Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

[PoorMan]

Encountered some Duncan pickups that were wired oddly from the factory (Edwards Les Paul). Both pickups were wired:

* red/white connected (fine)
* black hot (fine)
* HERE'S THE WEIRD ONE...green/bare connected, taped off, but not grounded. I would have expected this to cause problems, but they worked fine wired this way.

Thoughts?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

Could you make a diagram? From what you're telling me, it sounds like it's probably only operating as a single coil right now.

Edit: The above relies upon the red and white being connected to something to ground it, is this so?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

is the baseplate grounding to something? there needs to be a closed circuit or there is no sound

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

Could you make a diagram? From what you're telling me, it sounds like it's probably only operating as a single coil right now.

Edit: The above relies upon the red and white being connected to something to ground it, is this so?

Red and white were connected so it should run as a humbucker...if grounded.

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

is the baseplate grounding to something? there needs to be a closed circuit or there is no sound

I suppose it had to be grounded somehow, but I didn't notice any other grounding. The guitar is put back together now so this one may have to remain a mystery. :scratchch

 

[gregory]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

Red and white are supposed to be connected together and taped off/isolated.

The green and bare should be connected to ground, and the black used for the hot lead (of course).

 

[Mincer]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

They were working fine? No issues? Both coils working?
I wonder if this is some sort of weird OEM choice to change the wire colors. I don't know...just guessing here.

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

They were working fine? No issues? Both coils working?
I wonder if this is some sort of weird OEM choice to change the wire colors. I don't know...just guessing here.

Yep, worked fine. Hopefully no change in wire color because I rewired it "normal" and grounded the green and bare. I guess I'll find out when I am done!

 

[Jacew]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

But doesn't the bare connect to the baseplate, grounding the pickup hardware?

Maybe it's a form of star grounding, where the green and bare connected together without ground prevents loop. And the ground wire to pickup metal is wired to somewhere else. Or even so that pickup legs provide the ground connection...?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

How many times do I have to say that group loops can't occur in an electric guitar? There's only one path to ground, so a loop cannot form. Ground loops can however form between amps and pedals.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Strange Duncan Pickup wiring

How many times do I have to say that group loops can't occur in an electric guitar? There's only one path to ground, so a loop cannot form. Ground loops can however form between amps and pedals.

I know that. People still do stupid wiring in their guitars because they think it matters... Just a possible reason here?