Pearly Gates + '59 = help

[muziqman]

I recently got an Ibanez RG321 Mahogany with the plan to replace the pups with a Pearly Gates in the bridge and a '59 in the neck, thinking that it would be an easy swap for the existing ibanez INF3 and INF4... long story short: How do I wire this thing up? The Pearly Gates was easy enough but the '59 is a single conductor pup.
what I have to work with:
2 humbuckers, 1 volume (500K), 1 tone (500K), 5-way switch.

 

[GoDrex]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

the wire is the hot (like the black wire on a 4 conductor) - the braided shield on the wire is the ground.

 

[muziqman]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

Yes I understand that, but how do I wire it to a 5-way switch ? you only have one hot wire and one ground.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

You're not going to be able to split a pickup that uses single conductor unless you open it up, get some 4 conductor wire, and rewire the individual bobbins for 4-conductor. It's not too difficult, but I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have much experience with that sort of thing. You can always send it to the duncan custom shop to have them convert it to 4 conductor (IDK how much it is though)

 

[muziqman]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

update:
so I did my best. The '59 works.. sort of... not all positions on the 5-way work. I really like the Pearly Gates, love the tone and higher output crunch. I do have issues with the '59 thou, sounds to bright/twangy for my taste. This might very likely be a wiring problem. If its not and this is the true tone of the pup I will probly get the Alnico II Pro to replace it. I'm looking for a warm, clean neck pup thats not muddy or twangy.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

I do have issues with the '59 thou, sounds to bright/twangy for my taste. This might very likely be a wiring problem. If its not and this is the true tone of the pup I will probly get the Alnico II Pro to replace it. I'm looking for a warm, clean neck pup thats not muddy or twangy.

The old advice here: "Work with what you have." Try a warmer magnet in your '59, like an A2 or A4. You may get out of this for only a few dollars, or you can go on a PU buying spree, and several hundred dollars later may not end up with anything you like better than what you have now. You can't judge a HB by the magnet that the manufacturer happened to put in it. There's 5 common alnico magnets, and each gives a PU a different EQ. Try a couple before you change out a PU.

Also a chance you're only getting one coil from the '59, so check for that.

 

[muziqman]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

more Updates:
so instead of running with what little knowledge I have, I took my guitar to a local tech who has been at it for eons it seems and he said that the twang of the '59 is most likely because it is out of phase. He also said that the Ibanez and Duncan wire/color schemes are totally different and unless I know how to decode it and know whats should go with what I'm basically soldering blindly (my words not his). So.. at a small cost ($30-40)I should have a great sounding guitar by saturday.

 

[GoDrex]

Re: Pearly Gates + '59 = help

the 59 is out of phase? But that would only matter when both pickups are on at the same time.