Working on wiring Fender steels

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

Are there any good websites or books on Fender Electronics, dealing with the old fender non pedal steel?
I have several Fenders that have electronic issues.
No one around where I live that repairs these, so I thought I might learn a little and tackle the repair myself.

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

I just did a simple google search for "Fender Stringmaster Wiring" and got a lot of schematics. I did the same for Fender Champ Steel Wiring and got schematics.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

Thanks Chris, I've found most of the schematics my self, and I should have been more clear. My problem is when there is a specific issue like, grounding problem, noise when not touching the instrument-then when touching the strings or a metal part of steel, noise goes away, grounding problem-I assume.
Other problems with a few my my Fenders are tone controls not responsive or really thin trebley sounds, these sort of problems.
I am not that electronics savy, but everyone tells me those old fashioned electronics in the Fender steels are very simple to work on-plus I just dont want to start replacing everything until the problem is solved, I want to know what is causing the problem and replace just that.
I trace out my fender wiring and compare it to the schematics and both match up, all the solder joints seem tight, so must be a weak solder joint, or cap, or volume pot or??? What???
This is my problem. If I could read up and learn a little that may help. I just ordered the Stu-Mac dvd on Fender guitar wiring, and I hope that the wiring concepts presented in the dvd for regular guitars are the same for the steels.
Thanks for you help.

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

Someone on the Forum -- should he ground the bridge to something? I know on some Fender 400s there is a bare wire running from the underside changer plate to the endplate. And on a Stratocaster there is a ground from the spring claw which is connected to the strings electronically. Does he need the same?
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Yes, any parts that can be grounded (electrically tied together) should be grounded to help with hum problems. Sometimes it causes a problems when they're not grounded, and sometimes it doesn't. But it's an easy task, so I'd recommend it.

On a pedal steel or lap steel, it's usually sufficient to ground the changer or bridge to the electronics (pots, jack, and pickup).

Russ Blake · From: Oregon, USA

Duane, just to add a little to what Donny and Chris have said, most electric guitars utilize a string/bridge ground, meaning that the bridge (and the strings) are connected somehow to the ground of the electrical circuit. As Chris pointed out, on a strat it's done via the spring claw through the springs to the sustain block and thus the strings and ultimately to the hands of the player. The same thing is achieved on steels by having the strings connected to ground through the bridge or changer, but often there is not a wire needed because there is already a physical connection made through a mounting plate (as on a Stringmaster) or through the endplate on a pedal steel. Many lap steels are an exception to this and can sometimes benefit from the addition of a string ground.

The reason for all this is to achieve the effect that you noted, which is that is should be quieter when the player is touching the strings. This is because it is using your body as a ground shield to cut down outside interference that otherwise might be picked up by the circuit. Someone with actual electronic training may be able to elaborate on this.

You can test whether the bridge is grounded by using a meter to test connectivity. Without a meter, another easy way is to take a guitar cord that is plugged into your amp (on a relatively quiet setting!) and do not insert as you normally would, but instead touch the tip of the plug to the barrel of the output jack (try to do this without touching the metal of the plug itself) and then with your other hand touch the bridge. If it is grounded you will hear a loud hum while touching the bridge, or whatever other part you are testing. The sound will be the same as if you just touch the tip of the cord directly. Sorry for the long description...

As for your thin sounding pickups, this could be due to a broken winding in the coil. A telltale sign is when a tone control seems to act more like a volume. If you have a meter try to get a reading from the pickup (ideally after isolating it from the rest of the circuit) and that should let you know whether the coil is healthy.

Good luck.

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

Thanks Chris, Donny, and Russ-this is the kind of info I need. I do have a multimeter, and I will begin to check the two steels out.
Does anyone repair/rewind these pickups, if indeed it has a wire broke?

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