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Splitting and wiring a pair of pickups - but how?

Posted by Stewart Hutton on November 5, 2012 at 4:02pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Hi everyone

I bought a couple of sets of these pickups - one set to go in a solid body jazzmaster-styled uke I'm building, the other set to revamp a 4-string CBG.And a wiring harness that has volume and tone pots and a 3 way switch.

My intention was to split the pair of pickups and wire them separately so they can be toggled to run one, other or both.

Will that work?

I have a wiring diagram that I think I understand. If I had 2 pickups, I'd solder one wire of each pickup to separate poles on the switch and solder the other to ground on the back of the volume pot.

But if I just cut the joining wire between these pickups (and extend it) - how do I know which wire goes where? does it matter?

Thanks

Stewart

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Replies

The Phrygian Kid March 11, 2013 at 4:12am

Ground both pups and the strings to the white ones and use the switch to select which pickups hot feeds the red one
David L. March 10, 2013 at 5:35pm

Hi Stewart,

I think the red is for hot(live) from your pickup and the other two are both grounds(earths) one for the pickup ground and the other to ground the strings via the bridge or tail piece.

Regards,

DL
- Stewart Hutton > David L. March 11, 2013 at 4:06am
  
  Thanks guys
  
  Looking at this again last night, I'm not sure where I got the idea that white wire had been attached at both ends and then broke.
  
  It seems obvious now that this harness needs 3 loose wires. As you say, 2 for the pickup (or switch in my case) and 1 to ground the whole thing.
  
  I shall proceed on that basis.
  
  Thanks
  
  Stewart
- The Phrygian Kid > David L. March 10, 2013 at 8:03pm
  
  I concur
  
  Ps those pickups are already reverse phase and polarity for noise cancellation, so wire em just how you found em if using both in one axe ;)
BrianQ. March 10, 2013 at 1:33pm

Go Here,Lots of Wiring Diagrams, http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/cbgwiringelectronics/forum/topi...
David L. November 6, 2012 at 3:29am

Hi Stewart,

The wiring matters because if you wire them as suggested and one is the wrong way around the pickups are out of phase. They still work but give an altered sound (a bit like a quack in nature) which some people add as a switchable effect option.
Looking at them if you cut the connecting white wire you will get
Long white+
Short white-
And
Short white+
Long black-

Should work right.

It sounds like you have the wiring diagram sorted out.

I wired a set of these a while back into a CBG like you describe and they worked well.

Regards.
David
- Stewart Hutton > David L. November 6, 2012 at 3:48am
  
  Fantastic David - thanks for that.
  
  Stewart
  - Stewart Hutton > Stewart Hutton March 10, 2013 at 7:39am
    
    I have a broken wire on this harness and I'm not 100% sure where I should be reattaching it.
    
    There are 3 loose wires:
    
    Red and yellow (not obvious but yellow is the one above the red loop) - they both go from Vol pot ground and I reckon one goes to 3-way switch output, the other is grounded on the guitar.
    
    The white wire I'm sure was connected when it arrived and then broke. It i connected to a lug on the vol pot and that lug already has a wire going to the middle lug on the tone pot. I think it should *maybe* go to the side lug of the tone pot where the capacitor is connected?
    
    Did I mention this is my first time with anything more than a piezo and output jack (and they came pre-wired!)
    
    Thanks!
    
    Stewart

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