Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

C

ChrisJoyeMusic

New member
I’m trying to wire a set of P90 rails into my Strat using the most basic diagram in the sheet - 1 volume and 1 tone for both sounds.. The problem I’m stuck at is I’m using a 3-way Fender style blade with 8 pins, not a Gibson style switch.
The instructions I have give no indication as to what I need to solder or jumper to on the 3-way blade and I can’t find any good suggestions on Google.
Can someone draw a sketch real quick for me?!

5FA747A6-D63B-4BF2-BBBD-90EE28FA7C8C.jpg352C0987-B816-40A9-8762-2460E6906FE2.jpg
 
Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Howdy, just think of it as a tele.

Grounds to pot, hot to the switch:

b894232106276e5801391e9f94c6cffb.jpg


In your case the hot ones are the two black wires on the top push pull that go to the switch. Makes sense?
 
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Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Blille said:
Howdy, just think of it as a tele.

Grounds to pot, hot to the switch:

b894232106276e5801391e9f94c6cffb.jpg


In your case the hot ones are the two black wires on the top push pull that go to the switch. Makes sense?
Click to expand...

Hm, sort of. So, in my picture for the P90s, the black wires go to the Volume pot, to the bottom 2 pins each side of the 6-pin block (forgive my lack of knowledgeable part names here). And in your Tele pic, the two black wires look like the ground wires that go to the ground wire solder blob on the bottom of the pot. Are you saying to use the black wires of my P90s to go to their respective pins on the 6-pin block and then jumper connect to the pins on my 3-way blade like the white wires would on the Tele diagram?
Thanks!
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

ChrisJoyeMusic said:
Hm, sort of. So, in my picture for the P90s, the black wires go to the Volume pot, to the bottom 2 pins each side of the 6-pin block (forgive my lack of knowledgeable part names here). And in your Tele pic, the two black wires look like the ground wires that go to the ground wire solder blob on the bottom of the pot. Are you saying to use the black wires of my P90s to go to their respective pins on the 6-pin block and then jumper connect to the pins on my 3-way blade like the white wires would on the Tele diagram?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

That's it.

Feel free to post pics as you do it or if you get in trouble.
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Why not use Triple Shot rings on each of the P-Rails and do away with the push/pull switches? You will have more alternative coil combinations and, in my opinion, much simpler use.
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

GuitarDoc said:
Why not use Triple Shot rings on each of the P-Rails and do away with the push/pull switches? You will have more alternative coil combinations and, in my opinion, much simpler use.
Click to expand...

It's a strat.
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Mincer said:
Someone did it:

View attachment 94479
Click to expand...

Somebody somewhere has thought of something to try to something.

Anyway, another noob question - which capacitor should I use? I have a leftover David Allen 0.047 and another "standard"-ish (?) one laying around. I'm using 500k pots. (not sure why these keep coming in sideways, not sideways on my computer).

image1.jpg
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

The .047 might be a bit dark.....but give it a shot anyhow. Usually .022 is about right for the p90 or rail, and even less like .001 for a neck slot.
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Blille said:
That's it.

Feel free to post pics as you do it or if you get in trouble.
Click to expand...

@Billie - I'm in trouble! What is the wire coming off the far side of the Gibson style switch in relation to the Tele 3-way switch? Because that wire goes to the solder blob on the back of the tone pot, but in the Tele 3-way diagram, not sure which that would be.

I think I have everything under control besides that, it looks like hell though. Lots of wires!!
Thanks

IMG_E1884.jpg
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

ChrisJoyeMusic said:
@Billie - I'm in trouble! What is the wire coming off the far side of the Gibson style switch in relation to the Tele 3-way switch? Because that wire goes to the solder blob on the back of the tone pot, but in the Tele 3-way diagram, not sure which that would be.

I think I have everything under control besides that, it looks like hell though. Lots of wires!!
Thanks

View attachment 94508
Click to expand...

That wire goes to ground.
 
Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

ChrisJoyeMusic said:
@Billie - I'm in trouble! What is the wire coming off the far side of the Gibson style switch in relation to the Tele 3-way switch? Because that wire goes to the solder blob on the back of the tone pot, but in the Tele 3-way diagram, not sure which that would be.

I think I have everything under control besides that, it looks like hell though. Lots of wires!!
Thanks
Click to expand...
Gtrjunior said:
That wire goes to ground.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is ground.

I think you should be fine then. You have some kind of foil in your pickguard?

Also, you should have a ground wire from the trem claw.
 
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Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Blille said:
Yes, that is ground.

I think you should be fine then. You have some kind of foil in your pickguard?

Also, you should have a ground wire from the trem claw.
Click to expand...

So you're all saying just forget that wire? Because there is already a wire in the P90 diagram coming from the bridge ground (yes I have one). And the Tele diagram doesn't have a ground wire to the switch (I don't think).
Thanks!
 
Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

The switch in a Tele is theoretically grounded with the plate which is in contact with the shell of the pots. Since you’re in a strat I guess the same can happen with the foil but to be sure, ground the switch.

You can sand the side of the switch a bit.
 
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Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

ChrisJoyeMusic said:
Thanks @Billie, and yes, I have foil on the pick guard.
Click to expand...

Hi
Well I got it all wired up and back together mostly... I'm getting some nasty crackling on the push-pull knobs when clicking them up or down and moving them. I suspect this is bad pots? I had them in a friend's pile of stuff I got from him, so they certainly could be bad. UGH. Tried to save some cash and now wasted 10 hours of soldering 30 wires. I guess I should get some new pots??
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

ChrisJoyeMusic said:
Hi
Well I got it all wired up and back together mostly... I'm getting some nasty crackling on the push-pull knobs when clicking them up or down and moving them. I suspect this is bad pots? I had them in a friend's pile of stuff I got from him, so they certainly could be bad. UGH. Tried to save some cash and now wasted 10 hours of soldering 30 wires. I guess I should get some new pots??
Click to expand...

Oh man, that sucks. But how about the sounds/wiring, it is working as intended?

Re the noise -
Do they crackle when you just turn up/down the volume or tone or only when you wiggle them?
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

Blille said:
Oh man, that sucks. But how about the sounds/wiring, it is working as intended?

Re the noise -
Do they crackle when you just turn up/down the volume or tone or only when you wiggle them?
Click to expand...

Crackle both when wiggled and adjusted up/down.
Also, the bridge position seems quite thinner than the other 2 positions. Not entirely sure what the push/pull engages or disengages. But everything does something, at least.
 
Re: Need wiring help for P90 Rails set

ChrisJoyeMusic said:
Crackle both when wiggled and adjusted up/down.
Also, the bridge position seems quite thinner than the other 2 positions. Not entirely sure what the push/pull engages or disengages. But everything does something, at least.
Click to expand...

Well, that does sound at least like a dirty pot. You could try to clean them up or replace.

Well, sounds like a good start if there are no major buzzes or lack of sound. :)

The bridge should be powerful. It may be that only the rails is engaged instead of the P90. To verify what the push pull does you can tap lightly on each coil to see when they turn on/off.
 
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