ctams

I want to put it into the usb port. I want some type of quality sound. Well decent sound. Thanks for the help so far I bought the Line 6 Guitarport, their cheapest product which is guitar to usb to digital output to your pc. It really is a quality product at $99 and comes with a slew of amps, modeling tones, etc. I use it more than anything else because its great for playing along to other things and can be used through headphones easily. I ahve 5.1 surround and it sounds great. You can export your guitar to other software recording progs, etc. as well. Check their website. I don't use my amps, stomp boxes or anything else much anymore, because of this thing. Hope that helps.

The humbuckers each have two wires, not four.

They must mean 3mm thick including the tar and paper, because the copper is only a little thicker than heavy duty aluminum foil. I completed the shielding, soldered the seams, tacked them into place, grounded each cavity to the main volume pot, and it seems to have helped... seems much quieter. I'll know for certain when I take it to a bud's house, where the fluorescent lights, etc. add lots of noise. I still have to post that pic. For anyone interested, the Home Depot copper flashing worked real well. I didn't remove the paper from most of it because it was a pain, and had no problems soldering with the tar and paint present (always soldering on the copper side). Thanks again. I'll be back.

I was wrong. Les Paul is actually 90!

I'm off to HomeDepot to buy copper roof flashing to shield the guitar. I think I'll just solder the seams/joints together. The stuff is 10inx20ft x3mm thick, so it shouldn't require many seams. Do I need to fasten the shielding to the wood other than having the 4 pots holding it down? Also, I guess I'll run a small wire from a solder point on the copper shield to a pot, right? I'll post the pix of the Great One, Les Paul, soon.

Thanks for the tips. I realize this is a cheap kit, but it finished really nicely in flat black lacquer (like a piano finish) and sounds really good from those little potted humbuckers. I live near a Guitar Center store, where you can play anything they sell, and this kit sounds every bit as good as many of the real Les Pauls I've picked up there. Also, because I did the finish work and set it up with lots of time to do it, the fit and finish is actually better than Gibson's in some regards, and I like the flat, satin type finish, particularly on the neck. It doesn't drag and grab like a slick poly finish can. I actually took this kit guitar to NYC after I finished it in November, where Les Paul still plays once a week at age 89. After the show I had him look over the guitar and sign it... right on the headstock, between the tuners! Les liked it, and when I described the hum problem to him, he said it was likely a ground issue. "Make sure you check the pots." That, coming from the man who invented the electric guitar! What a great night that was. So, to make a long story a little shorter, I have a special affinity for this guitar and will spend a few bucks on it. I like these little humbuckers, so I don't want to replace them right now, unless they are absolutely the culprits (but they are potted, so they shouldn't be, right?). I am satisfied with everything but the hum. Where would my money best be spent next? I am pretty certain the grounding issue has been put to rest. The Guitar plays sperfectly silent when on Toneworks and headphones. It sounds like I have a somewhat normal hum that could be reduced. Should I start by shielding and then grounding the cavities in copper foil? What about replacing any interioir wiring with shielded wire? Is that necessary, and if so, which wires would benefit? By the way, I have a picture of Les discussing the guitar with me. Does anyone care to see it? Thanks for the help here.

Thanks for all the ideas. I have since this afternoon reversed the wires to the output jack... made the noise far worse, so I put it back. No, I have not shielded any of the cavities, but that may be next. I know I get some interference from my pc, lights, etc. The guitar is perfect... silent... when fed straight into a Korg Toneworks with headphones, away from any other electronic sources.

Hey, thanks for the post. Yes, the tailpiece is grounded properly... the ground wire comes from my solder joint on top of the volume 1 pot, up through the hole for the tailpiece stud, is stripped and then wrapped around the inside top of that stud, which is then pushed into place with the wire wedged in place, as if a washer. To rule out this possible item, I took a long wire and touched it to the tailpiece while grounding it to a pot... it made no difference in the hum. I have not tried reversing the wires on the output jack. Will try that next, once home today, and we'll see.

in my Saga Les Paul clone kit. I have a hum that won't go away on my stock LC-10 kit. Everything is grounded properly. But, when I touch the strings, tailpiece or jack, it silences. It's worse as the electrical interference in the room goes up, but no matter what the interference, always quiets down immediately when the strings etc. above are touched. What could this be? I have tried extra gounding, etc, but nothing helps. Thanks.

By the way, I have a hum that won't go away on my stock LC-10. Everything is grounded properly. When I touch the strings, tailpiece, jack, it silences. It's worse as the electrical interference in the room goes up, but always mutes when strings etc. are touched. What could this be? Thanks.

and my LC-10 came sealed. Trust me, I know, as I had to deal with it and finally go opaque. CTT.