Converting a Combo Amp to a Head - Adding a Switchable Speaker Output

To add a switchable speaker output jack to a combo amp that will let you use it as either a combo or a head, simply remove the back of the amp, drill the holes necessary in it for the switch and jack, cut the two wires running to the speaker, and wire it as shown in the diagram below.

Parts Required: DPDT toggle switch, 1/4" jack, and speaker wire
Skill Level: Basic
Time: About an hour

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Figuring Out an Old Jackson Superswitch

Just recently, I was working on a very cool 1980's Jackson (above). The pickups had been upgraded to Seymour Duncans, and I got to rewire it. The guitar had already been to two different places, but neither of them were able to figure out how to get the wiring to work because the 5-way superswitch (below) is different from others. (Note that the picture above is not the original wiring. It's one of the failed attempts.) Apparently, this switch was unique to 80's era Jackson guitars. They called it the JE-0005 5-Way Switch, and it was a big selling point that they advertised in their catalogs. Looking through a Jackson catalog from 1987 on their online archives, I found a picture of a guitar with a similar paint job and a section telling about the switch. You can see the catalog here: http://support.jacksonguitars.com/catalogs/us/Jackson1987_catalog.pdf Neither of the places that worked on this particular guitar were able to find information

How to Set Up a Guitar Basics: Pt 1 - Truss Rod Adjustment

Setting up your guitar is the number one - if not the only - change you can make to your guitar that will automatically make your playing better. Other modifications, such as changing the pickups, can make your guitar sound better, but a good setup will make your playing much easier and more effortless. A basic setup has four steps, which should be performed in order. I'm going to dedicate a separate post to each step. Adjust the truss rod (this post) Set the string height Set the pickup height Adjust the intonation Adjusting the truss rod : Contrary to what some people think, the truss rod is not something you turn to make the strings higher or lower. Rather, its purpose is to adjust the straightness of the guitar neck. The pull exerted by the strings bend the neck, as a general rule, in the same way that a bow and arrow bend when the bowstring is pulled. The truss rod controls how much relief (bend) the neck has. Turning it to the right will straighten the ne

How to Set Up a Guitar Basics: Pt 2 - String Height

So after you've adjusted your guitar's truss rod you can now set the action, or height of the strings. This is where you really get to customize the feel of your guitar. If you haven't already adjusted your truss rod, or checked to see if it needed adjusted, check out part one of this series here: How to Set Up a Guitar Basics: Pt 1 - Truss Rod Adjustment The string height (distance between the strings and the frets) is adjusted at the bridge. On Fender style guitars, this is set by individually adjusting the height of each bridge saddle via the little set screws in it. Use an allen key to turn the screws, and try to keep the saddle level as you raise or lower it. On a Gibson style guitar, the string height is set by changing the height of the two mounting posts, which is done by either turning the posts with a screwdriver or turning the thumbwheels on the posts, depending on the type of bridge. Now you could just go and randomly start raising and l

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