P90 Neck / Humbucker Bridge Wiring Questions and Advice.

abw1989

Hello,

I am currently modifying my 'first guitar' that I got over 15 years ago. It used to be a Stagg Strat copy but has now become something quite hideous with a P90 in the neck and a Humbucker in the bridge. Mistakes were made over 10 years ago when I  discovered spray paint and powertools.

Be warned, the image is not pleasant.



I'd like to keep the switching layout as Strat as possible so I have a three way blade and three knobs. Here is where I need your advice. Do I stick with one volume and two tones, or independent volumes and a single tone layout?

This raises further questions about what values I use for the pots and caps in each case. I really am a bit stuck. Would anyone care to share a wiring diagram that could help me out or point me in the right direction of pot/cap values.

Thanks!

mistercharlie

I feel sick. 

paulnb57

abw1989 said:

Be warned, the image is not pleasant.

Did you graduate from the University of understatement?

Keep it simple, wire it as it is now.....or chuck it in a skip!      No offence intended!

abw1989

paulnb57 said:

Keep it simple, wire it as it is now.....or chuck it in a skip!      No offence intended!

That's the issue! I'm not entire sure how to wire it as is?

It had three single coils previously so I think the pot and cap values will be incorrect for the humbucker, and I'm struggling to find a P90/HB wiring diagram with a three way blade and VTT or VVT controls.

flying_pie

@abw1989 Taking it to your local recycling centre might be the best thing to do! It looks horrendous and you'll need to buy new pots, cap and pickguard (i assume you're ditching the middle sc pickup). You'll be spending more than the guitar is worth. 

If you do want to spend the money then just use a HH VVT or VTT wiring diagram. I'd personally go for VVT for the killswitch effect as an option. Just connect the P90 the same way as a humbucker (braided shield is ground and single wire is hot and connected to volume lug)

abw1989

@flying_pie I agree it looks terrible, awful and down right disgusting; but it has sentiment what with being the first guitar I had and learnt to play on hence why I want to keep it and make it usable. It's definitely not a dentist's hang-on-the-wall edition...

The middle single coil isn't in there, it's just a pick up cover, scratch plate is staying with all the holes in it.

The P90 has a covered white wire and a none covered wire. I had assumed the none covered was the ground?

flying_pie

@abw1989 it certainly puts the mental in sentimental. Fair enough though. 

Seems reasonable to assume white is the hot wire. 

ICBM

Music Outlet Shop would put that on Ebay for £500 .

First, the simple bit - both humbuckers and P90s generally work best with 500K pots and .022uF caps, so that's what to use if you want to replace them. But 250Ks, with any sensible cap value, will also work fine if that's what it has and you don't want to change them - there's not as much difference as you may think.

Either VVT or VTT is easy to wire with a standard 3-way lever switch, it just depends on your preference - traditionally a 'Gibson' style guitar has VVT and a 'Fender' one has VTT, but it's up to you.

abw1989

@ICBM £500 you say....

Thanks for the info. I have some 500K pots in my spares draw, and possibly even some caps at that value so I will set to with those. I think my issue is a none standard three way blade looking at it. I have 7 lugs where as most diagrams show 8.... I shall have another go at wiring this evening.

ICBM

abw1989 said:

@ICBM £500 you say.... Thanks for the info. I have some 500K pots in my spares draw, and possibly even some caps at that value so I will set too with those. I think my issue is a none standard three way blade looking at it. I have 7 lugs where as most diagrams show 8.... I shall have another go at wiring this evening.

Sounds like a cheapo one with a common rotor connection. It will probably work fine, but if you're going to do the job really well I would replace it with a CRL.

Funkfingers

abw1989 said:

Mistakes were made over 10 years ago, when I  discovered spray paint and power tools.

T'is but a scratch. I've had worse. Just a flesh wound.

WezV

Funkfingers said:

abw1989 said:

Mistakes were made over 10 years ago, when I  discovered spray paint and power tools.

T'is but a scratch. I've had worse. Just a flesh wound.

Exactly.

if it makes you feel better almost every tech and guitar builder will have ill informed and outright daft things like this in their past.  They may not admit it though