Wiring Diagram for old guitar

[jsander666]

I've been given this really sad looking old 6th or 7th hand electric guitar (I have no idea what make or model it is, no identifying marks) and I am setting about replacing the electrics on it. It has two single coil pickups, two volume, two capacitors (473J) and two tone controls. No switching. Some of the existing wiring looks a bit sad and I am not 100% sure that I necessarily trust how it has previously been wired up. Does anyone have a correct wiring diagram to suit this setup?

[JohnH]

Welcome to GN2. Its odd to have no switch. Unless you want to keep it stock, as is, how about adding a toggle switch, and wiring it up like a Les Paul?

John

[newey]

jsander666-

Hello and welcome to G-Nutz2!

Can you post some pictures, maybe we can ID this thing? It's probably just, as you say, a really sorry well-used guitar. But since you don't know what it is, and since it is apparently somewhat old, it may be something that has some vintage value, in which case modifying it may not be a good idea. Unlikely, sure, but remotely possible.

Single Coil pups with .047µf caps and no switch is an unusual set-up, and pickup switch may be a good idea, as JohnH suggests. But let's see what you have first.

[ChristoMephisto]

If you don't drill a hole and add a toggle switch, replace the pots with push/pulls and it will allow you to get either pup, parallel and series.
Both down parallel, pull one and it's just that pup, and both pulled is series.

Does the caps look stock? I'd give them a shot after you get it wires up, they may sound good with the old pups, or crud which could explain why it keeps being handed off.
Wonder how many other good guitars got put aside because of a large cap squashing the tone

[popsaka]

ChristoMephisto, could you do a quick explain or give a link... ie:''a large cap squashing the tone''

Thanx in advance

[newey]

a large cap squashing the tone'

CM means that .047µf capacitor is a bit large for use with single coils, at least according to the conventional wisdom. But some folks may like it that way, it's a subjective subject.

And the switching scheme CM is referring to, with 2 p/ps, is "binary tree" switching. I have that scheme on a 2-pickup P-bass and like it a lot.

[wolf]

Yes, I'm also a big fan of binary tree switching.
Here's a diagram to show you how to wire it:

[ChristoMephisto]

Yeah, newey explained it best, and it is subective to ones taste, didn't mean to stir to the pot.
But like I said, give the 047 cap a try, old guitars have their own personality and sound.

Isn't there a way to wire that so the best pup, the bridge pup is on with both down, pull the bridge and its series, neck up only is parallel and both is neck only? Think i saw it on some crazy tele mod here.