50’s Gibson/335 wiring

[Johnny Bravo]

Hi all

Haven’t been around the forum for a while so hope you are all groovy.

Doing my take on a Memphis 335 and basically anything I could have done wrong, I have. But hopefully I’ve learned a few things.

I followed a YouTube video on wiring a 335 style hollow body, using braided wire (ie the outside braiding was used to ground all the pots with the inner hot for the bridge pot).

Tried a tap test but unfortunately nothing. The wiring diagram on PB is for modern wiring (ie caps on tone pots) but I did the 50’s style (ie capacitor from vol to tone).

Can anyone suggest some trouble shooting options/reference materials to review? I have a basic multimeter.

I’ve done my best to photo.

Cheers and thanks in anticipation.


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[Trevor Davies]

Hi Johnny,

From the picture I think it all looks good!

I would check that:
The grounding point for the switch has not damaged the insulated wires inside the braiding! Not sure how though!

With the tap test, and pointing out the obvious first (since this has fooled me before!) - I assume the volumes for the bridge and the neck are ON (or half on)?

How are your multimeter skills?

Using the multimeter, I would check all the grounds by ensuring a very small resistance (less than 1 ohm) between them all.

Then check (with the volumes in middle position) that there is a large resistance between the hot wires and the grounds, switch hot and ground, and jack hot and ground.

[Johnny Bravo]

Thanks Trevor

I did smack myself in the head initially and thought “Have I turned the volume/tone controls on?” but unfortunately, setting them all halfway didn’t do it.

Thanks for the multimeter advice.

I’ll report back.

This just highlights that I don’t have enough of a rudimentary grasp of wiring diagrams to be able to trouble shoot.

Very grateful for you taking the time to have a look.


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[Johnny Bravo]

Just to follow up on one of your earlier questions, does this look problematic? I stripped a length of wire and ran it from the ground lug and wrapped it around the two braided wires - one grounds all the pots and the inner hot finishes at the bridge volume and the other is to the jack. I’ve used heat shrink where possible.


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[Trevor Davies]

I do not think that is problematic. I'm not sure if it is conventional - but I have not used braided wire and have not researched how to use it.

[Johnny Bravo]

Thanks Trevor

I’ve done some multimeter testing and I get the same reading across the grounds as I do from hot to ground (including at the switch itself).

I genuinely don’t know what that means.

I’ve been trying to find a local guitar repair place but understandably they’re on Christmas vacation.

Oh well, I’ll just have to wait, I guess.

Happy new year.

Regards


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[Trevor Davies]

I’ve done some multimeter testing and I get the same reading across the grounds as I do from hot to ground (including at the switch itself).

I genuinely don’t know what that means.


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I assume those readings are really small (in the order of 1 ohm!) - then that implies there is a short circuit (or grounding problem), where the electricity can get from the hot to the ground easily (without having to go through the pot resistance). Normally that means there is a wire (or stand, or solder run) from a hot wire to the ground.

The hot to ground resistances should be (if the pots are in the middle position) about half the pot resistance (about 250 k or 0.25 M).

Thinking out loud here:

Double check that the volume pots do not short between the hot and middle lugs.

Is it possible that the hot braided wire on the switch is grounded to the braiding. Can you take the heat shrink off the switch (for the 2 braided wires only)? I need to be able to see the insulated hot wires at the solder joints.

Is it possible that the hot braided wire on the jack is grounded to the braiding. Can you take the heat shrink off the jack?

[Johnny Bravo]

Trevor, you bloody genius!!

Yes, i got a bit too eager when I pushed the braiding back too much and it was contacting the soldering at the lug.

Looks like crap now but I got “a tap”

Any threads/suggestions on how to tidy it up or should I just unsolder at the lugs, slip some more heat shrink over and solder up again?


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[Trevor Davies]

Great news.

The heat shrink does not need to go over the braiding, just the bare sections of the hot wires. So yes, probably desolder the hots, add the heat shrink (so that it goes inside the braiding), then resolder.

[Johnny Bravo]

Thanks again for all your help, Trevor


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