How to Make Authentic Spaghetti Tubing?

[frets]

Dear Gang,
Happy Belated 4th of July for those of us who are Yankees. Weeeeee!! Be Safe!!

I have a question (as always) that I’m hoping one or more in the group, can provide some creative ideas regarding spaghetti tubing.

I’m building four authentic (as can be) 50’s Les Paul Harnesses with real 50’s Bumblebees, at .022 and .015 respectively. I have Teflon spaghetti tubing, but it’s white Teflon. That won’t work.

So I get online and buy some amber/reddish varnished spaghetti tubing. Typical Cindi, I didn’t pay attention and for $12.95 I got 6” of the stuff. Freakin 6 inches for $2.16 an inch !! Big Ouch !! I scowl at it !!

Anyway, I’ve decided to make it myself. Do any of you have: 1). any ideas on what to use (& where to get it); and, 2). how you would proceed with making it? I really would appreciate help from the group.
Thanks Guys:)

[blademaster2]

White won't work? Okay - I gather this is for clients of yours who are looking for an authentic-looking vintage wiring cavity.

I am sure there will be folks out there who would say that the tone is better with orange braided sleeves like you showed. Although I usually avoid discounting other people's claims as to what they can and cannot hear, this is probably where I might draw the line and express my extreme skepticism (there would be a difference in the dielectric constant of differing insulation materials, however I expect that to reside in extremely high frequency range due to the tiny capacitive changes).

You seem to get lots of interesting finds for materials and parts. Sounds like fun.

[JohnH]

Would there not be some old disused tools or appliances piled up in the back of Grandpas shed where this stuff could be stripped out of?

[Yogi B]

Bucatini or perciatelli? In either case: flour, egg, a pinch of salt, and an Italian chef.

Oh, you mean spaghetti alla chitarra! Well I don't rightly know, but to accompany some DIY 'Grey Tiger' caps as part of a '89 Greco to '54 goldtop conversion project, Guitar.com's Huw Price seems to have done a good looking job with what started out as yellow cloth covered wire that has "been stained amber and sprayed with medium brown lacquer". The relevant section is at the end of Part 7, but it unfortunately doesn't go into any further detail about the wire tubing.

From this...	...to this

[sumgai]

Cindi,


I've got two things for ya. One:

Jul 5, 2020 12:55:50 GMT -5 frets said:

So I get online and buy some amber/reddish varnished spaghetti tubing. Typical Cindi, I didn’t pay attention and for $12.95 I got 6” of the stuff. Freakin 6 inches for $2.16 an inch !! Big Ouch !! I scowl at it !!

Doesn't matter where you bought it, you paid for it either by Bitcoin or by a credit card of some sort. Go back to the seller and tell them you're extremely unhappy, and if they don't refund you immediately, you'll renege the charge. Then follow through with that "promise" if necessary. Tell the card issuer (usually a bank) that the product was mis-represented in their sales advertisement, and that the seller refuses to refund your money - that's usually all it takes to get your money back.

Two:

Anyway, I’ve decided to make it myself. Do any of you have: 1). any ideas on what to use (& where to get it); and, 2). how you would proceed with making it? I really would appreciate help from the group.

I freely admit this is something I've never done, nor seen done by anyone else, nor even seen discussed anywhere aboot the 'Net, until now.  But that's not my point at the moment.  In my usual inimitable manner, I'm gonna take you off track here, with what I believe to be a valid concern.

It seems a sure bet that these things will be installed into refurbished (or freshly built) guitars that are inhumanly close replicas of the original Gibson models.  Otherwise why go to the bother and expense, eh?  Unless you personally know the buyer(s), or you're building them for your own use, then I'd lay my money on the following sequence of events:

a) Obtain some original-looking guitar bodies;
b) Stuff 'em with some original-looking electronics from Cindi;
c) Sell 'em on eBay;
d) PROFIT!!

Am I against someone making a buck, quick or otherwise?  No, hell no.  In fact, I make bucks all the time.  But I can see where the party in the second part (that would be part b) might find herself in some kind of trouble with an extremely upset buyer, so all I'm really saying here "make damn sure your butt is covered better than butter on a biscuit".


And a third thing, just because I like you:

Have you every been to reranch.com?  While they deal almost exclusively in refinishing products, Bill might know where to send you on your quest.  Can't hurt.

HTH




sumgai

[gumbo]

...and of course you're going to use authentic LEADED solder too... Just in case someone gets it analysed


Sorry, perhaps we're all going off on our little hobby-horses-for-courses here, BUT at the end of the day it IS all about what the final intention is aimed at..
...if someone is paying to forge something and simultaneously put YOUR reputation on the line in the process, perhaps it's time to walk away and put the $12.95 down to experience.


If you can somehow be assured that is NOT the intention, then go about it in the best way possible, according to at least two good suggestions in the above posts....
.......and consider the use of the word "REPLICA" in large font in your written invoice for the work.


I'm sure all the comments in this thread have been placed there because we all feel the need to 'look out' for our compatriots in Electric Knitting...
...not because we are being judgemental of the efforts of any one of us to Do A Good Job.

Just my two (Oz) cents ...worth about 1.4 of yours...

Stay safe....in whatever way becomes necessary.

g-f-b (gang member)

[frets]

Guys,

I really appreciate all of your discussion and help on this one. As I said, I’m making 4 authentic (as can bee - ha!) 1950’s , Les Paul Harnesses. I have enough .015 and .022 (that measure within 20% tolerances) to make 10. But this client has 4 Les Paul’s that he wants original type harnesses for 4 of his 11 Les Pauls. These bees came off those organ racks I bought for $98. BTW Trag, I’ve about pruned them all.

Anyway, I had this idea in the middle of the night, and I hope it works. This is one time when I bought something from China that actually might help me do this. A long time ago I bought some cloth wire from China. Well the stuff is crap, as would be expected. But I keep everything guitar. I remembered this white cloth wire had no wax on it at all.

So I pulled the wire out of the cloth, keeping just the jacket. Using acrylic paints (red and brown), I mixed up a watery solution that closely matches the color of the old stuff. I dyed the cloth jacket using the solution. I’m letting it dry out in the sun. Then I’m going to spray poly on it. If it works I’ll take pics for you guys. I think it will work.

Sumgai, I tried to complain about these dudes who sold me this stuff on EBay. But at the end of the day, it’s my fault, given my ADD interfered with me reading the small print. I did flag them to EBay for misrepresentation given the photo of the spaghetti tubing looks like you’re going to get at least a foot. Apparently, $12-$15 is the going price for spaghetti tubing for guitars.

So, if this works, if you guys ever need authentic looking spaghetti tubing, I’ll whip you up a batch.

[gumbo]

Sounds like you're covering the bases...have fun with it !

I'll move on and derail something..

Cheers..

[frets]

Weeeee!! The results of acrylic paint dye and polyurethane in order to recreate vintage spaghetti tubing.

Guys,
Hope you all are having a fantastic day. I am!! Below are the results of my spaghetti tubing project. I made two batches, one a brick red and the other, an amber batch; given, I’ve seen both colors in 50’s Les Paul’s. I also am going to make yellow.

The one on the right is the purchased reproduction tubing. To recap, like a cottonheadedninnymuggins, I paid $12.00 + $5 shipping on EBay for authentic reproduction spaghetti tubing that  one would find in a 50’s Les Paul. I got 6 inches and after receiving it, consider it a swindle. $2.83 an inch!! (I forgot to calculate the shipping in my original post).

The tubing on the left is the stuff I made. I made 3 feet of this amber color and 3 feet of brick red. Although it’s not the glass fiber construction, and technically not varnished (it’s poly’ed), I think it looks pretty good. I’m going ahead with using it.

So, if you guys ever need vintage spaghetti tubing, just let me know and I’ll whip up a batch of pasta.

[thetragichero]

if you wanted to you could probably knock the shiny off it with some steel wool. 0000 it so. just not around any magnets/pickups as you'll never get all the dust out