Want to build a Thunderbird!

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
i have a question about the wiring.

the wiring of my Thunderbird should not be exactly like the original, but i'm doing some slide switches, which should add or cut some capacitors. their position is between the pickup selector switch and the output jack. i thought this makes sense if i want to add the caps to whatever pickup is active. kinda like a varitone but with slide switches instead of the rotary switch. i hope this will work at all(?), but now i have a question about the ground wire. do the switches themselves have to be grounded or can the ground wire go past them without contact. i'm using a vintage style braided wire.
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
(1)
44945922174_c3fd4f16dd_b.jpg


(2)
45670626221_bbe70a2dbb_b.jpg
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,584
Reaction score
17,803
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
I'm not sure I understand your wiring there. How do you envision these switches working?

The switches don't need to be grounded if you're just altering the path of the signal wire which is what I think you're trying to do - route the signal through or around capacitors. If you do want to ground them then it would be to the body of the switches. I wouldn't bother, though. Just make sure the bridge is grounded because you touching (or not touching) the strings is where people have problems.

The switch should be grounded and the output jack should be grounded so you don't need to continue the ground through the switches unless you want the switches to split coils or something like that.
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
i intend to solder the caps between the upper connectors of the switches. so there’s just a wire between the lower ones for „bypass“ (that’s what i already have done) and caps between the uper ones.

ok thanks so the ground wire is going around the switches without touching them.
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,584
Reaction score
17,803
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
i intend to solder the caps between the upper connectors of the switches. so there’s just a wire between the lower ones for „bypass“ (that’s what i already have done) and caps between the uper ones.

ok thanks so the ground wire is going around the switches without touching them.

Gotcha. I didn't see the connection on the left switch.
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland

Yeah thanks i saw it.. i was tempted for a moment but i don't want to go through the pain building or finding the missing switch plate! it sure would add to the tone having the original pots and caps..

btw i got the tremar from @mavuser (thank you so much!) and the korina(!) neck blank finally arrived today. it looks like it's to narrow for that wide thunderbird fretboard that i had in mind, but i have to check it out in the workshop tomorrow and see if i can find a way to make it fit.. if it does then this bird should be done shortly!
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
:frog:
B8Si89


the router ****ed up the upper left corner of the headstock :ambivalence: so i had to make it round... bummer but looks alright.. not like the original but whatever
j7uAL4
 

adorshki

Reverential Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
34,176
Reaction score
6,790
Location
Sillycon Valley CA
:frog:
B8Si89


the router ****ed up the upper left corner of the headstock :ambivalence: so i had to make it round... bummer but looks alright.. not like the original but whatever
j7uAL4
I did figure out how to see 'em, but, images not showing up here, PM sent.
It still looks alright.
:encouragement:
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
Well yes and no... it’s „african mahogany“ or khaya. it’s not exactly mahogany but it’s pretty much identical in every way.
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
is anyone still interested in this?

i messed up big time with the headstock inlay but decided i can live with that and finished it. the spaying isn’t perfect either but i will see if i got enough lacquer on there when i start to sand and polish it in two or three weeks..
 

airplane

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Basel, Switzerland
could have looked cool in natural too!

2e5DMfe


2e5DMXX


Rickenbacker 360/12c63 case worked to bring it home but i don’t think i closes very well with the hardware and electronics on

2cFMu7a


i have absoltely no idea how it sounds but it looks pretty nice for my first build!
 
Top