Newbie Questions

[FSRslug]

So I really dont know much about this stuff, but i bought a bass off ebay and it was in really bad shape. The pickguard was 3 different ones pieced together. I think the kid who had it before me was workign on it but never really got it working. first question.

Switchcraft jack jj-034: what is ground? I am using this wiring diagram from seymour duncan

http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/suppo...il_one_vol.html

They show the shorter(ground) contact on the left side, but if i look at the jack I have from the same perspective it is on the right. Is the short one always ground?

Next, they way the bass was setup was that ground on the pot was soldered to its own shell and the ground from the pickup was also soldered to the shell, does it matter if I solder both of those to the bridge ground instead of the shell?

One more thing. Like I said before the pickguard was actually pieces of 3 different ones screwed to the body. I made my own out of metal. I think it might be steel. It isnt magnetic. It was one of those novelty nostalgic signs I got from menards. Would this create any problems vs. having a plastic pickguard?

Thanks for any help on this.

[FSRslug]

Switchcraft jack jj-034: what is ground? I am using this wiring diagram from seymour duncan

http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/suppo...il_one_vol.html

I think I got this one figured out.

Tip and sleeve are the 2 connection points, and the sleeve is the one you ground.

[Devon Headen]

I think it might be steel. It isnt magnetic.

If it's not magnetic it isn't steel. My guess would be some kind of aluminum probably. On your output jack, the hot signal goes to the lug that connects to the prong for the cable. It may not make much sense on the computer, but look at the switch and you'll figure it out.

[lovekraft]

...Tip and sleeve are the 2 connection points, and the sleeve is the one you ground...

That's correct - great job figuring it out on your own!

[Hotrock]

I think it might be steel. It isnt magnetic.

If it's not magnetic it isn't steel.

If I remember rightly, not all steel is magnetic.

I'm going back quite a few years since I learnt this, so it might not be 100% (I'm sure someone will jump in if I'm wrong).

There are two types of steel (well actually there are loads but I'm just talking about bog standard mild steel here). The difference is not in the composition of the steel, it's in the molecular structure. Austenitic steel has a face centred cubic structure and is not magnetic (I think ) and Martensitic steel has a body centred cubic structure and is magnetic.

Martensitic steel can be made for austenitic by heating and the quenching. This is why fast quenched welds can be brittle. You can also use this to tell the quality of such things as knives. I think that if it's non magnetic steel (austenite) then the blade is of good quality, if on the other hand it's magnetic martensite, it's cheap steel.

As I said before, don't take this as being right (in the details or in the whole for that matter), as it's been a few years since I had to think about something like this. Hopefully someone jump in and correct/confirm.

Kaj

[Devon Headen]

You lose the magnetism when you get to the critical heat (most of the time a cherry red for mild steel I think), but after quenching it's magnetic again. At least this has been my experience I haven't worked with a whole lot of alloys, but I've done A2, 4140, D2, and a couple've other I can't think of the name of off the top of my head. Of course mild steel too. Someone with more knowledge (Wes probably knows) could probably answer for sure.

[FSRslug]

Yeah, i typed that in wrong about the "pickguard" not being magnetic. I know that aluminum isnt magenetic and the plate is, so it is probably steel. Anyways, i got everything soldered together and it works, but it is not all that loud. That probably has something to do with the amp i would guess.

[jer7440]

Most varieties of stainless steel are non-magnetic (some of the 400 series are), but like Devon, all of the steel alloys I have encountered have been magnetic.