The pickups will eventually connect into the outside pair of terminals, and the only terminal which requires sharing, is the one at bottom left, as you look at the switch, with the pots to the left. This protects the work bench, holds everything securely, and stops things moving about as I try and solder accurately.īecause the switch is only ever going to act as a 3-way Telecaster switch – the easiest thing to do, is to permanently hard-wire the necessary terminals, with a single strand of tinned copper wire. I have a pre-drilled piece of heavy oak which I can drop the fitted-out control plate into. The first task is to tin all of the terminals which will require connections. Fender Telecaster switch wiring – Hardwiring the switch terminals This provides a “neck and bridge together” option for the middle, (position 2), on the switch, and also utilises a single 0.047♟ tone capacitor, instead of requiring an additional, darker sounding, 0.1♟ capacitor for the neck pickup preset. However – since Wilko will have, almost certainly, swapped to the “Modern Telecaster” wiring standard by now, (and since he never seems to use anything other than the bridge pickup on full-crank, anyway), I’ll wire up my version using the “modern circuit”, as illustrated on Fender’s “American Vintage” pickup spec sheet.
Wilko’s original Telecaster, and the inspiration for the Fender Wilko Johnson signature version, is well known to be a 1962 production model, and therefore should have originally been supplied with the pre-CBS “Dark Circuit” wiring.
Fender Telecaster wiring – Pots and switch If it just won’t fit – I have a spare 0.047♟ “Orange Drop”, as a backup. I have a vintage, Soviet surplus “K40Y-9”, 0.047♟ PIO unit for the tone capacitor and, although it’s a little on the large size – I’m hoping I can rely on the extra space available in the vintage-style control cavity, to sit it conveniently, below the pots. I’ll be using some pre-tinned, cloth covered wire for the circuit connections, with a little piece of tinned copper wire to hard-wire the switch. I’m using a CRL 3-way spring switch, an RS Guitarworks 280k “SuperPot” for the volume control, and a CTS “Premium” 250k for the tone pot. The pots and switch are already temporarily attached to the control plate, (no LocTite used, as yet). Fender Telecaster – Circuit wiring components Consequently – soldering the tone circuit, is probably going to be the most difficult thing I’ll have to deal with on this build. The only real challenge has been dealing with my continuing vision limitations.
Since the Telecaster is a relatively uncomplicated beast – it’s been quite uncomplicated to assemble it. I suppose I could have always gone out and bought an actual Fender Signature guitar for slightly less than this one has cost to build – but then I wouldn’t have the personal satisfaction of putting it all together, and some of the recent days and months in lockdown would have been that little bit emptier. Certainly no corners cut here, and nothing inferior installed – just to save a few shillings – either. Since most of the after-market parts I’ve sourced are either contemporary with, or are up-to-date versions of exactly the same components used during the Wilko Signature production runs – the build is just about as close to the original Signature range as I can get, with a just couple of upgrades thrown in. Of course, it helps that Wilko’s original, iconic, 1962 Tele – (the one which the signature range model was based upon) – was a “down to earth” and “no-nonsense” example, in the first place, and the fact that Wilko now actually uses his own Fender signature guitars, straight from the shelf, for live work, just goes to demonstrate their authenticity, and suitability for the job. Fender’s original Wilko Johnson Signature guitars were reasonably priced, “made in Mexico”, “no-frills” instruments – but built to look authentic and to sound the part. In fact, this whole project build has been a relatively easy one to put together. Whichever way you slice it – wiring up a Telecaster circuit is perhaps one of the easier guitar soldering jobs.
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