So, after 42 years, I am FINALLY restoring my '68 Telestar Hollowbody 2-pickup electric guitar. Not going to replace any components- 3-way switch already replaced, pots are fine, etc., unless...
The obviously (?) single-coil pickups have THREE WIRES coming from them- one black, one blue, one red. The black and blues are both grounded to the back of the pots; the red goes to one of the terminals of the pots (2 vol/2 tone setup.) What's that all about? Just yesterday, I was looking at the innards of a Recco guitar- same era, same country of origin, same-looking single coils, but only two pickup wires. Anything I can do with the three, to give me additional tones? If I need a switch to take advantage of this weird (to me) wiring setup, I would go with a push-pull pot- not drilling any holes is THIS guitar. Pups have chrome covers with a white plastic insert where the pole screws go through to screw into the main pole piece.
The caps on the tone controls are... 42 years old. I should probably change them, right? FWIT, they are green "Chiklet" caps. What would sound better- chicklets or orange drops?
And finally, I found a piece of tan cloth tape, dry and not sticking to anything (although it had been wrapped around part of the wriring) and a paper label about the same width that said "China" on it. Nothing else, just "China." I am guessing the circuitry, or one component, was made in China? Or maybe that label was actually on the replacement 3-way switch and I just didn't notice or remember from when I installed it? I am thinking the latter is more likely, but is it possible that China was a supplier for Matsumoku (or whoever made Telestars)?
The obviously (?) single-coil pickups have THREE WIRES coming from them- one black, one blue, one red. The black and blues are both grounded to the back of the pots; the red goes to one of the terminals of the pots (2 vol/2 tone setup.) What's that all about? Just yesterday, I was looking at the innards of a Recco guitar- same era, same country of origin, same-looking single coils, but only two pickup wires. Anything I can do with the three, to give me additional tones? If I need a switch to take advantage of this weird (to me) wiring setup, I would go with a push-pull pot- not drilling any holes is THIS guitar. Pups have chrome covers with a white plastic insert where the pole screws go through to screw into the main pole piece.
The caps on the tone controls are... 42 years old. I should probably change them, right? FWIT, they are green "Chiklet" caps. What would sound better- chicklets or orange drops?
And finally, I found a piece of tan cloth tape, dry and not sticking to anything (although it had been wrapped around part of the wriring) and a paper label about the same width that said "China" on it. Nothing else, just "China." I am guessing the circuitry, or one component, was made in China? Or maybe that label was actually on the replacement 3-way switch and I just didn't notice or remember from when I installed it? I am thinking the latter is more likely, but is it possible that China was a supplier for Matsumoku (or whoever made Telestars)?
