vicarious484

Hello,

I recently did some work on my guitar and now the switch is acting up. I have a Schaller 5 Way Megaswitch (P Model) and it produces no sound in positions 2 and 5. I tried testing it with a meter and it is yielding some strange results. Also, position 4 is weak (missing the other parallel coil). So is it possible I have damaged the switch and what should I look for physically when examining? I know this is a big no-no but I was using steel wool on frets and some may have gotten into the switch (though I didn't see any. I know the pickups are fine because I tested them with a meter as well. Any ideas?

I have a guitar that I've made myself, lacquer finished and ready to polish. But I notice after wet sanding (from 400-2000) I see little specks of sand from the sandpaper being embedded in the finish. How do I avoid this or remove them?

Thanks!

Glen

Are these for mounting bolts/height adjustment screws? If so, often you can screw a slightly larger size and re-thread it to the new bolt size. If you grind one to a semi point, you will find it easier to re-thread the hole.

I'd be surprised if it is in fact a metric bolt...seems a little strange...

pete

Great advice. Since they're made in England, I assumed they'd be metric. Yes these are the mounting screws. If M2 is too small and M2.5 too big, I thought it might be in the middle. In metric screw charts I've seen M2.2 and even M2.3 but I don't think they make screws that size. Here's the chart:

www.nutty.com/pdfcharts/metric_tap_drill_chart.pdf

The size is slightly smaller than 3-46 which is standard for American. I'm going to try 2-56 and if that doesn't work then I'll thread my own.

Where can I find M2.2 pan head machine screws? I've searched all over the net and no one has them. I bought M2 and M2.5 and neither fit Reflex (Made in England) pickups. Why did they choose such an off size?

Hey, I bought a preamp from Guitar Fetish with 3 Band EQ plus gain on a trimpot. They say just stick it in the cavity with some double sided foam tape. But when I turn up the gain, I almost hear this shooshing sound like rain or a train that repeats every couple of seconds. Is this a natural byproduct of gain that can't be avoided or the poor design in Guitar Fetish preamps?

Here's a link to it:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/guprgaourbeu.html

I noticed other manufacturers like Reflex dip them in wax and put them in a plastic case. Would that help if I potted mine as far as noise reduction goes? Obviously, the trim pot couldn't be used unless I drilled a hole in the case. Does anyone have any recommendations for doing this? I actually bought some Reflex pickups but it didn't have a preamp box with it so that's why I'm using the one from Guitar Fetish.

Thanks for your input!

I don't like the tall, squared off knobs they recommend for EMGs.

I've never seen a manufacturer recommended a specific knob

Your question is a little bit confusing, or maybe you are a little bit confused (no pun intended). You want to use a dome knob with a concentric pot right? You can use whatever knob you want.. as long as it fits the pot shaft.. Knobs are purely esthetics.

Just make sure you have a 25K pot for active electronics.

I think he's asking whether or not the knobs for common stacked pots (like the ones stewmac sells) will fit the stacked pots that EMG supplies. I don't know, but I bet someone does.

You both are right! I am confused but I think I see the light now.

Here are two links to the types I was refering to:

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/C..._Top_Knobs.html

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/C...e_Knob_Set.html

They meant that for EMG concentric pots you can only use the metal flat top knob in this case. I emailed an ebay parts seller and they said EMG pots are different size (I'm guessing the EMG concentrics and not EMG regular split shaft) and this is the reason they say "only for EMG" or only for "CTS" sized shaft.

Now, I totally confused concentric pot with DPDT. My bad! What I really want to know is, do they make a DPDT concentric pot? So for my EMG 89, which already comes with a DPDT, I would like separate volumes for the single and humbucking modes. But I am thinking my only option is to do a mini toggle and then get a concentric pot. It would be interesting if they made such a beast.

Also, I originally said 85, but I am sure it is the 89, the dual mode humbucker. Thanks guys!

I've got an EMG 85 and this is a project guitar so I'm looking for the right knob. It has a stacked concentric pot (DPDT). However there are two types of concentric knobs, some for CTS pots and some they say are specifically for EMG, Bartolini, active electronics. I don't like the tall, squared off knobs they recommend for EMGs. Can I use the dome concentric pots, even though they say they are for CTS pots? I've also emailed some dealers for their input so I'll post back with their reply as well.

Thanks!

Glen

Hi Everybody,

Wondering if you can help me figure out what's going on with my spray gun. I haven't used it in a year and I'm trying to spray a color coat (black). The spray mist comes out fine it seems but there is almost no color at all. I am mixing pigment with nitro lacquer. I tried soaking the gun tip and feed in thinner, but it still sprays almost no color. I got the gun from Stew Mac and it worked fine for the first guitar I finished. Help! Thanks, Glen

Hi All,

I have a new 7 string gold strat style tremolo from WD for sale. I decided on another tremolo for my project. If you were to buy it on WD, it would be $100. I will sell it for $50. You are getting a bridge, half off! Anyone interested send me a message. I am an ebay member with 100% feedback with over 275 transactions.

Here is a picture and thanks for looking...

I've got a 3 way switch. It has 8 lugs all in a row, from a Japanese made Jackson.

How the hell do you wire this thing? I have seen no definitive answer to this one.

I have 2 humbuckers. All I want is bridge, bridge & neck, and neck. Thanks!!

Does anybody know who might have a blank tremolo block? I wish to drill my own spacing for a more narrow tremolo of a 7 string than what I have found. Or if not an actual block blank, a supplier of steel. I tried McMaster Carr's cold rolled steel but they do not offer it in the right dimensions. I definately don't want pot metal or zinc. A good quality steel even if it's not cold rolled would suffice. Thanks!

Glen

I unwrapped the tape around the pickup and noticed there are a few turns of wire.

What does this mean?

There are too many variables to what you are asking. The basic answer is yes you can fix the break but if you unwind much of the wire, you will change the characteristics of the pup.

You're right my post may sound a little confusing. What I meant was that there are a few turns of lead wire (the green, white, black, and red) around the pickup before it leaves the pickup. When I wiggle the lead wires (surrounded by black insulation and outside the pickup) I get mixed readings from a multitester. So, I think there is a break at some point where the lead wires are exiting the baseplate of the pickup. I was curious if it could work if I cut the lead behind the "break" in the lead wires and connect fresh, good wire to lead to the controls. I wouldn't be unwinding the thin copper wire at all. But I think you have given me enough confidence that it will work if that is the culprit. Thanks for your help!

Hi all,

I've got a Dimarzio pickup which has been mistreated somewhat. I have determined that the hot output wire is somehow severed and the coil spliting wires show resistance intermittently when i move the entire lead wire back and forth. I unwrapped the tape around the pickup and noticed there are a few turns of wire. Do you think it is feasible that I could rewire the leads further inside the pickup with new wire, creating a bypass of the possible broken area? If so, what gauge wire could I use? Could I use wire that used to connect pots to switches? Thanks very much,

Glen

Thanks for your input guys. Do you think it would be worth it to send to someone to repair it and if so do you know who is good? I hate it because it's brand new and beyond warranty coverage. You've been a good help.

Glen

Hello All,

I recently installed 2 Dimarzio pickups in a guitar that I built. With this project being my first, I didn't have the wiring right. I was getting a sound in all 5 positions but the sound was weak. I did some further modification of the wiring I had done and later all I could get was a sound in positions 1-4, but not the full series humbucker sound of position 5. I took it into a music store (which I am still waiting after a week) and the guy says he's not getting any continuity in the pickup. How could this be? How could I possibly get a sound in positions 3 and 4 if the pickup was bad? He says maybe the lead wires are damaged. I am very frustrated and confused. He still hasn't gotten around to the guitar and lied about when it would be ready. This is a joke! Whatever happened to reliability?

So, is it possible I damaged the pickup by electric shock or anything of that nature? And how do I check for continuity in a pickup? Any help or insight into this situation would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Glen

Hi all,

I'm trying to find out if this is possible. I'm wiring 2 humbuckers using a P Megaswitch from Stewmac. The drawing indicates one volume and one tone. Is there a way I can have 2 volumes and 2 tones for such a setup? The diagram shows only one hot output going to one volume pot.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p...30.html#details

I am new to wiring so keeping things simple is best. Thank you so much,

Glen

Thanks for your replies..My neck thick as you can see...what's the minimum thickness for the pocket? It is currently at 3/8". I should have thought this deal out before! I figured it would be ok but I guess tenons can be made after a neck is pretty much shaped. Glen

I'm confused by what you said:

The tolerances for a glued joint are much, much tighter than those for a set neck

Isn't a set neck a glued joint? Did you mean a glued joint is much tighter than of a bolt on? Also. If I am using a Fender style bridge and a flat topped body, why do I need a neck angle?

About the ledge, I mean the area that butts up to the body that extends down further than the rest of the neck. Here's a link to Melvyn Hiscock calls it:

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/bc/6ca094c9/bc/My...fqBrMEBoKcjhf1v

So here's my neck:

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/bc/6ca094c9/bc/My...fqBrMEBpfhIvRC0

If I simply make a pocket to fit the heel as is, will this be sufficient? Or do I need to route out a tenon area to create a ledge to add support? Or route on 3 sides of the heel to make a smaller tenon like on a Les Paul? Yes that is a pickup embedded in there but I can work around that.

Glen

Hi,

I'm building my first guitar here and have a neck with a fairly large but contoured heel. My question is, can I simply route the neck pocket to fit the neck as is or do I need to use some sort of mortise and tenon? I want to make this a set neck.The heel is just a flat surface at this point. It's squared up on all sides of the heel. Also, do I need at least a ledge for added support? Thanks!

Glen

I was just curious if you can use a regular pickup when embedding pickups in a neck like Uli's Sky Guitar or if it needs to be of a certain output. Any tips on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone done this? Thanks!

Glen

Hi, has anyone here ever tried or heard good things about an ABM Height Adjustable Brass Nut? I wonder if they sound good or have the same tone as a regular brass nut. Thanks,

Glen

Thanks for your reply! I appreciate expert opinion. That's what I did, turned it to the left, like I was loosening it. He says they're in there backwards. I sent the neck back to him (in another state). Months and months go by and he's a busy guy apparently. Then he says he thinks the neck is beyond repair. It was a 74 strat lefty neck which I loved. I don't get it, I think he wants to keep it or sell it and give me something else. I wish I knew more about necks when I first got it from him.

Hi, is it true that a left handed neck's truss rod is backwards? That is, do you turn right to loosen and left to tighten? I believe I may have twisted an old neck the wrong way. My repairman says he's not sure if he can make it straight because I twisted it the wrong way. Any suggestions? Thanks!

The Attack album is great. Great production and songs....it really is one of his best albums ever so far. Baroque and Roll is so cool. Concerning the action I bet he has it that high. I read several interviews about his gear and he always stresses that he has the action very high on his guitars because he thinks it sounds better. He plays his insane runs on bass as well, so I suspect higher action on a guitar is no problem for him.

As an obsessed Yngwie fan, I hate to say Attack!! is not that great. And strangely the production seems to sound more artificial. The vocals aren't as good as they once were. Bring back Soto, Turner, Edman, or Vescera, and the album would be better.

Also, is a 500 K volume pot recommended for the HS-3? Or with the two single coils will it mess up their sound? Looking to get Yngwie's pickup sound. Thanks all!