basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

[cheezemaster]

Hey all,

I recently picked up an old Seymourizer II humbucker for dirt cheap. I hooked it up and.. uh it's not really working.. really low output and lots of ground hum. I've peeled back the tape a bit and the wires seem to be a total mess.. and some even look re-soldered (?). On Dr. Ads suggestion I checked to see if maybe the ceramic mag was broken, it wasn't.

I admit I have no idea how a humbucker is actually wired. I know how to wire a pickup into a guitar, but am a noob as far as the construction of a pickup of where the wires go into the pickup itself..

Is there a good basic diagram/ picture somewhere of the correct wiring/construction of a humbucker? I can't really read schematics or anything.. I just want to make sure red wire goes here, green wire goes there, etc.. BTW this is a four conductor humbucker - I don't need to wire tap or split it or anything, just get it working in full humbucker mode.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

Hi. For the output connections, you probably need this page from the SD Support section.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=color_codes

Within the pickup, each bobbin has two ends to the coil. The colour of the insulation on each of these four wires could be anything, typically, two white and two black.

 

[elscorcho]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

It was in This Post :reporter:

 

[cheezemaster]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

Thanks guys.. that was quick!

now what would be ideal would be a combination of those 2 diagrams.
ie: Where exactly do the wires go once they get to the pickup...that's where my problem is.

I've done some googlin' and even forum searches and come up with nothing of use yet...

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

For the sake of argument, let us say that the wires leaving each of the two bobbins are colour coded two white, two black.

For basic HB operation:

Screw coil black wire = soldered to baseplate
Screw coil white wire = joined to stud coil white wire
Stud coil white wire = joined to screw coil white wire
Stud coil black wire = hot output.

NOTE: the two joined white wires should be insulated.

On the main output cable, solder the bare or braided grounding wire to the baseplate just inside the hole in the corner of the plate. Then, solder the hot/output conductor to the stud coil black wire. Insulate this. Finito!

 

[cheezemaster]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

cool, thanks Funk! - think I got it now...

I'll need to remove all the tape and get a good peek at it when I get home.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

I'll need to remove all the tape and get a good peek at it when I get home.

Yes but what about your pickup? :naughty:

 

[cheezemaster]

Re: basic Picture/diagram of humbucker

"badoom-crash" (I really wish they had a "rimshot" smiley for moments like this)