Half way through My Telecaster Variax Transplant.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

I play my Variax a  lot more than my Magnetic Electrics I love the flexibility it offers on the hoof. My Telecasters are my Go to Player guitars though and The ideal guitar for my style of playing. Solution this transplant. This video is the disassembly and ad hoc design brain storm. Tomorrow Re wiring and Routing.
I hope it proves useful to others considering this sort of project.

Variax Transplant 300 to TelecasterVAX




Transplant part2

[MCK-fgn]

Thanks for sharing. I will follow your project with great interest.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Hi MCK, All pretty much done . some fine tuning adjustments on the set up and then Jam Time!
Almost there, All working just some final adjustments on the set up, Pickup height, Action fine tuning on intonation.








2 and a half hours of video to edit down But all is well in Teliax Central.

HNG , feels good!

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Teliax Part 3

Success. Very Pleased with it.

[Elantric-fgn]

Roger

Thanks for sharing all the details of your Variax Conversion with Videos. This will surely help many others who pursue a similar path.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Thanks Elantirc,

An interesting conundrum with some RF interference.

An interesting problem with my Teliax Transplant.

New Teliax transplant has opened its own Radio Station.
Demo of My new Teliax Variax transplant Telecaster conversion.  And Just one thing ?

Get a good luck under the bonnet after the demo.

Tracking down a strange RF issue which happens only when the Variax is plugged in and the Tele Mag Pups are on Middle and Neck or Neck pickup. Doesn't happen on Bridge alone and doesn't happen at all when the Variax is turned off ( unplugged ) there is zero buzz what soever in standard Mag Pup´s mode?

Video should start at demo of problem.
Neck Pick up Radio Station - YouTube

[Elantric-fgn]

Could be a Ground problem with the Neck PU.

Also could try running the Neck PU wires through a small Ferrite Core


Similar to how these wires are looped around a couple green ferrite cores. - This has zero impact on the audio performance, but should help minimize RF noise on your Neck PU.



http://www.thepartsplace.k5nwa.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=146


Also run an Ohmmeter from the Neck PU metal cover and verify it is grounded (Zero Ohms ) to your Bridge String Ground and Ground connection on the 1/4" Output Jack.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Hi Elantric,

I have just soldered a ground wire to the neck pup cover to make doubly sure, but it hasn't solved it , it only does it when the Variax is plugged in so I wonder if its the Mother board housing that isn't earthed properly or something going on with the 1/4 inch variax jack. They both operate silently and perfectly working independently.
I'll plug a meter in tomorrow and do those other checks, and see if a nights sleep throws up any other ideas 
Thanks for posting with help, I was clean out of ideas. I also really liked the fishman triple play offer, hadn't seen them before they look very good indeed.

[Elantric-fgn]

You may want to Review the Variax docs, and pay attention to the distinction between "Analog Ground" vs "Digital Ground".

Basically you never want Digital Ground (where the DSP is ) to ever make a direct Ground connection to your normal guitar "Analog Ground".

They typically use EMI filters, RF Inductors, or > 10 ohm resistors to decouple Digital Ground from Analog Ground. 

Digital Ground is extremely noisy, due to the switching currents of the DSP Core.

[shawn-fgn]

Thanks for documenting your Tele-Ax transplant in such detail. I've always wanted a guitar like that. I did briefly own a Jeff Miller Tele-Ax but it had problems so I returned it to the seller.

Interesting to see that you used a Variax 300 as the donor guitar. Seems like most transplants take the guts of a Variax 500. I've always understood that this is due to the so-called "coffin case" that houses the 300's electronics.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Hi Shawn,

I had a 300 so thats what I used. The Coffin Case chopped up quite easily as it is quite straightforward un-mounting the PCB's which are secured by screws and not awkward plastic clips or the like.

I love the new guitar its great playing the Variax models on my familiar and comfortable Old Tele and the GK3 plays nicely too ( I had that on the Variax before too.)

The last question I have is whether to persevere with attenuating the Digital Hum when using the original Tele Mag pups or whether to Be happy with a 3 way option that excluded being able to play the Variax and Tele Mags at the same time. The tele Mags and GK3 at the same time works fine although I can't get the input on the GK3 to work with the Tele Output but can plug them both into separate amps with no noise. The GK3 isn't a Noise issue either the Switch is mal-functioning or its something on my VG88 I haven't managed to solve that as yet, but will in due course.

I have been looking into how Graph tech manage to accommodate Mag pick up and Digital blending on the Ghost hexpander and acoustiphonic systems but from what I have gleaned from looking the the Variax JTV manual there isn't an immediately apparent  mag pick up and model blend capability either ( not that I can discern at any rate).

I have some further experimenting to do with optimising my set up as it now stands which will take several days more I think and I will then post a full shake down video , the process is well worth the effort , Great fun and musically rewarding at the end. I am very very happy with the outcome.

[shawn-fgn]

I wish I could advise you on the problem with the humming pickup. Alas, I've no technical experience to draw from for something like this.

When I bought the Tele-Ax, I didn't honestly think I'd ever use the magnetic pickups, as I figured the Variax electronics would be more than enough. So, if I owned your hybrid Telecaster, I'd probably be happy with it the way it is!

And as far as I know, the JTV Variax can only do signal blending with the magnetic and modeled tones thru a Pod HD using the VDI input.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Could be a Ground problem with the Neck PU.

Also could try running the Neck PU wires through a small Ferrite Core


Similar to how these wires are looped around a couple green ferrite cores. - This has zero impact on the audio performance, but should help minimize RF noise on your Neck PU.



http://www.thepartsplace.k5nwa.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=146


Also run an Ohmmeter from the Neck PU metal cover and verify it is grounded (Zero Ohms ) to your Bridge String Ground and Ground connection on the 1/4" Output Jack.

Busy building my Pedal and dealing with the reference ground and PWM analog out theory etc, came across this video.

Basics of Ferrite Beads for Filters, EMI Suppression, Parasitic oscillation suppression / Tutorial

And highly recommend this blog entry and its links.

http://www.planetz.com/intro-to-diy-pedal-building/#more-1883

Also this on op amps ( brilliant)
Op Amp Power Supply Considerations: split, single, virtual ground, etc. - a tutorial

[Zummooz-fgn]

Just wanna say .....
Amazing great work RogerGLewis. On all that you do. Kudos to you.

You have got my head spinning in circles way to many times. (that's a good thing thou) 

Hey did you ever get a FirebirdX ? ...  I know you were interested at some stage.

I just love the talent that is here at FGN. So much learning can be done.
Thanks all.

[RogerGLewis-fgn]

Hi Zummooz,

I didn't get a Firebird X, I tried one at the Copenhagen Guitar Show, I really liked it but my Teliax does all I want with the possible exception of adding auto tuners which I think I might get from tronical,
I was thinking of canabalising a Wilkinson tunomatic bridge at one stage , no rush though.

This pedal project is really for my own collection of Vintage guitars and the learning curve is pretty challenging, my poor old breadboard is sweating almost as much as I am.

I did a rather long video of the Firebird x I tried out, the sound is a bit dodgy, the background noise was a real challenge. I hope t have at least two prototypes of the pedal I am working on ready for the Gothenberg Guitar show at the end of this month, without a breakthrough this weekend I think I might find that a tight dead line.

The list of links just gets longer

http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/index.html

Found the above, it is cited in the planet z Jfet blog which I read and watched the video last week.

Thanks for the encouragement hopefully I'll have a demo done n another week or two.

Firebird X Video.

Fire Bird X Impressions Movie Demo