and see if a original tele bridge can fit into the wilkinson).
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2019 14:44:16 GMT
I never play the lotto. If I won I'd be worried that I'd face a lifetime of bad luck to balance things out. Money hates me but just recently I've got a very vivid feeling that I will win a Jack Pot so I bought 3 of them and Friday came just to reveal numbers I don't have ... But then I received an email from Thomann saying I can keep the first Harley Benton Dynimic for free and they will send me yet another same model guitar.
|
|