Use this page to order one of our STB Super 4-Way Telecaster Prewired Kits. Select from the options below and then add the assembly to your basket. You will find information about each option is at the bottom of the page. The initial price of every prewired assembly is $0, but after you add it your basket the actual price will be calculated. You can view the total price by viewing your basket contents.
STB Super 4-Way Mod Tele Prewired Kit
Code: TELE_STB
Product Details
Kickstart your Tele®! Get the Power of 4-Way Wiring, only with More Bite.
Upon installation of one of our custom wired assemblies, you will notice an improvement in both clarity and character, coupled with more reliability. This is because we use only the finest components you can put into an electric guitar. In addition, the Super 4-Way Tele mod adds a lot of versatility to your tonal arsenal.
About the Rothstein STB Super 4-Way Mod
Fender's 4-way switching has proven to be a very useful wiring enhancement to stock Tele wiring. It's not new either, and has been around for as long as I can remember. Personally, I have been using it for close to 20 years now. That extra 4th position engages the 2 pickups in series, and therefore gives you an increase in both output and midrange. Many players including myself have found it effective to switch to that position during solos....almost like stepping on a stomp box.
There is however one thing that has bothered me about this mod, which I have only observed when performing live with a band. When playing alone in my living room, that increase in midrange of position #4 (the series position) sounds fat and beefy. However, when playing at full volume with a band, I have found the increased midrange in the series position results in less clarity and definition. In short, I have found the guitar cuts through the mix less, despite the increase in outputThe Solution
What I have done to my own Teles has worked out as a perfect solution, which is to add a bass cut pot that is tied exclusively to the series position only (position #4). This allows you to preset the desired amount of bass cut in advance, so when you switch to position 4 you get the increased output, but still retain all the clarity that we demand from our Teles.
The bass cut is the same as Leo Fender used in his PTB tone stack that he employed for some of the G&L guitars. PTB stands for Passive Treble and Bass. The treble cut control is a low pass filter, and functions just like a standard tone control. A low pass filter allows frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency to pass and higher frequencies are rolled off. The bass cut control is a high pass filter, which is the opposite of a low pass filter. A high pass filter allows frequencies higher than the cutoff frequency to pass, and lower frequencies are rolled off. This ability to dial out some of the low frequencies is extremely useful, particularly to help overdriven sounds stand out.
The 3rd pot is located between the 2 standard pots, and uses a slim black lower profile knob typically found on pedal. Check out the below sound sample. The lead guitar is using position 4 with the bass cut pot rolled down about 1/2 way.
Component Specifications
- Top quality components including CRL switches, Switchcraft Jacks and CTS Pots
- All components treated with Caig DeOxit for long trouble free operation
- Choice of high-end tone caps including Uptone Audio Musicap, VH Audio V-Cap, and Orange Drop
- Vintage style cloth wire
- Installation Instructions included
Expand any of the sections below to read important details about the various options we offer. You may use these links to Expand All and Collapse All to expand or collapse all sections with a single click
PICKUPS
Rothstein Guitars is an AUTHORIZED DEALER for all these manufacturers listed on this page which means any pickups you purchase purchase from us carries the full manufacturer's warranty.
LINDY FRALIN PICKUPS- These are absolutely fabulous pickups. We have installed these pickups in countless guitars and what is rather amazing is how consistently good they sound. They are wound by hand by Lindy and his staff in Richmond, VA. We carry the following 3 configurations:
- Stock - Bright, clear, classic and twangy!! The neck pickup includes a metal cover and is wound to 7 K with 43 gauge Plain Enamel wire. The Bridge pickup is Wound with 42 gauge Plain Enamel wire to approximately 6.6k (8,800 turns).
- Custom 2% Underwound Blues Special set w/Metal Cover on neck pickup - This set is "the bomb" for those looking to attain that Roy Buchanan tone. These are custom made for Rothstein Guitars by Lindy Fralin. With this set the neck pickup is wound 2% below that of a regular blues special. In other words it is somewhere in between a stock pickup and a blues special. There are 2 benefits to this. First, this pickup will have a bit more top end and spank than a standard Blues Special due to the fact that is slightly underwoun in comparison. Second, since it isn't as dark as a Blus Special pickup, we have these made with the metal cover so you get to keep your vinage look!!
- Blues Special - The neck pickup comes without the metal cover. It is wound to 7.5K with staggered magnets and 5% more turns than stock. The tone is bright and strong. The bridge pickup is wound with 42 gauge Polynylon to 7.3K for 5% more power and 5% darker than stock sound.This pickup can also be overwound 2% overstock. We don't recommend anything hotter with a cover on it.
- Split Blade - Amazing tone and quiet! Most common options are vintage and blues. By default, these come in black with a 9.5" radius. No problem if you want some other variation, just indicate that in the comments field.
CURTIS NOVAK PICKUPS- If you're looking for some monster T pickups then check out Curtis Novak. Curt has been hand winding pickups for 20 years and has studied the methods of the masters. He is quite adept at "scatterwinding" which many feel is one of the secrets to great tone. You will see some very unique options on his site.
SUHR PICKUPS- Awesome Tele pickups by John Suhr, master builder of Suhr guitars. Suhr's Classic T pickups are the result of John Suhr's extensive research into what made the pickups of T-style instruments so special and renowned for their unmistakable sonic quality heard on pop and rock music records of the past half-century. The Bridge pickup retains the twang and the bite of the best vintage T-style pickups while doing away with piercing or harsh highs that are common in pickups of this type. Our Chrome Neck pickup adds clarity and warmth to round out the perfect set of pickups for our Classic T and similar guitars.
TONE CAPACITOR
The bass cut capacitor will be a Mallory 150 Series Mustard capacitor.
For the treble cut circuit, SBE Orange Drop capacitors will be used by default at no extra charge, or for an upcharge you may select between Sozo NextGen Blue Molded, and VH Audio's V-CAP TONE series ultra high-end Paper in Oil. The price will vary depending upon which capacitor you select. Read about our capacitor choices here. 
VOLUME KIT
A volume kit (also know as a "treble retention circuit" or "treble bleed mod") is used to prevent the loss of highs associated with lowering the volume on your guitar. We use a 1000 pf Mallory 150 Series Metalized Polyester Tubular capacitor in parallel with a 150K resistor. You can read more about this here.
SOLDERLESS OPTION
We can wire your assembly with pin and socket connectors, thus eliminating the need for soldering. The pins and sockets are color-coded, so all you will need to do is match the colors and connect corresponding male and female connectors. If you purchase an assembly with a 3 way selector switch, there will be 4 pin/socket pairs. If you purchase an assembly with a 4 way selector switch there will either be 4 or 5 pin/socket pairs (5 ony if you neck pickup includes a metal cover).
Important Notes - Please Read:
lInstallation - Installing pickup and electronics into a tele (even if completely prewired and solderless) isn't as easy as it sounds. If you don't have experience working on guitars, you might be best off bringing your guitar, the pickups and the prewired assembly to a qualified technician for proper installation. Since the assembly is prewired, the technician won't likely charge you too much more than the solderless option.
String Ground - Most Tele bridge pickups establish the string ground via their base plates, thus eliminating the need for a separate ground wire. However, if you purchase a Tele bridge pickup that doesn't come with a metal base plate, an additional black wire wire attached to your assembly. This won't wire won't have a pin/socket connector. You will simply need to lay the exposed part of the wire under the bridge plate.
ACCESSORY COLORS
You may select between chrome and gold for the control plate and knobs. NOTE: The bass cut pot will be located between the volume and tone pots, and will be a smaller profile black knob.
