Mighty Mite Motherbucker 3 conductor wiring

[fretburner]

Just bought a MM Motherbucker cheap. However, it seems like the wiring is off. It has 3 conductors - red, white, bare.

Bare and Red = 10.2k
Bare and White = nothing
Red and White = 10.5k

Bare+White (together) and Red = 5.2k
Bare+Red and White = 10.5
Red+White and Bare = 10.2k

Pickup is busted, no?

 

[Artie]

Just bought a MM Motherbucker cheap. However, it seems like the wiring is off. It has 3 conductors - red, white, bare.

Bare and Red = 10.2k
Bare and White = nothing
Red and White = 10.5k

Bare+White (together) and Red = 5.2k
Bare+Red and White = 10.5
Red+White and Bare = 10.2k

Pickup is busted, no?

The two in bold can't coexist. What do you mean by "nothing?" Open, or zero ohms?


​

 

[switchman]

Hmmm...aren't there several models of past and present Motherbuckers? I thought they were 4 conductor for a while now maybe I'm out of the loop. A photo could help...

 

[ICTGoober]

Hmmm...aren't there several models of past and present Motherbuckers? I thought they were 4 conductor for a while now maybe I'm out of the loop. A photo could help...

I had one of the 3 coil Motherbuckers back in the early 80's - got some good sounds, and so not so good sounds.
The new Motherbuckers are 4 coil.

 

[fretburner]

The two in bold can't coexist. What do you mean by "nothing?" Open, or zero ohms?


​

lo and behold... the bare wire was wrapped in shrink wrap still here. I removed it later

zz0.xnmk5racfwzz zz0.gnoqyqlc7gzz

 

[fretburner]

Hmmm...aren't there several models of past and present Motherbuckers? I thought they were 4 conductor for a while now maybe I'm out of the loop. A photo could help...

This could be an MIK Mighty Mite. Unlikely to be the newer MIA.

zz0.3ag5ok4qxltzz

 

[fretburner]

1 in a million chance it could be made by DMZ?

I've seen this black "wax" on the baseplate in a lot of their old humbuckers. I own an Evo set with this black thingy

 

[Artie]

So, bare should be ground, Red would be "Hot", and White should be the coil split wire. But you should still get around 5.2k white to bare. That part doesn't make sense.

 

[switchman]

Found a better pic of the same model at a music shop in Brazil

With those readings my theory is Bare is ground and White is hot, but the meter is set too low on 20k range so it can't read it. Set it to 200K range and it should read 20.7K.

The two 10K+ readings are each coil.
5.2k is parallel out of phase​ (which will sound awful). Fingers crossed this pickup is good.

 

[hamerfan]

Found a better pic of the same model at a music shop in Brazil

With those readings my theory is Bare is ground and White is hot, but the meter is set too low on 20k range so it can't read it. Set it to 200K range and it should read 20.7K.

The two 10K+ readings are each coil.
5.2k is parallel out of phase​ (which will sound awful). Fingers crossed this pickup is good.

This is it!

 

[fretburner]

Found a better pic of the same model at a music shop in Brazil

With those readings my theory is Bare is ground and White is hot, but the meter is set too low on 20k range so it can't read it. Set it to 200K range and it should read 20.7K.

The two 10K+ readings are each coil.
5.2k is parallel out of phase​ (which will sound awful). Fingers crossed this pickup is good.

Amazing! This is why this forum is the best guitar forum on Earth!

zz0.3ieg6vjn9qszz

 

[Artie]

With those readings my theory is Bare is ground and White is hot, but the meter is set too low on 20k range so it can't read it. Set it to 200K range and it should read 20.7K.

I didn't even think of that. Cool beans.

:banghead:

 

[switchman]

Glad this worked out! I only thought it seeing the photo. My meter isn't ranged for resistance only DC voltage.

 

[Artie]

My meter isn't ranged for resistance only DC voltage.

My Fluke auto-ranges, so I haven't even thought of range setting for a long time.

 

[fretburner]

My Fluke auto-ranges, so I haven't even thought of range setting for a long time.

That's pro level gear right there. I couldn't justify buying a Fluke or Sanwa I just don't do electronics that much.

 

[Artie]

That's pro level gear right there.

It was one of my great flea-market scores. Me and a friend used to hit one of the big Jax flea-markets every weekend. We'd get there early to get first dibs. This older woman had a bunch of test equipment. I think she may have bought out a storage place. I think I snagged this Fluke for $20 - $30. Snagged a cool Hewlett-Packard signal generator for another $20 - $30, and a super deluxe transistor tester for even a little less.

It was a good flea-market day.