rubber314chicken Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 On the golden age pickups, the base is grounded with the south start wire, which normally isn't a problem, but I'm going to have a phase switch, which would put the baseplate on the hot wire, and leave the pickup ungrounded. should I remove the solder to the baseplate, and add in a new wire, or leave it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 I thought that the Golden Age pickups have two wires plus ground. That’s what the StewMac site says. If so there shouldn’t be any connection between the two lead wires and the ground wire. And you can switch phases all you want. If that is not the case (meaning you actually only have one lead and one ground) and you just switch the wires so that the base plate is in contact with “hot” you will get a noise every time you touch that pole screws or slug pole pieces (everything metal on the pickup), pretty much like touching the tip of the guitar cable. Is it possible that you do have two wires plus ground but the “cool/not hot” wire is soldered together with the ground at the wire end (where they are soldered to the pots). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 (edited) EDIT: Oups, double post Edited July 18, 2007 by SwedishLuthier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticraft Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 (edited) There are three wires . An earth wire, red and white. For normal humbucking you just tape off the end of the white wire and connect the red and earth. For coil cut you then use the white wire and connect it thru an on/on mini switch. so connected to the switch end terminals are the red and white with a common out from the centre. Check out the digram. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p...GE.html#details I have one of my guitars set up with two mini switches for single coil operation or a combination. Edited July 18, 2007 by Acousticraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubber314chicken Posted July 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 I thought that the Golden Age pickups have two wires plus ground. That’s what the StewMac site says. If so there shouldn’t be any connection between the two lead wires and the ground wire. And you can switch phases all you want. If that is not the case (meaning you actually only have one lead and one ground) and you just switch the wires so that the base plate is in contact with “hot” you will get a noise every time you touch that pole screws or slug pole pieces (everything metal on the pickup), pretty much like touching the tip of the guitar cable. Is it possible that you do have two wires plus ground but the “cool/not hot” wire is soldered together with the ground at the wire end (where they are soldered to the pots). the pickup has 3 wires, the south start, the north start, and the finishes connected together. it is set up so that the south start, which is normally connected to ground, is also connected to the baseplate, so that the baseplate is grounded. but because of that, the south coil, cannot be cut, and the pickup cannot be put out of phase wile still having the baseplate grounded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 the pickup has 3 wires, the south start, the north start, and the finishes connected together. it is set up so that the south start, which is normally connected to ground, is also connected to the baseplate, so that the baseplate is grounded. but because of that, the south coil, cannot be cut, and the pickup cannot be put out of phase wile still having the baseplate grounded. I misunderstood what you first wrote. But there is a fix to you problem. You can quite easily disassemble the pickup; de-solder all the lead wires coming from the coils and solder them to a four lead + ground cable. Then you have all the options you need. Have a look here http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p...61.html#details and do some “backwards engineering” and you will be able to do it. But be careful. The lead wires coming from the coils can easily be broken and then you will have another problem. Just use some care and you will be able to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_two Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 i have a question about grounding. most instructions tell you to ground to the bridge or the trem system but with my project (first time) i installed a new bridge and filled the trem system cavity in having no trem system to install. so with the new bridge already in place and without excess drilling which would be a hassle to do. would it not be fine to just solder the earth cable to a screw or something screwed into the body of the wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAArthur Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 i have a question about grounding. most instructions tell you to ground to the bridge or the trem system but with my project (first time) i installed a new bridge and filled the trem system cavity in having no trem system to install. so with the new bridge already in place and without excess drilling which would be a hassle to do. would it not be fine to just solder the earth cable to a screw or something screwed into the body of the wood? Grounding the wood isn't going to do any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_two Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 i have a question about grounding. most instructions tell you to ground to the bridge or the trem system but with my project (first time) i installed a new bridge and filled the trem system cavity in having no trem system to install. so with the new bridge already in place and without excess drilling which would be a hassle to do. would it not be fine to just solder the earth cable to a screw or something screwed into the body of the wood? Grounding the wood isn't going to do any good. hey that rhymed. yeah i realise the error of my ways. i know what to do now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 You need to ground anything that you will be touching with your bare hands (or legs or stomach or whatever). I’m not sure how to writhe this in English, but basically YOU are acting as extra ground and thus stopping (grounding) a lot of noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 You need to ground anything that you will be touching with your bare hands (or legs or stomach or whatever). I’m not sure how to writhe this in English, but basically YOU are acting as extra ground and thus stopping (grounding) a lot of noise. I've heard this explained: your body is an antenna that focuses noise. The guitar pickups up this noise. Grounding yourself to the amp/guitar ground (normally by touching the grounded bridge/strings), you turn off the antenna that is your body. Just elaborating on what Swedish Luthier said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubber314chicken Posted July 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 yeah, I decided to do it. took my 5 seconds to get it done, it should be quiet when I install it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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