Leaderboard

Not the best, perhaps, but darned useful just the same..! I use one, for many tasks, especially when soldering (but not only...). If it's jack plugs you're soldering, the plug can be plugged into something (anything, really, as long as it's not turned on..!). A pedal, amp input, whatever... That'll hold the plug steady. Spring-type clothes pegs can help, too; one can even hold something in a peg, and hold the peg in the Rolson tool..! A small block of wood, with suitable holes drilled into it, can also make a support for stuff. I can't think of any 'magic bullet' device that does it all; a bit of 'System D', make-do and mend, and, of course, a big bucket full of Patience are about as best as it gets, along with the 'Helping Henry' Rolson tool.

I'm a brand new novice,don't have a guitar as yet, I'm looking for an ideal first one if anyone could send me in the right direction please, possibly with a first acoustic. Regards Colin

I was thinking Lace Sensors after I saw your suggestion.

Yeah Andy Blake sold the business on due to health issues. Until that point he made all my pickups and we used to bounce ideas off each other. I've lost touch with him now but I hope he's OK. Wizard was bought out by two gents called Dave Walsh and Jon Perry, who rebranded the operation as Hot Rod pickups and shifted from Wales to Chichester. They share the same facility as Eternal Guitars.

DiMarzio do some very good hum cancelling Tele pickups, that still sound like a Tele, the Area T for instance.

Good evening... Difficult to do this at a distance, but I'll try. I think you'd be best off working backwards from the jack. Un-solder the wire going to the jack and touch it to the amp input jack. Do you get a sound from any of the pick-ups..? Go through each switch position, any sound at all, or nothing..? If there's at least some sound, check carefully how the guitar output jack should be wired, and connect again the wire you took off. If there's still nothing, un-solder the wire from the volume pot, coming from the switch. Same test. If sound, check the pot and its connections. If nothing, disconnect one, then the other, tone pots. Sound..? Check the tone pot connections. No sound..? Check the switch connections. In general, I'd not be at all happy with solder joints like that. I don't want to discourage, and you're doubtless doing your best, but it's so easy to overheat and melt the inner wire, causing a short-circuit, very difficult to see. I can't do much to help with that except recommend using a decent iron (a Weller station is a Good Purchase...), to carefully strip the wires cleanly, and 'tin' them straight away. Don't 'pigtail' too tightly the outer braid; leave a bit of play where it separates from the inner core, and make sure that the outer is not heated for too long when tinning. It may pay to use a good flux paste for the braids and pot shielding; just make sure that it's flux for electronics, and not acid-based, such as used by plumbers. Hope this helps a little. Any more issues will need the use of a multi-meter (always a Good Purchase, too..!).

If they’re causing you nausea, then yes. Ooh, is that my coat? It’s ok, I’ll get it myself.

Ah , maybe I left the " her ashes are scattered on the small beach at North Landing, Flamborough " out of my post, but thanks for the sentiment. No need for an apology by the way.