Adding the 8 stringer back in

**Daniel Nestlerode** · Mar-05-2023, 2:54am

Band practice yesteday...
My Tele Esquire is in the shop for a set up and a new pickup. So I pulled out my Fender FM-988. First time in more than a year.

It has a really great tone running through my Ampeg Jet II (J-12T) re-issue... on the D and A courses. The G course is a little weak due to bad pick-up placement. The E course is there adequately with a little help from a GE-7 equalizer, but it lacks anything one might call tone.

When the Esquire is back, I'll fiind a replacment pickup and have a new pickguard made as well.

Also the tone knob is a bit odd. There are two settings: on and off. it turns the treble off at about three, and back on anywhere above that. Perhaps the pot is the wrong value...?

The pedal board has the GE-7, a SD-1 (super overdrive), and a MO-2 (multi-overtone). The SD-1 works for a boost. I don't bother with the MO-2 on this instrument. It doesn't really want much.

I run both the tremolo and the reverb on the amp.

Anyway I had a lot of fun playing through a bunch of songs with my bass player. The FM-988 will stay in the set.

All the posts about the Eastman are suddenly more interesting to me now...

Daniel

**Rob590** · Mar-05-2023, 5:45am

Hi!

Not an expert, but took a deep dive into the electronics and wiring recently.

For the tone knob, could be the potentiometer taper (audio vs. linear) or it could be capacitor value.

Can you remove the plate and take a photo of the wiring?

Cheers,
Rob

**SleepingVillage** · Mar-05-2023, 6:58am

It may be that there is some foreign material or corrosion blocking the rotating contact(wiper) at the point where it turns off. Try some electrical contact cleaner and be careful to not spill any on the finish. If that doesn't work the potentiometer could be replaced.

**Daniel Nestlerode** · Mar-11-2023, 9:08am

Thanks guys.

I had a look under the hood. The cavity is unshielded, the pot looks OK (500k), but I might replace it anyway.

Comparing the JBovier to the FM-988 and the Telecaster... The JB53 pickups have more power than either of the Fender instruments. I might get in touch with Jeff and see if he's got any laying around... Of course then I'll need to wire in a switch...

Daniel