Tinkercaster
Parts and values
| In the drawing | Value | Part |
|---|---|---|
| HumbuckerSource: Humbucker (4-conductor AC/H series) | — | Humbucker (four-conductor, DiMarzio colours)Generic |
| Volume 500kA (push-pull) | 500k | 500k Push-Pull DPDTExample part |
| Tone 500kA | 500k | CTS 500k Audio PotExample part |
| .022µfSource: .022µf capacitor (drawn orange) | 22nF | Orange Drop .022µFExample part |
| Output jackSource: Output Jack | — | Switchcraft #11Example part |
| Bridge groundSource: Ground Wire from Bridge | — | 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
- Switch positions: UP: Split (Slug Coil). DOWN: Humbucker.
- The black and white leads are soldered together onto the push-pull's left column, middle lug. The left column's bottom lug, nearest the pot, is linked to the volume casing; the top lug stays empty.
- Only one side of the push-pull switch is used; the right column's three lugs stay empty.
- Legend: the boxed symbol means Connection to Ground. The source marks the volume casing, the tone casing and the jack sleeve with ground symbols; here the tone casing and jack sleeve are wired to the volume casing. That is a routing choice, not a required solder point.
- Ground Wire from Bridge: the bridge ground wire goes to the volume casing.
- Signal/Hot Wire to Output Jack Tip Lug; Ground Wire to Output Jack Sleeve Lug.
- Pickup series: all 4-conductor “AC” and “H” series humbuckers.
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 | Push-pull left bottom lug | Volume casingShort link. | To a pot casingblack | |
| 2 | Pickup green | Volume casing | To a pot casinggreen | |
| 3 | Pickup bare shield | Volume casing | Shield or groundbare | |
| 4 | Volume right lug | Volume casingShort link. | To a pot casingblack | |
| 5 | .022µf capacitor | Tone casing | To a pot casing | |
| 6 | Bridge ground wire | Volume casing | To a pot casing | |
| 7 | Tone casing | Ground (Volume casing)The source shows a ground symbol. | To a pot casing | |
| 8 | Jack sleeve | Ground (Volume casing)The source shows a ground symbol. | Wire | |
| 9 | Pickup black | Push-pull left middle lug | Wireblack | |
| 10 | Pickup white | Push-pull left middle lugShares the lug with the black lead. | Wirewhite | |
| 11 | Pickup red | Volume left lug (input) | Wirered | |
| 12 | Volume middle lug | Jack tip | Wire | |
| 13 | Volume left lug | Tone left lug | Wire | |
| 14 | Tone middle lug | .022µf capacitor | Wire |
What each position does
| Setting | The source | Engine result |
|---|---|---|
| Knob down: humbucker | DOWN: Humbucker. The black–white link floats, so both coils run in series. | Humbucker (both coils). |
| Knob up: split | UP: Split (Slug Coil). The black–white link is grounded, leaving one coil. | Humbucker (split to one coil). |
Checked with the Tinkercaster wiring engine against the switching the source describes.
- Hum cancelling and which coil remains describe the generic pickup model, not a measurement of the Tonerider humbucker.
- 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: tip to sleeve reads the full humbucker's resistance.
- Knob up: the reading drops to roughly one coil's resistance.
- With the volume at zero, tip and sleeve should read as a short in both knob positions.
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.