2x Hum's, No Pots... Resistors?

[Flipp]

So - basically - the electronics time has come for my first build.

I'm gonna be having dual humbuckers.

Instead of a pickup selector (hate them) - I'm having just an on/off switch for each pickup. These will be push switches.

No tone/volume controls.

I'm asking this:

I've read several times on this forum, that I don't NEED any resistors atall - it'll just be REALLY bright without. Is this correct?

If I feel it's too bright - I'll dismantle and put a fixed resistor in.

Also:

Is this Ok?

I read of grounding.

I know what this IS - but what do I need to take wires from, and where do I need to take them to?

Would be much appriciated if someone could draw on my diagram - or make a new one with corrections.

Thanks yummy loads

Flipp

[Hobbit]

People do this why dont you use a switch like on the lp gibsons then you can have both on or seperate controls then you have a great place for the ground from the pickups and jack.

[Flipp]

I say again What do I do for grounding?

I won't be taking that advice - as I've already got my switches.

Do I really need to take a wire from the bridge, to somewhere? Why? There's no electrical current getting to it... Unless the electromagnets of the pickups cause some in the strings? I don't know

[curtisa]

Yes, your bridge needs to be grounded as it acts an earthing point for your strings aswell - ever tried taking your hands off the instrument when plugged into a high-gain amp? Lotsa buzz. If you don't have the bridge and strings earthed your guitar will buzz badly 24/7, whether your hands are on the strings or not.

If you're dispensing with volume/tone controls I'd be grounding the bridge, control cavity shielding (if applicable), the "cold" side of the two pickups, and running the wires back to the shield connection of the jack socket. Make the shield connection on your jack socket the star ground point. Run one wire from this point out to each point in the guitar to be grounded - pickups x2, bridge, control cavity - four ground wires in total, 3 if you don't need to ground the control cavity shielding.

[Flipp]

Thanks for the help. Cleared a lot up there.

control cavity shielding (if applicable)

How do I know if it's applicable?

And how do I go about the shielding process if I do need to? Just line it with some sort of foil/metal strips?

[curtisa]

Is this an already-built guitar? Chances are it already has shielding in the control cavity if it is. If it's not earthed to another part of the instrument, say through the bridge or output jack, you'll need to provide an earth for it. With the guitar assembled check for continuity between the cavity shielding and the output jack shield using an ohm meter. If there's continuity between the two, you don't need to earth the cavity shield.

If this is a new guitar you'll probably need to apply shielding to the cavity in the form of either conductive paint or sheets of self-adhesive foil. Both should be available from your guitar parts supplier.

An easy way to connect the shielding to the jack is to make a connection to the collar of the toggle switches. Most switches have conductive bodies that should come in contact with the cavity shielding once the guitar is assembled. If you have the switch body in contact with the cavity shileding, you can use that to your advantage and easily solder a wire to a washer that sits on the collar of the switch, and return the wire back to the output jack shield.

That being said, you may even get away with no shielding at all. If the pickups you're using are humbucking you may find the guitar is hum-free anyway. I have a guitar with very little cavity shielding and a bridge humbucker that's dead quiet, even when run through the most high-gain amp.

[venominox]

For grounding, you need to take these wires:

bridge/neck plate wire

pot case wires

jack - terminal lead

pickup negative leads

and solder them all to one common point, that's it.