JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Ok, this is a few pictures from the last 3 evenings' work. It has been a major pain, and every time I thought that I had it worked out something else would go wrong! But then again, I am very inexperienced in this sort of thing, and I figure that if I can do it then anyone can! I have rewired the whole lot, 2 Gibson Classic '57 PAF pickups, 4 CTS Pots 2 Sprague Orange Drop Capacitors Switchcraft Jack Switchcraft Right Angle Switch Tusq Nut The potentiometers were EASILY the hardest thing to do - and that is down to the fact that Epiphone standard junk ones are waaaay smaller than the CTS ones, and are therefore very difficult to get in through the F holes. I had to file the edge of the inside of the F holes down a bit to fit the new pots in but you'd never know looking at it. Thanks to everyone on here who's posted similar items, I have read them all and found it very helpful indeed. If this helps or encourages anyone else out there to do it then I am glad! It's SO worth doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Congratulations! It is a great feelinig of accomplishment to take on something like this, when you have never done it before. I did the same thing to my Dot and Sherry. I did the Dot first, and then re-did it, and then re- did it, and the re-did it etc... until I got it right. It seemed like I took 1 step forward and 10 back, but then this was also my first attempt and rewiring a hollowbody. It was definitely worth it. Nice job, now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy playing it, knowing that it sounds great and you did it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 Congratulations! It is a great feelinig of accomplishment to take on something like this' date=' when you have never done it before. I did the same thing to my Dot and Sherry. I did the Dot first, and then re-did it, and then re- did it, and the re-did it etc... until I got it right. It seemed like I took 1 step forward and 10 back, but then this was also my first attempt and rewiring a hollowbody. It was definitely worth it. Nice job, now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy playing it, knowing that it sounds great and you did it yourself. Thanks! I had the pots in and out a few times, and the earth kept on getting in the way in there - the hardest bit is getting it all in there in the right order without bits getting twisted round etc. I was so worried about breaking a solder joint or something and having to take the whole lot out again! Also it is very worring taking a file to the F holes and the openings for the pots in case you make a right mess of something irreversible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 One of the problems I had was the 1/4" jack. I had a wire keep getting in the way when I was fishing the jack up the hole. I finally figured out how to get it out of the way and got it. I used Alpha pots on mine, just because I knew the CTS were too big for the existing holes. My first experience filing out the holes for CTS pots was on the G-400 in my Avatar. I was really nervous when I started, thinking I would chip the finish, but it never happened. I did have to file out the hole for the new switch a little, no big deal though. I was glad I did my Dot first cause the F-holes in it were a little bigger and I could reach the pots a lot easier with my fingers so I could push up on the back of the pots when tightening them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 Yeah - getting the pots back up through the holes is certainly tricky - and same with the jack (which I did first). Also the nut really didn't want to come off - I had awful visions of the head snapping off as I tried to remove it! It was much easier doing stuff on my Flying V as it feels a lot more solid - this thing is delicate! So glad it's all over now and all I have to do is enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 One thing I learned on the jack was to use the longer Switchcraft jack. I used a regular sized Neutrik jack at first and I couldn't get the washer and nut on. So for a while I just had a nut only. The nut kept coming loose, so I eventually took it all apart again and replaced it with a long shaft Switchcraft. No problem since then. Yeah I fished the jack up first too, and switch the last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Looking good. Nice work. What's with all the masking tape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 I just put masking tape around the holes the pots came through as I was filiing there a bit and because it protected the finish when I was tightening up the nuts - being over cautious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 I used masking tape because I was worried about scratching the finish when I was filing and when I was tightening / loosening the nuts around the pots - being over cautious!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotcanX Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Just a tad. Last month I repainted the neck on a Yamaha acoustic after repairing a fracture near the headstock... and I did it without even taking the strings off. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 Yeah - that is more the way I usually go about working on my guitars, but this one just feels more delicate, and I'd have been gutted if I'd damaged it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 a sheraton rebuild is a tough job, even if you're experienced. great work and all kudos to you! those alpha minis are excellent pots! I'd dump that box switch.. they are crap.. WDmusic has a very nice one with a gold tip.. 22.50 which I have and no problems ever. I laughed at your descriptions of the effort because it happens pretty much like that everytime.. do it.. do it again.. do it again.. *L* Still, I'm going back into mine, again! I've got the lp messed up real nice right now.. replaced all the guts in the control cavity and now it hums when I touch strings or bride. dagnabit. again.. congrats.. it's hard but still great fun isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zergle Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Dude! That's my guitar! LOL! I'm about to do almost the same thing. All the pots, the jack and the switch at least. Pretty much an identical guitar. Color, style, only a year or two off. Nice. You mentioned you used CTS pots. Didn't you have to drill out the holes for the pots? I saw you had to do some filing in the f-hole, but everything I ever saw said you had to drill the holes out for CTS pots to expand them from metric to standard. Ol' TWANG here is hooking me up with my set up, but we went with Alpha mini's to avoid drilling. If USPS is nice, I hope to get everything tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 27, 2008 Author Share Posted June 27, 2008 Dude! That's my guitar! LOL! I'm about to do almost the same thing. All the pots' date=' the jack and the switch at least. Pretty much an identical guitar. Color, style, only a year or two off. Nice. You mentioned you used CTS pots. Didn't you have to drill out the holes for the pots? I saw you had to do some filing in the f-hole, but everything I ever saw said you had to drill the holes out for CTS pots to expand them from metric to standard. Ol' TWANG here is hooking me up with my set up, but we went with Alpha mini's to avoid drilling. If USPS is nice, I hope to get everything tomorrow. [/quote'] No man, I didn't drill the holes out at all. I was going to, I even got the drill out, but when I put the drill bit in, it was almost exactly the right size anyway, so instead of risking using a power tool on my guitar (!) I just got a round file and made the holes a tiny bit bigger - it only took me 5 mins to do them all and they fit perfectly now! I would say the only downside to CTS pots is it is hard to fit them through the F holes - but I managed it. Just don't ever ask me to take them out!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted June 27, 2008 Author Share Posted June 27, 2008 I'd dump that box switch.. they are crap.. WDmusic has a very nice one with a gold tip.. 22.50 which I have and no problems ever. Yeah - I dumped the switch, and the jack too - all those standard parts are awful! I managed to get a Switchcraft Right Angle switch in there (same as used on SGs) - it was a bit unorthodox, but it works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessa Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Thanks for sharing your experience with a very challanging project ! The toughest part , in my view, is perhaps the last stage trying to pull the shafts up through the holes . I imagine the worst nightmare may occur if the thread breaks during the pulling process ... Do you have a contingency plan for this potential mishap ? _ Very appreciative of all the photos in this interesting project as I am building up my own courage to change the pups in a lousy clone Strat of mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zergle Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 No man' date=' I didn't drill the holes out at all. I was going to, I even got the drill out, but when I put the drill bit in, it was almost exactly the right size anyway, so instead of risking using a power tool on my guitar (!) I just got a round file and made the holes a tiny bit bigger - it only took me 5 mins to do them all and they fit perfectly now! I would say the only downside to CTS pots is it is hard to fit them through the F holes - but I managed it. Just don't ever ask me to take them out!! lol[/quote'] Interesting. I'll be curious to see how mine goes with the minis. I imagine they'll be a snap to get in there, especially through the f-holes. Another question though. The shots you have of the electronics with the yellow wrap...is that what came out of the guitar or what you put in? Like those solder points on the back of the pots you have close ups of...yours? or what was there? You said in response to Twang that you replaced the box switch, so does that mean the electronics we're seeing here are what you yanked out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin134 Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Nice job, though I cringed when I saw the tape, as a former painter, I always use the blue easy mask as it comes off stuff easier and normally with the good 3m stuff does not leave any residue when you remove it. I am planning on doing some similar stuff to my black beauty, though am undecided if I tackle it myself or take it in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 I imagine the worst nightmare may occur if the thread breaks during the pulling process ... Do you have a contingency plan for this potential mishap ? quote] It's not that bad if a thread breaks - it just means that you have to pull that bit back out and start again - I think that the thing you need a lot of when doing this (especially for the first time!) is patience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRizZ Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 Interesting. I'll be curious to see how mine goes with the minis. I imagine they'll be a snap to get in there' date=' especially through the f-holes. Another question though. The shots you have of the electronics with the yellow wrap...is that what came out of the guitar or what you put in? Like those solder points on the back of the pots you have close ups of...yours? or what was there? You said in response to Twang that you replaced the box switch, so does that mean the electronics we're seeing here are what you yanked out?[/quote'] Ok the photos are a bit of a mish mash - sorry about that! The close ups are of the original pots, when they were still connected to the original pups. There is one photo of a CTS pot sitting in the F hole - I took this to remind myself of the exact angle that they would go in on - because it was a very tight fit! But all the other parts in that photo such as the switch and other pot were the original ones. Oh yeah- that yellow shielding stuff is what came out of the guitar - I guess they use it to stop all the wire hanging in front of the F hole, so I just reused it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 What's with the jagged edge looking scratchplate in your avatars flying V? Edit: Forget it. I just saw the "Flying V transformation" thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zergle Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Ok the photos are a bit of a mish mash - sorry about that! The close ups are of the original pots' date=' when they were still connected to the original pups. There is one photo of a CTS pot sitting in the F hole - I took this to remind myself of the exact angle that they [i']would[/i] go in on - because it was a very tight fit! But all the other parts in that photo such as the switch and other pot were the original ones. Oh yeah- that yellow shielding stuff is what came out of the guitar - I guess they use it to stop all the wire hanging in front of the F hole, so I just reused it :) Oh good. Now I can insult the soldering on those pots without slamming you. I just got my stuff from TWANG yesterday and I'm anxious to get started. Unfortunately I have to wait until this weekend, but it's on the top of my list. Looks to me like TWANG did a great job wiring everything for me. Shouldn't be any problem putting it all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colimodio Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 i'm going with Mojo's set of wires for the 335 - to install them in my Elitist 335 Dot. After i replaced the pups with 57 Clasics Gibbys, i feel the wires are a must. I might recycle these Elitist wires and pups into my Dot 335 Epi (a $350 guitar). After i put BurstBuckers Pro Neck and Bridge, i feel unsatisfied. Evidently the wood in the Dot still leaves some to be desired. Also i put a Tusk nut and saddles. I might just sell the BurstBucks, or play with them and put them into the Elitist.... The Elitist's wood is incredible, though. BTW= the Gibby 335 Reissue Dot is going for $2399 Epi Elitist 335 65 Dot = $1300 2 Clasic 57's $250 Mojo's wire assy. $100 ...getting up there..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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