The best laid mice of plans and men

Tonight was a night off, so I thought I’d wire in those nice new pickups for the Washburn.

I’ve had this guitar a few years now, and it came to me very very cheap and very beaten up. I didn’t mind at the price (£125! They were about £600 - £700 new in the 80’s) and a few dings adds authenticity. What was odd is that there is pink showing through the black where the paint is chipped, apart from the spot where it’s bare wood.

Anyway, first off I managed to open it (screws are the tiniest I’ve EVER seen on a guitar) and find that the wiring is a complete mess, and looks really complicated. Considering I’ve had the strat to bits a few times and it’s got one more pickup, this looked daft. Also the wiring has been done really badly – clunky joints, broken/fixed wires - def not original at all, which explains the stupid control setup (toggle toward the bridge is neck PU and vice versa, bottom knobs work neck, top work bridge – weird).

Then I twig – it was originally pink, and has had a pro refinish. Now that IS funny – a ‘metal style’ guitar in pink. Ho hum. I’m almost tempted to try to strip it, just for the fun of using a pink guitar in church, but I just don’t have the time or energy.

Anyway, get ready to disconnect all the wiring, only to drop and break my soldering iron :-( There’s a kind of spare, but it’s really a de-solderer, and unsuitable. Then I find the new pickup surrounds don’t quite fit (originals are washburn custom jobs!!!)

Its got to 10.30, I’ve copied the original wiring onto paper, designed my new layout with controls in rational places and I’ve had enough. Got to be out early (7.00) tomorrow. I’m going to bed before I do something stupid.

Night