Wire length, pickup wires

alanfc

alanfc

New member
Hello-I have two questions if you can help.

1- how long is TOO long for a pickup, tone pot, and ground connection wire?

2- for any of you with Jensen caps or similar: that rigid wire that connects them to pot lugs,,, its thicker than pickup wires. Do we know what gauge I should look for? Something I can get at the hardware store I hope


thanks
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

1- As a general rule, keep them as short as you can to help minimise the RF interference you pick up. That said, if you ever plan to sell the pickups, keep their leads longer.

2- The gauge for internal wiring doesn't really matter, but I generally use 28AWG shielded wires for the long wires, and 22AWG unshielded wires for the connections between components. I think I picked that up from Stew Mac or Dan Erlewine.
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

Sounds right.

I use 24g wire. If your wiring is sheilded or your control cavity is sheilded, length wont really matter.

Ground wire length doesn't matter.

Keep the unsheilded jumpers as short as possible.
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

OK thanks
I ask because I'm planning a Bridge volume knob mod to my Les Paul.

as close as I can get to this:
http://www.gibson.com/PRESS/custom/product/Neal_Schon_LP.jpg

but
to minimize drilling and body damage, I'm thinking of mounting the volume knob,
to the pickguard.

I would drill the pickguard and mount the knob on it in the style of a Strat knob mounted in its pickguard. It won't get me as close as the Schon model but it'll be much better.
The question is, the new length. How long is too long. And, wires from the cavity exit the body below the new knob location.
I figure 2 new holes. One, from the cavity across to below the location of the new knob. Two, a small hole through the Top, leading wires to the pot mounted on the pickguard. Using short shaft pot
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

These wires are all too short for capacitance of shielded cables or the resistance to change the sound.

If you have unshielded or sloppily shielded wire then shorter cables cut down on the noise, but it would be better to add shielding.
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

uOpt said:
These wires are all too short for capacitance of shielded cables or the resistance to change the sound.

If you have unshielded or sloppily shielded wire then shorter cables cut down on the noise, but it would be better to add shielding.
Click to expand...

Do you mean,
all the extensions for my crazy project should have the plastic coated wires like we get on the SD pickups?
Thanks
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

alanfc said:
Do you mean,
all the extensions for my crazy project should have the plastic coated wires like we get on the SD pickups?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Plastic coated?

Shielded or not is the question.

Inside a fully shielded electrics cavity it doesn't matter.
 
Re: Wire length, pickup wires

uOpt said:
Plastic coated?

Shielded or not is the question.

Inside a fully shielded electrics cavity it doesn't matter.
Click to expand...

You know what I mean ... that red/white/green/black stuff thats on the SD wires (plastic/rubber whatever), ,,,

I take it from your answer that it is not shielding
 
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