"Fender" Pickup

[robot999]

Hey guys, newbie here. I'm working on a project guitar, which includes new pups. The project is a Kramer HSH config. I've got two SD's for the hums, and have purchased a LACE Sensor for the middle position. My SD wiring diagram says "if the middle pickup is a "fender", then you need to reverse the both SD's green/black wires. I assume this is to keep them in phase.

The guy who sold me the Lace said that it is a "fender" pup. After hours of searching I can't seem to figure out:

Q: What exactly is a "fender" pickup vs a non-fender? Are all single coil pups "fender"? (From what I can tell "fender" pups are reverse wired?)

Q: If I do need to revers the wires, then what should I do with my '59 model (neck pup) which is single conductor? The instructions say to ground the braided shielding and wire the inner for hot. I suppose I could do the reverse, but it won't be easy.

Thanks for the help with my first post.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: "Fender" Pickup

Welcome to the forum.

Early Lace/AGI Stratocaster-sized replacement pickups have two cables. One is the "hot" output. The other is ground. The point where the ground cable is connected to the metal elevator plate will be clearly visible on the underside of the sensor.

On early Fender-Lace Sensors, the colour code is Orange = Hot, White = Ground.

On some Don Lace/AGI sensors, the code is White = Hot, Black = Ground.

Later Lace Sensors come with three output wires. This time, Green = Ground. Orange and White are either end of the coil. In this case, phase reversal is simply a matter of reversing the White and Orange conductors.

On the two-con sensors, phase reversal is not possible, hence, the tip about reversing the wiring of the HBs to maintain correct phase relationships.

The worse case scenario is that you have a two-con Lace Sensor that turns out to be electrically out of phase with your single-con '59 humbucker. In that instance, I would be inclined to source another middle pickup.

 

[robot999]

Re: "Fender" Pickup

Funkfingers,
Thanks for the info. The PUP arrived today, and it has the 3 wires (green = ground, orange and white). Since I have the single con '59 what would you suggest for the wiring?

If I read your post right, I should not reverse any of the wires correct? Just wire it up based on the wiring diagram from SD for my config?

Thanks.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: "Fender" Pickup

Funkfingers,
Thanks for the info. The PUP arrived today, and it has the 3 wires (green = ground, orange and white). Since I have the single con '59 what would you suggest for the wiring?

If I read your post right, I should not reverse any of the wires correct? Just wire it up based on the wiring diagram from SD for my config?

Thanks.

The single con + shield humbucker can only be soldered in one way around. With that done, solder the green wire of the Lace Sensor to ground (on a pot chassis, for example).

Solder the white conductor to the selector switch. Solder the orange conductor to ground BUT not in exactly the same place as the green wire.

If the neck and centre pickups turn out to be electrically out of phase with respect to each other, simply reconnect the white to ground and the orange to the selector switch.

Finally, connect up the bridge position HB.

NOTE: You have not stated whether your bridge pickup is single con + shield or four con + shield? If it is single con, it ought to be in phase with the neck PU by default. If it is four con, unintended phase reversal can be corrected by swapping the black and green conductors.

 

[robot999]

Re: "Fender" Pickup

Funkfingers,
Thanks for the additional info. My Bridge is a 4 wire + shield pup. Should I start with the reversal on the bridge pup with the wiring you laid out? How would I know if I have an out-of-phase condition?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: "Fender" Pickup

Should I start with the reversal on the bridge pup with the wiring you laid out?

No. Do not pre-empt problems that have not arisen.

Start with the neck HB. There is only one way to connect this.

Expect the 4-con SD bridge HB to be in the same phase/polarity relationship as the neck PU. Hence, black = hot, green goes to ground.

The only thing that can go wrong is the phase of the central Sensor relative to the two HBs.

How would I know if I have an out-of-phase condition?

If the centre pickup is electrically out of phase with the two HBs, sounds 2 and 4 on the selector switch will be thin and scratchy (like the intro to "Smells Like Teen Spirit") instead of honky and interesting (like a juicy Stratocaster).

In your position, I would re-use one or two of the old strings on your guitar to check the phase of the centre PU. When you are content that it sounds okay, fit brand new strings secure in the knowledge that you will not need to take them off again ten minutes later in order to swap over two cables.