Buddha's mod projects

[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

20231014_142849.jpg

What components were used for the stock harness?

I got it in a trade and the pickups had been swapped a couple times before so not sure if what was in there was stock. It had cts 500ks which are normally fine by me but I wasn't sure the taper so I just went ahead and swapped them.
The cavity only allows and import style 3 way unless u use an L shaped switchcraft, so it still has the import style switch but it's definitely better than the box switches.

[Buddha Pickups]

Next is a Cozart/King single p90 Goldtop

Mods include
Tone pros style bridge (Wilkinson iirc)
500k pots
.047 Russian pio cap
Switchcraft jack
Cavities shielded
Treble bleed mod
Speed knobs
A5 p90 11000 turns 42.5awg wire
Wax potted
Nickel baseplate

[tobijohn]

Next is a Cozart/King single p90 Goldtop

Mods include
Tone pros style bridge (Wilkinson iirc)
500k pots
.047 Russian pio cap
Switchcraft jack
Cavities shielded
Chrome top hat knobs
Chrome p90 cover
A5 p90 11000 turns 42.5awg wire
Wax potted
Nickel baseplate

20231014_234225.jpg

I've got one of those too, I put a Tonerider Hot 90 in it and replaced the harness with one I made. The tuners could stand an upgrade but the stock set is tolerable for the time being. I'm going to eventually paint the headstock black too...

[Buddha Pickups]

Next is a Cozart/King single p90 Goldtop

Mods include
Tone pros style bridge (Wilkinson iirc)
500k pots
.047 Russian pio cap
Switchcraft jack
Cavities shielded
Chrome top hat knobs
Chrome p90 cover
A5 p90 11000 turns 42.5awg wire
Wax potted
Nickel baseplate

20231014_234225.jpg

I've got one of those too, I put a Tonerider Hot 90 in it and replaced the harness with one I made. The tuners could stand an upgrade but the stock set is tolerable for the time being. I'm going to eventually paint the headstock black too...

The natural headstock definitely looks off to me too. Not sure if I'll paint it or not though but definitely know it would look better.
The gold on the body isn't painted well either, definitely has some ripples and imperfections if you look at the right angle but it was 100-150 range so I'm not gonna complain.
You're right about the tuners too, 1 or 2 felt rough when stringing it.
It plays pretty good though for its price range.

[Buddha Pickups]

Rainy weekend=lots of soldering


King Casino ES230 copy

Mods include
Gotoh Nashville tune o magic
500k bourns pots
.015 orange drop cap
Switchcraft jack
A2/a5 p90 10000 turns 42.5awg wire
Nickel silver baseplate
Shielded pickup cavity
Chrome colored plastic cover

[tobijohn]

Man, you're really cranking them out! I'm beginning to feel guilty...

[Buddha Pickups]

Man, you're really cranking them out! I'm beginning to feel guilty...

I finished an Epiphone Dot as well but I have that one up for sale. I have it listed for 200 and I've got a few $100 offers (am I wrong in assuming 100 for an Epi Dot is very low?). Most of the completed listings I found on ebay for the same guitar was 400 shipped.

I bought it as a husk 10ish years ago so its been collecting dust and I put some leftover hardware I had on it but the tom bridge is an actual Epiphone. Tuners are decent grover copies. Pickups are an SD designed 12k humbucker and a hum sized p90 neck from an old FA Lola.

I actually sold the Blake Wright prs copy fairly quickly for 150 and have a friend that wants the Revv but this Dot has been the hardest to move.

[tobijohn]

I finished an Epiphone Dot as well but I have that one up for sale. I have it listed for 200 and I've got a few $100 offers (am I wrong in assuming 100 for an Epi Dot is very low?). Most of the completed listings I found on ebay for the same guitar was 400 shipped.

Assuming that the Dot in decent shape, a $100 offer is insulting...

[Buddha Pickups]

I finished an Epiphone Dot as well but I have that one up for sale. I have it listed for 200 and I've got a few $100 offers (am I wrong in assuming 100 for an Epi Dot is very low?). Most of the completed listings I found on ebay for the same guitar was 400 shipped.

Assuming that the Dot in decent shape, a $100 offer is insulting...

It is. It was on a hanger for 10 years so the contact points on the headstock where it meets the hanger is rough feeling but otherwise is in near perfect shape.

[tobijohn]

...It was on a hanger for 10 years so the contact points on the headstock where it meets the hanger is rough feeling...

Yikes, I've got multiple dozens that have been hanging almost as long. I better start checking...

[Buddha Pickups]

Cozart semi hollow strat zebra
Sorry have to shrink my pics in quality to where they look blurry.

Mods include
Shielded cavities
250k pots, 2 full size alpha 250k brass shafts, 1 bourns 250k push pull
7 way wiring
5 way us selector switch
Clear bobbin strat pickups
A5 magnets flush to top like a mustang. 531"
7700, 8100, 9000 42.5awg wire
Wax potted
Roller saddles
Clear mustang covers
Clear slector tip
Clear speed knobs (will prob change to Clear bell style)

This one gave me fits with wiring. I think I had a bad pot cause I swapped it out and rewired and it worked fine(pickups were all reading only half what they should..odd).

Update 7/28/24
Changed the knobs to clear strat knobs

[Buddha Pickups]

Home depot yellow pine Cabro style

4 piece yellow pine body
Random lefty tele neck
Gotoh style tuners
Wilkinson bridge
250k bourns pots
Tone push pull for 2 cap values:
.015 pio and .047 pio
Switchcraft jack
Shielded cavities
A5 p90 12000 43awg
Tru oil finish

The nut is a bit too high but I may leave it and use it for slide.

[Buddha Pickups]

Harley Benton Prince Tele

250k bourns pots
US 3 way switch
Push-pull tone to get inseries out of phase
.047 pio cap
Shielded cavities
A5 magnets. 531
7750 42.5awg neck
10000 43awg bridge
Switchcraft jack
Roller saddles
Treble bleed mod

Update 7/28/24
Covers change to black

[Buddha Pickups]

Firefly DCD Trans red

Got this as a 60-80$ bstock on ebay a few years ago.

Mods Include
Gotoh bridge
WD Lightweight stopbar
Shielded cavities
Black speed knobs
Bourns 500k pots
Neck tone push pull for in series/out of phase
.015 pio neck cap .047 pio bridge cap
Switchcraft jack
Neck a5 rod magnet 7800 43awg
Bridge a4 bar magnets p90 10000 43awg
Treble bleed mod

[tobijohn]

Firefly DCD Trans red

Got this as a 60-80$ bstock on ebay a few years ago.

...Neck tone push pull for in series/out of phase...

I've got a bunch of push/pulls I still need to use but after that, I'm going to push/pushes. They're more expensive and harder to source, but it's infinitely easier to activate the split and you're not limited to using speed knobs. Trying to get a fingernail under the lip of any other type of knob to pull up is a pain and can't be done easily unless you've got fingernails like Howard Hughes or the Empress Dowager...

[Buddha Pickups]

Firefly DCD Trans red

Got this as a 60-80$ bstock on ebay a few years ago.

...Neck tone push pull for in series/out of phase...

I've got a bunch of push/pulls I still need to use but after that, I'm going to push/pushes. They're more expensive and harder to source, but it's infinitely easier to activate the split and you're not limited to using speed knobs. Trying to get a fingernail under the lip of any other type of knob to pull up is a pain and can't be done easily unless you've got fingernails like Howard Hughes or the Empress Dowager...

I've got a ton of unused 250k and 500k push pulls to go through so I won't make the switch but on some guitars it can be a pain to pull up. Im.not exactly a gigging musician anymore though so I got plenty of time.

[Buddha Pickups]

SX stop tail strat

Mods include:
WD Lightweight stop tail
Gotoh style Nashville Bridge
Cream plastics
Switchcraft jack
Cavities shielded
250k bourns pots, bridge tone push pull
Master volume, neck/mid tone, bridge tone
Push pull for 7 way Gilmour mod
A5 1/4" magnets
7800, 8500, 9000 43awg
US 5 way switch
.047 pio cap

[tonebender]

That Firefly DC P90 is a rock machine.

[Buddha Pickups]

That Firefly DC P90 is a rock machine.

It is but now I'm not sure what to do with my gold one. I guess I'll go with minis or warmer p90s with a2s or something

[Buddha Pickups]

Douglas NT AS Hum
Dual hum burl top Tele

Mods include
Roller saddles
500k bourns pots
.047 pio cap
Treble bleed
Volume push pull to split humbucker with 6.8k resistor
Tone push pull to do series/out of phase
US 3 way
Switchcraft jack
Neck 8000 turns 42.5awg 1/4" a5 magnets
Bridge 5500x2 turns 43awg ceramic humbucker
Wax potted
Cavities shielded

[tobijohn]

Douglas NT AS Hum
Dual hum burl top Tele

Mods include
Roller saddles
250k bourns volume
500k bourns tone
.047 pio cap
Tone push pull to do series/out of phase
US 3 way
Switchcraft jack
1/4" a5 magnets
Neck 8000 turns 42.5awg
Bridge 9000 turns 42.5awg
Wax potted
Cavities shielded

20231105_235232.jpg

I've got that same one but with Tele pickups. Why the different value volume/tone pots though?

[andrewsrea]

Douglas NT AS Hum
Dual hum burl top Tele

Mods include
Roller saddles
250k bourns volume
500k bourns tone
.047 pio cap
Tone push pull to do series/out of phase
US 3 way
Switchcraft jack
1/4" a5 magnets
Neck 8000 turns 42.5awg
Bridge 9000 turns 42.5awg
Wax potted
Cavities shielded

20231105_235232.jpg

Nice! I am a volume abuser and like the taper of the Bourns but seem to destroy them in a matter of months.

[Buddha Pickups]

Douglas NT AS Hum
Dual hum burl top Tele

Mods include
Roller saddles
250k bourns volume
500k bourns tone
.047 pio cap
Tone push pull to do series/out of phase
US 3 way
Switchcraft jack
1/4" a5 magnets
Neck 8000 turns 42.5awg
Bridge 9000 turns 42.5awg
Wax potted
Cavities shielded

20231105_235232.jpg

I've got that same one but with Tele pickups. Why the different value volume/tone pots though?

I tend to use 500k most of the time, even with strats and teles cause it's nice to have that extra top end if I need it. 500k will let a little more high end through.
And I've got the tele pickup version as well.

[Buddha Pickups]

Douglas NT AS Hum
Dual hum burl top Tele

Mods include
Roller saddles
250k bourns volume
500k bourns tone
.047 pio cap
Tone push pull to do series/out of phase
US 3 way
Switchcraft jack
1/4" a5 magnets
Neck 8000 turns 42.5awg
Bridge 9000 turns 42.5awg
Wax potted
Cavities shielded

20231105_235232.jpg

Nice! I am a volume abuser and like the taper of the Bourns but seem to destroy them in a matter of months.

Oddly enough the only pots I've destroyed are CTS, so I started using bourns.

[tobijohn]

I tend to use 500k most of the time, even with struts and teles cause it's nice to have that extra top end if I need it. 500k will let a little more high end through.
And I've got the tele pickup version as well.

I get 500k for tone but what's the advantage of 250k for volume? Just curious...