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Post by Random_Snake on Aug 12, 2008 8:31:40 GMT -5
I have a rear routed warmoth strat style body with a strat neck. When I got the body it came complete with EMG pup's, afterburner, para eq etc... but I have found the setup is to complicated and muddy for my taste. I guess I like the old school. Anyway, I am putting Abigail's 69's back in. I really don't know much about shielding other than I know my guitar doesn't have any because with the EMG's it didn't need it. I've read the shielding article which is excellent. I know more about it than I did but it is really for a strat with the pick-guard. While I'm doing this, I want to do it right and learn something at the same time. (always a good thing!) Here are some questions I have for the experts and feel free to add cautions that I don't know about. I'll be using aluminum foil with contact adhesive and installing the recommended ground ring. Sorry if this was addressed somewhere else. If it was just let me know and I'll go read it. I did a quick check and didn't find anything other than tele's.
1) Do I still shield the pup cavities and if so do I need to run a wire from each pup cavity to the back where my ground ring will go?
2) I am using metal pup rings. Do I need to ground them also?
3) I know to shield the control cavity on the back. Do I also need to shield the back of the plate covering the control cavity and if so does it need contact the control cavity shielding?
4) Do I need to do any shielding in the trem cavity?
5) My trem ground wire is on the plate that is screwed into the body. Is that ok?
6) There is a hole going from the neck to the neck pup cavity. There was nothing in it when I removed the EMG. Is there a ground wire or something I need there for a passive pup?
Thanks again for any help, I'm really learning a lot. I never really understood grounding and shielding and I think I'm going to get it after this!
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Post by D2o on Aug 12, 2008 9:04:04 GMT -5
Hi bishop, When I first came here, I didn't even kow the difference between a strat and a guitar with one humbucker, so don't be bashful about asking. You will definitely learn. I'll try my best, and - don't worry - where I am off-track, someone else will jump in and save your bacon. You could also use aluminum duct tape - the metal one, not "aluminized cloth" ... it's a lot easier to put on and to take off, imho. Yes, and no ... see below (also, by coincidence, my very first post here was not too far from what you are asking about, and the replies I received may also answer some questions for you: guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=wiring&action=display&thread=1133 ) I think you want to do this ... if you have those contact the shielding, you will achieve the second part of your question above Yes and yes Not typically. Your's is rear-routed ... so maybe, if it somehow causes any area of the pickup cavity to not be fully shielded (which I am doubtful of). Yes. That's probably just for smuggling drugs - if you ignore it, the authorities will too. Hang tight, others will come along and clarify anything I may have bungled in my haste. DD |
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Post by Random_Snake on Aug 12, 2008 9:51:03 GMT -5
Thanks DD!
Two more questions....
The "metallic" duct tape. I guess the adhesive is not conductive. Any cool ways to connect other than screw and wire?
Also, the body I'm working with has a funky metallic paint from Warmoth. does that affect the sheilding?
Thanks again!
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Post by D2o on Aug 12, 2008 10:34:48 GMT -5
Seeing as you've used the term "metallic" below, to mean something other than metal, I want to play safe and clarify that it is aluminum duct tape (i.e. "metal" duct tape).
No, the adhesive is not conductive.
Good question on the connection.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean - cavity to cavity, or piece to piece.
If you mean cavity to cavity, it may be a given, where the pots contact the shielding in one cavity, and the pickup rings contact the shielding in another cavity, and then the wiring itself may end up connecting the cavities. I guess you could run a wire from one shielded cavity to the other, but I'm not sure ... would you mind waiting for the input of others on this?
If you mean piece to piece, what I do is fold under about 1/4" of one edge of each piece of tape, so that you end up with the underside of the folded under edge nearest and contacting the top of each piece of tape as you install it - sort of like shingles. Does that makes sense? I usually then put another piece of aluminum tape over the "seam" where the two meet, to ensure continued contact.
Damn drug smugglers! They used that paint to throw off the x-ray machines.
That paint shouldn't have enough (if any) conductivity to have any effect - plus you will only have non-conductive adhesive in contact with the paint anyway ...
DD
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Post by Random_Snake on Aug 12, 2008 11:20:32 GMT -5
I got ya on the folding of the foil. I'll do that. Thanks again!
As far as pup cavity to the controls cavity on the back. Let's see if I've got this right.
I'll contact the pup cavity shield to the pup ring... then
I'll run a wire from each of the pup rings into the controls cavity and connect to the ground star which should ground the pup cavities with no loop. Right?
BTW, This guitar will wind up looking like a drug smugglers guitar. I guess I have a thing for ugly guitars. I like the sleeper thing but I can't get into the relic thing. If someone saw the paint on this axe they would think they were on drugs! ! guess I'll have play a cheap rendition of Purple Haze to check everything out!
Thanks again
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Post by D2o on Aug 12, 2008 11:53:28 GMT -5
You are welcome. ... snicker ... trying to get my instructions straight ... as if ... I don't even know what I mean ... wait, am I just thinking this, or typing this? ... oh crap! ...Sure, sure ... of course. Certainly. I think if you are going to do that, you might as well just have the shielding in connection with the shielding, so you would run the wire from the control cavity shield to the pickup cavity shield (the star ground is insulated from the shield). I urge you to wait for the input of others on this though - I am not going to pretend that I am clear on it. Sounds like sunglasses are required while viewing the instrument!  You are welcome, although I wouldn't be too thankful yet ... you may want to murder me if this doesn't work out.  DD |
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Post by Random_Snake on Aug 12, 2008 17:37:08 GMT -5
Sorry 'bout that. You're right. The star ring is isolated from the shield other than through the cap. I'll have to read the article 10 more times and draw it out before I start. I don't quite understand what we are trying to do but in your thread that you said to check out (thanks) made a few things clearer. I'll get it eventually, just a little slow. OK have another question.
To connect the cavities I plan on just making a jumper wire between the cavities with round connectors on each end and screwing them all three into the pup cavities and then into the controls cavity.
Just think how about a little harness with three wires connected on one end with a ring to go under the volume pot and then feed the three other ends through to the pup cavities and screwing them into the shielding with small ring connectors. Just a thought.
I'll post a picture of the ugly beast when I get it going.
Thx, again
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Post by D2o on Aug 12, 2008 23:02:46 GMT -5
That's okay - it's a little tricky because of the lack of a direct connection between the pickup cavity and control cavity. I think that sounds good - but I haven't seen this guitar, nor am I personally familiar with Warmoth products (and I am not likely to become any more familiar with Warmoth, as they no longer enjoy the good reputation they once did on this forum, unfortunately ). On that basis, I have a couple of question for you: 1) Does this beast have a pickguard? If so, the cavities will all end up connected via the pickguard, because you are going to put just a little bit of metal tape on the body next to the cavity, right? So the metal tape on the pickguard will connect all of the cavities, and you should be able to run one wire from wherever is most convenient. and, 2) Do the pickup cavities have channels for the wires to run through? If that is the case, there will be continuity in the connection of all pickup cavities via tape running through those channels. If you answered no to either of the above, then go with your initial thought of using three wires. Good luck, and do post pics. We might not be that crazy about Warmoth at the moment, but we like guitars and people - 'specially when they're guitarnuts!  DD |
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Post by Random_Snake on Aug 12, 2008 23:27:48 GMT -5
Hmmmm interesting, I'm a newbie at this site and I'm not sure what the warmoth issue is but I'm sure I'll get it figured out before long. Any I bought this guitar for the neck. It had a brand new (or never used MIJ reissue neck sold in Japan on it and I had it refretted and a bone nut. It's a killer neck but came complete with the warmoth body and EMG PU's. I don't like the pup's at all.
Anyway, to answer your questions, there is not a pickguard and there are not channels between the pup's only holes drilled from each pup hole to the controls. So no tape in the holes. That's why I thought about the wires. I take some pics along the way as I get started, probably this weekend and share what I come up with. Thanks for all you help!
Let me know if you or anyone else has any thoughts before I dive in. I take pics and post them. I'll be more discrete with the w-word.
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Post by D2o on Aug 13, 2008 8:45:10 GMT -5
I have a feeling you'll stumble upon it. Don't worry, it's not your fault, and your name is still good around here.  There ... you've already redeemed yourself. The "W" was just an accident!  Okay, that's about what I figured from your description and the pics I found at the "W" site. Just thought I'd better not assume. Cool! It should work out fine, and if it doesn't just come back and we'll sort it out. We'll look forward to seeing the pictures ... and you are welcome. (really, you still are welcome, Mr. "W"man  ..... ;D) Good luck. No further thoughts for the time being. DD |
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Post by Random_Snake on Aug 23, 2008 22:10:00 GMT -5
I just finished the shielding and total rewiring. I plugged it up and it worked the first time. It sounds great!!!! I can crank my amp to insane and it is undoubtedly the quietest single coil guitar I have ever heard. Harmonics and sustain heaven! Even with the body that shall not be mentioned ;)Thanks for everything gnuts and DD.
I took pics along the way but can't really figure out how to post them. If I can I'll post a few showing how it worked out.
Here are a few things I learned along the way I thought I would pass on.
I used the aluminum tape method. Since it is a rear routed body, I have three pickup cavities and a rear control cavity. After I lined all four of the cavities I made a wire harness that went to each of the three cavities and ended with trem wire and connected to the control cavity via screw. When that was completed I took my VOM and first checked to make sure that all three pot cases were common. I then hooked up to one of the tone pot cases and took my VOM and checked that each piece of tape in all four bays were in contact. I found a few "dead" areas that I corrected with the tape method that DD mentioned above.
I was warned by a local luthier that the tape would eventually come loose (always on stage) and short so he suggested I reconsider shield paint... Oh well that'll be step II.
I left the tone capacitors out and put temporary jumpers in to try different values and checked the tone. I picked a .01 and .022. then soldered them in. It sounds great.
Thanks for all the information. My next step is to look into parallel and series wiring.
Later.... Thx DD ;D
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Post by ashcatlt on Aug 23, 2008 22:27:11 GMT -5
I took pics along the way but can't really figure out how to post them. If I can I'll post a few showing how it worked out. The instructions on there re: how to get a picture to show up in a post are pretty much universal to this type of forum nowadays. |
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..... ;D)
