Bus Wire w/ Lacquered Vintage Historic Cloth Insulation for Gibson® & Epiphone® Guitars

Bus wire is commonly used as a grounding conductor in electric guitars. Over the years, guitar builders and enthusiasts have debated everything from wire gauge to whether insulation makes any audible difference.

Original 1950s Gibson® instruments lacked strict standardization. Different production runs used varying wire gauges. Both insulated and bare bus wire can be found depending on the instrument and month of the year. It’s also worth noting that many of these components were New Old Stock (NOS) materials originating from surplus World War II production, meaning variability in specification was common and not necessarily the result of intentional design choices.

Ultimately, bus wire serves a straightforward function; grounding the electronics to help protect the player from electrical shock and eliminate unwanted hum in the signal path. While details like gauge and insulation may matter for build consistency, they have no meaningfully impact on tone beyond proper grounding performance.

Lacquered bus wire was used throughout the 1950s and 1960s to create clean, reliable ground connections between potentiometers, switches and output jacks. This wire can be soldered directly without stripping, as the heat of the soldering iron burns away the lacquer to create a secure electrical connection.

Norlin®bus wire with lacquered vintage historic cloth insulation for Gibson® and Epiphone® guitars. Compatible with Heritage®, Jimmy Wallace Guitars® and more.

• Base Material: Tinned Copper to Prevent Oxidation
• Country of Manufacture: Made in USA
• Diameter: .0122"
• Gauge: 20 AWG
• Insulation: Lacquered Cotton
• Length: 1'

If ordering multiple feet the wire will be a continuous length.

Norlin® is the historic brand you’ve trusted since 1969. Specializing in replacement guitar parts to repair and refurbish vintage classics. We’re proud to usher in a new Norlin® era.

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