Seymour Duncan wiring

Two single-coil-sized humbuckers and a single coil, 5-way blade, push/pull split volume and two tones

SCH · Single coil · SCH · 5-way blade · Push/pull volume (coil split) · Two tones

Seymour Duncan sheet: single-coil-sized humbuckers in the neck and bridge and a single coil in the middle on a 5-way blade, with a push/pull volume that splits both humbuckers and two tones fed from the blade's second pole, sharing a .047 cap. The sheet prints no pot values.

Two single-coil-sized humbuckers and a single coil, 5-way blade, push/pull split volume and two tonesTwo single-coil-sized humbuckers and a single coil, 5-way blade, push/pull split volume and two tones: SCH · Single coil · SCH · 5-way blade · Push/pull volume (coil split) · Two tones. Original Tinkercaster drawing with labelled terminals.Neck single-coil-sized humbuckerNeck single-coil-sized humbuckerMiddle single coilMiddle single coilBridge single-coil-sized humbuckerBridge single-coil-sized humbucker5-way bladeVolume (push/pull) · 250k250kOutput jackBridge groundTone (upper) · 250k250kTone (lower) · 250k250k.047 cap · 47nF47nFblackgreenwhiteredbarewhiteblackblackgreenwhiteredbareT1T2T3T4T5T6T7T8lug1lug2lug3sw1sw2sw3sw4sw5sw6tipsleevegroundlug1lug2lug3lug1lug2lug3ab

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
Neck single-coil-sized humbuckerSource: Neck single coil sized humbucker—Humbucker (four-conductor, Seymour Duncan colours)Generic
Middle single coil—Single-coil pickup (two-conductor)Generic
Bridge single-coil-sized humbuckerSource: Bridge single coil sized humbucker—Humbucker (four-conductor, Seymour Duncan colours)Generic
5-way bladeSource: 5 way blade—Oak Grigsby 5-WayExample part
Volume (push/pull)Source: Volume push/pull coil split250k250k Push-Pull DPDTExample part
Output jackSource: Output Jack—Switchcraft #11Example part
Bridge groundSource: Bridge Ground—Bridge ground wireGeneric
Tone (upper)Source: Tone (upper, nearer the volume)250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
Tone (lower)250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
.047 cap47nFOrange Drop .047µFExample 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

  • Title: 1 SINGLE COIL SIZED HUMBUCKER | 1 SINGLE COIL 1 SINGLE COIL SIZED HUMBUCKER 1 VOLUME push/pull coil split | 2 TONE | 5 WAY BLADE.
  • The neck and bridge pickups are drawn as Seymour Duncan Research boards (pads Finish, R, W, Gnd, B, G, Start); their leads leave in a cable of black, red, white, green and bare.
  • Neck, middle and bridge hot leads (neck black, middle white, bridge black) go to three lugs in one row of the blade; that row's bottom lug is the common, wired across to the top lug of the other row, and on from there to the volume's first lug.
  • The neck red & white go together to the middle lug of one push/pull column and the bridge red & white to the middle lug of the other. The two lugs nearest the pot are jumpered together and wired to the upper Solder spot on the volume casing; the two lugs furthest from the pot are empty.
  • Neck and bridge green and bare, and the middle black, go to the lower Solder spot on the volume casing, which also takes the ground wire to the bridge and the wire to the jack sleeve.
  • The volume's outer lug is bent onto the casing under the lower Solder spot.
  • The blade's other row feeds the tones: its bottom lug to the upper tone's middle lug, its third lug to the lower tone's outer lug; its second lug is empty. The lower tone's middle lug is jumpered to the upper tone's outer lug, which carries the .047 cap to the upper tone casing.
  • The two tone Solder spots are wired together, and the upper tone's Solder spot is wired to the volume's.
  • The source does not number the blade's lugs or positions; the lugs are mapped by what they do (bridge, bridge + middle, middle, middle + neck, neck).
  • Legend: the grey Solder spot marks the location for ground (earth) connections. Jack: Tip (hot output); Sleeve (ground). The inner, circular portion of the jack.
  • The tone cap is printed '.047 cap'; no pot values are printed.

Connections

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

#FromToHow
1Neck greenVolume casing (Solder spot)Neck green to the Solder spot on the volume casing.To a pot casinggreen
2Neck bareVolume casing (Solder spot)Neck bare (drawn grey beside the green) to the Solder spot on the volume casing.Shield or groundbare
3Middle blackVolume casing (Solder spot)Middle black runs down beside the bridge pickup and back to the Solder spot on the volume casing.To a pot casingblack
4Bridge greenVolume casing (Solder spot)Bridge green to the Solder spot on the volume casing.To a pot casinggreen
5Bridge bareVolume casing (Solder spot)Bridge bare (drawn grey) to the Solder spot on the volume casing.Shield or groundbare
6Push/pull neck-pair column, lug nearest the potVolume casing (Solder spot)Short black from the push/pull lug nearest the pot to the upper Solder spot on the volume casing.To a pot casingblack
7Volume third lugVolume casing (Solder spot)Volume outer lug bent onto the casing under the Solder spot.To a pot casing
8Volume casing (Solder spot)Jack SleeveBlack from the volume Solder spot to the jack Sleeve (ground).To a pot casingblack
9Bridge Ground wireVolume casing (Solder spot)Bridge Ground wire to the volume Solder spot.To a pot casingblack
10.047 capUpper tone casing (Solder spot)Other cap leg to the upper tone casing (cap drawn on the casing beside its Solder spot).To a pot casing
11Upper tone casing (Solder spot)Lower tone casing (Solder spot)Black from the upper tone Solder spot down to the lower tone Solder spot.To a pot casingblack
12Upper tone casing (Solder spot)Volume casing (Solder spot)Black from the upper tone Solder spot to the volume Solder spot; it carries a hop over the white wire to the jack.To a pot casingblack
13Neck blackBlade wired row, second lugNeck black (from the neck cable) arcs over the top of the blade to the wired row, second lug from the common.Wireblack
14Middle whiteBlade wired row, third lugMiddle white loops over the blade to the wired row, third lug from the common.Wirewhite
15Bridge blackBlade wired row, top lugBridge black (from the bridge cable) to the wired row, lug furthest from the common.Wireblack
16Blade wired row, bottom lug (common)Blade opposite row, top lugWhite from the wired row common (bottom lug) runs along the blade to the opposite row's end lug (top).Wirewhite
17Blade opposite row, top lugVolume first lug (input)White from that opposite-row end lug down to the volume input lug.Wirewhite
18Blade opposite row, bottom lugUpper tone middle lugWhite from the opposite row, lug furthest from that row's common (bottom), loops down (inner loop) to the upper tone's middle lug.Wirewhite
19Blade opposite row, third lugLower tone outer lugWhite from the opposite row, third lug, loops down on the outer path (crossing over the other tone wire, no joint) to the lower tone's first lug.Wirewhite
20Neck redPush/pull neck-pair column, middle lugNeck red runs with its white from the neck cable over the top of the push/pull to the middle lug of one push/pull column.Wirered
21Neck whitePush/pull neck-pair column, middle lugNeck white with its red to the same push/pull middle lug.Wirewhite
22Bridge redPush/pull bridge-pair column, middle lugBridge red runs with its white from the bridge cable up to the middle lug of the other push/pull column.Wirered
23Bridge whitePush/pull bridge-pair column, middle lugBridge white with its red to the same push/pull middle lug.Wirewhite
24Push/pull neck-pair column, lug nearest the potPush/pull bridge-pair column, lug nearest the potShort black jumper between the two push/pull lugs nearest the pot.Wireblack
25Volume middle lugJack TipWhite from the volume middle lug to the jack Tip (hot output).Wirewhite
26Lower tone middle lugUpper tone outer lugLower tone middle lug to the upper tone outer lug that carries the cap (shared cap).Wirewhite
27Upper tone outer lug.047 capUpper tone outer lug to one leg of the .047 cap.Wireblack

What each position does

SettingThe sourceEngine result
Position 1 · push: bridgeKnob down: both red & white pairs float, so each humbucker is full.Bridge single-coil-sized humbucker (both coils).
Position 1 · pull: bridge splitKnob up: the push/pull grounds both red & white pairs, splitting whichever humbucker is selected.Bridge single-coil-sized humbucker (split to one coil).
Position 2 · push: bridge + middleKnob down: both red & white pairs float, so each humbucker is full.Middle single coil and Bridge single-coil-sized humbucker (both coils) in parallel.
Position 2 · pull: bridge split + middleKnob up: the push/pull grounds both red & white pairs, splitting whichever humbucker is selected.Middle single coil and Bridge single-coil-sized humbucker (split to one coil) in parallel.
Position 3 · push: middleKnob down: both red & white pairs float, so each humbucker is full.Middle single coil.
Position 3 · pull: middleKnob up: the push/pull grounds both red & white pairs, splitting whichever humbucker is selected.Middle single coil.
Position 4 · push: middle + neckKnob down: both red & white pairs float, so each humbucker is full.Neck single-coil-sized humbucker (both coils) and Middle single coil in parallel.
Position 4 · pull: middle + neck splitKnob up: the push/pull grounds both red & white pairs, splitting whichever humbucker is selected.Neck single-coil-sized humbucker (split to one coil) and Middle single coil in parallel.
Position 5 · push: neckKnob down: both red & white pairs float, so each humbucker is full.Neck single-coil-sized humbucker (both coils).
Position 5 · pull: neck splitKnob up: the push/pull grounds both red & white pairs, splitting whichever humbucker is selected.Neck single-coil-sized humbucker (split to one coil).

Not simulated: this circuit is drawn for reference only.

  • The sheet prints no pot values; 250k stand-ins are used.
  • Which shaft position grounds the red & white pairs follows the usual push/pull behaviour (pulled joins the middle lugs to the lugs nearest the pot); the sheet does not say which way splits.
  • The blade's second-pole lugs are unlabelled and mapped by function (the lug next to that pole's common live in positions 1-2, the bottom lug in positions 4-5, as on the published Strat Stack Plus/SCH five-way sheet). This puts the upper tone on the neck (positions 4-5) and the lower tone on the middle (positions 2-4); the sheet does not name the tones.
  • The lower tone reaches the .047 cap only through the upper tone's track (shared cap), so the engine names only the upper tone (positions 4-5); the lower tone is not reported.
  • The single-coil-sized humbuckers are modelled by a generic four-conductor humbucker; hum cancelling and phase describe the generic models.
  • 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

  • Knob down: in each blade position the meter across the jack reads the full pickup or pickup pair selected.
  • Knob up: both humbuckers' red & white read ground; positions 1 and 5 drop to one coil's reading.

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.