Seymour Duncan wiring

One single coil with one volume and one tone

One single coil · No switch · One volume · One tone

The simplest complete guitar harness: one single-coil pickup straight to a volume and a tone control, then to the output jack. It needs two 250k pots, a .047 µF capacitor and a mono jack.

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Viewed from the back of the controls, as you solder them. Select a component to move, rotate or flip it. Follow wires and try the switches in simulation mode. Use Full screen for a closer look.

Parts and values

In the drawingValuePart
Single coilSource: Single coil (white/black leads)—Single-coil pickup (two-conductor)Generic
VolumeSource: Volume 250K250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
ToneSource: Tone 250k250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
.047 µF tone capSource: .047 cap47nFOrange Drop .047µFExample part
Output jackSource: Output Jack—Switchcraft #11Example part

“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

  • The tone capacitor sits on the tone pot's middle lug, with the signal on an outer lug.
  • The bridge ground wire goes to the volume casing.

Connections

In soldering order: grounds first, then the switch, the pickups and the signal path. Choose Show to highlight a connection in the drawing.

#FromToHowDrawing
1Pickup blackVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
2Volume right lugVolume casingLug bent onto the casing.To a pot casing
3.047 capTone casingTo a pot casing
4Tone casingVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
5Volume casingJack sleeveCrosses the tip wire without joining it.Wireblack
6Pickup whiteVolume left lug (input)Wirewhite
7Volume middle lugJack tipWireblack
8Volume left lugTone left lugWireblack
9Tone middle lug.047 capWire
10Bridge groundVolume casingDrawn leaving the page towards the bridge.WireNot drawn

What each position does

SettingThe sourceEngine result
Always onOne pickup, no selector.Single coil.

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

  • 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

  • With the volume up, the meter across the jack should read the pickup's resistance.
  • With the volume at zero, tip and sleeve should read as a short.

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.