Extending Pickup Leads?

[SabbathFan0220]

I have some four conductor pickups whose lead wires aren't long enough, will it work alright to solder on an extension with this wire?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Wire,_cables/Shielded_Guitar_Circuit_Wire.html

I figure I'll solder each wire, cover each with a small piece of heat shrink tubing or tape so they don't touch, wrap the whole thing with a small piece of copper tape to shield it...how does this sound?

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

works great, no difference in sound. You could also buy some hook up wire (4 cond.) and disemble the pickup. Solder the new wire on the same connections. No rocket science needed.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

^yep. preferably i like to just take the old conductor off and replace it with a new one so it looks neater, though taking the pickup half-way apart is required for that.

 

[bluesbend]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

Soldering to the leads is fine. Like hamerfan said, no difference in sound but get yourself some shrinkwrap to insulate the solder joints.

 

[CesarM13]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

so this way you can also turn a 2-conductor humbucker to a 4 conductor one right?
sorry if this is a stupid/noob q
thanks

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

Cool guys, thanks. How complicated is it to attach a whole new lead? I have a fair amount of experience with a soldering iron.

 

[threechordcharlie]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

so this way you can also turn a 2-conductor humbucker to a 4 conductor one right?
sorry if this is a stupid/noob q
thanks

I might be wrong, but I believe that would cut your output in half, wouldn't it?

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

I might be wrong, but I believe that would cut your output in half, wouldn't it?

No, the output would be the same as far as I know. It's a pretty complicated procedure though I think.

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

Cool guys, thanks. How complicated is it to attach a whole new lead? I have a fair amount of experience with a soldering iron.

Bump for this question...

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

it's not that bad. the procedure goes something like this:

loosen the bobbin siting above the conductor holding it in, and remove the pickup tape. personally, i don't care about the cloth tape and just replace it with black electric tape. now, remove the little pieces of tape/cover on each lead on the pickup-end of the conductor and you'll notice that each conductor is just attached to an end of each bobbin, save for the ground wire. memorize/write down which wires go where, or just look up the duncan chart here. then, just go about desoldering and resoldering the old and new conductors, respectively, tape off each lead, tape up the pickup, and screw it back together.

for some detailed pictures check out the first(few?) posts in the custom/'59 thread stickied to the top of the pickup lounge.

 

[alba44]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

Here you be: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=82443

 

[cakire82]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

Here you be: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=82443

Great tutorial man. Thanks!

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Extending Pickup Leads?

Thank you both, very helpful. I have new wire on the way so I'll give it a shot in a few days.