Official Luthiers Forum!

My first build is started, I've taken a few pics but not uploaded them yet so they will come later.

Here are my questions:

I see that people run a ground wire from their electronics to the bridge. Not sure why (maybe someone could explain), but more importantly, I'm using a Gotoh TOM bridge and I don't see any way to connect a ground to it. Suggestions?

I'm a little daunted by selecting and connecting the tone and volume controls and a switch. If I'm using 2 humbuckers, is one volume, one tone, and one 3-way switch the way to go? Should I use pots with 3/8" posts, or 3/4" posts. And are the pre-wired setups from Mojotone OK?

Last, what is the correct adhesive to use with white plastic binding?

Thanks for any help you guys give!

The reason they ground at the bridge is because you have an effective ground at that area, and you wont hear string buzz as they call it. With your tuneomatic, you just put the ground wire in where one of the posts go, then drill a channel from there into the humbucker cavity or electronics cavity.
You can wire it however, pre-wired stuff is just fine usually.
As far as adhesive for binding, I haven't a clue. I don't do plastic binding, I use natural faux binding, and if I bind a neck it is with wood.

A ground wire is necessary so you don't die if the guitar gets grounded....

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

To glue plastic binding, 3M plastic and emblem adhesive works great. You can get it at auto parts stores. Part #08061

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

I've always used the Weld On binding adhesive available from Stewmac. Others use Duco cement.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I use the glue from LMI for plastic binding.
Cost is higher than Duco,
but to me it's worth it.
I think it's better.

Will this guitar be for live performances or studio work? Simple controls are good for live performance because there's fewer things that have to be tweaked on stage. More complex may be useful in the studio.
I now prefer a single volume and tone control, it's simpler to wire and it's simpler to use. My first guitar had three single coils, two volume controls, two tone controls, and a 5 way switch. Way too much to fiddle with.
The 3/8" pots are for regular top thickness, the 3/4" are for carved top instruments like the Les Paul.

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

I just built a LP clone, which isn't a whole lot of experience, but here is what I know

1 - I simply drilled a small hole from the bridge p/u cavity into one of the ToM post holes. I pushed a piece of my grounding wire into the post hole, spread the strands out, and when I pressed the post in I'm sure it is making very good ground contact. Btw, you may not need a ground but it is a whole lot easier to do now and can't hurt.

2 - I used the standard LP four pots, but there is a little wiring trick that makes it so that if you are on the center switch position and turn one all the way down you won't kill both pups. The wiring diagram is at StewMac's site. I also used their kit to make it easy to buy all the little pieces in one place but you can get them lots of places, including Radio Shack. In my limited experience, I find myself playing with both pups and controlling the mix with the two volumes.

3 - I used to use Duco cement for my plastic bindings (others like Weld On, they are similar). On the Lester I tried CA - it was a total cluster but actually came out OK. Would I do it again? - Not sure LOL. There is a bit of a description on post 85 and 105 here

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/sho ... Paul/page5
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/sho ... Paul/page6

Others have made their own adhesive from actetone and chopped up binding - it seems to do a pretty good job of melting the binding together but would also be a huge hassle.

It also shunts electrical noise from the human body to ground - less static and hum.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

I dont have anything to add to all the great advice already given , except that IMHO I prefer 1vol, 1 tone and a 3-way. Especially if you're new to electronics/wiring/soldering. Simpler is better all the way around, most of the time.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Thanks to all of you for your replies.

When I get a few minutes to myself I'll post up a few pics. So far I've made a coupla' mistakes but nothing I can't recover from!

You'll find if you haven't already that this is 75% of building, or thereabouts.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

This is the one reason you do not want a ground wire!

If you couple your strings to the guitar's electronics and touch something else conductive that is of a different ground potential, and your amp is designed in a way that current can flow through the circuit ground (common particularly on older amps with two prong plugs, but not only these) you can get anything from a serious tickle to a severe shock to even inducing coronary asystole (a stopped heart).

Now, wiring is not what is once was and if a venue is wired properly there should be little to worry about.

I happen to do string grounds because I do a lot of recording and I need things to be quiet.

If there is a shock concern, read this...

http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/ele ... /index.php

Most of all just be careful at venues and use common sense.

Oh, and have a blast playing your best ever!

I was playing guitar and my buddy handed me his bass. Zaaaap. Never hold two guitars plugged into two different amps.
Duh!

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

I know what you mean! If everything is wired correctly, it's no problem, I've done it a hundred times. That is, I did it until I got zapped once. That was 20+ years ago, and I haven't done it since!

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon