Help wiring 80s MIJ Squier! Please help!!

[randallsavage]

Okay, got it all wired up and I must have mixed something up or something need replacing as I only have HB sound again like when i received it...idk. I'm going to look at the pot connections and make sure i did them right as it was a pretty simple diagram and i don't know where I could have made a mis step.

[newey]

First off, let's be sure you're hearing what you think you're hearing. Using a screwdriver blade, or any other magnetic metallic object, tap each coil of the HB with the switch set to HB Full, and also with it set to HB split, with the guitar plugged into your amp. You should hear a pretty good "thunk" from coils that are operating. A coil that is not operating will still make some noise, via transfer to the operating coil, but it should be audibly less. Make sure that both coils are in fact operating at both switch positions.

The problem is not with your pot connections, unless you mean the connection to ground at the back of the pot from the side of the switch where the bridge white wire connects. Check that connection as well as the connection for the bridge white wire. First off, just reheat those connections with your iron enough to remelt the solder, don't disconnect them entirely just yet. Tug at the wires a bit, not too hard, to be sure they are solidly connected.

Did you check the switch with your meter before installation (yes, I know it's a new switch . . )? If the above doesn't work, you may need to check it with your meter.

[randallsavage]

HOLY CRAP!! I'm back, I broke my phi e and didn't have this site bookmarked, got busy with a new job and forgot which site I was finally getting answers on!! I literally just stumbled upon this forum again via random google searching for something else and I'm beyond excited! Sorry to ghost you as the others as you were all helping me so much

I have yet to re tinker since my last post because of work but I plan to and will go back through and recheck with a meter and what not, I'll get back to you asap, I was about to give up and take it to a guitar center too, date may have saved me a few bucks and some sanity by getting me back here!

[socrate]

Jan 3, 2021 15:53:03 GMT -5 frets said:

Hi Randall

This is the one I have in my files.

Hi! I have the exact same guitar but my humbucker has a 4 wires cable to split the single coil. Do you know how to connect that one on the 3rd switch on/off/on to have single/off/hb? The previous owner change the original connexion.

Thank you!

[newey]

socrate-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

This should be fairly straightforward. What are the wire colors on your HB? (and how is it wired at present?)

[socrate]

Jan 31, 2023 22:30:05 GMT -5 newey said:

socrate-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

This should be fairly straightforward. What are the wire colors on your HB? (and how is it wired at present?)

Hi.
It's a black cable with green red white and black with one ground. Presently the red and white and connected together not on the switch. I think the last owner wanted to have juste the hb whatever the position

[socrate]

Feb 1, 2023 7:09:03 GMT -5 socrate said:

Jan 31, 2023 22:30:05 GMT -5 newey said:

socrate-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

This should be fairly straightforward. What are the wire colors on your HB? (and how is it wired at present?)

Hi.
It's a black cable with green red white and black with one ground. Presently the red and white and connected together not on the switch. I think the last owner wanted to have juste the hb whatever the position

How ça I add a picture?

[socrate]

[socrate]

Feb 1, 2023 10:29:04 GMT -5 socrate said:

Hi again 

I tried to connect my humbucker that way : 

guitarelectronics.com/humbucker-series-off-parallel/

It is said in the description that the middle position should be off mode. However, I have sound on the 3 positions of the switch. 

A little help please  

Thank you! 

[thetragichero]

does your switch say on/off/on like the diagram or is it possibly on/on/on? that would give your symptom. does the sound in the middle position sound quieter/thinner than in series humbucker position, maybe with some added hum?

[newey]

socrate-

thetragichero is correct, if it's an on-on-on switch you would have the North coil of the humbucker (assuming your pickup uses the same wire colors as a Seymour Duncan) in the center position, so it would be series/single coil/parallel in the 3 positions. But the switch may not be labeled as such, you might have to test it to be sure. Probably a better method, at least to start to diagnose this, is to tap the coils with a magnetic metallic object like a screwdriver, with the guitar plugged in and your amp on. An active coil should give you a good "thunk" sound, you may hear a bit of a thunk from an inactive coil but it won't be as loud. If only one coil is active in the middle position, with both coils active in the outer positions, this would tell you that it's an on-on-on switch.

If both coils are active in all 3 positions, then there's a wiring issue. Or, theoretically, it could be a faulty switch, but that is low in the list of possibilities.

Do you know who the manufacturer of your humbucker is? While the fact that the white and red wires were joined together would seem to indicate that the wire colors are the same as a Seymour Duncan, North versus South coils, slug versus screw coils can vary from one make of pickup to another.

[socrate]

Hi, 

So the switch is brand new and it's an on/off/on switch. As for the humbucker, it's just written "ALCINO" on the back. The guitar is a Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HSS made in Japan in 1986 by Fugijen for Fender. 

Here's a the electric diagram of what I have done so far. 

The buttom position seems to be more "crunchy". The middle and upper position are identical and more clean. 

[socrate]

Hi again,

I tested the coils with a screwdriver and in the lower position of the switch, both pickups are active. In the middle and upper position, only the screwed pickup is active.