It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:44 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:16 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:10 pm
Posts: 2261
Location: Elay
I've loved my JA90 Tele since I bought it but two things bothered me. The controls were useless, and I couldn't get a good clean sound. It would start breaking up with just the slightest amount of pick attack. I blamed the crunch problem on the pickups because they seemed very hot.
I decided to have it rewired. I had a new switch and jack installed along with CTS 500k linear volume pots, CTS 250k audio taper tone pots and vitamin Q .0274mfd caps. I also had the tech use a 50's wiring diagram I got from the LP forum.
The difference is dramatic. First, the controls work. When I turn a knob, I hear a difference without having to turn 6 or 8 notches. But the best part is the sound is much more defined and I'm not getting constant crunch and breakup. There's a nice solid bottom, with a Tele like bright top. A very full bright overall sound.
And the pickups are hotter than I realized. The tech checked them. Neck 11.5k, bridge 14.2k! These are some hot P90's.
I would recommend this guitar to anyone. But I'd also recommend spending an extra $80 to have the pots changed out. I feel like I've got another new guitar to play with.
Image

Image

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:34 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Good deal. Your tech did a nice job.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 7:53 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:10 pm
Posts: 2261
Location: Elay
I'm happy with it, but I just found out he didn't use the Vitamin Q's he said he was going to. I don't know why, but I'm just going to leave it. It's a definite improvement.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:19 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri May 29, 2009 5:41 pm
Posts: 623
these guitars have always intrigued me


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 6:29 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:10 pm
Posts: 2261
Location: Elay
It's definitely a bit different, which is what I like about it. Not your standard Tele, but a very bright full sound that fills the part.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 3:33 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 3:17 am
Posts: 4
Hi Everybody!

I came across this topic since I also got a pretty black JA90 and have the same issue. Yeah, as Drew pointed above it's impossible to get a decent clean sound out of it, specially from the bridge.. it's like the guitar has only an on/off pot cause as soon as you pass 2 or 3 you get it dirty (which makes also impossible to control fuzzes), those p90s are :evil: ! hehe

I think I'll try to make the mod myself, so I wonder if anybody could give other advice about the caps? will any other caps make the sound raise more linear? (cause as it is it goes waaay exponential, as my GAS when I'm on this site).

Thanks!!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 3:28 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:16 am
Posts: 2337
Mrbadwah wrote:
Hi Everybody! I came across this topic since I also got a pretty black JA90 and have the same issue. Yeah, as Drew pointed above it's impossible to get a decent clean sound out of it, specially from the bridge.. it's like the guitar has only an on/off pot cause as soon as you pass 2 or 3 you get it dirty (which makes also impossible to control fuzzes), those p90s are :evil: ! hehe I think I'll try to make the mod myself, so I wonder if anybody could give other advice about the caps? will any other caps make the sound raise more linear? (cause as it is it goes waaay exponential, as my GAS when I'm on this site). Thanks!!


I wonder what the deal is.
Why would Japan keep shipping Teles that way, if there are complaints?

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 11:10 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 3:17 am
Posts: 4
yeah, it's quite annoying.. you get a 'cool' grunge out of it but it's not when you get it right after turning the knob from 3 and to my ears it sounds the same up till 10.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 1:12 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:16 am
Posts: 2337
Mrbadwah wrote:
yeah, it's quite annoying.. you get a 'cool' grunge out of it but it's not when you get it right after turning the knob from 3 and to my ears it sounds the same up till 10.


I have been hearing nothing but high quality remarks about MIJapan, lately.
Maybe you could contact someone at Fender about what you have experienced
and know in general.

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 9:28 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:29 am
Posts: 937
its made in China i think, or korea. deffo not Japan. i was looking at getting one, and have about half the cash to get one, but after reading this i dont think i will, i cant really justify buying the guitar itself, let alone then replacing all the electrics just to make it usable. i love the look, i love the thinline, i love the set neck, i just cant be arsed with the hassle. maybe one day.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 1:48 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 3:17 am
Posts: 4
Mine was actually made in Indonesia but there's a bunch of them from Korea, I guess it's something to do with the Cort factory issues..

Moochy, it's a great guitar with a nice sound but these pickups are way too hot for the regular clean (it's perfect for punk rock as it is, but not so much for reggae/balads as you have to kick in some filters). Give it a try first.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 5:47 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:29 am
Posts: 937
Drew - do you think the pots and other controls are the problem as much as the pickups ? if i was to put some less hot pickups in the guitar, do you think the controls would do their job better ? im seeing it as easier to swap pups than get it all rewired, but i dont want to put new pups in than find the controls are still useless.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:55 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:16 am
Posts: 2337
Drew365 wrote:
I've loved my JA90 Tele since I bought it but two things bothered me. The controls were useless, and I couldn't get a good clean sound. It would start breaking up with just the slightest amount of pick attack. I blamed the crunch problem on the pickups because they seemed very hot.
I decided to have it rewired. I had a new switch and jack installed along with CTS 500k linear volume pots, CTS 250k audio taper tone pots and vitamin Q .0274mfd caps. I also had the tech use a 50's wiring diagram I got from the LP forum.
The difference is dramatic. First, the controls work. When I turn a knob, I hear a difference without having to turn 6 or 8 notches. But the best part is the sound is much more defined and I'm not getting constant crunch and breakup. There's a nice solid bottom, with a Tele like bright top. A very full bright overall sound.
And the pickups are hotter than I realized. The tech checked them. Neck 11.5k, bridge 14.2k! These are some hot P90's.
I would recommend this guitar to anyone. But I'd also recommend spending an extra $80 to have the pots changed out. I feel like I've got another new guitar to play with.



Drew. Did you ever contact Fender and state your complaint?
What did Fender say? Toppscore :)

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:05 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:10 pm
Posts: 2261
Location: Elay
Sorry; I haven't checked this forum in a while. But, since I started this, let me straighten you guys out. There's nothing wrong with the JA90, it's a great little guitar and has become my current #1. I paid $600 for it delivered to my door, so you have to take that into consideration. You're not going to pay for a Chevy and get a Rolls. The Seymour Duncan P90's are great pickups. They are just super hot and you need to adjust for that just like you would for any other guitar with hot pickups. I wasn't happy with the way the controls worked and decided to do a complete rewire. I don't think investing $150 or so to make a good guitar, great, is a big deal. If I had paid more for the guitar, it would be different, but it's quite a deal. I got the stock wiring diagram from Fender Support, but never complained about the electronics because as I said, I realize you're only going to get so much from a budget guitar. The fit and finish on my guitar is great. The electronics are a bit cheap and that's part of how they keep the price down. That's reality. I'd recommend this guitar to anyone. Here's a video of me playing it at a recent show. I'm on the right with the natural Tele. That's not me playing the black Tele for the intro.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzkiUmqm9o4

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: My more better JA90 Tele
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:44 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:29 am
Posts: 937
thanks for that. thing is in the UK im paying the equivelant of $820 dollars for the guitar, which is more than yours cost after upgrades, so i have to put a bit more thought into it. i would guess after doing your upgrades in the UK, this ends up as a $1k guitar.

if i only had to pay $600 i wouldnt be bitching either :lol: :lol:


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: