Need help with emando electronics

[Vick Griffin]

Hi folks, new to the boards and new to the instrument. I figured learning the mando would be cheaper (not to mention safer and more fun!) than buying a motorcycle for my mid-life crisis so here I am.

I picked up an inexpensive DIY kit (looks like a Saga IV but it's not), and I've finished all the sanding/shaping/painting/coating and I'm ready to put the thing together but there are no darn directions and and I need a bit of guidance. I've included pics of: 1) the pickguard with the wires coming from the p/up; 2) a lonely yellow wire that was individually wrapped; 3) two wires wrapped with a piece of solder that was included in the little packet that included the pots, and 4) a lonely little cap that was in that same bag.

Been lurking on the site while I was researching the instrument. Impressed with the wealth of information and the spirit of the community. Thanks for any help in advance!

[NAS]

This is the Schematic you need.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/pdfs/su...atics/mand.pdf

Should be fairly straight forward.

[Vick Griffin]

Thanks NAS. One quick question: the wires that are soldered directly on the pots - the point of soldering is indicated by a series of small lines - where exactly are those solders made on the pots? Also, I'm a tad fuzzy on the instruction to ground from the jack to the "pickguard shield." As far as I can tell, other than the pup mounted in the pickguard there's nothing metal. Could I apply some aluminum foil to the back of the pickguard and attach the ground wire that way?

[thistle3585]

I like this diagram better. Its a bit more clear on showing the ground wires instead of the symbols. You can shield the pickguard using copper foil. If you don't want to buy a full roll of it then go to a hobby store and you can buy a sheet pretty inexpensively and use spray on adhesive.

[rico mando]

try looking at another electric guitar it should be similar

[Tom Wright]

One can also spray-glue ordinary kitchen aluminum foil, but it won't cooperate in soldering. I did this, and used a separate ground wire from the volume control and held contact with pressure after tightening it down with the wire near a screw.

In my instrument the main ground is to the volume control, both the open lug and the can. I ground the tone control open lug, also.

[rico mando]

i have used metal tape with success on pickguards . you can find it in the ducting section of a hardware sore . just remove the wire coating and fan out the wire and tape it to the tape

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Also worth checking the pot values stamped on the covers.....
If both are marked "A" then you haven`t got much choice.
If one is an "A" and one is a "B", then the "B" is volume and the "A" is tone.
Accepted wisdom on wiring is that "star grounding" is the most effective (can`t say I`ve really noticed .......)
This means taking all your ground wires from a single point - usually the volume pot........and don`t forget a ground wire to the bridge.
Good luck!

[Seonachan]

I recently put together what may well be the same kind of emando (got it on eBay). I soldered all the grounds to the volume pot as Soundfarmer Pete mentions, and it worked perfectly. Wish I could say the same for the kit as a whole - no knobs for the pots, horrendous nut slots (need serious filing to be at all playable, still haven't gotten around to that), and a cheapo bridge that also needs slotting (or replacing). Still, as a total novice, it was a fun learning experience.

[Vick Griffin]

Finally figured it out today, used one of the wiring diagrams recommended here. Applied metal tape to the back of the pickguard but didn't add any other shielding. Seonachan - I had knobs for my pots but there sucked, so I put on a pair of chrome Ernie Ball knobs that look more like the tele knobs. The nut is way too high - the strings sit way too far up for anybody to play, much less a newbie like me. I think I'll take it to the luthier at the local music shop and let him file it down and put on my strings I got from emando.com. I'd hate to screw it up now that I'm so close. Thanks to everyone who helped!

[rico mando]

you can use round wound strings to file your nut slots . just use a string a little bigger than the gauge you intend to play . don't worry about botching it . the luthier will just sell you a better quality nut any way .

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Another cheap way to do nut slots......look on ebay for some cheap needle files and a set of welding nozzle cleaning files (not my idea...all credit to a previous poster on this forum)! The nozzle files do a great job of finishing the slots and cost less than a pint of beer.
Ages ago, I spent a small fortune on a set of double sided nut files and now, I never use them.
Another handy start point for your slots is to use automotive feeler gauges.....select the blades so that they`re slightly higher than the fret wire, loop some rubber bands so that the gauges are clamped to the fretboard at the nut then file away safe in the knowledge that you`ll know about it once the file hits metal.

[Vick Griffin]

Thanks rico and S Pete. Maybe I'm missing something. The nut sits way too high - do I file the nut down first before I deal with the nut slots, or does one just file the slots deeper and then bring the nut itself down to the appropriate height? Gawd I sound like a newbie! LOL I'm looking on Youtube right now but I'm having way too much fun reading from the comments sections to learn anything - talk about busting someone's "nuts." Everybody's an expert!

[rico mando]

yes the entire nut can be lowered from the bottom . this would be part of shaping a nut .http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Nuts...es/a-nuts.html

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Nuts...es/i-5350.html