Bullet 1 electronics help

[Ed the Dog]

Good morning. I'm looking to replace all the guts in a 83ish Japanese Squier Bullet 1. Love the feel of the guitar but not the sound. I'd like to keep the aged knobs and switch tip, but they are the thin shaft type. I can't tell on sites like GFS if the parts will work. They all seem to be larger. Help me o great guitar ones. You're my only hope.

[Floyd Rosenbomb]

Replacing the pots and capacitors will likely not make much difference tonally, unless you plain to change the values of the pots or the capacitors.

 

Why do you want to change them? Do they sound "scratchy?"

[Ed the Dog]

I've had the guitar for nearly 30 years. Over the years I've picked up much better sounding guitars, but I figured I'd keep the original, non-noise canceling electronics together in case I wanted that nostalgic highschool sound again. The switch is stiff. The pots are a bit scratchy, and the pups are ceramic. I have other pups to put in, too. I hope that makes sense?

[wankdeplank]

If you have the pickups and want to install them that's probably all I'd do because matching the other parts compatibility wise could be a real problem. Not sure what you have there but if it's plywood body and pot metal bridge, you might be asking for too much.

[WRGKMC]

Sounds like you need to just clean them with contact cleaner. As Floyd said, those components don't change the sound quality and the wire harness surely has no affect on tone. Switches and pots are usually good for a couple of cleanings before they are worn enough to have to replace. Get some Deoxit and spray the inside of the pots and the switch contacts then work them back and forth. Switches and Pots are open and susceptible to having dust and oxidation which makes them scratchy.

 

Just be sure to use a lubricating potentiometer contact cleaner "not" a zero residue cleaner. Non residue cleaners will make the problem worse and possibly damage the plastic and contacts inside. Most lubricating cleaners contain mineral oil which cleans and lubricates them. If you find the pots are still scratchy after proper cleaning then they might need replacement. The switch should last the lifetime of the instrument if its a normal vintage switch. The contacts simply get dirty and need cleaning and the lubricant in the cleaner should free it up so it isn't stiff.

 

There are some really cheap switches installed in some Squires that can loosen up and fall apart. I do suggest replacing those with a standard switch. You can identify them as having a square metal or plastic box. The standard switch is round and has exposed contacts around the sides of the switch. The cheap ones have the contacts along the bottom. Even the cheap switches should be good for a couple of cleanings though so you may as well give it a shot and see what you get.

[MorganB]

http://www.dragonfireguitars.com/SSS-Single-Single-Single_c63.htm

[DeepEnd]

If you have the pickups and want to install them that's probably all I'd do . . .

^ This. If it ain't broke . . .

[Radar-Love]

I'm looking to replace all the guts in a 83ish Japanese Squier Bullet 1. Love the feel of the guitar but not the sound. I'd like to keep the aged knobs and switch tip' date=' but they are the thin shaft type. I can't tell on sites like GFS if the parts will work. They all seem to be larger.[/quote']

 

 

Do you have the three pickup Bullet like a Strat, but no tremolo unit) or do you have a single humbucker Bullet?

 

In either case, you can install standard pickups. If you want to retain the covered pickup look, you an get new creme or black plastic covers or use your current covers -- if they are still good.

 

The pickups they put in that era of Squiers were pathetic. The poly finishes used on some of these around 82/83 also was not so good, as it didn't take long for the finish to begin exhibiting nasty cracks if it was exposed to even moderately cool temperatures.

 

Otherwise, they are usually cool little guitars, and can be made a lot better if refurbished. By the way, the collectible factor on these guitars is fairly low, so I wouldn't worry too much about modifying one.

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure what you have there but if it's plywood body...

 

 

Those MIJ Squier Bullets have solid Japanese mysterywood bodies. Basically, whatever wood was cheapest -- probably basswood, but it could be alder, agathis (kari pine), or any other wood species that they had an abundance of at the time of manufacture.