Electric Guitars Pickup installation

[MikeS]

I have a question and I don't seem to be getting any response from Emerson (New switch set)
On my old MIA Strat there are two jumpers that don't exist on the Emerson and are not depicted in the Emerson diagram.

on the 5 position switch of my MIA, the pot side positions 2 & 3 are jumpered and position 4 on the pot side is jumpered to position 1 on the pickup side. Here a shot of the original MIA wiring.

 

[straightblues]

Is the new one a prewired switch? From looking at the Emerson website, it looks like it is the standard Oaks Grigbsy switch. Not sure why it isn't wired like your other switch.

Seymour Duncan has a lot of wiring diagrams on their webiste under the 'Support Tab". Maybe that can help.

As you probably know, there are countless different ways you can wire a guitar.

 

[MikeS]

Is the new one a prewired switch? From looking at the Emerson website, it looks like it is the standard Oaks Grigbsy switch. Not sure why it isn't wired like your other switch.

Seymour Duncan has a lot of wiring diagrams on their webiste under the 'Support Tab". Maybe that can help.

As you probably know, there are countless different ways you can wire a guitar.

Yes, it's the Emerson prewired blender.
"Blender wiring has 1 volume, 1 master tone, and a Blender pot. In the neck position you can blend the bridge pickup in as much as you want. In the bridge position you can blend the neck pickup in as much as you want. In positions 2 and 4 you can have all three pickups on at once. "

I don't want to undo anything that the blender adds by using the jumpers. I just don't know enough about this stuff to have a clue.

 

[straightblues]

Oh, blender wiring. You do not need those jumper for blender wiring.

Here is a Blender Wiring diagram.

https://www.mojotone.com/support/Schematics-for-Pickups-and-Guitars/wiring-diagram-strat-blender

 

[MikeS]

That diagram is confusing. They have everything going to the same side of the switch.

 

[MikeS]

Well after fretting over it (no pun intended) for a couple of days, then wiring it for a day (but having trouble soldering the ground wire to the pot), today I finally got the ground wired to the thick wire that runs between pots.

I got one wiring diagram with the pickups from Fender and another that came with the switch set from Emerson Custom.
I followed the Fender diagram. (Pickups soldered to one side of the switch and pots to the other)
I put it all back together... nothing.....

So I took it all apart again and re-soldered it per the Emerson Custom diagram with all wiring on the same side of the switch (Seemed crazy to me, but...) Put it all back together and voila! It works! Sort of...

Either the diagram is wrong, or I read it wrong (I, know, I know), but now the switch positions are backwards (neck is position 1 and the bridge is position 5.)
I know that it's only swapping two wires, but man, I'm not up for taking it all apart again.

Besides all that, it's sounds good. nice and quiet. I may have to play with the pickup height, but that's easy.
Oh, yeah that reminds me when I first installed the pickups I put the bushings (rubbery tube) in the wrong place (Between the pickup cover and the pickup), so I had to re-do that too.

It's been an adventure.
I picked up a spare pick guard and pots so that I can install the Texas Specials... One of these days...

 

[PapaRaptor]

That diagram is confusing. They have everything going to the same side of the switch.

That Mojotone diagram (everything on one side of the switch) should work just dandy. But I'm glad you got it up and working. Even with the positions backward, it was a success. If anyone calls you on it, just tell them you're dyslexic and that's the way you wanted it done!

 

[snarf]

I know that it's only swapping two wires, but man, I'm not up for taking it all apart again.

I don't know, Mike. Sounds like you did a good job to me. I've done all kinds of work on my guitars, including when I practically turned my Gretsch 5120 into a 6120 (which required some pretty extensive work adding bracing and such on the inside of the guitar), and I still can't solder to save my life. Whenever I've changed pups in a guitar, as much as is humanly possible, I try to use the existing wiring and add some quick connectors to the pups and wiring so I can swap them around without having to solder anything later. If I do much beyond that, there are a couple of shops that I use that sell pre-assembled wiring kits, and I always get those because, inevitably, I end up with a cold solder joint somewhere or burning a pot up because I cook the solder on it too long or something.

Truth to tell, several years ago I tried doing some stuff to my Tele and did the same thing. I left it, and it's been backwards for like 5 years now. So good on you for getting it working again. Even if the switch is backwards, that just gives it character.

 

[MikeS]

So I'm dyslexic (papa) character (snarf) ?
You guys know me TOO well.

 

[sloslunas]

So I'm dyslexic (papa) character (snarf) ?
You guys know me TOO well.

Not to mention a mental degenerate...

Steve

 

[Elio]

Which pickups did you end up installing?

 

[MikeS]

Which pickups did you end up installing?

I installed the 59's on my Leather pick guard for my MIA strat. & I put the original 97 pickups back on their originals pick guard.
I bought another pick guard to install the Texas Specials on, but I haven't started that project yet.

 

[MikeS]

Man, I was really hating the sound from my new pickups.
There was a kind of chorusy strange sound. I thought I'd try lowering the pickups in case that was the issue and guess what!!! That pretty much fixed the problem.
I think I need to fine tune it a bit and the fact that my pick guard is made of reinforced leather makes the pickup height adjustment a bit hard.
The whole blender circuit is going to take some getting used to as well.

 

[Stinger22]

Man, I was really hating the sound from my new pickups.
There was a kind of chorusy strange sound. I thought I'd try lowering the pickups in case that was the issue and guess what!!! That pretty much fixed the problem.
I think I need to fine tune it a bit and the fact that my pick guard is made of reinforced leather makes the pickup height adjustment a bit hard.
The whole blender circuit is going to take some getting used to as well.

Yes if they are too close the pull will effect the strings vibration and unwanted overtones. Glad you are liking them now! About to go through the process on an old 1972 Tele Custom body I am rebuilding.

 

[snarf]

There was a kind of chorusy strange sound. I thought I'd try lowering the pickups in case that was the issue and guess what!!! That pretty much fixed the problem.

Now you know what Stratitus sounds like when you hear somebody talk about.

 

[Grateful_Ed]

Congrats on your success and good luck with your learning curve.
I used to envy you at home fiddlers, until I realized that if I was capable of modding my guitars I would no longer have an excuse to buy another one.
Now I'm merely impressed.

 

[MikeS]

Well, I think I've found MY "sweet spot" mixture of pickup, tone pot & blender pot, but I must have a bad ground someplace. I have a VERY noticeable hum when I'm not touching the metal on the guitar (Strings/bridge/jack plate...)
I'm not sure I'm ready to disassemble it right now, but when I am, are there any tips for finding where the ground problem is?