Refurbishing a squier affinity telecaster

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ctgblue
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 9:44 am
Location: East Coast USA

Refurbishing a squier affinity telecaster

Post by ctgblue »

I bought this guitar for $50.00 from a guy who walked off the street into my local guitar center, just as I was leaving.

Everything worked so the salesguy just let me buy it right from him as he knew this is the type of guitar I was looking to grab as a 'backporch' knockaround guitar.

The thing smelled like an ashtray and the strings were corroded, but the guitar was solid.
Once I threw away the strap (smell would not come out, nice Levy's too) and cut the strings off, I realized how solid it was.
I took it to the beach with the family and realized that, while it was a nice guitar, the electronics had to go. So I decided to swap out all hardware and make it a black and tan.

Well, nobody makes a 5 hole modern style black tele bridge that is toploading, like the stock chrome one was. So I had to buy a 'string through' model.

I sure as hell cannot drill ferrule holes by hand, but a buddy with a drill press offered it to me.
Got the hardware. Last night took it apart and today drilled the stirng holes, the ferrule holes and set the ferrules.
The string holes were right on, but the forstner bit wandered a little on me on two of the holes, so they are off a little. To me it looks like a lot, but run out is only a little less than 30 thousandths.
Considering i had to feed it 'butt in' and eyeball it from the neck end, I am happy. Taped everything, no cracker lacquer, and the top holes line up with the bridge holes.

Next, black everything, locking tuners, string rollwer trees, controls and knobs, GFS puncher rail pu'ps, and black pearl pickguard.
I tried to de-solder the wires last night, but the old iron I had wouldn't do it, so I had to clip them and i labeled them as I'll sell the whole package off. So new iron before I can install the new electronics.
Here are the pictures of the before and after

before

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after

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more info to be added as I go
I work hard and play hard. I lift heavy, ride a motorcycle, and play metal. I'm soon to be 'grandpa'.
If it's too loud you're too old. . . Crap, it's starting to get a little loud...
ctgblue
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 9:44 am
Location: East Coast USA

Re: Refurbishing a squier affinity telecaster

Post by ctgblue »

Before
Image

After
Image
I work hard and play hard. I lift heavy, ride a motorcycle, and play metal. I'm soon to be 'grandpa'.
If it's too loud you're too old. . . Crap, it's starting to get a little loud...
darren
Posts: 794
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:26 pm
Location: Williams Bay, Wi
Contact:

Re: Refurbishing a squier affinity telecaster

Post by darren »

NICE!
Darren
ctgblue
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 9:44 am
Location: East Coast USA

Re: Refurbishing a squier affinity telecaster

Post by ctgblue »

I've got a bad connection on the neck pickup, wired it wrong I'm afraid.
The leads are too short to fix easily, so I've got a 12" bit coming.
I'll drill straight from the neck p.u. route into the control cavity and then fix it.

The bridge pickup shred, the GFS Puncher is the pickup to get if you want a heavy sound, and it has a nice fat clean tone too.
I work hard and play hard. I lift heavy, ride a motorcycle, and play metal. I'm soon to be 'grandpa'.
If it's too loud you're too old. . . Crap, it's starting to get a little loud...
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