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Post by chronicinsomnia on Jan 20, 2020 18:32:24 GMT -5
Can you swap out the cover on a Fender Vintage Noiseless strat pickup. I bought a Nashville Tele set today on Reverb and thought I would simply swap the middle pickup cover for a white and am finding very little info. What I am finding isn't looking so good.
I've got a SX Nashville style and it has a white middle position and I'd kinda like to keep that look.
Thanks for any info
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Post by bluzcat on Jan 20, 2020 19:41:48 GMT -5
The noiseless pickup covers are not a direct swap with normal pickups as they are taller. You can swap with a different noiseless color if you can find them.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 20, 2020 20:56:04 GMT -5
Some of the SX ST-style guitars, especially the earlier ones, have pickup covers and matching cutouts in the pickguard that are smaller than Fender specs.
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McCreed
Halfnote
Posts: 76
Formerly Known As: Mick Reid @ FDP
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Post by McCreed on Jan 21, 2020 2:23:43 GMT -5
This has always been a bugbear of mine with Fender. They don't sell aftermarket pickup covers for their Noiseless series. I think they could have made a some extra doe selling them based on how many threads have been posted globally over the last forever asking "Where can I get replacement covers for my Vintage Noiseless... blah blah blah". There also used to be 3 colour choices with their sets - white, aged white and black. The white are no longer an option and black seem to be getting scarce. So you get aged white, or aged white. I have racked my brain trying to come up with ways of modifying standard pickup covers, but short of injection moulding my own, I've got nothin'. What I have done successfully, and this might not be for everybody, is refinished them. I've sanded the top down far enough to remove the "Noiseless" logo*, then lightly sand the sides just enough to de-gloss the plastic. Spray them with a few light coats of Krylon, then some clear gloss lacquer. (I've used satin on a couple just to be different). I haven't had any problems with the paint chipping or coming off, but I'm not an aggressive right hand that strikes the pickguard or pickups when strumming. Another thing I've done on some sets, is mask off the mounting "ears" of the cover before spraying (1- they're under the pickguard; 2- this seems like the most vulnerable area that could potentially be affected by wear from the adjustment screw/spring (  ?) Don't know; hasn't happened, but maybe... *Sanding off the logo: probably don't have to, but I found it the most effective rather than removing it chemically. I should mention that I am a stupid big fan of FVN's. I think they sound great and work really well for me. And the Gen 4 are even better IMO. (I have one tele set) |
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McCreed
Halfnote
Posts: 76
Formerly Known As: Mick Reid @ FDP
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Post by McCreed on Jan 21, 2020 2:34:32 GMT -5
Here is my Stra-Tele build with Aged White FVN refinished in white Krylon...  |
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Post by chronicinsomnia on Jan 21, 2020 9:12:56 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. McCreed did you remove the cover to do the painting and were they difficult to remove? Mine are currently being shipped and I have never had my hands on a FVN to know how easy/difficult they come off.
My wife had suggested painting them. She has a room full of paints and crafting supplies. Everything is a potential project for her.
Lovin' the Stra-Tele.
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McCreed
Halfnote
Posts: 76
Formerly Known As: Mick Reid @ FDP
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Post by McCreed on Jan 21, 2020 20:03:42 GMT -5
Thanks chronicinsomnia.
The FVN covers slide right off and on like any other pickup. They're not epoxied in/on like some others (Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio or Lace).
They're just a different shape & height, which is why conventional covers won't fit.
So yes, covers off for painting.
Of coarse, due care should be taken as with any pickup that has exposed coil wire when removing the cover. It's pretty fine stuff and can break if handled hamfistedly.
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Post by chronicinsomnia on Jan 21, 2020 20:27:20 GMT -5
I will take extra care.
Thx for the info
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Post by Leftee on Jan 21, 2020 20:42:09 GMT -5
... Lovin' the Stra-Tele. I put one together a couple years ago. They are all that! |
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McCreed
Halfnote
Posts: 76
Formerly Known As: Mick Reid @ FDP
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Post by McCreed on Jan 22, 2020 1:48:14 GMT -5
... Lovin' the Stra-Tele. I put one together a couple years ago. They are all that! I explained this at the old place, but I'll put it here now... I did the switching with one simple mod to give a more tele-esque feel. It's a 5-way switch with the positions wired thusly: 5 neck; 4 neck & bridge; 3 bridge; 2 bridge & middle; 1 middle. It's a little unorthodox, and you sacrifice the usual neck/middle combo, but get the neck/bridge tele thing without adding a toggle or push-pull pot. It's easy to think "tele" 3-2-1 for 5-4-3 if that makes any sense |
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Post by Leftee on Jan 22, 2020 7:21:38 GMT -5
I went with the typical 5-way switch and Strat wiring. I used a push/pull pot to add the bridge pickup. One of the combos I got out of that was all 3 pickups at the same time. Turns out I really like that tone.
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McCreed
Halfnote
Posts: 76
Formerly Known As: Mick Reid @ FDP
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Post by McCreed on Jan 22, 2020 17:34:00 GMT -5
I went with the typical 5-way switch and Strat wiring. I used a push/pull pot to add the bridge pickup. One of the combos I got out of that was all 3 pickups at the same time. Turns out I really like that tone. I have that "7-sound" wiring on one of my strats, except with a mini toggle. The all three doesn't do much for me (or at least I haven't a place for it). I find the mini toggle much easier to manage than a p/p pot, but I can see where finding space on a tele control plate for an extra switch could be challenging. |
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Post by Leftee on Jan 22, 2020 17:37:16 GMT -5
I find I like the Nashville Tele set up way better than a Strat. The bridge pickup does it for me.
I have a Strat with the 7 tone setup. I like it, but I prefer a Tele bridge pickup for that setup.
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