Help with Little 59 install - quick question

Hi friends, I bought a Little 59 off eBay and it has an extra wire soldered to the back. It's soldered to the bare wire that runs across the back of both metal strips and has resulted in the original wire nearly being broken - there's only about one strand of tiny wire remaining spanning the back of the pickup.
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/500/Little_59_solder.jpg

What would this wire have been for?

I found a good shot of what an original Little 59 should have looked like.
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/500/Little_59_original.jpg

is it safe to say that if I get out the soldering iron and make this used one's bare wire running across the back look just like the original photo above, it'll be right? I just don't know what the purpose of this wire is so looking for any advice.

Thanks in advance folks!
Rex

Looks like a safety ground for the strips. You should be able to solder it so you have a good electrical connection again.

You have to do that with some teles...I think to go to the ashtray

Resolder went fine. Thanks for the help guys. It now looks like the correct picture.
Rex

good deal !

Happy pickin'