confusing humbucker installation

[participant]

A DiMarzio DP193BK humbucker for a Peavey Impact Milano Guitar (dual humbucker, 5 position switch)...

Initial thoughts were "connect same colored wires as on the old pickup", but DiMarzio says "NO". The diagram is confusing, to say the least. It's that rectangle with six squares in it (I'm assuming that refers to the switch? I.E. three positions, six pegs?). Of course, I've seen websites with similar wiring diagrams; needless to say, I'm !

The pots and switch, needless to say, look nothing like the diagram. Now forgive me for being a total newbie on this (I've never replaced a pickup) but this makes total nonsense to me...

The replacement is to get a brighter, clean tone on the bridge position of the switch -- but I don't want to lose the functionality of the 5-positions, if possible.

Would anyone be willing to say, positively, that the color scheme is the exact same? I'd really like to retain the functionality of the switch, making sure I've got one position (all the way down) that gives me some super-clean tone.


Thanks for any help.


Chad

PS: Is the back of a POT ground?

[Evildick]

This link might help a little bit. I just did a quick search and really can't recommend anything.

http://users.chariot.net.au/~gmarts/pickcomb.htm

[participant]

Thanks, Evil. Electronics diagrams may as well be plates of vermicelli to me My dad's worked in electronics for 30+ years, so he's the ace in the hole if I can't do this myself...

Actually looked at the switch... and it doesn't look like the two stock pickups are wired very complex at all...

switch:

X x x x x x-----------
X x x x x x x x x x x X
X -----------x x x x x X

X = end, x = pole
<----south north---->
<----bridge neck---->

Bridge: red = southwest, green = northeast, black & ground = ground

Neck: green = south (middle), red = north (middle), white & ground = ground

The white wire from the bridge & black from the neck seem to go together, toward the north part of the switch and connect somewhere, but I'd have to remove the switch to see where.

Some of the pegs are shorted (soldered) together, giving me the impression that the switch would keep its functionality, but I just have to make sure I'm connecting the right wires still...

Guess I could try connecting the same colored wires up where the stock pickup wires are now ... I'll do that and post back later...


Chad

[Evildick]

Have you checked out this site yet:

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/index.html

and this one,

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/leduc/en/_electro.htm

this last one looks a little better for the novice. Then again, these diagrams remind me of pasta also, but I like pasta.
Check out the U-Guitar 5 way switch wiring at the bottom of the page.

[participant]

Evil, you are amazing This is closer, but the 5-way switch only has the 4-poles per side. My switch is weird

Also saw the 5-way Fender switch as diagrammed on guitarnuts.com, and it is the 4-pole model too. Guess I could always replace the switch...

Anyhow, at this point I'd just settle for knowing if the DiMarzio color code and the Peavey's stock pickup's code are the same. Maybe it was a mistake to replace that pickup, if I'm not going to do some fancy mod like you guys on this board

(Actually, it was cuz the damn thing sounded like crap! )


Chad

[M.Brane]

[participant]

Originally posted by M.Brane

Yea that actually came with the unit. This applies to a 3-position switch only though right?

[Evildick]

You could try checking these articles out. There are plenty of *.gif files and articles in zip format. Maybe one of them will apply. How many poles does your switch have anyways, just to narrow down the search?

Got to the schematics/links section and then misc. guitar wiring

http://www.blueguitar.org/

[M.Brane]

Originally posted by participant


Yea that actually came with the unit. This applies to a 3-position switch only though right?

Nope. The switch they show is a two position switch that's strictly for swithing between two modes on the pickup. Below that they describe how to use a three position switch to run the pickup in all three modes. If you want to do that you'll have to add a switch. Don't panic! You don't have to drill a hole in your axe. Just get a volume pot with a push-pull DPDT switch and your good to go. This is how my EMG's work on my main axe. Knob up- single. Knob down- humbucker. The pickup selector works normally.

[participant]

Originally posted by Evildick
How many poles does your switch have anyways, just to narrow down the search?

Well, guess my beautiful diagram above doesn't cut it LOL...

20 poles (!) 5 on the outside, 10 in the middle, and 5 on the inside
... not including the terminals on each end Some of the poles are wired/soldered together.

Thanx for the link I'll check it out... but --> <-- (yawning) in the mornin' You kick ass for spendin this much time on my stupid problem, Evil

Yo thanks, MBrane for your time too.

EDIT: Hey! Thanks for the info! We posted at the same time... so... thanks again.


Chad

[Clive Hugh]

Give Stewmac a try, they have people there who specialise in these sort of problems.

[participant]

Originally posted by M.Brane
Nope. The switch they show is a two position switch that's strictly for swithing between two modes on the pickup.

I guess they expect you'll know what this means:

------------------
| []____[]____[] |
| []____[]____[] |
------------------

lol... didn't have a clue when lookin' at my axe.... Again... I'll get back to this tomorrow. I appreciate the literal flood of help here at nearly midnite


Chad

[participant]

...actually, just replying because I said I would after installing the pickup...

Just decided to install the pickup with the assumption that the wire color codes were the same... It went off without a hitch...

The green and white wires were soldered together on the top of the switch, the red was soldered by itself to the bottom, and the black and bare wires were soldered to ground.

I was concerned that the pickup appeared too narrow, seeing that the string spacing is wider next to the bridge, but with minimal adjustment the DiMarzio picked up a wonderful, even, clean tone. Each string was extremely close in volume when plucked about the same... which was a relief...

...maybe some day I'll be cool enough to actually stick a mod in a guitar myself but probably not


Chad

[M.Brane]

You can always go back and re-wire things later if you want/need more tones.