Norway_Epiphone Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I just bought an Aged Wilshire '66 and plan to rebuild it to make it a "Deluxe" with three mini humbuckers - like the Crestwood Deluxe. Maybe fit a Maestro Vibrola or a Bigsby B5. Just for the fun of it. Any hints, tips and info on how to make this idea to reality is very much welcome. Also for the wiring. Please bring on tips on replacement tuners, bridge, selector switch and mini humbuckers too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyg Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Sounds like an interesting project and not too difficult especially as you're not trying to use original Epiphone parts. It looks to me like the Deluxe used mini Grovers from the shape of the buttons and I guess the Bigsby wouldn't be too hard to fit. You'd probably need to fit a roller bridge. Routing for the extra pickup would take some woodworking skills but I guess the wiring would be much the same as a three pickup Les Paul so a schematic would be pretty easy to get off the web. A novel idea might be to use a five way rotary switch then you could get the same amount of choice as a Strat player. Good luck with it anyway and post a few pix when it's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Looking forward to seeing this project..... There are two guitars I want......... 72 Gibby Deluxe, and a 63-69 Crestwood Deluxe SB232 in white..... Next year I'll have $10k to spend on a guitar of my dreams, and it will be one of the above[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmitron Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 I had a Burny SG Custom replica with three humbuckers. I've modified it so I could control the mid pup volume using one of the tone pots. So, to sum it up: with the switch in 'rythme' position: Neck (+ middle depending on the modded pot position), 'Middle' position: Neck + Bridge (+ middle depending on the modded pot position), 'Treble' position: Bridge (+ middle depending on the modded pot position). IMHO, this is more interesting than the Neck/middle/bridge config. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyg Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Looking forward to seeing this project..... There are two guitars I want......... 72 Gibby Deluxe' date=' and a 63-69 Crestwood Deluxe SB232 in white..... Next year I'll have $10k to spend on a guitar of my dreams, and it will be one of the above[biggrin'] .....or you could look here http://www.daguetguitars.com/index.php?gratte=25&PHPSESSID=ba09232896cefce80e9f5cc830c7a009 and save some $$$$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway_Epiphone Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Sounds like an interesting project and not too difficult especially as you're not trying to use original Epiphone parts. It looks to me like the Deluxe used mini Grovers from the shape of the buttons and I guess the Bigsby wouldn't be too hard to fit. You'd probably need to fit a roller bridge. Routing for the extra pickup would take some woodworking skills but I guess the wiring would be much the same as a three pickup Les Paul so a schematic would be pretty easy to get off the web. A novel idea might be to use a five way rotary switch then you could get the same amount of choice as a Strat player.Good luck with it anyway and post a few pix when it's done. Thanks, guys! I'll post pics when it's done - but it'll take a while! Maybe I'll go for original Epiphone parts, we'll see. The hardware on it now is ok, but not top quality. I still haven't decided on a three way switch or a five way switch. I should have known this, but did the Crestwood Deluxe have a three way or five way switch? Cosmitron: Great idea! Also: which minihumbuckers on the market now are closest to the originals on the Deluxe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmitron Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Ask Jason Lollar for the Mini buckers. He reproduce them especially for Daguet's crest replicas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway_Epiphone Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 This project has taken a while to get started, but I will get down to it now. I am not a gear head and don't know all the parts, numbers and dealers out there. I want this guitar to be as close to the original Crestwood Deluxe as possible when it comes to changing the hardware and mount the third mini humbucker. It'll be a fun project. It would be great to hear your opinions and suggestions for these items: - 5 way toggle switch (chrome) - Pick ups (Lollars are mentioned) Different pickups from bridge to neck? - Wiring where I can switch between these five positions: bridge, bridge-middle, middle, middle-neck, neck - Tail piece: I will go for a Bigsby B5 unless someone has a Maestro Vibrola to sell... - Jack - Pots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway_Epiphone Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungrycat Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 .....or you could look here http://www.daguetguitars.com/index.php?gratte=25&PHPSESSID=ba09232896cefce80e9f5cc830c7a009 and save some $$$$$ Or Coley if you prefer a UK made (in Wales IIRC...) guitar to a French one. A little bit cheaper than Daguet too... http://www.coleyguitars.co.uk/ As for the question posed by the OP, check out Allparts. ( http://www.allparts.com/ ) they should have everything you need minus pickups. (The even have the Bigsby AND the Maestro vibrola. Your choice.) Shipping will be a ton, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teegar Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Honestly I wouldn't rout for the third pickup. Granted, the Wilshire reissue is an inexpensive guitar and you can take some risks without getting burned too badly, but it just seems like a LOT of work with potential for for things to go wrong, for what kind of payoff? You might want to reconsider just re-doing the stock pickups and electronics and get the thing rocking. I put a pair of Seymour Duncan Antiquity II minihums in mine, new pots, switch, jack and wires, sounds great. The pickups had to be removed from their soapbar mounts (soldered in place) and were slightly smaller than the stock mounting rings, but got those problems solved and it looks and sounds great. Lollars were a bit more $$$, but have a great reputation. You could always get Gibson minihums too - for two, Gibsons ~$200 USD, SD's ~ $225, Lollars ~$300. I tried replacing the bridge and stop tailpiece, but the Stew-Mac Gotoh replacements didn't fit right, so not worth it - they're not that bad anyway. And play the thing for a while with the stock tuners before you drop $ on new ones, they may be just fine. Just my 2 cents, but I bet you'd be happier getting the thing playing with some great new pickups, without trying to make it something it's not. Good luck with it all- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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