SX SE3 Needs Some Help | Part 1

Part 2 ▶

Overview

There's nothing really outstanding about the SX SE3. It's basically a typical budget-friendly LP-style featuring a solid basswood body, a bolt-on Canadian maple neck, chrome hardware, a rosewood fretboard, and two-way truss rod. Which brings us to the subject of this post, a gloss black SE3 that has seen better days. 

Someone's Messy Workspace

Bound Rosewood Fretboard

Canadian Maple Neck

Serial Number 20280235

Solid Basswood Body

Gloss Black Finish

Hardware

The hardware on this SE3 is caked with crud, grime and rust, as one would expect. A good soak and scrub should do wonders for the plastics, but all those corroded components have me worried. I expect to replace most of the screws and service the rest of the metallic components with a good dose of elbow grease, Autosol and lube. And, as rust has eaten its way into the bridge and tailpiece components; they will not be reused.

Tuning Machines

Rust Never Sleeps

Knobs, Bridge, Tailpiece and Neck Plate

Bridge and Tailpiece Bushings Removed

Replacement Bride and Tailpiece Components

Electronics

On the whole, this guitar features quality components and wiring. The pots are full sized, the three-way toggle switch isn't your typical cheapo box-type, and the output jack is secured to a sturdy metal plate. Equally impressive is the extensive use of shielded cable and heat shrink tubing. However, the overwhelming presence of tarnish and whitish salt deposits tell me that these components need to be replaced.

Output Jack and Volume Pot

Volume and Tone Pots

Three-Way Toggle Switch

Pickups

As with a typical LP-style solidbody, the SE3 sports two humbuckers. Despite their weathered appearance, both pickups are still functioning. The neck pickup DCR reads 9.9K, and the bridge, 12.7K. Corroded humbucker components include the pole pieces, chrome covers, brass base plates, springs, height adjustment screws; and mounting ring screws. Meanwhile, the creme mounting rings themselves suffer from grime, discoloration, and deep cracks. Long story short, none of these shall be retained.

Neck Pickup Base Plate

Bridge Pickup Base Plate

Side View of Both Pickups

Current Pickups - DCR as Measured

Replacement Pickups

Replacement Pickups - DCR as Measured