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 Post subject: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:53 pm 
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First name: Britt
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Getting ready to order the last few parts for my build off guitar and looking at Stewmac they have several wire options, like push back wire, shielded push back wire , shielded circuit wire ... what wire would I want to use to wire the pots/jack with? The pickups I am using are Fralin hum-canceling p90's


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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:57 pm 
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Is your lead off the pickups the Gibson style shielded or a 2-conductor?


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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 6:08 pm 
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For control cavities I shield the entire cavity including the cover plate and use 22 gauge stranded copper wire.

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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 6:08 pm 
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its the Gibson style shielded


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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:17 am 
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Any of that will work, you only need shielded wire to the jack, especially if your cavity is shielded.
I like the vintage style cloth push back wire, 22 gauge single strand, it holds a shape better than the multistrand.

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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 12:15 pm 
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i happen to dislike "pushback wire"- the insulation material is an archaic-style cloth fabric, so when you cut it, it leaves a raggedy end with threads that get in the way of soldering/solder joints. wire strippers don't work on it.
single strand wire has it's benefits, but one thing i have encountered is, if your strippers go a touch too deep they can score the wire, leading to a clean break at that location down the road. not likely but i have seen it in my limited experience. stranded wire is basically immune from this.
although it is not recommended, i have gotten away with using regular old 20 gauge wire(unshielded) for signal paths, in amplifiers and in a few guitars...shielded coaxial is a pain to prepare
there is a live Jimi Hendrix recording in which you can hear an FM transmission, maybe from security/police radio, that comes thru Jimi's Marshall stacks, presumably via his guitar.....a great example of why shielded/coaxial is the best choice, but for bedroom guitarists, probably not necessary...


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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 12:43 pm 
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nyazzip wrote:
i happen to dislike "pushback wire"- the insulation material is an archaic-style cloth fabric, so when you cut it, it leaves a raggedy end with threads that get in the way of soldering/solder joints. wire strippers don't work on it.
single strand wire has it's benefits, but one thing i have encountered is, if your strippers go a touch too deep they can score the wire, leading to a clean break at that location down the road. not likely but i have seen it in my limited experience. stranded wire is basically immune from this.
although it is not recommended, i have gotten away with using regular old 20 gauge wire(unshielded) for signal paths, in amplifiers and in a few guitars...shielded coaxial is a pain to prepare
there is a live Jimi Hendrix recording in which you can hear an FM transmission, maybe from security/police radio, that comes thru Jimi's Marshall stacks, presumably via his guitar.....a great example of why shielded/coaxial is the best choice, but for bedroom guitarists, probably not necessary...


The kind I use has some type of coating on the cloth that inhibits unraveling, but that is a valid concern. You don't need to strip any of the cloth off, that's why I like it.

If you're not using the cloth insulation and pushing it back, don't even think about single strand wire. It will break where you score to remove the insulation.

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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:11 pm 
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Quote:
Regarding the FM transmission in the Hendrix performance, that can just as easily and likely have come from the tube amplifier wiring.


...and then there's the fact that hendrix probably had half a dozen crudely wired effects pedals between his guitar and amp also, so thats another weak link.
at any rate, in hendrix's case it doesn't matter, as he managed to entertain the crap out of everyone, with or without RF interference
:P

ok what was this thread about again?


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 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:30 pm 
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First name: Britt
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So all I need is some cheap wire and a police scanner and I can sound like Jimi .... bliss

Seriously though Thanks to everybody that commented ,I appreciate all of the advice


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