FEATURE > HOW TO INSTALL A PICKUP
Vintage and Modern
Designs Collide
Of course, combining vintage
and reissue WR pickups intro-
duced a few new challenges.
The first question was, would
we use the 1 Meg Ω pots from
the original ’ 72 harness or go
with the 250k Ω pots from the
reissue Tele? The 250k pots pro-
duce a warmer tone; 1 Meg Ω
pots make pickups sound much
brighter. After some debate, we
decided to use the 250k pots.
Removing the vintage bridge WR pickup from its original 1 Meg Ω harness.
The pickup will be connected to 250k Ω Tone and Volume pots in the reissue Thinline Tele.
Unscrewing the reissue Tele’s pickguard. Always guide the screwdriver
with your fingertips to prevent it from slipping off the screw and gouging
the finish.
Opening the cover of the reissue Tele reveals the underside of the modern Fender humbuckers. Notice how the guitar is protected by a leather pad. To
prevent the electronics from damaging the instrument, it’s important to rest them on some sturdy material—a small towel works in a pinch.
INSET: Before removing a pickup, mark where its lead wire attaches to the selector switch. This will tell you where to solder the replacement pickup’s lead.
