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Do I have to earth the tin if I'm using a single coil pickup

Posted by Stewart Corlett on December 23, 2011 at 4:46am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Hi guys and girls

I'm building a guitar out of a biscuit tin and want to fit a single coil pickup to it. Just wondering if I have to earth the tin and if so do I have to earth all the sides or just the top.

The pickup will be connected to volume and tone controls which will be fixed to the tin with plastic washers as will the jack.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Stew

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Replies

  • Stewart Corlett December 24, 2011 at 1:15pm

    Thanks The Phrygian Kid

    Kinda makes sense now that if the jack is touching the tin it would earth it. I have a metallic bridge too so I guess that will help.

    I'll post some pics when it's finished shouldn't be too long now.

    p.s. Love the look of your Mudfick guitar, might have to try a double neck CBG some day if I can find a box big enough; there pretty hard to come by where I live (the UK).

    Merry Christmas!!

  • The Phrygian Kid December 23, 2011 at 11:16am

    to answer your question better, i earth to the side, i never put the jack connector on the lid.  I have mounted pots and switches etc into tin lids plenty tho.  I dont solder to the back of pots.  Waste of time imho.  I just use the jack chassis.  Earthing to the tin has always earthed to the lid as well for me, get your multimeter and check if you like but its always worked for me.

    Sometimes cookie tins have a dark dobro growl and sometimes they have a bright banjo plinky-plink kinda thing.  Heavier tins are more likely to be darker, but you cant beat a steel box, toolbox, cashbox, that kind of thing.  Cookie tins which have a 3 dimensional releif stamped into them usually are structurally stronger and more likely to have that dark dobro thing rather than the bright banjo thing.  Another good hint to maximize the darkness is use a metallic bridge.  For some reason the metal on metal thing really helps.  Bend a piece of cutlery or use a big old skeleton key.  Check my pics.

    good luck with it and eep me posted. I dont know why more people dont do cookie tins, I like em way better than cigar boxes personally, theyre easier to get, come in better colours and shapes.....  and they sound better..  (ducks from flames..)

  • The Phrygian Kid December 23, 2011 at 5:34am

    dude drill the jack straight into the tin, no plastic...

    then the circuit earths itself, just make sure the strings touch the tin lid as they leave the tailpiece.  take a look at my ones.  Just use the sleeve (outer) lug on the jack for your common earth and youre golden

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