NON-PBG - LP Build Diary for DIY Guitars GLP-40BBK

[wazkelly]

Tonerider wiring diagram as found on PBG site and also inside the PUP box if you spend the coin and buy some.

http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con.../Humbucker.pdf

Take it nice & easy and this should have you making seriously good noises in no time at all.

[Alkay]

Tonerider wiring diagram as found on PBG site and also inside the PUP box if you spend the coin and buy some.

http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-con.../Humbucker.pdf

Take it nice & easy and this should have you making seriously good noises in no time at all.

Thanks Andy40 and wazkelly for the help. I really hope she is going to make some nice sounds instead of a thump with sticks haha.

Sorry but this is where I am stuck. I really appreciate your help and hope you understand why I'm confused. I'll try to explain...

I'm confused with the wiring. I have 2 humbuckers, 4 pots, 3 way switch. I have not soldered or wired yet

-Applied conductive shielding paint in all cavities with two coats reading around 4-5 ohms on each cavity as an average.
-NOT put the wire in the bridge post stop tail cavity for grounding yet to one of the pots on in the control cavity. Should I do this?

The PBG wiring video and diagram for a LP-1 has the capacitors attached directly to the neck and bridge tone pots on the left contact point and grounded on top. I watched the videos and when Adam tested the PUPS in each three positions of the PUP selecter it worked. I believe that was in part two but here are the LP-1 video locations which I'm sure you are aware of: http://www.pitbullguitars.com/videos/

The pdf you both recommended has the capacitors in between the pots which looks like from NeckVol to NeckTone and then BV to BT. So it's different and that's why I'm confused.

Or should I just follow the pdf you blokes suggested but with or without grounding the bridge?

Also is there a difference between using A500k's and B500k's for the pots in regards to volume and tone?

I am happy to purchase quality hardware when it's working but for me it's best to get the wiring working with the existing hardware that came with this kit. Then I'll make her do some nice noisy tunes haha.

Cheers,

Alkay.

[Andy40]

Ill do my best Alkay to answer you questions but I am no expert.

1. I dont use sheilding paint but I believe Waz has/does;

2. You should put the wire in the bridge post stop tail cavity for grounding and let it rest in the control cavity till you are ready to solder it. This has got to be done before you push the stop tail bushing into the post hole otherwise its going to be difficult, the circuit must be grounded to the either the stop tail or the saddles or it will buzz. Interestingly this ground wire is not in the tonerider diagram.

2. Placement of capacitors is really your choice. nothing wrong with either way, I just prefer to put my caps between the volume and tone pots. Caps are not polarised, so it doesn't matter which way around you solder them.

3. A500k pots are audio taper pots and B500k Pots are linear taper pots. The difference is that there is audio taper pots roll on and off gradually whereas linear taper pots roll on and off very quickly. I prefer A500k for all volume and tone pots as I prefer the finer control for both volume and tone.

[WeirdBits]

Andy is on the money. Yes, you should run the ground wire to the bridge post, and typically if you have 2 x A500K and 2 x B500K pots use the A's for volume and B's for tone.

As for the diagrams/layout and which to use... that will partially depend on the components that came with your kit. The Tonerider diagram uses a 'Switchcraft' style toggle switch and large caps, if that's what you have then that diagram is fine. However, most kits of this type come with smaller caps and an 'import' (or box) style toggle switch. If you have those type of components then you're probably better off using the PBG LP wiring diagram, the end result is the same it's just an alternative layout. Note: in the PBG diagram it doesn't show the solder dots on the lugs bent back to the casing on the volume pots, which do need a soldered connection. Some pot lugs can be fragile so it is often better to solder a short wire from the lug to the back of the pot, rather than risk trying to bend and solder them.

[wazkelly]

Here is my additional 2 cents worth.....conductive shielding paint is ok but would also recommend snail tape in the control cavity as a minimum.

Why, I have been playing both EX's through amps with headphones and the Bass sounds OK but the 6 stringer has a slight buzz which was not audible straight from the amp but would show up if I was to ever use it for recording. Got a few maintenance mods to perform on both and installing snail tape in the control cavities is now a priority just in case if you know what I mean. For a LP it would also make sense to do the 3 way switch cavity too.

The shielding paint seems to have done it's job in the PUP cavities which is a good thing as the dark colour has also covered up any bits that may have been visible from on top.

Hope this helps.

[Alkay]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all very much for the wiring advice and the other tips so far.

I followed the PBG LP wiring video's and I am happy to say that it works!

I'm about to do the intonation guide mention at the start of this build diary.

How much can I turn the truss rod before I snap the neck? eg. 1/4 or 1/2 turn depending on which way the neck is bowed.

Cheers,

Alkay.

[Alkay]

Hi again and another update,

This is great it works with the humbuckers still stuck with masking tape.

A couple of issues:

The intonation and action is way out but I played a few songs anyway. I'm really happy with it. Better than my first build.

Humbuckers didn't have any holes pre-drilled so I'm not sure what to do here? The humbuckers on this kit are flat so I cant see where to align the circle dots under the strings. I know it sounds vague but I hope you get what I mean.

There is electronic interference in the background but it's not too bad. I need to ground all the cavities somehow but I'm having trouble getting a wire through the control cavity to reach the bridge pickup cavity for a start. All covers for the controls have copper shielding tape applied.

Anyway thanks so far everyone I am so surprised.

Cheers,

Alkay.

[stan]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all very much for the wiring advice and the other tips so far.

I followed the PBG LP wiring video's and I am happy to say that it works!

I'm about to do the intonation guide mention at the start of this build diary.

How much can I turn the truss rod before I snap the neck? eg. 1/4 or 1/2 turn depending on which way the neck is bowed.

Cheers,

Alkay.

you'll break the truss rod before you break the neck

[wazkelly]

If the truss rod feels extremely tight and you still need to take more front bow out of it try loosening it right off then gently pull the neck back with one hand whilst tightening up the truss rod.

Just did this on my EX-5 and then spent a further couple of hours readjusting the action and intonation as the action around 12th fret was riding way too high. Plays much better now and with a lower action the stock PUP's sound much better than what I realised. Win/win all round.

[Alkay]

If the truss rod feels extremely tight and you still need to take more front bow out of it try loosening it right off then gently pull the neck back with one hand whilst tightening up the truss rod.

Just did this on my EX-5 and then spent a further couple of hours readjusting the action and intonation as the action around 12th fret was riding way too high. Plays much better now and with a lower action the stock PUP's sound much better than what I realised. Win/win all round.

Hi wazkelly,

Thanks for the info although I'm not sure I need to do that at this stage. Well I hope not.

I turned the truss rod about 3/4 of a turn to the left and have adjusted the bridge height just above where the strings start to buzz when hitting every note on the fretboard.

A business card now justfits under the 9th fret on the low E as described in the intonation guide here.

The action is still way to high and it's quite difficult to do an open chord.

I have taken the nut off and am going to slowly sand the bottom side of the nut with 180 grit checking the action regularly.

Cheers,

Alkay.