how to install or solder a vintage mini humbucker in a fender telecaster?

[jazzyguy]

Hi everyone, i have a fender telecaster and i want to install a vintage mini humbucker but reading the wiring diagram I have noticed that as the other seymour duncan wiring diagram mention the green, red and white wire but the mini humbucker has only one wire so is that it? i have been soldering my guitar pickups both single and humbucker seymour duncan pickups but this is the first time that im going to instal this mini humbucker.... Am i missing something here?
thanks for your time and you help

 

[Artie]

It should be a co-axial cable. That is, an outer braided shield, with a center "hot" wire. The outer braid would solder to ground, and the center conductor will go to the appropriate terminal of the 3-way switch.

 

[jazzyguy]

Artie Too that's right it is a co-axial cable... thanks for your help i guess the mini Humbuckers are designed in a deferently way, one more thing do you recommend keeping the 250 k pot o a 500 k pot for this mini humbucker?

 

[Artie]

I think it should be fine with the 250k. I believe that's what mine had.

 

[jazzyguy]

Thanks so much, already started to unsolder the pickups por the guitar , have a great week ArtieToo

 

[AlexR]

Yep, you have 'vintage' hookup wire.
Of course there are still a great many pickups with this system, so hopefully the new wiring diagram section still includes this form of connection in a schematic

 

[Teleplayer]

The SM-1 will be out of phase with Fender pickups, so I think you will need to reverse the phase of the bridge pickup (if its a Fender one).

 

[jazzyguy]

The SM-1 will be out of phase with Fender pickups, so I think you will need to reverse the phase of the bridge pickup (if its a Fender one).

I will install a Seymour duncan little 59 on the bridge, because i had that issue in the past, but the true is that i really like the SD pickups brand

 

[jazzyguy]

Yep, you have 'vintage' hookup wire.
Of course there are still a great many pickups with this system, so hopefully the new wiring diagram section still includes this form of connection in a schematic

i just find out the schematic in the wiring diagram

 

[jazzyguy]

i have a couple of doubts, if i going to install a little 59 on the brigde, should use a 500 k pot? the second one if i want to intel a treble bleed it has to be for an 250 k right? i already installs the pickups with the 250 k but i want to know if a did it correctly

 

[AlexR]

Treble bleed can be used with any any pot value.
And whilst I'd nominally use a 500k for the lil 59, if its not working for you then don't hesitate to change the value.

 

[jazzyguy]

Treble bleed can be used with any any pot value.
And whilst I'd nominally use a 500k for the lil 59, if its not working for you then don't hesitate to change the value.

thanks for your answer; if i use a 500 k for the lil 59 and a 250 k pot for the mini humbucker would it be ok? or its better both 500 k pots?

 

[AlexR]

The mini would be way better with a 500k too IMO. Most neck pickups save vintage singlecoils tend to like higher value pots than 250k.

What is your control layout??

 

[jazzyguy]

my control layout is just a volume control and a tone control

 

[Teleplayer]

My guess would be 250k volume and 500k tone should work for both pickups. Its likely to be bright enough once you have the treble bleed circuit on the 250k volume.

If you were using the SM-1 pickup in a Firebird guitar, absolutely go for two 500k controls. However the Telecaster will have enough inherrant brightness to overcome the difference between the 250k/500k setup compared to two 500k controls.

 

[jazzyguy]

My guess would be 250k volume and 500k tone should work for both pickups. Its likely to be bright enough once you have the treble bleed circuit on the 250k volume.

If you were using the SM-1 pickup in a Firebird guitar, absolutely go for two 500k controls. However the Telecaster will have enough inherrant brightness to overcome the difference between the 250k/500k setup compared to two 500k controls.

and the coaxial cable from the mini humbucker has to be in the volume pot even when tone would be 500k?

 

[Teleplayer]

and the coaxial cable from the mini humbucker has to be in the volume pot even when tone would be 500k?

The hot wire from the coaxial cable will go to the Pickup selector switch. The back of the volume pot is normally used as a grounding point, so the shield can be soldered there. Normally for Telecasters the tone control is wired directly to the Volume control, so the tone works in each selector position. I was just suggesting to substitute a 500k tone control for a 250k one, as it will make both bridge and neck pickups a bit brighter. Hopefully the tone of each pickup will balance ok, once you set the pickup heights correctly.

 

[jazzyguy]

The hot wire from the coaxial cable will go to the Pickup selector switch. The back of the volume pot is normally used as a grounding point, so the shield can be soldered there. Normally for Telecasters the tone control is wired directly to the Volume control, so the tone works in each selector position. I was just suggesting to substitute a 500k tone control for a 250k one, as it will make both bridge and neck pickups a bit brighter. Hopefully the tone of each pickup will balance ok, once you set the pickup heights correctly.

i see your point, i will replace the pots with 500 k, im just waiting for the pots to arrive from stew-mac.
i will let you know how it goes

 

[TD9]

I go with 500k pots.. wire it 50's style and try either a .022uf or .015uf cap.
Your wires might be different but it will work just the same .. Is your 59 braided with a center hot wire like your mini or a 4 conductor .. doesn't really matter either one will work. with a 4 conductor you just have to tape the red & white wires together and leave them taped off loose .

 

[Securb]

I left the 250 in my Telecaster with the Hotrails and the guitar sounds amazing. I always leave the pots and caps stock when changing a pickup. If I do not get the desired sound I then change one component at a time.