modifying guitar electrics

[philgrayser@yahoo.co.uk]

I am about to rewire my Epiphone les paul guitar with new eletrics. |I have been reading up on the subject and have decided to go with the modern wiring with treble bleed. Does any one know anything about the resistors used in the treble bleed. I am going for a 100k resistor but i am not sure about what watt or % accuracy i need, i have seen resistors for quarter watt , half watt and also 1% accuracy or 5% accuracy whats the difference!!! cany anyone tell me please cheers Phil.

[Fab4]

You don't really need super-accurate components for guitar circuits. They don't hurt, but they don't necessarily help you either. Most guitar manufacturers use what they can get in bulk at a good price. (Leo Fender was a notorious skin flint.) And in fact, a lot of what makes vintage guitars valuable is the character that comes from INaccurate components.

In short, buy what you can get easily and see if you like the results. Also, don't be afraid to experiment. Caps and resistors are cheap and passive guitar electronics are very robust. You can't really do any damage (as long as you leave the delicate pickup windings alone). In short, go for it and have fun!

[Fab4]

And while I'm thinking about it...

Here's a great source for all kinds of guitar components:

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/ELECTRONIC_PARTS_C1.cfm

If you DO want to obsess about this stuff, these guys make it easy.

As a side note: While caps and resistors are pretty much bullet proof no matter what you end up with, there are good reasons to use quality pots and switches, both for sound and durability. Good luck and let us know how your project turns out.

[Fab4]

And one more thing...(then I'll shut up).

Guitar circuits generate microvoltages, so you can go for 1/4-watt resistors and still have LOTS of headroom. These components are smaller, too, which can be a nice plus in a tight control cavity. Higher-capacity components aren't necessary until you get into the voltages used in amplifiers.

Also, take some time to learn how to solder effectively. Get a good adjustable iron and a 1/16", then go online and seek out some soldering techniques. When I built my Allen amp kit, decent soldering technique was the most valuable thing I learned.

(Shutting up now.)