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The Definitive Pickup Wiring Thread


Neil.

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Ok, so i decided to start an all new definitive wiring thread, seeing as how there's a whole bunch of all over the place non specific threads out there. Also, i've a bit of an issue with my build.

 

Before people go posting random shite requests, from my research, one of the best wiring guide sites out there is the seymour duncan one. It's generally not pickup specific, and includes such things as kill switches, bass wirings, trebble bleeds, vintage fender wiring etc. For example, the kill switch diagram on the site, using a DPDT switch, will give you an on/off/on set up, just like that (thanks to tomrulz for pointing that out!)

 

Seymour Duncan Wiring Site

 

As for more specific problems, i'll get the ball rolling!!

 

Basically, i'm going for 2 humbuckers, 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3 way toggle switch. I got the wiring diagram from the seymour duncan site, but what i'm just wondering is, with a 3 way toggle, does the switch leave you with one position being just neck, the middle swtting as a blend, and the third as just the bridge?

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Here are a few links that are really useful, nearly every conventional wiring diagram you will ever need can be found somewhere on either of these site.

 

Firstly GuitarElectronics, this site has loads of diagrams that are unusual but very useful for getting plenty of sounds out of a set of pickups, also the mini-switch usage chart is very useful and helpful.

 

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/.wiringresources

 

Secondly GN2, these guys know everything and if you want a guitar with over 100 different combinations this is the place to come. Even if you can't find what you want these guys will make you a scheme and are a very useful bunch.

 

http://guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=wiring

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When only using two pickups though, I prefer having a volume pot for each pickup and no selector; it lets you adjust the blend for more tonal variety.

 

what about 2 vols, and a 3 way. that way, you could mute a pickup and switch to it, giving various tom morello type sounds!

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I was talking more from a wiring point of view rather than a tonal one.

 

Just by way of a conversation starter, here's a wiring diagram I did for someone on the Bare Knuckle forum when I was in the early stages of working out the pu wiring for mine. This is not the configuration I ended up using, but it does show how to do series/parallel on a four-wire humbucker with off the shelf parts, without, as Tomrulez suggests, needing to clutter the guitar with extra switches (or use push-pull pots).

 

SuperSwitch.jpg

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That would be an extra switch that isn't really needed, generally with guitar electronics you try to reduce the amount of components on the face of the guitar to stop it looking cramped.

then keep the tone pot and just use a 5-way with 2 pickups.

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Just by way of a conversation starter, here's a wiring diagram I did for someone on the Bare Knuckle forum when I was in the early stages of working out the pu wiring for mine. This is not the configuration I ended up using, but it does show how to do series/parallel on a four-wire humbucker with off the shelf parts, without, as Tomrulez suggests, needing to clutter the guitar with extra switches (or use push-pull pots).

 

SuperSwitch.jpg

 

Sweet, i'm looking at 2 P90s, any help there? :D

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Sweet, i'm looking at 2 P90s, any help there? :D

 

So what you want, something like...

 

1. Bridge only

2. Bridge and neck in series

3. Bridge and neck in parallel

4. Neck only

 

....? If so, you may well be able to get there with one of the four-way "Tele mod"-type Fender or Schaller switches. Would be easy to do with a 5-way SuperSwitch, and you could either block the fifth position or use it as an "off" position.

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