Buddha's mod projects

[nomadh]

I've wanted to make a thread for reference for all my guitars once I've swapped in new pickups, electronics, and hardware if needed. Most of all I need a way to help me remember what guitar has what and I figured this would be a nice way to document everything.

This is actually a great idea. Rather than sprinkled in amongst all the other projects in the "What's on your Workbench thread, there will be just a single thread dedicated to all my crazy s***....

I've documented things online too. Then hurricane momo came along

[tobijohn]

I've documented things online too. Then hurricane momo came along

Good point...

[Lamf77]

TV Yellow Firefly double cut junior. $60 bstock on ebay

A4 p90 not waxed
Wilkinson wraparound bridge
300k pots
42 formvar wire ~8k
.022 cap

20210528_210528.jpg

I know Firefly eventually went to a bridge and tailpiece. Too many issues with the wrap around. How does this intonate and play for you?

[Buddha Pickups]

TV Yellow Firefly double cut junior. $60 bstock on ebay

A4 p90 not waxed
Wilkinson wraparound bridge
300k pots
42 formvar wire ~8k
.022 cap

20210528_210528.jpg

I know Firefly eventually went to a bridge and tailpiece. Too many issues with the wrap around. How does this intonate and play for you?

It was a little off with the stock wraparound. The Wilkinson with the adjustable saddles gave it a little more range so now its good.

[Buddha Pickups]

Finally finished this one this weekend with the tropical storm hanging around being stuck inside.
1 piece walnut body sourced locally
Maple neck stained and sealed with poly
250k Bourns full size pots .047 Russian pio cap
3 way mojotone switch
Neck a5 rod magnet style 7500 turns 43awg
Bridge a5 with baseplate 10000 turns 43awg
Wax potted
Switchcraft jack
Treble bleed mod

The p90 route was a little small so I hand filed it a little larger and unfortunately the cover is pretty much stuck in there now and it's a hair lower than I'd like but after spending all day working on it, I was ready to move on. Not sure how ill get the neck pickup up in the cavity but thats a bridge I'll cross another day.

[bleys21]

Love the grain on that piece! I'm a big fan of the natural wood grain look.

[andrewsrea]

Finally finished this one this weekend with the tropical storm hanging around being stuck inside.
1 piece walnut body sourced locally
Maple neck stained and sealed with poly
250k Bourns full size pots .047 Russian pio cap
3 way mojotone switch
Neck a5 rod magnet style 7500 turns 43awg
Bridge a5 with baseplate 10000 turns 43awg
Wax potted
Switchcraft jack

The p90 route was a little small so I hand filed it a little larger and unfortunately the cover is pretty much stuck in there now and it's a hair lower than I'd like but after spending all day working on it, I was ready to move on. Not sure how ill get the neck pickup up in the cavity but thats a bridge I'll cross another day.

20230924_093814.jpg

Beautiful Lescaster! Well appointed!

[tonebender]

That is a awesome guitar. I definitely could rock that.

[Buddha Pickups]

Finished this one last night.
Don't remember the model but it's a Douglas semi hollow tele with a burl top.
Updates and mods include:
A5 1/4" neck, 44awg 6000 turns
A5 1/4" bridge, 43awg 10000 turns
5 way switching. N, M, B, half oop, with .0015 cap
.047 Russian pio cap
Switchcraft jack
250k bourns full sized pots
Copper shielded

[tobijohn]

Finished this one last night.
Don't remember the model but it's a Douglas semi hollow tele with a burl top.
Updates and mods include:
A5 1/4" neck, 44awg 6000 turns
A5 1/4" bridge, 43awg 10000 turns
5 way switching. N, M, B, series oop,and series with cap
.047 Russian pio cap
Switchcraft jack
250k bourns full sized pots

I have the lefty version. For those who care, the model is a Douglas Gravity NT AS VN:

https://www.rondomusic.com/ntaslhvtn1.html

[tonebender]

You are cranking them out!

[doc-knapp]

I have the same one. She's a pretty guitar, but mine needed a new bridge, new pots, and nut. The original ashtray bridge and pots were particularly bad.

[Buddha Pickups]

I have the same one. She's a pretty guitar, but mine needed a new bridge, new pots, and nut. The original ashtray bridge and pots were particularly bad.

Yes. I changed the nut when I got it as well.
Still have the original bridge but it's definitely a weak point. I'll probably change it as well eventually

[Buddha Pickups]

Finished this one last night.
Don't remember the model but it's a Douglas semi hollow tele with a burl top.
Updates and mods include:
A5 1/4" neck, 44awg 6000 turns
A5 1/4" bridge, 43awg 10000 turns
5 way switching. N, M, B, series oop,and series with cap
.047 Russian pio cap
Switchcraft jack
250k bourns full sized pots

I have the lefty version. For those who care, the model is a Douglas Gravity NT AS VN:

https://www.rondomusic.com/ntaslhvtn1.html

I once saved my rondo web pages for everything but lost them somewhere over the years. Most of mine were actually bstocks. I think I only paid full price for 2 or 3 guitars out of the 50ish that I bought back in the day.
I used to check the bstock page multiple times a day 10-15 years ago.

[tobijohn]

I once saved my rondo web pages for everything but lost them somewhere over the years. Most of mine were actually bstocks. I think I only paid full price for 2 or 3 guitars out of the 50ish that I bought back in the day.
I used to check the bstock page multiple times a day 10-15 years ago.

I think at least 75% of my Agile/SX/Douglas/Hadean guitars were used or b-stocks...

[Buddha Pickups]

SX Ash Strat maple fretboard
These were apart of the old SX Ash hand rubbed oil finish series. I think these were clearanced for 79 or 99 once upon a time and that is when i got mine. I have one more with a rosewood board and a tele. Based on serial number this is from 07.

Mods include:
Bridge a2 42awg 8150
Middle a2 42awg 7850
Neck a2 42awg 7750
Middle pickup rwrp
US style 5 way
250k bourns pots
Bridge tone is a push pull to enable 7 way wiring
Gilmour mod
.047 pio cap
Copper shielded
Treble bleed mod

[Buddha Pickups]

Douglas Ceti
It started life as a mismatched 2ts but I had it refinished in a Pelham/sparkle blue.
Mods include
250k cts pots
1 vol 2 tone
.015 neck cap .022 bridge cap
US style 5 way
Switchcraft jack
Neck hum sized single coil a5 .187" mags 43awg 7000
Bride hum sized single a5 .250" mags 42.5awg 11000
WD Lightweight stop tail
Gotoh Nashville Tom
5 way wiring; series,.002 cap, neck, parallel, bridge

The action is a bit higher than I'd like and the bridge is bottomed out so I may set it up for slide.

[tobijohn]

...The action is a bit higher than I'd like and the bridge is bottomed out so I may set it up for slide.

I've had success with situations like that by countersinking the bridge post anchors. Instead of using a drill which usually chips the veneer, I used an Exacto knife and very carefully went around to the depth of the veneer. That usually was enough to have the top of the anchor flush with the top of the guitar and bring everything down enough to get the proper action....

[Buddha Pickups]

...The action is a bit higher than I'd like and the bridge is bottomed out so I may set it up for slide.

I've had success with situations like that by countersinking the bridge post anchors. Instead of using a drill which usually chips the veneer, I used an Exacto knife and very carefully went around to the depth of the veneer. That usually was enough to have the top of the anchor flush with the top of the guitar and bring everything down enough to get the proper action....

Good idea
I'll probably eventually try something similar

[Buddha Pickups]

Squier VM Jaguar surf green
Stock rhythm circuit
Series parallel mod to the on/off switches
500k vol and tone .015 Russian petp cap
Switchcraft jack
A5 1/4" magnets neck 7750 turns 43awg
A5 1/4" magnets Bridge 8350 turns 43awg
Wax potted. No claws.
Treble bleed mod
Entire cavity and pickguard copper shielded
Black pickguard and speed knobs
Wiring a Jaguar might be even harder than a semi hollow...
This series parallel mod also adds an out of phase option.

[tobijohn]

Squier VM Jaguar surf green
Stock rhythm circuit
Series parallel mod to the on/off switches
500k vol and tone .015 Russian petp cap
Switchcraft jack
A5 1/4" magnets neck 7750 turns 43awg
A5 1/4" magnets Bridge 8350 turns 43awg
Wax potted. No claws.

Why 500k pots for these single coils instead of 250K pots?

[Buddha Pickups]

Squier VM Jaguar surf green
Stock rhythm circuit
Series parallel mod to the on/off switches
500k vol and tone .015 Russian petp cap
Switchcraft jack
A5 1/4" magnets neck 7750 turns 43awg
A5 1/4" magnets Bridge 8350 turns 43awg
Wax potted. No claws.

Why 500k pots for these single coils instead of 250K pots?

The stock vol/tone were 1 Meg pots.
I know with Jazzmaster pickups 1 Meg works best cause it's a warm pickup, 1 Meg will keep it as bright as can be. For jaguars, im really not sure but I assume the circuitry cuts treble everywhere (rhythm circuit and strangle switch), so you gotta keep treble wherever possible..?.
I found 500k to sound good with the fat pole pickups.

[Buddha Pickups]

Next is a body I bought a few years ago off ebay. Purpleheart and mahogany top, ash body.

Mods include:
Telecaster style neck.
250k bourns pots
.047 pio cap
4 way switch wiring
Switchcraft jack
Shielded
Red flatwork bobbins
A5 neck 7500 turns 43awg
A5 bridge 11000 turns 43awg
Wax potted pickups
Wilkinson top loader

Might remake the neck pickup, it's a little weaker than I'd like but will try some adjustments first.
Also the nut is too tall and will eventually need to sand down the bottom a little.
On to the next one!

[Buddha Pickups]

PRS SE semi hollow

Mods include:
TonePros bridge
Cream speed knobs
Switchcraft jack
Switchcraft style 3 way
500k pots
Push pull bridge- inseries/oop in the neck when pulled
Neck p90 A5 9000 turns 42.5awg wire
Bridge p90 A5 11000 turns 42.5awg wire
Plastic baseplates
Wax potted
Shielded cavities
Treble bleed

[tobijohn]

PRS SE semi hollow

Mods include:
TonePros bridge
Cream speed knobs
Switchcraft jack
Switchcraft style 3 way
500k pots
Push pull bridge- inseries/oop in the neck when pulled
Neck p90 A5 9000 turns 42.5awg wire
Bridge p90 A5 11000 turns 42.5awg wire
Plastic baseplates
Wax potted
Shielded cavities

20231014_142849.jpg

What components were used for the stock harness?