Best online source to learn to read a schematic

[drbassman]

OK, I'm still ignorant on wiring, so I thought I'd ask you guys if you know of any good online resources to teach us woodworkers how to read and use a wiring schematic.  Just thought there has to be a good one for guitar types like us!

[the mojo hobo]

Here is a quick on-line tutorial:
http://www.learn-c.com/schemat.htm

I worked at Radio Shack a long time ago, and they sold these little books written by Forrest M. Mims III that were really educational for me. If you can find "Getting Started in Electronics" and/or "Electronic Formulas, Symbols & Circuits" by Forrest M. Mims III and read those you may learn what you want to know.

I also enjoyed Craig Anderton's "Electronic Projects for Musicians". Chapter One has a good section on reading schematics.

[exiledarchangel]

Here is a quick on-line tutorial:
http://www.learn-c.com/schemat.htm

I also enjoyed Craig Anderton's "Electronic Projects for Musicians". Chapter One has a good section on reading schematics.

+1! A great book, easy to understand, even if you are a drummer  and it has some very nice circuits to build too!

[Dave W]

http://arts.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/tech_background/schematics/ReadSchem.html which is part of a larger group of topics you might find interesting: http://arts.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/courses/126.html

Guitar Eelectronics has a whole wiring section at http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/wiringresources/ It's not about how to read a schematic, but it might be useful to you in relating schematics to actual guitar wiring layouts.

[Highlander]

That last one has some great notes, Dave..

Bill... I always used to teach people that if they had trouble reading or understanding the "flow" of a chart or diagram, to print/copy it off a few times and take a variety of "highlighters" and follow where each wire goes... and always presume that where wires cross (on basic diagrams) that they "do not connect" unless the cross is "dotted"...

I'd be happy to interpret any diagram you were uncertain of and send it back in a "simplified" format...

[chromium]

This place has some good online tutorials too:

     http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/index.html

Here is a quick on-line tutorial:
http://www.learn-c.com/schemat.htm

I worked at Radio Shack a long time ago, and they sold these little books written by Forrest M. Mims III that were really educational for me. If you can find "Getting Started in Electronics" and/or "Electronic Formulas, Symbols & Circuits" by Forrest M. Mims III and read those you may learn what you want to know.

I also enjoyed Craig Anderton's "Electronic Projects for Musicians". Chapter One has a good section on reading schematics.

I remember those Forrest Mims books!  He still sells them on his site - http://www.forrestmims.com/.  That's how I got into this stuff when I was a kid- his books, and parts from Radio Shack.

The current state of RS is really depressing (in these parts, anyway)... unless you're looking for a new cellular plan, or a select few crappy parts at huge markup.

[SKATE RAT]

hey Kenny, could you send me a simplified diagram of a G3 schematic. its on Jules site.thanx

[Dave W]

I remember those Forrest Mims books!  He still sells them on his site - http://www.forrestmims.com/.  That's how I got into this stuff when I was a kid- his books, and parts from Radio Shack.

The current state of RS is really depressing (in these parts, anyway)... unless you're looking for a new cellular plan, or a select few crappy parts at huge markup.

RS still sells "Getting Started in Electronics" but not the other Mims books or the basic breadboard project kit he designed.

I bought my wireless router from them, they're nearby and were cheaper that week, but it's sad that the salesmen know nothing about anything except cell phones and GPS units.

[the mojo hobo]

That's how I got into this stuff when I was a kid- his books, and parts from Radio Shack.

The current state of RS is really depressing (in these parts, anyway)...

I too bought my first soldering iron at RS (and my newest ont too). Back in the Seventies they manufactured and sold all their house brands like Realistic and Duophone, and their customers trusted those brands. After Charles Tandy died it all went south. With Len Roberts as chairman they sold off all their manufacturing capability to open the Incredible Universe stores that were an incredible flop. With no more house brands to sell RS started selling the same stuff as the big-box discount stores. They started selling a lot of cell phones because their sales people knew the phone's features, and how to program them. Now phones program themselves and RS went with one carrier nationwide, a carrier that doesn't work real well where I live. I bought my last 2 phones online, direct from the carrier. (Found the same phone cheaper at Walmart 2 weeks later) I don't think I'd buy Radio Shack stock. Supposedly now being called "The Shack", (radios are so last century) 

[chromium]

I still use a lot of their old products too - good stuff!  An Archer tape-head-demagnetizer, old Realistic bench power supply, one of those Realistic MG-1 synths that they collaborated with Moog to build (just recently sold that, but it was only to upgrade to a different Moog), a Realistic Electronic Reverb (a cool lofi 'verb), there's a mixer around here somewhere, and I'm sure other stuff I'm forgetting.  (EDIT- almost forgot about my TRS-80 color computer!  hehe)

RS still sells "Getting Started in Electronics" but not the other Mims books or the basic breadboard project kit he designed.

That reminds me of those radio project/experimenter boards they used to sell (not the breadboard, but those ones built on cardboard with the springs for interconnects).  I saw something recently at Thinkgeek styled after those- gave me a flashback  

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/7-13-years/beb3/

Incredible Universe stores that were an incredible flop.

I remember those  .  The one here became a Fry's Electronics.  That's where I usually go for computer stuff these days.  Their electronic component selection, though, is not much better than RS.

[Highlander]

Bryan... can do... where do you want it sent...? pm if you wish... 

[drbassman]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions!  Now I gotta get busy and do some learning!