Tinkercaster
Parts and values
| In the drawing | Value | Part |
|---|---|---|
| Neck pickupSource: Seymour Duncan Neck Pickup | — | Humbucker (four-conductor, Seymour Duncan colours)Generic |
| Bridge pickupSource: Seymour Duncan Bridge Pickup | — | Humbucker (four-conductor, Seymour Duncan colours)Generic |
| 3-Way Blade SwitchSource: 3 Way Blade | — | CRL 3-Way BladeExample part |
| Volume 500k (push/pull phase)Source: Volume 500k / Phase Switch | 500k | 500k Push-Pull DPDTExample part |
| Output Jack | — | Switchcraft #11Example part |
| Bridge Ground WireSource: Bridge ground wire | — | 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
- On each pickup, solder the red and white leads together and tape them off.
- The neck black and green leads go to the two middle lugs of the push/pull switch; its outer lugs are cross-jumpered in an X so pulling the knob swaps them.
- The push/pull lug nearest the pot on the black side goes to the volume casing; the top lug on the same side goes to the blade's neck common.
- The neck bare wire goes to the volume casing, not through the switch.
- The grey 'Solder' spot marks the ground (earth) connections; the bridge ground wire goes to the volume casing.
- The source does not number the switch positions; the lugs are mapped by what they do (neck, both, bridge).
Understand this wiring
- Seymour Duncan humbucker wire colors
See the pickup, recognise its two halves, and learn where each coloured wire goes.
- Seymour Duncan phase reversal explained
See what swapping two pickup wires changes when you play two pickups together.
- Reading Seymour Duncan push/pull switch diagrams
Turning the knob and pulling it do different jobs. See the actual part, then try its switch connections.
Connections
In soldering order: grounds first, then the switch, the pickups and the signal path. Choose Show to highlight a connection in the drawing.
| # | From | To | How | Drawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neck green | Push/pull right middle lug | Wiregreen | |
| 2 | Neck bare | Volume casingDrawn grey, looping round the right side to the solder spot. | Shield or groundbare | |
| 3 | Bridge green | Volume casing | To a pot casinggreen | |
| 4 | Bridge bare | Volume casingDrawn grey, running with the green. | Shield or groundbare | |
| 5 | Push/pull left lug nearest the pot | Volume casing | To a pot casingblack | |
| 6 | Volume right lug | Volume casingLug bent onto the casing. | To a pot casing | |
| 7 | Volume casing | Jack sleeve | To a pot casingblack | |
| 8 | Bridge ground wire | Volume casing'Bridge ground wire' ends on the volume's solder spot. | Shield or groundblack | |
| 9 | Bridge black | Blade lower row, rightmost lug (common) | Wireblack | |
| 10 | Push/pull left top lug | Blade upper row, leftmost lug (common)Runs across the top of the blade. | Wireblack | |
| 11 | Blade lower row, first lug | Blade lower row, second lug | Jumperblack | |
| 12 | Blade lower row, second lug | Blade upper row, third lug | Jumperblack | |
| 13 | Blade upper row, third lug | Blade upper row, rightmost lug | Jumperblack | |
| 14 | Blade upper row, rightmost lug | Volume left lug (input)Hops the bridge ground leads on its way down. | Wireblack | |
| 15 | Neck red | Neck whiteNeck red and white end in the taped joint at the upper right. | Joined and insulatedred | |
| 16 | Neck black | Push/pull left middle lugHops the blade wire on its way to the switch. | Wireblack | |
| 17 | Bridge red | Bridge whiteBridge red and white end in the taped joint below the blade. | Joined and insulatedred | |
| 18 | Push/pull left top lug | Push/pull right lug nearest the potOne leg of the X jumper. | Jumperblack | |
| 19 | Push/pull right top lug | Push/pull left lug nearest the potThe other leg of the X jumper. | Jumperblack | |
| 20 | Volume middle lug | Jack tipHops the sleeve wire where the two cross. | Wireblack |
What each position does
| Setting | The source | Engine result |
|---|---|---|
| Neck, knob down | Neck pickup, normal phase. | Neck pickup (both coils). |
| Both, knob down: in phase | Neck and bridge together, in phase. | Neck pickup (both coils) and Bridge pickup (both coils) in parallel. |
| Bridge, knob down | Bridge pickup. | Bridge pickup (both coils). |
| Neck, knob pulled: neck reversed | The neck's leads are swapped; on its own it sounds the same as knob down. | Neck pickup (both coils). |
| Both, knob pulled: out of phase | Neck reversed against the bridge: the phase switch. | Neck pickup (both coils) and Bridge pickup (both coils) in parallel. |
| Bridge, knob pulled | The bridge does not pass through the push/pull. | Bridge pickup (both coils). |
Checked with the Tinkercaster wiring engine against the switching the source describes.
- Hum cancelling and phase describe the generic pickup models, not a measurement of any specific Seymour Duncan model.
- Pickup resistance is not specified, so no numeric meter readings are given.
- The source does not say which knob position reverses the phase; this follows the usual push/pull behaviour (pulled joins the middle lugs to the lugs nearest the pot).
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
- In each blade position, the meter across the jack should read the selected pickup, or both in parallel in the middle, with the knob up or down.
- Knob pulled: the neck green lead should read continuity to the blade's neck lug and the neck black lead to ground.
- Each taped red–white joint should read open to ground.
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.