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 toggleSource: 3-way toggle (unlabelled) | — | Switchcraft 3-Way ToggleExample part |
| Bridge volume 500k push/pullSource: Bridge Volume 500k push/pull | 500k | 500k Push-Pull DPDTExample part |
| Neck volume 500k push/pullSource: Neck Volume 500k push/pull | 500k | 500k Push-Pull DPDTExample part |
| Output jackSource: Output Jack | — | Switchcraft #11Example part |
| Bridge groundSource: 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
- The source labels both volumes as push/pull coil split switches.
- On each pickup, the red and white leads are soldered together onto the middle lug of the switch's top row, not taped off.
- The green and bare leads go to the top-row lug nearest the pot, which is wired to that pot's casing; the other switch lugs stay empty.
- The toggle's frame lug runs to the neck volume casing, and the same line carries on to the bridge volume casing.
- The bridge ground wire and the jack sleeve end on the bridge volume casing.
- Solder = location for ground (earth) connections.
- The toggle tags are not labelled in the source, so they are mapped by what each does.
Understand this wiring
- Seymour Duncan humbucker wire colors
See the pickup, recognise its two halves, and learn where each coloured wire goes.
- Seymour Duncan coil splitting explained
A humbucker has two coils. See how a switch lets you use just one of them.
- 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 | Neck split switch lug nearest the pot | Wiregreen | |
| 2 | Neck bare shield | Neck split switch lug nearest the potDrawn grey beside the green. | Shield or groundbare | |
| 3 | Neck split switch lug nearest the pot | Neck volume casingShort wire to the solder spot. | To a pot casingblack | |
| 4 | Neck volume top lug | Neck volume casingLug bent onto the casing. | To a pot casing | |
| 5 | Bridge green | Bridge split switch lug nearest the pot | Wiregreen | |
| 6 | Bridge bare shield | Bridge split switch lug nearest the potDrawn grey beside the green. | Shield or groundbare | |
| 7 | Bridge split switch lug nearest the pot | Bridge volume casingShort wire to the solder spot. | To a pot casingblack | |
| 8 | Bridge volume top lug | Bridge volume casingLug bent onto the casing. | To a pot casing | |
| 9 | Toggle top lug | Neck volume casing | To a pot casingblack | |
| 10 | Neck volume casing | Bridge volume casingThe same line runs on from the neck solder spot down to the bridge solder spot. | To a pot casingblack | |
| 11 | Bridge ground wire | Bridge volume casing | Wireblack | |
| 12 | Bridge volume casing | Jack sleeve | Wireblack | |
| 13 | Neck volume middle lug | Toggle neck lug | Wireblack | |
| 14 | Bridge volume middle lug | Toggle bridge lug | Wireblack | |
| 15 | Toggle middle lug | Jack tip | Wireblack | |
| 16 | Neck white | Neck split switch middle lug | Wirewhite | |
| 17 | Neck red | Neck split switch middle lugShares the lug with the neck white. | Wirered | |
| 18 | Neck black | Neck volume bottom lug (input) | Wireblack | |
| 19 | Bridge white | Bridge split switch middle lug | Wirewhite | |
| 20 | Bridge red | Bridge split switch middle lugShares the lug with the bridge white. | Wirered | |
| 21 | Bridge black | Bridge volume bottom lug (input) | Wireblack |
What each position does
| Setting | The source | Engine result |
|---|---|---|
| Neck, neck knob down, bridge knob down | — | Neck pickup (both coils). |
| Both, neck knob down, bridge knob down | — | Neck pickup (both coils) and Bridge pickup (both coils) in parallel. |
| Bridge, neck knob down, bridge knob down | — | Bridge pickup (both coils). |
| Neck, neck knob down, bridge knob pulled | — | Neck pickup (both coils). |
| Both, neck knob down, bridge knob pulled | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Neck pickup (both coils) and Bridge pickup (split to one coil) in parallel. |
| Bridge, neck knob down, bridge knob pulled | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Bridge pickup (split to one coil). |
| Neck, neck knob pulled, bridge knob down | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Neck pickup (split to one coil). |
| Both, neck knob pulled, bridge knob down | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Neck pickup (split to one coil) and Bridge pickup (both coils) in parallel. |
| Bridge, neck knob pulled, bridge knob down | — | Bridge pickup (both coils). |
| Neck, neck knob pulled, bridge knob pulled | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Neck pickup (split to one coil). |
| Both, neck knob pulled, bridge knob pulled | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Neck pickup (split to one coil) and Bridge pickup (split to one coil) in parallel. |
| Bridge, neck knob pulled, bridge knob pulled | Pulling a volume splits that pickup. | Bridge pickup (split to one coil). |
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 splits; 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
- Both knobs down: in each toggle position the meter across the jack reads the selected humbucker, or both in parallel in the middle.
- Pulling a volume drops its own pickup's reading to roughly one coil's resistance and leaves the other pickup unchanged.
- With a volume at zero, its toggle lug reads as a short 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.