Upgraded switch wiring to braided wire

[Tom99SS]

Well I decided to upgrade my switch wiring. Never liked the grounding plate and the fact those tiny wires, which look like wires for a phone outlet, where carrying the signal to a post on the grounding then to the output jack has never sat well with me. I now have all braided wiring and the switch now goes straight to the output jack. Really cleaned up the control cavity and I think the sound is a little cleaner (maybe my mind just wants to think that). Now the solders are not perfectly smooth but it works and that is all that matters.

 

The main benefit of this is now it is easier to change out a pot or cap if I wish.

[Plank_Spanker]

I guess any perceived improvement is worth the effort. As a long time electronics tech, I guess my take on braided insulation is a bit different..........................

 

I can't see it impacting the tone at all. Alot of the old school wiring was done with braided isulated wire because that's what was cheap and available at the time. Your "tone money" is in the the components and the solder joints.

 

All of a guitar's wiring is carrying a very low level signal, so you don't need large gauge wire to do it. There's absolutely nothing wrong with modern wire.

 

I'm not out to flame you here. I'm just presenting my take from a purely electronics standpoint.

 

If you can hear a difference, it's all good.

[Tom99SS]

Plank,

 

As I stated "Maybe my mind just wants to think that". I just did not like the grounding plate and the fact that the wire from the switch to the output jack was not one continous wire. Now it is and I just feel better about it.

 

Plus as I stated it will make changing pots much easier now if I decided to try something different.

 

Appreciate your feedback

[HB-R Seeker]

My bridge PU connection at the selector switch was in shambles and may have been causing a short. 28 gauge wires may carry the signal fine, but an important factor that I think gets overlooked is simply that the all the positive wires need to be a heavier gauge to be rugged enough to take years of vibrations and the occasional, unintentional twisting or movement of switches, jacks, pots or whatever when the lock nuts loosen, get retightened, or the guitar is serviced or modified in any way. And don't forget how wobbly the pickups sit on those two long, little spring loaded mounting screws. Hands and guitar picks contact pickups a million times over the years. Tiny wires get fatigued by the movements. Think of all the wiring in your car; a good insurance measure would be to anchor or clamp down each jacketed pickup and switch to pot wiring bundle, just like in your house or car. My wire was frayed down to a few strands and I never knew, so now these connections will always be suspect in the back of my mind. In fact, I think I just convinced myself to think of a wiring clamping method since mine is all apart right now.

 

So, a question please, Spanker; I so rarely get to talk to a real electronics technician. What is the minimum gauge you would recommend for 1) PU to pot, and 2) up and back to switch, terminal, then jack?

 

And another if I could so bother you...this has been swimming around in my head and I just have to attempt this: two years ago I wired a Telecaster (fear not, I'm a die-hard Lester man!) to enable a switch position connecting the two pickups out of phase and it sounds outrageously twangy. The results were fantastic. So I wonder, is it possible to do this same thing with one coil out of each humbucker??? Has it ever been attempted? What coil to use? Inner or outer coils? Am I crazy to attempt this? I really would like some knowledgable opinion first.

 

Thanks for your help,

Russ](*,)

[MikeRom]

?

 

And another if I could so bother you...this has been swimming around in my head and I just have to attempt this: two years ago I wired a Telecaster (fear not' date=' I'm a die-hard Lester man!) to enable a switch position connecting the two pickups out of phase and it sounds outrageously twangy. The results were fantastic. So I wonder, is it possible to do this same thing with one coil out of each humbucker??? Has it ever been attempted? What coil to use? Inner or outer coils? Am I crazy to attempt this? I really would like some knowledgable opinion first.

 

Thanks for your help,

Russ'](*,)

 

Sure it is. Many botique guitar makers do this. I had a Ed Roman Quicksilver (I know, boo-hiss) that did this. Coil tap + out-of-phase. It was cool but I rarely ever used it.

[ALIEN8]

Neck Bridge HB out of phase is fantastic with high-gain!!!