Changing switch, Teflon nut and zero fret

[Les Paul Lover]

Following on from my recent thread about strat wiring, I went ahead and order a Schaller Megaswitch S, an excellent and pretty inexpensive 5 way strat switch.

 

I also had previously bought replacement nut and zero fret for my Vigier.

 

I upped a string gauge on my vigier when I bought it and enlarge the graphite nut slots myself with nozzle cleaner files..... Not The best tip I've read on the Internet.... Little control over the size of the slot you can cut, and the B and G strings slot were a touch too wide.

 

With Zero fret, it combined for a very odd and peculiar (and very slight) issue. When bending those strings, the string could roll just a tiny bit in the nut slot, and emit a ping noise that annoyed me when playing unplugged. It wasn't an issue when plugged in, but it still annoyed me, so I went ahead and bought the new Teflon nut (like the Teflon found in non stick frying pans!!!) the exact size I needed from a Vigier seller, and bought a stainless steel replacement zero fret too.

 

And off I went.....

Found Something to push on the edge of the zero fret and actually lightly hammered it....

 

 

It came out so easily!!! Since the zero fret does wear out, that fret slot isn't filled for easy replacement.

At that stage, I could simply pull it out!

 

 

For what it's worth, I've had my Vigier for about 6years now, and the original zero fret still has plenty life in it, but being a regular fret material, I was keen to swap it anyway. I'm keeping the original for spares.

 

The nut was just about as easy to swap out. Teflon is a funny material. It feels greasy to touch... Slippery. But It's dead dry. I've heard it's a bit soft though, so it wouldn't make a good nut material without the zero fret. On my vigier with the zero fret, the nut merely acts as a channel to guide the string really.

 

And here you can see the new fret and nut (and the old one too).

 

[Les Paul Lover]

And then I went to work on the switch.

 

Handily, Vigier connecter the pickguard to the output jack with a detachable connector.....

 

 

 

And then with the new switch installed.

 

 

(mental note - my iron needs a new tip)

 

I gave it a quick try out late at night and was very underwhelmed. I changed thw switch to get rid of the neck + brisge in thw middle position and to get thw regular strat wiring with middle pick up alone there.

 

The middle pick sounded pretty flat and off I went to bed.

 

I tried it again tonight, and it did sound flat..... And Quick check, and I realised thw middle pick up was much lower than the others.

 

I adjusted its height, and it's perfect!!!!!!!

I'm really pleased I did this. It sounds close to the neck pick up, but with just the extra spank and treble I wanted!!!!!!

 

 

Really pleased with that.