Wiring Jackson Js-30 Humbuckers

[The Fatalities]

I just got a pair of humbuckers out of a Jackson JS30 today and wanted to know how to wire it with the pots and inputs it came with. I also would like to add my existing 3 way switch since the jackson never came with one. Could someone tell me how to wire it and how to tell which one is the volume knob.

Here is a diagram i drew.

EDIT: They are from a Jackson JS30 but are called CVR2 Humbuckers

Edited April 19, 2006 by The Fatalities

[JoeAArthur]

On each pickup, solder it's red and white wire together and tape. Solder the black and bare wire of each pickup to your ground connection on back of the volume control. Connect a pickup green wire to an outside lug on the switch - one pickup green wire per outside lug. Connect the center lug of the switch to the volume control (where the unconnected white wire is on your diagram).

That should do it.

[The Fatalities]

On each pickup, solder it's red and white wire together and tape. Solder the black and bare wire of each pickup to your ground connection on back of the volume control. Connect a pickup green wire to an outside lug on the switch - one pickup green wire per outside lug. Connect the center lug of the switch to the volume control (where the unconnected white wire is on your diagram).

That should do it.

What about the loose cables that nothing is attached to?

The 1 white wire and the 2 black wires with a ring at the end.

[JoeAArthur]

On each pickup, solder it's red and white wire together and tape. Solder the black and bare wire of each pickup to your ground connection on back of the volume control. Connect a pickup green wire to an outside lug on the switch - one pickup green wire per outside lug. Connect the center lug of the switch to the volume control (where the unconnected white wire is on your diagram).

That should do it.

What about the loose cables that nothing is attached to?

The 1 white wire and the 2 black wires with a ring at the end.

If you're talking about the white wire on the volume control, I think I covered it in the last sentence. That is where the center lug(s) of the toggle switch needs to be connected.

The two black wires with a ring at the end in your diagram is probably where the pickup ground wires connected and would be covered under "solder the black and bare wire of each pickup to your ground connection on back of the volume control". You can either splice to these wires or remove them and solder the pickup grounds directly to the back of the volume pot - your choice.

Do you have a bridge ground? Maybe a black wire going inside the body wood toward the bridge or tailpiece whatever you happen to have? If so, solder that to the back of the volume pot also.

[The Fatalities]

On each pickup, solder it's red and white wire together and tape. Solder the black and bare wire of each pickup to your ground connection on back of the volume control. Connect a pickup green wire to an outside lug on the switch - one pickup green wire per outside lug. Connect the center lug of the switch to the volume control (where the unconnected white wire is on your diagram).

That should do it.

What about the loose cables that nothing is attached to?

The 1 white wire and the 2 black wires with a ring at the end.

If you're talking about the white wire on the volume control, I think I covered it in the last sentence. That is where the center lug(s) of the toggle switch needs to be connected.

The two black wires with a ring at the end in your diagram is probably where the pickup ground wires connected and would be covered under "solder the black and bare wire of each pickup to your ground connection on back of the volume control". You can either splice to these wires or remove them and solder the pickup grounds directly to the back of the volume pot - your choice.

Do you have a bridge ground? Maybe a black wire going inside the body wood toward the bridge or tailpiece whatever you happen to have? If so, solder that to the back of the volume pot also.

Yes i do have a bridge ground and thanks for the wiring info.

2 more questions: do more expensive 3 way switches have a difference than normal ones?

How come my Jackson pots are 2 times larger than my original made in china gibson ones??

[JoeAArthur]

2 more questions: do more expensive 3 way switches have a difference than normal ones?

How come my Jackson pots are 2 times larger than my original made in china gibson ones??

Expensive switches, assuming it is a result of how the switch is made rather than dealer markup, don't have any sound advantages as long as the cheaper one is working correctly. They may last longer but all switches will eventually get dirty and/or break with use.

Pot size is dictated by the manufacturer - either by design or because a purchaser got a good deal on a load of them. Size is not always related to cheapness and good pots are available in different sizes. Most people modding generally go for the larger size for various reasons, not all of them real.

[The Fatalities]

dont i have to solder the remaining switch lug to the tone knob?

[JoeAArthur]

dont i have to solder the remaining switch lug to the tone knob?

I don't understand.

Your tone control is already wired correctly to the volume control as per your diagram.

Which remaining switch lug? You should have 3 lugs on the switch. One pickup green wire soldered to one outside lug of the switch, the other pickup green wire soldered to the other outside lug, and the center switch lug connected to the loose white wire on your volume control.

If you have more than 3 lugs on the switch, then you are going to have to tell how they are arranged because I can't tell from your diagram.

[The Fatalities]

ive realised some of the previous questions were stupid and pointless but i have properly read your comment and i have come up with the wired diagram

all i dont understand is why the red and white wires dont connect to anything.

[JoeAArthur]

all i dont understand is why the red and white wires dont connect to anything.

Your diagram is correct. Good Job!!

For each pickup, the red and white wires for that pickup connect to themselves. Twist, solder and tape. When these wires are connected this way it places the coils in the humbucker pickup in series, and this connection is sometimes called the "series link".

In two wire humbuckers, these wires are connected together inside the pickup. In 4-wire humbuckers they are made available outside the pickup to allow for other wiring configurations - such as using a switch to change the coil configuration between series and parallel, or for coil tapping, or both.