Helpful Tools for Guitar Repair

Today, I'd like to talk about re-wiring techniques and give some simple tool construction tricks to help the job go easier.

Many hollow body instruments make getting the the electronic controls a challenge.  The volume and tone pots, switch, and jacks can be hard or impossible to reach without the right tools to facilitate.  you can make these specialty tools easily.
I made this little guy to help install the selector switch in a thin line electric.                                                               

I took a knob from a selector switch, drilled a small hole through the top, ran a guitar string from the bottom up through the top hole I just drilled.  The ball end of the string should not pass through the hole.  Then I melted some solder and drizzled it over the ball end of the string and letting it melt into the inside of the knob.

To install the switch, I simply fish the knob through the hole where the switch is housed and through the body to a point where I can screw it onto the switch, once it's wired up.  By slowly pulling in the loose end of the guitar string, the switch is easily guided into position.  Maintain firm grip on the switch knob and slip the washers and nut over the guitar string and knob and tighten.  Remove the knob tool and replace with the actual knob and finish tightening the switch.

To get to a hard to reach jack, I took a 1/4 male jack, ground the base with the threaded end down flush with the 1/4" shaft.  Again, I used a guitar string to solder to the base of my jack.  By grinding the jack down to 1/4", the jack will pass through the mounting hole.  Wire up the female jack and clip your jack tool into the female jack and fish it through the hole.  Slide your mounting hardware into position and tighten.  Remove the tool and finish securing the hardware.  To keep the jack from turning as you tighten, if room allows, slide a toothed washer over the jack before installing the helper tool.  You can also screw a 2nd nut at the top of the jack to hold onto with needle nose pliers, while tightening the primary nut.  I have an extra thin wrench to fit into tight places for this purpose.

The absolute trickiest of all jobs is replacing the potentiometers in a thin bodied guitar with no control plate to access the cavity.

 Adding to the challenge is the fact that the volume and tone controls are wired closely together, making it necessary to remove and replace all two, three or four controls together.  My Brother in law devised these cool spring tools for this operation.  Taking a spring, just the right diameter to slide over the shaft of the pot, but offer resistance (sotra like those Chinese finger traps).  These hold the pot shafts firmly while I get the pots in place. 

When rewiring the controls, I also made a cardboard jig, the same shape as the control cavity to pre-wire most of my work with the pots out of the guitar.  Once the wires are soldered, the four controls all have to go back at the same time, as in TOGETHER.  Get the spring tools fished through the proper holes and slipped over the pot shafts.  Slowly pull all four into position, making sure you don't catch any part of the harness on anything inside.  A slow steady pressure should be exercised to ensure keeping everything intact.  When the controls are directly under the holes, pull them up one at a time and slide the mounting hardware into place.  You should be able to hold the pots in place, with a finger in the F Hole while the final tightening takes place.  Use the toothed washers if you can.  Some times the pot shaft is too short for that additional washer.

Patience is a virtue with these endeavours!  Good Luck!