Pickup wiring question

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Hi guys,

I've got some humbucker pickups, and they've got 5 wires. I want to wire them into my guitar, but I'm not sure which wires go where. Is there a way i can measure the pickup with my multimeter, to see what wires get joined, what go to ground, and what go to the pot? I've tried it two ways, and both times, the pickups sounded weak - so was thinking they might be in split mode or something?

I don't have the brand, so can't look up the colur codes on the net.

Thanks Danny

[jeremyb]

There's only a couple of wiring schemes, dimarzio and sd, what colour are the wires?

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There's only a couple of wiring schemes, dimarzio and sd, what colour are the wires?

thanks JB, the different manufacturers use the different colours for different things, so I was hoping to find a better way of finding out the proper way, rather than soldering in every combination.

[handsoffmatt]

Where is the pickup from Danny? With a few clues we may be able to figure out what it is? And a photo would help too.

[jeremyb]

There's only a couple of wiring schemes, dimarzio and sd, what colour are the wires?

thanks JB, the different manufacturers use the different colours for different things, so I was hoping to find a better way of finding out the proper way, rather than soldering in every combination.

For sure, was just wondering if it was the same colouring as SD / Dimarzio, would be fairly easy to work it out then

[handsoffmatt]

There's only a couple of wiring schemes, dimarzio and sd, what colour are the wires?

thanks JB, the different manufacturers use the different colours for different things, so I was hoping to find a better way of finding out the proper way, rather than soldering in every combination.

For sure, was just wondering if it was the same colouring as SD / Dimarzio, would be fairly easy to work it out then

Not so much. Duncan and Di9Marzio are different....as is everyone else:

[borge]

Hi guys,
Is there a way i can measure the pickup with my multimeter, to see what wires get joined, what go to ground, and what go to the pot? I've tried it two ways, and both times, the pickups sounded weak - so was thinking they might be in split mode or something?

the Earth will have continuity (low resistance, >100 Ohms) to the base plate and infinite resistance to all other wires.
the other four are the ends of each coil. each wire will have 5 - 10 kOhm resistance to one other wire and infinite resistance to all other wires.
once you've identified each wire join:

Earth + an end of coil X to ground/back of pot.
other end coil X to end coil Y.
other end coil Y to vol pot/pup selector.

You'll have a 50/50 shot at getting the phase right (can't test it with MM), If it sound thin swap the ends of one coil around, which ever is more convenient.
If it sounds thin when combined with another pup swap the coil end that wnet to the vol pot/pup selector with the coil end that went to earth.

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Hi guys,
Is there a way i can measure the pickup with my multimeter, to see what wires get joined, what go to ground, and what go to the pot? I've tried it two ways, and both times, the pickups sounded weak - so was thinking they might be in split mode or something?

the Earth will have continuity (low resistance, >100 Ohms) to the base plate and infinite resistance to all other wires.
the other four are the ends of each coil. each wire will have 5 - 10 kOhm resistance to one other wire and infinite resistance to all other wires.
once you've identified each wire join:

Earth + an end of coil X to ground/back of pot.
other end coil X to end coil Y.
other end coil Y to vol pot/pup selector.

You'll have a 50/50 shot at getting the phase right (can't test it with MM), If it sound thin swap the ends of one coil around, which ever is more convenient.
If it sounds thin when combined with another pup swap the coil end that wnet to the vol pot/pup selector with the coil end that went to earth.

Thanks heaps for your help guys.

Borge,

The way I got it, it was sounding thin, so must have been out of phase when it was wired into the guitar. The earth and black were wired to ground, the green and white were wired together, and the red went to the switch.

Based on that, Does that give you enough info to work out what wires go where?

Thanks Danny

[borge]

Borge,

The way I got it, it was sounding thin, so must have been out of phase when it was wired into the guitar. The earth and black were wired to ground, the green and white were wired together, and the red went to the switch.

Based on that, Does that give you enough info to work out what wires go where?

Thanks Danny

'Thin' could also mean only a single coil is connected. Tap the pole pieces with a something steel to check if both are connected.
If only one coil is going then black and red is one coil, green and white the other. Rewire as appropriate, if it ends up out of phase reverse one coil.
If both are going, unsolder green and white, use the MM to check which of these are the other end of red and switch them.

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Wicked thanks, I'll try that tonight