Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

[boogs5150]

So I bought a SSS 2007 American Strat and wanted to convert it to HSS. I bought a complete set of Texas Specials and a TB-4. I installed them as directed (Neck, Middle (reverse wound) and the JB like the Duncan diagram so I can have a split coil in position 2. Black wire was going to hot, red/white soldered to the 2nd tab down on the right side of the switch, and green/bare to ground. Everything worked fine except the position two which was awful sounding.

So I reversed the black and green and it sounded much better but the screwed part of the pickup was active and I wanted the north/inner/slug side to be active a.k.a the inner pickup closest to the middle pickup). I now have it hooked up with the White wire going to HOT, Green/Black going to the 2nd tab down on the right part of the switch, and finally red/bare wire to the ground and I do have that slug side of the pickup working with the middle now but I have no hum cancelling in position two and I am also wondering if the pickup is in series or parallel? I would like it in series. I am just wondering if I have it hooked up correctly? The humbucker works pretty good but i almost think it was meatier when I had the screwed side active instead of the slug side of the pickup.

 

[gregory]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

You need to flip the magnet in the JB and go back to the standard SD wiring: black hot, green ground, red/white taken to ground for splitting to the slug coil.

Alternately, you can swap the neck and middle pickups and keep the JB magnet orientation stock and the wiring as you have it: white hot, red ground, black/green.

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

So do I have an issue with it hooked up now? Is it in parallel instead of series? Sorry I do not know anything about the mechanics of pickups or wiring, I am just flipping wires around and reading around on the forums for suggestions.

 

[gregory]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

You don't have it in parallel. You nailed the wiring, actually. I didn't want to bother you with anything other than what you need to do to make it work.

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

I will swap the magnet tonight with a little help from Youtube (haha) but I am curious what is wrong with my wiring now? Just trying to understand it a bit. Thanks for the help Greg!

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

I guess what I am asking is if I flip the magnet in the JB and go back to the Duncan wiring (Black to HOT, red/white together, and bare/green to ground) will I have hum cancelling in position 2? And also the slug coil will be active instead of the screw?

 

[gregory]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

Yes and yes.

...or you swap the neck and middle and leave the JB as you said you last wired it. This is the easiest if you have the lead length to do it.

Please re-read my first reply:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...xas-Specials&p=4148033&viewfull=1#post4148033

If you reverse the wiring (red<->green, black<->white) to address the phase issue you also need to reverse the order of the coils if you want to make the slug coil active by taking the coil junction to ground. Flipping the magnet without reversing the wiring also fixes the phase issue. Hum is cancelled when you combine a North and a South coil in phase, hence the mag flip or neck/middle swap.

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

I mean I can use it the way it is but I prefer to do it right and take your advice and have all positions working as they are designed. I will flip the magnet and go back to original Duncan wiring.

 

[gregory]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

I like hum cancelling when it can be done without sacrificing the tones I want.

I take it the lead length on the middle pickup is too short to put it in the neck position?

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

No actually all the wiring is there. I cut the JB wire short though. I guess I prefer the Neck where it is supposed to be and middle pickup. I want to do this right you know? I just didn't know how without your help. Will the JB sound different with the magnet flipped?

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

Thread was accidentally closed. Here is Gregory's response:

I'd be extremely surprised if your neck and middle weren't exactly the same except for one being RW/RP. You can always measure the DCR of each.

Flipping a magnet will not affect the tone.

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

GREG: Flipping the magnet does not change the way the wires are attached to the coils. Unless your JB is defective, the white and black are connected to the slug coil. When pairing with Fender pickups a stock Duncan with standard stock Duncan wiring is out of phase. Flipping the magnet and leaving the wiring alone reverses the phase and the polarity. Reversing the wiring and leaving the magnet alone reverses only the phase.

When you swap only the green and black, no only were you reversing the phase, you also reversed the order of the coils, hence the screw coil (green and red) was active when the red/white pair was connected to ground.

I think I said all this already in your thread, though.

 

[boogs5150]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

Greg, I would like to thank you for your advice. I took the JB out and flipped the magnet and put the wiring back to the original Duncan wiring in their split diagram and I now have it working properly. Thank you for your insight!

 

[gregory]

Re: Question about my JB wiring with Texas Specials

Cool, glad it worked out!