I got some junk parts recently and want to make my first electric. what I have now is one epiphone l.p. custom pickup, some pots, switches and mono outs.
How should I wire this one humbucker?
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Hi,
It sounds like the humbucker is working - the meter should show around 6k to 18kohms and you don't need to strum a string.
You could use a 5 way switch and either just wire up two of the 3 positions (to give HB / HB+PZ / PZ / PZ/ NIL) or wire the one humbucker and two piezos - one to the other two positions (to give HB / HB+PZ1 / PZ1 /PZ1+PZ2 / PZ2).
Check to see if the 5 way switches you have look like the ones in the artec sound pdf booklet because there are different types of lug configuration - if it is different post here and I will put the appropriate Seymour Duncan diagram here (unless you have managed to get the site link to work).
Jonathan said:
thanks.
when testing the pup should i actually play a string? i just tapped it with something metal on the 20 setting and it wiggled and it did show resistance. I don't really know know what i'm talking about here, sorry. that schematic will help a lot. i have several 5 way switches, you think i could use one of those instead?
Hi Jonathan,
If you check the humbucker on the ohm setting at 20K it should give you a reading (or at least it does on my mega-cheap multimeter).
Which pots you use depends upon what sound you like - a description of what the different pots give is on the right hand column of this webpage "quick pot guide" http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsPots.htm
You need to decide what you want to use the guitar for - some people have the piezo and magnetic pup wired to two different outputs so they can be sent to different effects and/or amps like this person (a good resource for piezo information - it is worth the time to look at the webpages The Basics/Amplification/Basic fx etc...) http://www.ratcliffe.co.za/articles/piezo2.shtml
If you want to keep the cost down by reusing what you already have I would tend to go for Humbucker with volume and tone and piezo with volume. I have previously used the same volume and tone for both and it works but the tone has no effect on the piezo and also the piezo will feedback much more than the magnetic pup and having a separate volume can give more control over this.
If you go for this idea you could use a modified artec sound diagram like this
If you wanted to spend a little more cash to get a better control of the piezo check out this discussion on passive preamps with a rod piezo http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/cbgwiringelectronics/forum/topi... they are about £5 off ebay and work well (just do an ebay search for piezo and passive and you should find them). I have used 2 so far and plan to use more over summer.
Regarding splitting the humbucker - It depends what you are aiming for I have several splittable pickups and to my ears a single coil split just sound like the humbucker at a lower volume. A series to parallel switch gives a switch option to a bit more treble but for a first time I would leave it as it is (you can always do this later) - but it is your build if you want to do it then go for it.
You also need to think about what design you are aiming for 6,4,3 string and also how you plan to attach the neck (if you go for a through body you need to take into account where the humbucker will be).
Good luck,
David
well, i've tested all the pots (both 250 and 500) and they are good to go. the pup was hard to find on the multi-meter but i think i saw something jump a few times. I've also got some piezos. so...
two ideas;
1. wire the piezo with volume only and a seperate out. wire pup to tone and volume and a seperate out.
**and if this; which is better with in regards to the pots i choose for each, please**
2. wire all together with switch. maybe even open the humbucker, splt them up. wire it all to same out, straight through the tone(s?) and volume pot.
**if this; ya'll gotta help meh**
David; Yes, I noticed what you said about the tone pot/cap not affecting the piezo tone on mine.
Probably because it is not an inductor like the SC or HB pickup and has a narrow tone spectrum?
However, it was easier just to wire up the cap to the 25k tone pot for the SC, then just switch between
the two with a minature mini toggle in my case (ON/ON/ON).
The only other thing I noticed was a "pop" when switching to the piezo from the SC the first time.
David Lloyd said:
Hi,
It should sound great.
I like to add a piezo also because you then get more tonal options and it is real easy to do. With a 3 way you get 3 distinct sounds (HB/both/Piezo) - I tried to show it in this video http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/comparing-cbg-pickups. One thing to note is that a typical tone pot off an electric guitar has no effect on the tone of a piezo disc.
I am not sure what you have previously built but check out the photos in the media section (top toolbar) for ideas and also have a look at the free plans (top toolbar) and best of all Josh Gayou's free to download book on the Smokehouse Guitars group http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/smokehouseguitars
This link to the CBG wiring and electronics will give you more links to wiring ideas. http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/cbgwiringelectronics/forum/topi...
and also from the Handmade Music Clubhouse site
http://www.handmademusicclubhouse.com/photo/albums/wiring-diagrams-...
Jonathan said:
Thanks!
only the artec page works for me; old computer. I think I'll just take the two wires that come out of the humbucker (only two wires, but for my first project, I think I'll skip breaking the pair). and hook up to volume then tone then out. will this sound ok?
I could do the piezo with pickup and switch it, is this a better idea? as far as the electronics go, I have some friends who can help me but i need to know what i plan to do.
Hi Jonathan,
If you go here http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/ where it says Humbucker diagrams at the right hand side of the "Make your selection" window click the down arrow and you will have numerous wiring options to chose from.
With one humbucker you can always add a piezo disc instead of humbucker number 2 and wire as per options using 2 humbuckers.
The other good wiring diagrams I use are from Artec sound as a free pdf download http://www.artecsound.com/wiring/wiring_book01.pdf
Regards,
David