How We Install Electronics and Wire Up Our Guitars

In the grand scheme of things, electric guitar wiring and electronics are fairly simple and straightforward. Even so, there are still pitfalls and ways for things to go wrong. Today, I'll be talking briefly about some of the electronics we use and how we install/wire them up…

The Electronics

The simplest way to avoid pitfalls in this area is to just stick with the reputable brands. This does mean spending a few extra bucks on each of the electronic components (little things like potentiometers, capacitors, pickup selector switches, and output jacks), but it is worth it and it will save you in the long run. The cheaper components tend to break down or fail sooner and more often than most people might think. We use a lot of CTS/Alpha/Bourns/EMG potentiometers, Switchcraft/Neutrik/GLS output jacks, and have also recently started offering Jensen/Bare Knuckle capacitors on select models, too.

The Wiring

Good wiring can be achieved with a combination of good technique, primarily, and a few other key ingredients. Our technicians are professionally trained and they get plenty of practice in the soldering department to really hone their skills/technique. I'll spare the details about soldering technique for now. But, I do want to highlight some important things that we like to do, which helps to keep things wired up and functioning properly for the long haul.

First, we use the right solder (standard 60/40 rosin core; smaller diameter) and the right soldering irons (e.g. 40-Watt Solomon SR-965 Soldering Iron, or better). Second, we use heavier gauge wire across the board (the stuff that won't just snap by tugging on it). Third, we use locking washers an all our pots, pickup selector switches (when compatible), and output jacks to ensure they don't come loose and start spinning about. Here's an example of a simple wiring job we did recently:

Halo Wiring Example

That It!

This post wasn't really meant to go into much detail. Instead, I just wanted to touch on a few of the little things that some folks don't even think about. But at Halo, we think about this stuff and we care because we understand every little thing that goes into the guitar contributes to the overall quality and longevity of the instrument. In short, these little things make it that much more of a joy to play a Halo guitar!

Thanks for reading!