When adding the wiring that runs from the turret board to other components, you have a choice: you can
solder the wires to the hole on the underside of the turret, or you can wrap the wire around the
upper part of the turret,
and then solder it in place. Some amp makers prefer the latter - because it's easier to rewire an amp in the
future; others (myself included) prefer to wire to the underside of the turret (I find it slightly easier
and a lot neater).
      The diagram above shows the board, face up and with wires drawn as if they are soldered
to the top of the turrets. At the bottom of the page, there's an equivalent diagram that shows the exact same scheme
as viewed from the underside of the board. So you can choose for yourself.
Wire lengths
For each of the wires, I've shown how much wire you need (with a little allowance for trimming) for each
connection. Before you start cutting wire and soldering, I strongly suggest that you do some 'dry runs'
(this is, of course, essential if you bought the Basic kit and have your own
chassis layout).
To do this, add the mounting hardware for the turret board to the chassis. Add six M3 screws and M3
spacers to the holes circled in red in the photo below.



Now you can place the board (components facing up and diodes D1 and D2 closest to the power transformer) in
the chassis and use the diagrams on this page to see where each wire runs. Most wires run to
the valve sockets, grounding lugs and front panel components. Note that at this point, you're only
soldering the wires to the turrets. Don't solder any of the wires to the other components just yet.
Adding the wiring
If you're new to amp building, I strongly suggest that you use the Amp Maker colour scheme shown in the
photos and diagrams on this site to avoid any confusion. Every amp builder has their own preference,
and some just go with what Fender or Marshall has used in the past. I've seen some amps which use the same
colour for every single wire! If you do opt for your own wiring colour scheme, it's a good idea to
print out the diagram and annotate it with the colours of the wires that you use for each of the
connections.
      NOTE: Before proceeding to the next stage, double-check that you have all
these connections made. Remember to include the two wires which have both ends soldered to turrets:
a yellow wire from C to D, and a red wire from A to B. NOTE: close to turret B is a hole that must be
left clear for the board-mounting hardware; run the red wire to loop around this hole.
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Soldering wires to turrets |
Soldering to the turret's underside is much the same as soldering to the turret top. The
same principles apply, so make sure that you get a good shiny and seamless solder joint. In addition,
watch out for the following:
* Errant wire 'whiskers' - the wires have 16 individual strands, and it's important to
make sure that the strands do not touch adjacent turrets or the chassis. Work in bright
lighting so that you can easily spot any strands that stick out.
* Overheated wire insulation - if you inadvertently melt the PVC insulation as you solder the
joint, check to see if there's any exposed wire. A little doesn't matter, but too much exposed wire
risks a short against other turrets or the chassis. Be your own worst critic, and if you're in any
doubt, desolder the offending wire and try again.
* One turret, two wires - some turrets must take two wires. If you twist the strands of the two
wires together before inserting them into the turret hole (or wrapping them around the turret) it's
easier to get a good solder joint.
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