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Installing the potentiometers, switches and output jack into the 335 has been the source of some frustration even amongst the most experienced of us builders on the forum.
Perhaps the most differentiating aspect of the '335' is that installing the electronic components principally takes place through the decorative 'f' hole. There is no plate to remove or install to achieve the result you'd find on most other guitars.
Searching the web to find out how to do this lead me to believe that the ONLY way to accomplish this task was to tie the pots to strings and to concoct a plug with leads to insert into the output jack. I spent a bit of time building this jack and searching the house for string. This time ended up being a minuscule amount of the actual time it eventually took to install the components into the body of the guitar.
The problems I experienced were easily solved once i'd figured out what the key issues were.
Wires seem to get tangled inside the body and when you try to pull the components into place wires detach, particularly the earth wires.
The strings pull free from the Pots before getting them into place.
Pots slip out of place and back into the body when trying to tighten the nuts to lock the pots in place.
When trying to figure out which earth wire has broken free the only was to resolve this is to remove all six components and draw them out of the 'f' hole and then start the installation process all over again.
In the end, if you are looking to get a working result, with no hum such as this, then the following guide may save you some time and frustration.
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The typical process that you will be encouraged to follow when putting together the component is to use cardboard or a perspex template as shown here. With a '335' i am not convinced that the standard template is the most effective way to do it. This does not mean that you dont use the template. You should, it saves you dropping hot solder onto your finish and besides it is pretty much the only way you will connect everything up on the 335. However, the change to the template that I would suggest is to make the connecting wires longer between the output jack, the switch, and both sets of the 'volume and tone' controls.
This lengthening of the wires makes it easier to trouble shoot detached wires when the components are in place. You will be able to remove components individually back through the 'f' hole whilst leaving the other components in place. Note that the 'tone and volume pot' for each pickup will have the standard short wiring and will be treated as a single component when installing and removing from the body. All connecting wires are longer to enable them to be removed individually.
This picture is how I started with the wiring far too bunched up with short wiring causing it to get tangled and to detach.
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Here are the six electronic components made up into four 'components'.
Once you have completed these, then connect them up with the longer wires.
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Here is the perspex template I used which is drawn by placing it directly on top of the body and tracing it.
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This is probably the best secret of making the job easier, 5mm tubing!
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The 5mm tubing fits tightly inside of the input jack and will not fall out like the recommended jack creation it was suggested I build!
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To use the tubing effectively it needs to be drawn through the holes where the component will be placed and then through the 'f' hole before that end is coupled to the pot.
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The first component that you want to connect is the input jack. Of course it is fully wired at this stage but I wasnt about to disconnect everything on my finished 335!
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Connected up! Bit of an optical illusion, the tubing doesn't actually go all the way through...that's another piece of tubing in the background!
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All the tubing drawn through the holes and finally through the 'f' hole.
The switch and the pot closest to the 'f' hole can be inserted into place with the fingers and hence do not need to be 'tubed' up!
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...l7g0-image.jpg
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The 'bottom tone and volume pot' will be the next in line after the Jack. Both pots are 'tubed' and drawn into position together.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...15l6-image.jpg
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Only one pot of the second set of 'tone and volume controls' needs to be tubed. The pot closest to the 'f' hole can be inserted with your fingers.
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Returning to the Jack, the jack is pulled into position through the drilled hole.
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...ka51-image.jpg
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An added advantage of the tubing is that with the Jack in place, the washer and nut can be slipped over the tube and will slid down the tube to the Jack. The nut and washer can be tightened without worrying about the Jack falling back into the body and you having to restart that part of the process.
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With the Jack in place, insert the Volume and Tone pots through the 'f' hole.
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Draw the pots into place and using the same process as with the Jack, slide the washer, volume and control indicators and nut over the tubing and allow it to drop down onto the pot. Tighten up and then remove the tubing.
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Draw the remaining 'tone and volume' unit through the 'f' hole and position the tubed pot into place. Using your fingers position the last remaining pot before turning your attention to the switch.
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Nice one Gavin :D
I will be filing this away and if I ever need to wire up a hollow body again, I will be using this method.
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Here is a quick picture of the two tubed pots about to be pulled simultaneously into place. This is fairly important if you don't want to rip the earth wires of the pots!
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content...w6wy-image.jpg
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Position the switch through the 'f' hole with your fingers and get it into position.
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Holding the switch in place supported by your finger insert the washer and nut and tighten.
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...and there you have it. Everything installed in a matter of minutes instead of the hours of frustration that some of us had to endure.
No where on the internet or elsewhere have I seen this method used to I claim this one as a first in the world for Pitbull Guitars!!!
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Thanks DB! Would be nice to get the summation of your experience of your 335 on here.
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Genius solution! Well done! I actually feel somewhat confident about attempting this kit now....
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Brilliant tutorial Gav! I'sent sent Milly a link to this topic, so hopefully she will have all the help she needs now.
Thanks so much for doing this Gav.
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Great article there Gavin!!! This process isn't as scary now!!!
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So Gavin, you want a run down on my experience building the 335?
The build part was a whole lotta fun, the kit I built was a bit of a challenge as the bridge post holes were off a tad but I solved this by ratting around in my extensive collection of bits until I found a bridge that fitted snugly.
As for the wiring, thank you so much for sharing this info IPSO FACTO!
I still break out in a cold sweat and get the twitches every time I see a 335 now 8O
A great article though, and at least others who build this kit will be spared the extensive psychological counselling that I had to go through :D
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actually, remembering the easier solution has almost inspired me to have another go at one, particularly seeing the results some of the folks are getting with their '335' in two tone and bursts!
Adam, happy to do the tutorial..been threatening to do it for a while but finally got some time to do it.
DB, thanks for the input on your build!
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Hey Gav that is a sensational tutorial and makes it clear with the clear perspex template whats going on.
I'm keen now to build another 335 looking at this method should make life easier
so glad I caught a thread you wrote about the 5mm clear tubing before I attempted mine, that saved about 10 hours of counselling as DB says !
Is this what you did before you installed all the gear to the real 335 body as a test run ?
well done taking all the photos on the way, I would have been too keen to get the job finished and missed about half those photos
you must have had your emerald SG on the mind labeling the perspex SG 335 - is that a new Gibbo model ? haha
well done buddy
cheers Wokka
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Thanks, Gav, great walkthrough! I will definitely be making use of this when I start working on my ES.
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Yeah, Wokka! Pretty much the process I followed on take 742! I built all the wiring on the template but as mentioned the wires were just too short, got tangled, ground fell off repeatedly! Hence had to redo the whole thing. But the templates I create are all perspex...easier to mark for a lazy fellow!!
You are quite correct about the labelling! Was working on the SG and wrote that down on the template and then realised i was actually planning on using the template for the 335!
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yes Gav great idea for practicing/testing on a template.
I was very lucky finished the soldering 5pm the day before GOTM closed and got the wiring through the F hole without losing any connections. Must have had something to do with using 5 ton of solder on each join !
Anyway keep up the good work this forum is a great for online help and tips that relate to the various Pit Bull builds
And Gav you have some work to stop the Pest overtaking your post count buddy ! haha
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The Pest is relentless....i have already conceded!!
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This is invaluable Gavin - thanks for this in advance - I did have visions of stringing the whole contraption through the f's - but now I am really looking forward to this "lesser" challenge. Cheers, Pete
