Strat Wiring And Parts...

Rox

As part of my Partcaster build, I will have to tackle the inevitable wiring.

Because I'm putting everything else together, I'd quite like to get hold of the various bits and bobs to do the wiring myself but there are a few things...

1)  I'm - at best - a clumsy solderer.  I suspect part of this is the poor solder I use - it's the stuff that came with the iron, so what should I be looking for?  Is a cheapo standard iron okay for the very occasional wiring use?

2)  There are loads of options out there for Strat wiring, but I'm looking for two types for two projects!  One is a late sixties style, and the second at the other end of the decade - a Surf sound.  Any suggestions on what will help these sounds?

3)  Where to get the parts?  I'm looking in the usual places but it seems like some of the pre-wired kits aren't that much more expensive than getting the stuff yourself.

4)  Can of worms.  I remember when wiring an SG type scratch build, a friend who is an electrical engineer was reading about all the various different things people claim give "mojo" and from a technical standpoint, he really couldn't understand all the claims about vintage this and NOS that.  "The specs are the specs" he'd say - a 0.02uf tone cap does the same job whether it's made in the 1950's or the 2000s.

I already have an early 70's MIJ CMI strat which has an incredible rock/blues sound.  If it wasn't "just" a CMI strat, those pickups would be worth more than the guitar would sell for.  There we have a pretty accurate CBS copy - I compared the headstock for a modern large headstock and it's more or less identical.  Bullet truss rod, three way switch, indeterminate pickups (I should measure the outputs, perhaps?)

Given that would have been made with the 'regular' components available to the MIJ makers, what's wrong with normal wire vs. cloth wire?   Non-CTS pots?  I mean, these are still working after 40 plus years.  'Cheap' Japanese capacitors?  Non shielded scratchplate?

The only weaknesses of that strat are the tuners - they go out of tune very easily, the standard STC trem block and unfortunately the 3 way switch (now that dates it to a particular era!) is working intermittently.  But I can forgive after all these years. 

So, where the heck do I start?

paulnb57

1.Get decent solder and an iron that will get hot enough
2. Strat wiring is Strat wiring, yes, there are variations, but a Standard Strat wiring is most common, Sixties style vs Surf is IMHO about amp settings and playing style.
3. Anywhere that sells them! I use ebay as it is convenient...
4. True

If starting from scratch why not install the best you can afford? CTS/Switchcraft etc have a good rep for a reason.....cheaper will do, but why compromise?
Use whatever wire suits, I doubt you will notice any tonal difference....

ICBM

1 - do not use standard lead-free solder - it's shit. Leaded solder is still available, or if you can't find any then the lead-free with silver is fine (Maplins sell it - it's more expensive but worth it). You will need at least a 25W iron for guitar work because soldering to the backs of the pots is necessary - 25W or 30W Antex irons are fine and again Maplins do them if you can't find anywhere cheaper.

2 - both those sounds need the standard vintage Strat wiring. 5-way switch (or 3-way if you prefer!), 3x 250K Log pots, .047uF/0.5uF (or .1uF if you want the original value, although it's not really necessary) tone cap... Fender used cheap ceramic ones in the 60s and you certainly don't need anything else!

3 - Allparts are good if you want to buy the parts individually.

4 - your engineer friend is right. It's worth using good quality switch (CRL), pots (CTS) and jack (Switchcraft) - for reliability and the best 'feel' in use, but there's no real difference in tone. Caps don't matter at all. Wire type makes no tone difference, but cloth-covered is much easier to use because you can't melt the insulation when soldering.

Some non-CTS pots are OK - full-size Alphas, for example (which the CMI may have). In general you should avoid anything cheaper or smaller - there is some evidence that small cheap pots do have an effect on the tone, due to 'parasitic capacitance' - and they often have poor tapers. Shielding at least the pickguard is a very good idea - Strats aren't very well-shielded otherwise, and can be noisy. Shielding the whole wiring cavity is better - I prefer copper tape to conductive paint. It's worth using shielded cable from the jack to the volume pot, this is the bit that picks up the most noise usually.

The CMI is probably made by Matsumoku and should be fairly good. You should be able to clean the old 3-way switch - use Servisol, or if that fails try a small amount of WD40. If that doesn't work and you have to replace it, be careful - many old Matsumoku guitars use a switch with a shorter frame and screw spacing that US or modern ones - if so, you can't use a CRL switch without drilling the pickguard (don't do that!). The short switches are hard to get - I have a couple of spares, if it's one of these you need, PM me.

The tuners should work OK if you string and tune them correctly - as long as the gears haven't actually failed. Keep the string windings neat and tight, and only tune up to the note - if it's sharp, go below and then back up, these old heads are a bit prone to backlash. The nut and string trees can be a source of tuning trouble too.

Hope all that helps!

Rox

Thanks @paulnb57

Thanks @ICBM

The best way to describe the tuners is that (especially on the G string, which seems to be the most problematic) the tuners themselves feel 'loose', as though there's a bit of play in the turning mechanism...

It's a lovely thing, actually:

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/WhiteCMI01.jpg

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/WhiteCMI02.jpg

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/WhiteCMI03.jpg

Rox

It's a great example of how some guitars don't age like relics would have you think.  Those strat knobs and switch tip are as bright as they've ever been, the pup covers have changed colour, but everything else is bright and shiny.

And it's been used. of course so have dinks and stuff.  However, there is something odd going on in the pickup cavity I need to sort (didn't realise I had these pics - they're from when I bought them!  The previous owner obviously had a much better camera than I do..  )

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/CMI/Body1.JPG

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/CMI/Trem Block.JPG

ICBM

Take the tuners apart and check that the gear screws are tight - they can work loose. If there's still too much slop, the 'hooks' which hold the keyshafts in place may have opened up a bit - if so, take the string post out and gently tap them closed with a small hammer - with the keyshaft in place - on a hard flat surface.

Put some grease - standard car grease is fine, or vaseline if you don't do your own car maintenance - in the workings and reassemble, and they should work perfectly.

I'm pretty sure that's a short-frame switch, from the pic. It looks very much like a Matsumoku-built guitar - the switch, strap buttons (I think, from what I can see of them) and the separate maple fingerboard (not solid maple neck) are all typical.

And the intonation needs adjusting .

Rox

@ICBM - ta. 

One day I'll learn how to intonate and enunciate properly. 

http://inspireyourdog.com/misc/CMI/CMI01.jpg

The same except for the finish and the "Electric Guitar" wording on the headstock.  The pickups in these are bloody great.

The fretboard is separate bit of Maple like you say.  These often struggle to sell, so people can still pick 'em up as a bargain.  And on this one, none of the plastics (except the pup covers) had discoloured. 

This one I took the neck off to ship, and it had "66" written in pen in the neck cavity.  I figure that meant the body shape and not it's age.  I reckon these were between 1972 and 1977 given the bullet truss rod and the three way switch.

Also, with the trem cover off, you can see that the finish hasn't discoloured at all over the years.

They appear to be solid bodied, but never sure what sort of wood...

ICBM

Rox said:

I reckon these were between 1972 and 1977 given the bullet truss rod and the three way switch.

Or possibly for a bit longer - my Aria RS was made in '84 and had the same switch. I've replaced it with an extremely rare 5-way version of the same size that I seek out and keep because I like Matsumokus and hate to see the pickguards butchered!

Rox said:

They appear to be solid bodied, but never sure what sort of wood...

As far as I understand it, it's 'Sen', a type of Japanese ash, usually fairly lightweight.

This is some, which looks very like the Matsumoku body wood.

http://www.winwood-products.com/images/sen.jpg

Sarge

Gee wiz that white CMI is a beaut! And it positively screams early Matsumoku! 

Never sell that guitar, except to me..... obviously  

Rox

@Sarge - converted me to large head stocks these CMI guitars.  Never liked them before but I'm a full convert now.

@ICBM that Sen looks nice.