57 classics wiring question

[ganzua]

Hi!

I have just received a set of 57/57+ classic pick ups and perhaps the answer to my question is too obvious bu just in case I'm wrong;

If I'm not wrong, the silver cover of the pick up wire is the grounding of the pick up. How do you connect this cover and the back of the pot? do you just solder the silver cover to the back of the pot or is there any better way to do this?

 

[CR4ZYTR41N]

I reckon you're right. Haven't done it myself, but the pups in my Greco are soldered to the pots via the braiding. Seen a good few pics of others with vintage braided wires that look the same too............

 

[ganzua]

pups in my Greco are soldered to the pots via the braiding. Seen a good few pics of others with vintage braided wires that look the same too............

Yes, I have seen pictures of guitars with the braided wire soldered to the pot but whenever you have to unsolder is a mess.

Do you need to connect the back of all pots for the 50s wiring? And what you use to do this? galvanized wire?

 

[Mick51]

Hi, Ganzua.
With braided shielding, it's not difficult to solder the braid to the pot can. I use a soldering gun, 75-150 watts, for the braid, and my soldering pencil, 20 or 20 watts, for the lug contacts.
And, yes, the pot cans should be grounded together. You can use braided wire, solid core wire - either stripped of plastic coat or not - or about anything else. I've used unfolded paperclips before.
Make sure you don't unsolder the bridge ground in the process.
Enjoy.

 

[ganzua]

Hi Mick51!

Hi, Ganzua.
With braided shielding, it's not difficult to solder the braid to the pot can.

You're right, but I was thinking in un-soldering the whole thing. Imagine that yo have to replace the pot, is not a mess?

And, yes, the pot cans should be grounded together. You can use braided wire, solid core wire - either stripped of plastic coat or not - or about anything else. I've used unfolded paperclips before.
Make sure you don't unsolder the bridge ground in the process.

Is it better if the wire is uncovered? I have galvanized wire with me, but this stuff corrodes pretty fast. I have some paperclips too :lol:

 

[jyster]

Hi
You should not need to replace the pots. Get yourself a wee tool for removing the melted solder. It works really well. I rewired a set a couple of weeks ago. Something like this http://www.maxiaudio.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Y051

Just make sure you don't leave the heat on for too long at a time, or you will need to replace the pot.

 

[ganzua]

Hi jyster!

Hi
You should not need to replace the pots.

Well, sooner or later they will start to make noises, you know

Get yourself a wee tool for removing the melted solder. It works really well. I rewired a set a couple of weeks ago. Something like this http://www.maxiaudio.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Y051

Yes, I have seen these tools before but I didn't find any in the local stores here. Sometimes un-soldering is a pain.

 

[villager]

for pot backs you need a minimum of 50 watt iron to do it fast and easy, for the lugs you can use lower wattage, but I use a 50 watt iron, cleaned and tinned every time, and i don't ever have any problems...

just make sure the iron is HOT, and cleaned before use with steel wool..then both contact points, the wire and the pot should be pre-tinned with solder, and the solder shoud be one which has some flux in it...ie good quality solder,

its like everything, do a couple of practises first, soldering a bit of braid onto a bit of metal,

 

[ganzua]

for pot backs you need a minimum of 50 watt iron to do it fast and easy, for the lugs you can use lower wattage, but I use a 50 watt iron, cleaned and tinned every time, and i don't ever have any problems...

just make sure the iron is HOT, and cleaned before use with steel wool..then both contact points, the wire and the pot should be pre-tinned with solder, and the solder shoud be one which has some flux in it...ie good quality solder,

its like everything, do a couple of practises first, soldering a bit of braid onto a bit of metal,

Hi villager!

I have wired some guitars already. Two months ago I had to solder and un-solder a Telecaster +10 times because I had grounding noise and I didn't find the source. I started to solder and un-solder parts until I found what part was wrong.

The lesson that I learned was this :lol: ; solder everything thinking that you might have to un-solder it within the next two minutes. No seaman's knots, no litres of solder... when I saw that the braided wire was soldered to the back of the pot the first thing I thought was ok, and then how do you remove it without destroying the whole wire and the pot

 

[jyster]

Cut and peel back a bit of the braiding, have it sitting to the side of the wire and solder it. That's what I did (with removal in mind). Worked OK and shouldn't be any bother to remove.

 

[ganzua]

Cut and peel back a bit of the braiding, have it sitting to the side of the wire and solder it. That's what I did (with removal in mind). Worked OK and shouldn't be any bother to remove.

Yep, that's a good idea, another idea would be attaching some spare wire with a drop of solder.

 

[jyster]

I would definitely get one of the desoldering pumps. You can get them on ebay. They make life so much easier.
Good luck.
I always get very scared when I mess about with my guitar's internals.

 

[Shilka]

Another possibility is to use clips, makes pickup change easy !

 

[ganzua]

Another possibility is to use clips, makes pickup change easy !

as long as the clips don't move around it looks great

 

[Shilka]

I usually don't shake the guitar but they bite hard no worry :lol: