Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Fri Nov 29, 2024 1:26 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:53 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:10 pm
Posts: 76
First name: Britt
Last Name: Askew
State: North Carolina
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
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


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:57 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2012 12:27 am
Posts: 124
First name: Jimmy
Last Name: Edwards
City: Boston
State: MA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Is your lead off the pickups the Gibson style shielded or a 2-conductor?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 6:08 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:35 pm
Posts: 2561
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
For control cavities I shield the entire cavity including the cover plate and use 22 gauge stranded copper wire.

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 6:08 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:10 pm
Posts: 76
First name: Britt
Last Name: Askew
State: North Carolina
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
its the Gibson style shielded


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:17 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:12 am
Posts: 1170
First name: Rodger
Last Name: Knox
City: Baltimore
State: MD
Zip/Postal Code: 21234
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
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.

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


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 12:15 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:43 am
Posts: 1326
Location: chicagoland, illinois
City: chicagoland
State: illinois
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
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...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 12:43 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:12 am
Posts: 1170
First name: Rodger
Last Name: Knox
City: Baltimore
State: MD
Zip/Postal Code: 21234
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
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.

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


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:11 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:43 am
Posts: 1326
Location: chicagoland, illinois
City: chicagoland
State: illinois
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
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?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: which wire to use?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:30 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:10 pm
Posts: 76
First name: Britt
Last Name: Askew
State: North Carolina
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
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


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com