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LED
Oct 20, 2006 15:16:59 GMT -5
Post by flateric on Oct 20, 2006 15:16:59 GMT -5
Suppose I want to add a little red LED set into the guitar that lights up when the jack plug is plugged in. It would have its own little mini battery to run off. I could wire it up to the jack but would the flow of current via the jack when a lead is plugged in interfere with the pickup signal at all? How exactly would the wiring work?
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LED
Oct 20, 2006 17:37:36 GMT -5
Post by JohnH on Oct 20, 2006 17:37:36 GMT -5
flateric - I reckon you could do that if you wanted to. You would have a battery in series with a resistor and the LED. The power would be engaged by using a stereo jack socket. - You put the negative end of the battery to the extra 'stereo' sleeve connection on the jack socket.
- Positive of battery to LED
- Other end of LED to resistor
- Other end of resistor to jack socket ground
- Jack socket tip connection to guitar output as usual.
The battery is not connected until a mono jack plug is inserted, to connect the 'stereo' connection to the ground. Its the same scheme used for engaging power with any active electronics inside a guitar, or in a stompbox. It would not affect your sound. You'd need to experiment with resistor values and battery sizes and LED types. A pair of AAA would be best. The LED has to be the right way round, but no damege ensues if it is tested in reverse. Why would you do this? - because you want to and you can! It's also a good test case for putting other active systems into your guitar which would be wired for power the same way. cheers John
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LED
Oct 20, 2006 17:44:18 GMT -5
Post by flateric on Oct 20, 2006 17:44:18 GMT -5
Thanks John, thats exactly the info I was after! OK so I come clean, drilled a hole in the body too near the bridge to fit a switch (after changing my mind about the type of bridge), I end up with a small hole in my new build that needs filling - a red LED would fit very nicely and be fun to install.
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LED
Oct 20, 2006 17:59:37 GMT -5
Post by JohnH on Oct 20, 2006 17:59:37 GMT -5
You are welcome. Just thought of one thing that you should know, which occurs with these power systems. There is a 'pop' if you insert the jack plug with the amp turned up, as the jack tip passes the stereo connection on its way to the tip connection.
John
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