Tinkercaster
DiMarzio wiring

DiMarzio Standard Tele wiring: two single coils, three-way switch, volume and tone

Neck single coil · Bridge single coil · Three-way Tele switch · 250K volume · 250K tone · .022µF

DiMarzio's Standard Tele wiring, drawn with the Twang King neck (DP172) and bridge (DP173): each pickup's WHITE goes to the three-way switch and its GRAY and BLACK go to the volume casing, with a 250K custom-taper volume, a 250K custom-taper tone and a .022µF capacitor.

Open interactive diagram ↗
DiMarzio Standard Tele wiring: two single coils, three-way switch, volume and toneDiMarzio Standard Tele wiring: two single coils, three-way switch, volume and tone: Neck single coil · Bridge single coil · Three-way Tele switch · 250K volume · 250K tone · .022µF. Original Tinkercaster drawing with labelled terminals.Twang King neck DP172Twang King neck DP172Twang King bridge DP173Twang King bridge DP173Three-way switchVolume 250K custom taper · 250k250kTone 250K custom taper · 250k250k.022µF · 22nF22nFOutput jackBridge groundwhiteblackwhiteblackT1T2T3T4T5T6T7T8lug1lug2lug3lug1lug2lug3abtipsleeveground

Viewed from the back of the controls, as you solder them. Open the interactive diagram to zoom, move components and try the switches.

Parts and values

In the drawingValuePart
Twang King neck DP172Source: TWANG KING™ NECK DP172 (WHITE, GRAY, BLACK)—Single-coil pickup (two-conductor)Generic
Twang King bridge DP173Source: TWANG KING™ BRIDGE DP173 (WHITE, GRAY, BLACK)—Single-coil pickup (two-conductor)Generic
Three-way switchSource: THREE-WAY SWITCH FOR TELE® EP1105—CRL 3-Way BladeExample part
Volume 250K custom taperSource: VOLUME 250K CUSTOM TAPER POT EP1200250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
Tone 250K custom taperSource: TONE 250K CUSTOM TAPER POT EP1200250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
.022µFSource: .022µF CAPACITOR EP102222nFOrange Drop .022µFExample part
Output jackSource: SWITCHCRAFT® OUTPUT JACK (2-CONDUCTOR) EP1301—Switchcraft #11Example part
Bridge groundSource: TO BRIDGE GROUND—Bridge ground wireGeneric

“Example part” means any part with the same value and lugs will do; the source does not name a brand. “Generic” stands in for an unspecified pickup: check your own pickup's lead colours before you solder.

Specific to this wiring

  • Sheet title: 'Standard Tele® Wiring'. 'This wiring is appropriate for all DiMarzio Standard Tele® Pickups, including Twang King™ Neck and Bridge; True Velvet™ T Neck and Bridge; Notorious™ Neck and Middle; and Pre B-1™ Bridge.'
  • On both Twang King pickups the WHITE lead goes to the switch; the GRAY and BLACK leads both go to the volume casing.
  • The switch is labelled 'THREE-WAY SWITCH FOR TELE® EP1105'. Its tags are not numbered, so they are mapped by what each does.
  • The volume's top lug is wired to the volume casing and on to the tone casing. The tone's signal enters at its middle lug from the volume's bottom (input) lug; the capacitor sits on the tone's bottom lug. The tone's top lug is drawn unconnected.
  • The output jack is a 'SWITCHCRAFT® OUTPUT JACK (2-CONDUCTOR) EP1301'. 'TO BRIDGE GROUND' ends on the jack sleeve, which also takes the wire from the tone casing.
  • The source specifies custom-taper pots (EP1200). The simulator uses the catalog pot's taper, so settings between the knob ends are approximate.

Connections

In soldering order: grounds first, then the switch, the pickups and the signal path.

#FromToHow
1Neck BLACKVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
2Neck GRAYVolume casingDrawn as its own lead beside the black; wired from the stand-in's ground terminal.To a pot casinggray
3Bridge BLACKVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
4Bridge GRAYVolume casingDrawn as its own lead beside the black; wired from the stand-in's ground terminal.To a pot casinggray
5Volume casingVolume top lugTo a pot casingblack
6Volume top lugTone casingTo a pot casingblack
7.022µF capacitorTone casingTo a pot casing
8Tone casingJack sleeveWireblack
9TO BRIDGE GROUNDJack sleeveWireblack
10Neck WHITESwitch top-row first lugPasses under the bridge BLACK and GRAY.Wirewhite
11Bridge WHITESwitch bottom-row fourth lugWirewhite
12Switch bottom-row first lugSwitch bottom-row second lugJumper.Wiregray
13Switch bottom-row second lugSwitch top-row third lugJumper.Wiregray
14Switch top-row third lugSwitch top-row fourth lugJumper.Wiregray
15Switch top-row fourth lugVolume bottom lugWiregray
16Volume middle lugJack tipWiregray
17Volume bottom lugTone middle lugWire
18Tone bottom lug.022µF capacitorWire

What each position does

SettingThe sourceEngine result
Position 1: neck—Twang King neck DP172.
Position 2: neck + bridge—Twang King neck DP172 and Twang King bridge DP173 in parallel.
Position 3: bridge—Twang King bridge DP173.

Checked with the Tinkercaster wiring engine against the switching the source describes.

  • The source's custom-taper pots are not reproduced: both pots use the catalog pot's taper, so settings between the knob ends are approximate.
  • Each Twang King is simulated as a generic two-conductor single coil; its drawn GRAY lead, grounded with the BLACK, is modelled as a second wire from the ground terminal. Hum and tone describe the generic model, not measured DiMarzio pickups.
  • Pickup resistance is not specified, so no numeric meter readings are given.

Before you solder

Ticks are kept in this browser only, as a reminder. They are not a check of your joints. New to soldering? Read the soldering cheat sheet.

Check before plugging in

  • Position 1: continuity from jack tip to sleeve through the neck pickup only.
  • Position 3: continuity through the bridge pickup only.
  • With the volume at zero, tip and sleeve read as a short in every position.

Measure across the output jack with a multimeter on its resistance range. No exact readings are given where the source does not specify the pickups.