Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!? :(

[ImmortalGizmo]

Hello all,

Normally I've been fairly used to wiring single coil pickups into my stratocasters, but with this guitar I am officially stumped.

Few months ago I got this Peavey 'Generation EXP' Telecaster with 2 single coils, and 1 humbucker at the bridge. Here is a link to the very same guitar I have-

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/peavey-generation-exp-guitar

So this is what it looks like all assembled-

The guitar plays beautifully and works great for a backup axe during a gig, only thing I wasn't happy with was the stock humbucker. I purchased this "JB" humbucker, and even with the instructional diagrams I just can't figure out where all these wires need to be soldered to. Earlier this evening when I disassembled the guitar I assumed it would be an easy "put this wire where the old one was" type thing- not the case.

Here are two pictures showing the current stock humbucker that is still attached, and another picture of the JB itself with it's 5 wires. I've looked all over YouTube and other places and can't seem to find any tutorials on this particular setup. Could someone possibly guide me in the right direction or tell me the best way to wire this new humbucker up? Thanks in advance!

(as you'll see the current humbucker is attached with the yellow wire, and is then soldered onto a few separate points on the selector switch)



(pic of the new humbucker that i need wired inside)

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

A close-up of the switch would be helpful. I'm assuming the stock humbucker has only two leads coming out of the yellow shielding; a bare and an insulated?

I'll take a stab though:

On your JB, solder red and white together. Solder green and bare together. Solder black to where the insulated wire from the stock humbucker attaches to the pole of the switch. Solder the green/bare to wherever the bare from the stock pickup is attached, which can really be anywhere metal but probably part of the switch itself. If you have a weird phase issue, reverse black and green.

 

[ImmortalGizmo]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

Hi! Thanks very much for the prompt response. I just snapped a pic as close to the 5-way switch as possible. If a closer up pic with a flash would help better let me know! So to answer your question about how the current stock humbucker is wired - There are 3 white wires, and one 'bare' wire coming out of the yellow wire you see coming straight from the stock humbucker. The 3 wires are soldered into the last 3 slots on the switch, whereas the bare wire is soldered to a glob of other solder with the red & blue wires from the other pickups etc..

So assuming this picture gives you a better idea of what I'm working with, where do you suggest now all the wires from the new JB humbucker solder to? I basically just want to cleanly remove this old humbucker wires and re-apply a better solder job on the pots and make sure these new wires are done properly as well of course. Thanks again for your help!

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

It's somewhat tough to tell, but only one of those gray wires comes from the yellow shielding; the others should actually come out of the red and blue (middle and neck) pickups. Your pickup hot should be the left-most gray/white, and you should be able to tie green/bare to the blob of ground.

 

[ImmortalGizmo]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

Please excuse my ignorance, but after pulling apart the wires more I now see that you're exactly right there is only the one wire plus the bare wire coming from the yellow shielding. For some reason at first it seemed like it had 3 wires coming from it, but I understand exactly what you mean now about it being connected to the left most spot to solder and then the bare wire goes into the blob with the others..

The only thing I'm still confused on is now since I basically only have 2 points to solder- which of these 5 wires from the new JB humbucker are going to fuse together and connect to my selector switch? and which ones should I tie off for the blob (ground) spot? :?:

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

Green and Bare - Ground
Red/White - Solder together, wrap tape around them
Black - Where the gray wire from the bridge humbucker attached

Again if you have a phase issue (bright, clucky tone) with combined pickups, reverse green and black. If you have a multimeter there are ways to tell before-hand whether you're in phase but it's easy enough to just test it and reverse if required.

 

[ImmortalGizmo]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

I just finished soldering it all up and it works the original way you described with no phase!! Sorry again for the confusion with the "3 wires" thing, I should have had a closer look- thanks again for the quick help have a great night sir!

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Wiring "JB Humbucker" into Peavey Generation EXP - PLEASE Help!?

Glad it worked! Hope you like the JB.