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Help! Need wiring diagram for rod piezo using volume pot.

I'm new to electronics, CBG's, everything, but I'm excited and willing to learn. I can wire a disk piezo to a 1/4" jack and volume pot successfully, but I am struggling with using the rod piezo's I got from C. B. Gitty. I have searched unsuccessfully for a wiring diagram dedicated to using these piezos. I have cut the tip off the lead and wired it to the volume pot, but still having trouble getting much sound out, and there is a disturbing hum. Can anybody tell me what I'm doing wrong, and maybe point me to a good diagram! Thanks out there!

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on September 3, 2012 at 3:14pm

Here is a diagram for that. It is a disc piezo, but they should wire up the same. I have not used a rod piezo yet, so I don't know if you have to be particular when you cut them or not.

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Permalink Reply by Randy S. Bretz on September 3, 2012 at 3:39pm

On the rod piezo wire after you cut the 1/8" plug off, fish the inner wire [ plastic coated one ] out of the wire braided one [ ground ] the most important thing is you want to get every strand of that braided wire together, twist it up and i apply a light coating of solder to hold it all together. Now with the hot wire i use a bic lighter to melt the plastic coating off the hot wire and apply a light coat of solder to that too. Now it`s ready for connecting to your other componets. Another trick i`ve learned with rods is it`s best to check that it`s working properly all through the stages of getting it ready for the final install into the bridge slot. I do this by having an input with alligator clips soldered on to the tabs, then i can attach it to the rod wires and run it through my cigar box amp and test it to make sure it`s working correctly. Nothing worse then installing a rod in a bridge , stringing up the build and having no sound!!

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Permalink Reply by Tim LaFave on September 3, 2012 at 4:18pm

Thanks, Randy, helps a lot. What are you doing with the braided (ground) wire? Are you leaving it hanging out of the way, or are you grounding it somehow? And using the diagram above, I put the hot wire on the lug shown for the disk piezo, correct? Still not sure what to do with the ground wire. I wired the jack as shown above.