LPB Stratocaster Project

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Wed May 16, 2018 8:56 am

Going to do dual 80's ceramic humbuckers in it and do a Bill Lawrence five way switch since I have a five way switch around. It will have 1meg pots. Red tort guard going on it. Here are the pictures I have since I need to pick it up this weekend.

solfege · Post by **solfege** » Wed May 16, 2018 11:57 am

Of course this made me look up the Bill Lawrence wiring. And well, "Damn. That's cool. Isn't it?"

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Wed May 16, 2018 7:22 pm

It was one of the first diagrams that popped up as I was trying to find a five way switch wiring for pickups with just a hot and ground. (These humbuckers are only two wire so I can't coil tap or anything.) Seems like cool options for sure. I am excited to hear the 50% out of phase sound.

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sun May 20, 2018 12:04 pm

You know how some projects go together perfectly like all the parts were supposed to be together? This wasn't one of those. I got home and decided to swap out the block in it with a nicer block that was kindly included in the purchase. When trying to get the old block off, I damaged some saddles and screws because they were well used and hard to adjust. I tossed those and got the new block on.... and then the bridge wouldn't move. The new block was slightly wider and got stuck in the space..... so I had to put it back how it was... but with no saddles this time. LOL I decided next to try to mount some tuners I had around I figured would fit perfectly.... they did not fit. I figure whatever... and decide to get the pickguard put together. Humbuckers go in fine and so do the pots and switch. I try to put it on the body and it won't lay flat because the bridge screws were too long for the rout. I get my nippers and cut the screws shorter and it lays flat. Then I notice the holes aren't matching up right so I have to grind my pickguard a bit by the bridge to be able to line stuff up like it should. At that point last night, I decided to call it done and angrily went to bed about all the parts that were not working like I hoped.

This morning I get to wiring and notice one of the new pots that came is broken. (Never seen it broken like it was.) I figured whatever because my wiring only had one tone and one volume anyways so this one would be a dummy one to fill space anyways... but another thing broken... LOL I get it wired and the first three positions work as they should, but the out of phase version only has the bridge working and the last position is no sound. I tired messing with it a bit. I am guessing it is because these are two wire pickups and eventually just move on. While going through my parts bin I found another set of tuners from a HH Squier Jazzmaster. I try them on the headstock and they worked great. This headstock has had so many holes in it, it looked pretty sad, so I took a blue sharpie and dotted the wood parts to make them less glaring. Tuners actually mounted smoothly. Shocking, right? Added a sticker and a dyno label of one of my favorite song quotes and it is good. (Well until I get the new saddles in the mail.)

Here are pics to go with my saga.

20180519_223212 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_121955 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_122145 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_123748 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_123753 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_124805 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_124742 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_124751 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

20180520_124758 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr