Steel Guitar Builder

c.winn
I did it on a router table with 3/8 round bit.put the guide where you want it and marked guide with pencil to the length of the brass and worked to the marks. I used a longer piece of wood and then cut it to where i wanted it. You have to plunge the wood down onto bit buy hand and then move it back and forth to the lines . make sure you make the piece long enough to keep fingers out of way. Hope this helps not good at explaining.
let me know
jim

jgrant42 wrote:c.winn
I did it on a router table with 3/8 round bit.put the guide where you want it and marked guide with pencil to the length of the brass and worked to the marks. I used a longer piece of wood and then cut it to where i wanted it. You have to plunge the wood down onto bit buy hand and then move it back and forth to the lines . make sure you make the piece long enough to keep fingers out of way. Hope this helps not good at explaining.
let me know
jim

Jim, I think he was asking about electrical grounding to the bridge if I am not mistaken. That is very important with regard to keeping the hum down.
If I got that wrong then please just ignore me.

Regards, Allan.....

allan you were right I just misread it. I did not ground to bridge, that is most likely where problem is. Good thought how do you ground to it. my mistake c. I told you I was a greenhorn
when I touch pick to bridge I get a buzzing sound. If you anyone comes up with idea please let advise me.
thanks
JIM

I think I can get wire to bridge what about nut should that be grounded too. that could be a tough one
JIM

Do NOT try to ground the nut! That happens through the strings and one path to ground for the bridge/strings/nut/tunners is all that you should have. Check out this link then see if you have questions after that. Generally, you only need to trap a wire under the bridge or tailpiece and lead it to the common point on the vol. pot.

Allan.....

Thanks allan the drawing really helps. Will get on it
JIM

The bridge on this steel is not grounded, this was my first and with used parts , this is a single coil pickup, but it has no more buzz than my fender telecaster, i have changed to a aluminum bridge on my other steels, and they all are grounded, no noise at all but i use hot humbuckers and Alumitone pickups. The electronics on this steel came from a 1961 Fender Musicmaker guitar, the bridge was not grounded, but there was a metal plate cut the same size as the pickguard, i used the copper shielding tape from Stewart Mcdonald, on my new pickguard and in the pickup cavity, maybe that has something to do with the buzz in single coil pickups.

JW Adams wrote:The bridge on this steel is not grounded, this was my first and with used parts , this is a single coil pickup, but it has no more buzz than my fender telecaster, i have changed to a aluminum bridge on my other steels, and they all are grounded, no noise at all but i use hot humbuckers and Alumitone pickups.

Very, very interesting. I'm just getting started on the electronics of my first build, and was unsure of how to ground it - thanks for the reply. My build is with one single coil, and it has a low output - approx. 4.9k. With shielding in the cavity, I'm hoping to make it whisper quiet when not being played.

-C