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Topic: tonemaster ground to bridge? |
Tony Wilson
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 12:16 pm |
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I'm rewiring an Oahu Tonemaster lap steel, and the current wiring does not have a ground to the bridge. The only rewiring projects I've done are Telecasters, so I'm not sure if lap steels require a bridge/string ground or where it would go. Below is my weak attempt at a diagram of the old wiring. I'm replacing everything (PU, pots, cap, wire) so I can try do this right. Thanks for any advice/suggestions you can pass along.
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 2:36 pm
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It is the strings that you want grounded and grounding the bridge is a common way to do that.
On some lap steels that use an all in one steel plate where the pots, bridge, jack, and pickup are all bolted together, then the ground to the pot and jack, etc is through the common plate. In other configurations where you have a separate / isolated bridge, then you would run a ground from the bridge to the back of the pot.
And yet another alternative for grounding the strings would be via a string retainer like I use on some of my designs like the P6. On those the bridge base is set / glued to the body so picking the ground up through the string block is easier.
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_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
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Tony Wilson
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 3:06 pm
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Thanks Tom. On this Tonemaster, the bridge is screwed into the wood, and the pots & pickup are attached to the plastic pickguard material. It won't difficult to run a hidden separate ground wire to the bridge. I wondered why the original wiring didn't include it, but I think someone, a very long time ago, did some work on it. The wires don't match and there's a blob of solder on the back of the PU with no wire attached. The ground maybe was removed and not replaced.
And that is a gorgeous guitar, Tom. I like the play off the Rickenbacker design with the contrasting woods. Very nice. |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 4:27 pm
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I thought Tonemasters had metal plates. Did they go to plastic later on?
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 5:33 pm
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| you know it! beautiful little guitar! |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 6:11 pm
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| Tony Wilson wrote: |
| ... It won't difficult to run a hidden separate ground wire to the bridge. I wondered why the original wiring didn't include it, but I think someone, a very long time ago, did some work on it. The wires don't match and there's a blob of solder on the back of the PU with no wire attached. The ground maybe was removed and not replaced. ... |
That certainly could be the case and like you said, easy enough to set strait.
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| And that is a gorgeous guitar, Tom. I like the play off the Rickenbacker design with the contrasting woods. Very nice. |
Thanks, I'm very happy how the P6 turned out. They are a little longer scale at 24" and those Lollar Horseshoes are very nice. Here is a rosewood and birdseye maple one I did http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=268867
And here is what they sound like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twDn-Q7Jvzg
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_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
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Tony Wilson
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 7:12 pm
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| David, I don't know if they made different models at different price ranges, but my Tonemaster has a black plastic cover and some have the metal cover you showed. One solution to my issue might be to locate a metal cover. Goldtone says the parts to their LS-6 fit the original Tonemasters; I'll look into it. My plastic cover is cracked and I was planning to make a new one out of pickguard material. An original=looking metal cover would be nicer. |
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Tony Wilson
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 8:28 pm
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| Well, I emailed Gold Tone and within 30 minutes I received a reply from Mr Rogers that they do sell the metal cover plate and ash tray cover that fit the Oahu Tonemaster. $30 each. Great news and great service. This is going to be a nice refurbish. |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 5 Mar 2015 11:05 pm
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Tony, while you have the lid off. Recently I rewired and potted my Tonemaster, and very thoroughly lined the cavity with adhesive copper foil. The plate completes the cage. And guess what . . . zero hum, dead quiet when turned on and up.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Tony Wilson
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2015 6:27 am
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| Good idea, David. I'm ordering the pots, etc today, I'll add some copper tape. Thanks. |
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