First Project Guitar

[snizzle]

Hey Guys,

So i've already refinished my first project guitar. It's a Stinger Betacaster (read as: piece of crap strat copy). Now I need to install all the electronics.

The routed area is empty. (There isn't just an individual hole for each pickup but a massive hole). So, i could set it up any way that I want. It was originally set up SSS. But I was thinking about HSS or even HH. I'm also open to other options. I've got a SSS strat that is my main guitar, and a Les Paul that I also still use. I'm looking for a different tone than those two guitars. But I digress...

When i pulled the parts out of my Betacaster (4 or 5 years ago) I just ripped them all out, cuttings wires and what not in the process (because I am a moron). Granted, it wasn't a good guitar and the sound was horrible but I probably should've taken a little more care of it.

Anyways, i've looked over the components and think I have a fairly decent (for a begginer) knowledge of what each part does. But I was wondering if someone could give me a master list of what parts go into the basic strat and what does what. Any takers?

I have all of the original parts but i'd like to buy all new parts. So basically I have a hollow guitar ready for anything. What do I need to fill it with? I'm looking for as cheap as possible. But what core components should I be looking for? Thanks!
-shane

[thesteve]

The traditional Strat setup IIRC is:

three pickups (SSS)
three pots (250K, one volume, two tone)
5-way switch (for switching the pickups)
a capacitor (I can't recall the value of it, or where it goes, but I think it's to prevent treble bleed)

The Seymour Duncan site has alot of drawings you could use in deciding what you want to do with your electronics setup.

[Steve Lowe]

At a minimum:
pickguard - covers the big hole and is where the components are mounted

pickups - turn string vibrations into electrical impulses

pots - adjust volume and tone of output

pickup selector switch - used to choose which pickup or combination of pickups is sent to the output

output jack - 1/4" jack where the cable is plugged into

wire - for connecting components

tone capacitor - used to bleed off certain frequencies depending where the tone pot is turned

You'll need a soldering iron, solder, and a few hand tools like a wire cutters, strippers, screwdrivers, allen wrenches, and a socket set.

Look here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics.shtml for easy-to-follow schematics, and ask questions :)

[snizzle]

Two questions. What is IIRC? I keep seeing that on different threads..

How hard is it to solder? I've never done it and don't even know where to start. Is there a good kit or something to get me started? Where would I even find solder and a soldering iron? Is there different brands, etc? What am I looking for?

Ok, so that second questions actually wound up being about 10 questions...sorry. Thanks for your help!
-shane

[thesteve]

IIRC - If I Recall Correctly.

basic soldering (the kind you do for most guitar work) isn't difficult to do. I have a 40W soldering iron kit from Radio Shack that works just fine. There's some video tutorials that I'm sure people will recommend. Off hand, I can't remember what site they're on.

[guitarjockey111]

I Acutally think seymour duncan has a video for the soldering on it.

If it's not soldering it shows you how exchanged pickups and stuff.

[snizzle]

Any tips for a first project guitar? Things that you wished you would've known, etc. I'd kinda like to have a great deal more knowledge than I do now before I begin. Any help is greatly appreciated!
-shane

[guitarjockey111]

One Really understand how a guitar is wired and how to ground it right, And also as how to solder and not apple to much heat to fry your pots.

I think that would be the biggest thing to know for one.

[snizzle]

[QUOTE=guitarjockey111;2794969] how to ground it right..QUOTE]

Details?

[guitarjockey111]

Well Making sure you ground to the pots and from the pots to the tremelo.

and if your using active pickups atleast iwht ymy bass alteast you have to ground each string also.

so the pickups have to be grounded and from the pots to the tremelo and then you have to ground to the output jack.

[thesteve]

and if your using active pickups atleast iwht ymy bass alteast you have to ground each string also.that's kinda weird...what sort of active pickups do you have? AFAIK, the EMGs in my bass don't requrie any sort of bridge grounding, I believe they're internally grounded.

that being said, check out www.guitarnuts.com for one method of grounding, or just do a google search for "grounding a guitar" and you should get a ton of results. Seymour Duncan's weebsite might have some info as well.

[guitarjockey111]

it says on the emg website for better silince and stuff you should ground each string.

Idk for sure my bass has each string grounded but if emg says to do it im pretty sure schecter would do it. I need to open it up again and look its been awhile.

[What5647]

EMG is quite explicit in their pickup manauls saying that you should NOT ground your strings. the purpose of grounding strings is to reduce noise, which is not a factor in active pickups. plus, when you don't ground the strings you no longer have to worry about reverse polarity shocking hazards.

[guitarjockey111]

EMG is quite explicit in their pickup manauls saying that you should NOT ground your strings. the purpose of grounding strings is to reduce noise, which is not a factor in active pickups. plus, when you don't ground the strings you no longer have to worry about reverse polarity shocking hazards.

I always wondered why my friends bass if i was holding my guitar strings then touched his it would shock me. and man it was one heck of a shock to.