CA Guitar Repair Blog: Shüe Shamsul Signature HSS

Shamsul Signature HSS | Tremolo Bridge

In keeping with the "gold" hardware theme, the Gotoh 510 Series tremolo bridge on the Shamsul Signature HSS is gilded. Inserting and removing the tremolo arm is relatively easy, given that it's of the "push-in" variety. Arm torque may be adjusted to taste by simply tightening or loosening the torque-adjusting hex screw. Another great feature of the 510 is the "Stud Lock" system. This system utilizes a 2.5 mm hex screw to adjust the height of both studs, and a 1.5 mm hex screw to lock the studs in place. Click the link to view the Gotoh 510T/510TS Operation Manual.

Gotoh 510 | Top

Gotoh 510 | Tremolo Block

Gotoh 510 | Front

Gotoh 510 | Back

Gotoh 510 | Right Side

Gotoh 510 | Left Side

Shamsul Signature HSS | Pickguard Assembly

The underside of the pickguard is shielded with copper foil. Components mounted to the pickguard include the three pickups, a selector switch, and control pots for volume and tone. All connections are soldered, utilizing yellow and black Gavitt-style push back cloth-insulated wire. Fig. 1 below is a simplified wiring diagram of the Shamsul Signature HSS. Black lines represent ground/negative connections, while orange lines represent signal/hot connections.

Shamsul Signature HSS Pickguard Assembly

Fig. 1: Shamsul Signature HSS Wiring Diagram

Shamsul Signature HSS | Pickups

All three pickups in this guitar were handwound by Ray C himself, and comprise two Ray C SK-1 single coils [neck/middle] and a Ray C Custom Maggi Goreng humbucker [bridge]. DCR values are as follows: Neck - 15.28K, Middle - 15.22K, and Bridge - 12.76K.

Neck | Ray C SK-1

Middle | Ray C SK-1

Bridge | Ray C Custom Maggi Goreng

Shamsul Signature HSS | Electronics

The pickguard-mounted electronics on the Shamsul Signature HSS, as examined, comprise a pickup selector switch and two full-sized pots [Fig. 2]. We'll begin by examining the five-way selector switch, which is a Gotoh DM-50. Its operation is as follows: Position 1 - Neck Only, Position 2 - Neck/Middle, Position 3 - Middle Only, Position 4 - Middle/Bridge, and Position 5 - Bridge Only.

Fig. 2: Pots and Selector Switch

Gotoh DM-50 Selector Switch

Next up is the CTS B500K volume pot, the "B" designation signifying linear taper. The tone control, meanwhile, comprises a CTS A500K pot coupled with a 22nF [0.022uF] tone capacitor. Here, the "A" pot designation signifies audio taper. Last but not least, though not strictly a pickguard-mounted component, is a Switchcraft #11 output jack.

CTS B500K Volume Pot

CTS A500K Tone Pot

22nF Tone Capacitor

Switchcraft #11 Output Jack

Shamsul Signature HSS | Shielding

The pickup and control cavities, as well as the underside of the pickguard, are adequately shielded with copper foil. To ensure continuity, overlapping areas such as the bottom of cavities and sidewalls, have been soldered at several points. Copper foil tabs have also been added to establish contact with the pickguard shielding when the pickguard is screwed on. There is a downside, though, in that continuity between body cavity and under-pickguard shielding is totally dependent on those tiny tabs.

Pickguard/Control Cavity Shielding

Shamsul Signature HSS | Grounding

Grounding on the Shamsul Signature HSS is, for the most part, adequate. For example, the ground/negative leads of all three pickups are soldered to the back of the volume pot. The backs of the volume and tone pots are also connected through the outer braid of the coaxial cable connecting the middle lugs of both pots [Fig. 2].

Subsequently, the pickups, pots and selector switch are grounded via contact with the copper foil on the underside of the pickguard [Fig. 2]. Finally, a black lead, one end soldered to the ground/negative lug of the output jack, and the other to the back of the volume pot; establishes a permanent connection between the two [Fig.1, Fig. 3].

There is one concern, though, regarding the grounding of the bridge, specifically; the tremolo claw. Under normal circumstances, a tremolo bridge will be grounded via a length of wire, one end soldered to the tremolo claw; and the other to the back of a pot. However, on this guitar, the tremolo claw ground [yellow] terminates in a solder point on the copper foil lining the bottom of the middle pickup cavity. This means that bridge grounding continuity is totally dependent on the copper foil shielding.

Trem Ground Soldered to Shielding

Therefore, it is imperative to create a more sturdy and reliable ground connection for the bridge. To this end, the short length of Gavitt wire [yellow] connecting the tremolo claw to the copper foil shielding has been desoldered. In its place, 10" of black Gavitt wire has been installed. One end has been soldered to the tremolo claw, and the other to the back of the tone pot, as illustrated in Fig. 3 below.