mingus

Yeah, but they don't seem to carry much stock! Thanks, i'll check those out.

How much different? The difference at 50% rotation will change depending type of pot you have. On the graphs in that pdf, "B" taper is 50% resistance from either lug to middle at 50% rotation (as you would expect for a linear pot). "A" taper is about 25% from middle-right lugs, and 75% from middle-left lugs. "C" taper is similar at 50% rotation but the the way it changes in the first half-turn is completely different. Can you sub in a cheap Radio Shack 500K log pot and see if it works? That way at least you can eliminate the pot as the culprit. Well, i tought i replied to this a couple of days ago, but my net connection has been crappy so i guess it got lost somehow. Anyway, i am now very suspicious of the pots (both Vol and Tone) as i have switched the Cap to a 47nf one and can hear the same evvect on the tone as on the volume, where there is very little change for most of the rotation, then a sudden change right near the end. The thing is, the sudden change occurs at the opposite end of rotation for the tone pot as compared with the volume. i.e., i'm turning the volume pot clockwise and when it's nearly at the end it changes suddenly, but i'm turning the tone pot anticlockwise when the same thing happens. A couple of things come to mind: - The pots are definitely 500k audio taper (480k ohms measured between left and right lugs, 120k between middle and right, 460k between middle and left at 50% rotation) - I changed the cap for an even larger one (220nf) to see if it made any difference, and it didn't. the sudden change still occured in the same place and virtually no change around the rest of the rotation. (i have now replaced the 47nf in the circuit) - I bought these about 2 years ago (when i first started this project.....it's been a VERY long process), so they have been exposed to dust etc. for that time, altough i have tried to keep them in a clean environment - I will definitely take at least one of the pots out and test is seperately to se if i can measure a corresponding change in resistance, though i may not get around to it till after christmas - I can't sub in a cheap radio shack pot as i don't have access to radio shack (i'm in australia) and the local versions (dick smith and jaycar) leave something to be desired - It seems $10 for a pot is quite high, obviously it's higher than normal but i couldn't find long shaft pots ( which i need as it's a carve top) much cheaper. They are $8 at guitarelectronics.com but their postage prices are much higher. Is there anywhere else they're available cheaper if i do need to replace them (or for future builds)? Thanks for you help so far everone.

Well, now i feel stupid. Hands up who can remember the names for the various orders of magnitude (definately NOT me). You would think i'd know this stuff after 5 years of engineering at uni Oh well, at least now it should work, i'll get some a new cap tomorrow and see. So that just leaves the Volume pot. It is a 500k log taper pot (part 3482 on this page) and is marked 500xL on the side which doesn't match with curtisa's scheme. Doesn't matter though as i tested that is was a log taper before installing it (by centereing the knob and checking that the resistances betwen the center and each outside lug was different). Besides, if it was a linear pot, there would be a large increase in volume at the start with less change at the end, whreas this sudden change is happening at the end, something like this. OK, i think i've answered all the important questions, will chek back later.

I should have mentioned that they're definately audio taper pots (the long shaft version from stu mac). I tested them as you describe before installing them so i know they are working. The step change in the vol pot is really sudden, i only have to touch the knob to make it jump up in volume, then i keeps increasing at the same rate as before over the last bit of the pot I have just tested the continuity of the tone circuit and everything reads zero as you say (well 0.03ohms anyway, a assume this is close enough?). The cap is a 0.047micro-f, marked with 47 on the side which i assume means 47pf. I guess they could have been in the wrong drawer at the shop so i ended up with the wrong size, is there any way to test the capacitance?

I have just wired up my first project according to the following diagram and have found that the tone control doesn't work at all. I have checked my wiring agaoinst the diagram and can't see any fault so i guess there is a short somwhere, but i have no idea how to find it. I have had some experience with electronics and know how to use a multimeter, but having not worked on guitars before i don't really know where to expect continuity. For example, there is continuity between the righthand lug on the tone pot (with the cap on it) and ground, which varies depending on the switch position and volume pot position. I guess this is to do with the changing resistance across the pickups as the switch is moved but have no idea if this is what is supposed to happen. Also, my volume pot has a large step change in level just near the high end of it's travel, that is it gets gradually louder as i turn it, then suddenly gets much louder just before the end. Is that normal?

Well, i couldn't find a stud which was narrow enough to do the job, so i decided to have a go at filing one of the ones i have to fit. It worked perfectly and all the filing marks are hidden be the tailpiece once it is fitted. Any ideas if the exposed metal will now be susceptible to rust? I think i'll give it a coat of clear varnish or something just to be safe. Thanks again for your input.

I did think about this but was concerned about leaving visible marks on the studs/tailpiece, perhaps it is worth some more thought... Now why didn't i think of this? I will investigate the sizes of various studs tomorrow.

Thanks fro that, it looks like i should be able to just move one of the posts which will make the process much quicker. Lckily i still have plent of scrap timber around so should be able to make a plug to match. That bushing/knob puller looks great, i think i'll try to find a local repairer and see if i can get them to pull it out for me.

I have just installed the stop piece bushings on my first build and have found that they are about 3mm too close together (i.e., the stop piece won't fit onto the posts). I guess the only realistic way to fix this is to pull the bushings out, plug the holes and redrill them, but before i go to this effort, are there any other options available to me? Assuming i do pull the bushings, i have the following questions:- - Are there any tricks to getting them out other than protecting the body with a sheet of scrap and using a claw hammer or somthing to lever them up? - How can i figure out weather i need to move one of the posts or both? The body is completely finished so no longer has a centreline on it to measure from. Thanks in advance

YEp, i got some hot stuff from Carbatec yesterday. Will try it out tomorrow.

Thanks soapbar, i know i've got a lot to learn in this regard, getting the pre-bend correct would have got me most of the way in this case but if anything else had goe worn i'd have struggled anyway. I think for the moment i'll just glue them down and accept that it will need to be done properly sometime in the future. Hopefully by then i'll have the skills and tools required for the job.

Pre-radiused, yes, properly pre-radiused, no. I realised too late that my method for pre-bending wasn't doing the job evenly enough. I am actually doing 2 builds concurrently, and the second neck was much more successful. Live and learn i guess. Lets say for a minute that i was going to pull the springy frets and start again, is it simply a matter of removing the frets, cleaning the slots and then installing the new fret so that the barbs miss the orininal locations, or would i need to get a fret fitter and saw from stewmac as well to do it properly?

Thanks for that, i'll give it a go. This is exactly why i don't want to refret right now, i don't have fret pullers or a fret saw!

I'd love to be able to do that, but it would require a bunch of tools i don't have right now. If I can get them glued down for the moment, then in a couple of years time i'll either have the tools to do a refret, or the money to get someone else to do it for me. Thenks for the comments regarding CA, clamping cauls to get the pressure at the fret end should do the trick. In regards to this: Do you meant to pout the CA in AFTER the clamp has been tightened? It seems like that would stop the glue netereing the space it need to be in. or does it help with "wicking" due to the smaller gap? Thanks again

Righto, I'll wait to see if anyone else can shed any light. Thanks for the tip for clamping, if i decide to do glue them i'll probably do it that way.

Thanks for that. I had assumed that since there were no markings on the diagram that this was the "normal" way for these to work, but didn't want to get it wired up and then wonder why i didn't work properly.

I did a search for this but couldn't find the answer i was looking for. I have jusat installed the frets on my first build and some of the ends are sitting a little proud from the fingerboard, they can be pushed down flush, but just pop back up again, so i guess the barbs have worn themselves a groove in the slot. I understand these could be glued down satisfactorily, but i'm not quite sure on the precedure. My questions are: 1) Where can i buy thin superglue in australia? (stewmac won't post dangerous good OS) 2) What is the best method of getting the glue into such a tight space? 3) How can i clamp the frets down while the glue dries? i don'e have a fret press or caul, just installed them with a hammer. 4) Am i completely on the worng track? Is there another method of fixing this i don't know about?

Just a (hopefully) quick question. I am looking at using this wiring setup for my current (first) build, and am using log taper pots from StewMac. When i look at the post from the same angle as shown in the diagram (looking straight at the terminals with the shaft pointing down) the right hand terminal is the "low" end of the pot. Are all log pots built this way or do i need to figure out which way the diagram is drawn by some other means? Thanks in advance

Myka, A couple of questions about your finish. What type of tint did you use with the shellac? I am after a solid colour finish, but don't have access to spray gear so shellac would be my preferred finish. Also, what sort of grain filer would you recommend for under shellac? Thanks

**lightbulb** GuitarNuts.com sorted me out!

uummm...sure i knew that! Which brings me to my next question, where can i find digrams like this which show terminal assignmnets for switches. The one below is for the super switch from stew mac, but they don't have them for other switches. I was looking for them when i found the diagrams above, and could have saved myself a lot of hassle if i had them. Thanks for your help.

I have been trying to find a 4 pole, 5 way switch but have found them to be very scarce and fairly expensive. I am after a prs style setup. On further investigation into other wiring methods to avoid using one i found this diagram, which seems to give the same functions as **this** (both of these are from http://www.geocities.jp/dgb_studio/index_e.htm) These have the same description in terms of the pup combination at each switch position, i.e. No PU 1 PU1AxPU1B Neck Humbucker 2 PU1A Neck Tap 3 PU1AxPU1B+PU2CxPU2D Humbucker Parallel 4 PU2C Bridge Tap 5 PU2CxPU2D Bridge Humbucker My question is, if the 2 pole switch can provide the same functionality as the 4 pole, why do people use the 4 pole switch? If it can't, what is the difference between these 2 circuits?

Hi, I'm looking for a 5 way, 4 pole switch for a PRS style wiring job (2 humbukers, 1 vol, 1 tone, 5 way rotary switch), and can't fing the rotary switch anywhere. Stew Mac doesn't seem to sell them, guitarelectronics.com has them but shipping is $55 to australia, and Dick Smith and jaycar don't stock them either. Does anyone know where i can get one from? Mingus