Wiring a volume pot isn't hard at all. Any passive mag pickup, they pretty much the same.
Ok the pickup has two wires coming out of it. These are the two ends of the coil. One is called the active, or hot, and the other is called the ground. Bob will be able to tell you which is which color, but it'll work either way.
Now the jack connector has two lugs you can solder too. The outer one is called the sleeve, that's for the earth, and the inner one (tip) is for the hot. Solder two different coloured bits of hook up wire to the jack and then you can fit it to your box.
Take the other ends of these two, they are to go to the pot. Now there's a couple of ways to do a volume control, I'm gonna tell you one way ok.. A pot is like a DPST switch, but variable.. Think of it like this, a current runs in the centre lug, and is distributed (switched) to the lug on the left or right depending where the knob is turned.. Like a switch, the lug is on the opposite side to what you might expect because of the inner workings, ie turning the pot fully to the left will distribute the current to the lug on the right.. Remember that you are looking at the thing upside down. if you have a multimeter you can test it out first to establish which lug is which direction you have turned the knob.
Ok so connect the hot wire from the jack output connector to one of the side lugs on the pot, and connect the hot wire from the pickup to the centre one.. Now you need to twist your earth cables together (one from the jack, one from the pickup) and solder them onto the other side lug on your pot, this will be your common earth. Before you do this you need to twist in a third wire to the earth, that's gotta go to your strings somehow, usually to the underside of a metal bridge or tailpiece.. Conventional guitar wisdom will have you solder the earth to the back of the pot, but this is completely unnecessary, just use the lug there
Before you get started you should read up on soldering and have your hookup wires stepped and tinned. Ok good luck hope that helps..
So you see, as you turn the knob one way all of the hot wire makes it to the jack, as you turn it the other way more and more of it is shunted to ground instead.
Oops juju put up that diagram while I was typing this, and that's another way to do it, equally good for sure
Juju and Slowhand, I don't have know everything about everything when I am surounded by the best and most talented freinds every! I will add this to my page.
Bob, I had already straight wired one of your pups and that guitar sold soon after it was complete. I've staright wired everything so far but this is my first attempt with a volume pot and this particular jack. My main concern was getting the solder points right the first time through and keeping it neat as possible. I did a dry/tape fit last night and everything seems to be good to go.
I will ask around and ask about that. I have never wired one of my pups to a volume pot. I run mine straight to the amp. I make a great sounding pup, but I'm really a one trick pony.
However I purchased a wiring harness from Skeesix for about $25 and the cost of all the parts were very close to what she is asking. Ted Crocker also makes a wireing harness for about the same price.
This next year I will have a good drawing.
The gray wire is ground. That being said it is like all the rest of the single coil pickups out there.
Replies
No problem at all Bob always glad to help :) - ill add some links for wiring to your profile page so you can download them
This
Sub your pup for the piezo
Ok the pickup has two wires coming out of it. These are the two ends of the coil. One is called the active, or hot, and the other is called the ground. Bob will be able to tell you which is which color, but it'll work either way.
Now the jack connector has two lugs you can solder too. The outer one is called the sleeve, that's for the earth, and the inner one (tip) is for the hot. Solder two different coloured bits of hook up wire to the jack and then you can fit it to your box.
Take the other ends of these two, they are to go to the pot. Now there's a couple of ways to do a volume control, I'm gonna tell you one way ok.. A pot is like a DPST switch, but variable.. Think of it like this, a current runs in the centre lug, and is distributed (switched) to the lug on the left or right depending where the knob is turned.. Like a switch, the lug is on the opposite side to what you might expect because of the inner workings, ie turning the pot fully to the left will distribute the current to the lug on the right.. Remember that you are looking at the thing upside down. if you have a multimeter you can test it out first to establish which lug is which direction you have turned the knob.
Ok so connect the hot wire from the jack output connector to one of the side lugs on the pot, and connect the hot wire from the pickup to the centre one.. Now you need to twist your earth cables together (one from the jack, one from the pickup) and solder them onto the other side lug on your pot, this will be your common earth. Before you do this you need to twist in a third wire to the earth, that's gotta go to your strings somehow, usually to the underside of a metal bridge or tailpiece.. Conventional guitar wisdom will have you solder the earth to the back of the pot, but this is completely unnecessary, just use the lug there
Before you get started you should read up on soldering and have your hookup wires stepped and tinned. Ok good luck hope that helps..
So you see, as you turn the knob one way all of the hot wire makes it to the jack, as you turn it the other way more and more of it is shunted to ground instead.
Oops juju put up that diagram while I was typing this, and that's another way to do it, equally good for sure
Juju and Slowhand, I don't have know everything about everything when I am surounded by the best and most talented freinds every! I will add this to my page.
Hope you all have a grand Christmas and New Year
Thank you guys!
Bob
Thanks guys.
Bob, I had already straight wired one of your pups and that guitar sold soon after it was complete. I've staright wired everything so far but this is my first attempt with a volume pot and this particular jack. My main concern was getting the solder points right the first time through and keeping it neat as possible. I did a dry/tape fit last night and everything seems to be good to go.
Again, many thanks.
Slow Hand,
I will ask around and ask about that. I have never wired one of my pups to a volume pot. I run mine straight to the amp. I make a great sounding pup, but I'm really a one trick pony.
However I purchased a wiring harness from Skeesix for about $25 and the cost of all the parts were very close to what she is asking. Ted Crocker also makes a wireing harness for about the same price.
This next year I will have a good drawing.
The gray wire is ground. That being said it is like all the rest of the single coil pickups out there.
I should think that this would work:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php...
......
harrison rig 007.jpg
It's a 2 wire. Grey is ground.
500k pot.
Neutrik Stereo End-Pin Jack that I was told can be wired mono.