Need Wiring Help

Danny Steel · June 29th, 2008, 11:00 PM

Hello Fellow Tele-ites,

I just finished yet another Tele from parts bought and found and am having trouble with the pickup wiring. I have a Fender Alnico 3 pickup in the bridge position and an original 1959 Fender Musicmaster pickup in the neck position.
I wired them the way I have done with several other Teles - it's the schematic shown under wiring on the TDPRI wiring page.

The problem is that the neck pickup is activated when switched, the bridge pickup ditto, but when I go to the middle position only the bridge pickups comes on. Is it possible that the old Musicmaster pickup is reverse wound and them when both pickups are on the bridge cancels the neck ?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Danny

braderrick · June 30th, 2008, 02:38 AM

I'd check the switch. With the switch in the middle position trace the contact lug that goes to the neck pickup. Sometimes the lug isn't quite making contact with the swiper. I've seen it several times in Stew Mac switches. Just move the switch to a different position and gently press that lug down so that it will get a good connection with the swiper and try it again.

Danny Steel · June 30th, 2008, 01:57 PM

Yes Dr,

You are indeed a wizard - a true star. That was exactly the problem. The tag that should be under the switch when the neck pickup is selected was flying 1/16" in the air. Can't quite figure why the pickup would still work by itself but not with the bridge pickup. Anyway everything is now hunky dory. You've never heard a Telecaster until you've played one with a 50 year-old scatter-wound pickup. It's soooooooo inviting.

Thanks again,

Danny

"So until my ship comes in I'll live night by night."

braderrick · June 30th, 2008, 07:18 PM

Hmmm glad it worked. If you weren't on the other side of the country I'd hit ya up to let me play that thing as a reward.

June 29th, 2008, 11:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
Danny Steel NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Penn Valley, CA Age: 53 Posts: 4	Need Wiring Help Hello Fellow Tele-ites, I just finished yet another Tele from parts bought and found and am having trouble with the pickup wiring. I have a Fender Alnico 3 pickup in the bridge position and an original 1959 Fender Musicmaster pickup in the neck position. I wired them the way I have done with several other Teles - it's the schematic shown under wiring on the TDPRI wiring page. The problem is that the neck pickup is activated when switched, the bridge pickup ditto, but when I go to the middle position only the bridge pickups comes on. Is it possible that the old Musicmaster pickup is reverse wound and them when both pickups are on the bridge cancels the neck ? Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks, Danny

June 30th, 2008, 01:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
Danny Steel NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Penn Valley, CA Age: 53 Posts: 4	The Tele-Meister, Tele-Rama, Tele-Thon, Tele-Riffic... Yes Dr, You are indeed a wizard - a true star. That was exactly the problem. The tag that should be under the switch when the neck pickup is selected was flying 1/16" in the air. Can't quite figure why the pickup would still work by itself but not with the bridge pickup. Anyway everything is now hunky dory. You've never heard a Telecaster until you've played one with a 50 year-old scatter-wound pickup. It's soooooooo inviting. Thanks again, Danny "So until my ship comes in I'll live night by night."

June 30th, 2008, 02:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
braderrick Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 25 Posts: 448	I'd check the switch. With the switch in the middle position trace the contact lug that goes to the neck pickup. Sometimes the lug isn't quite making contact with the swiper. I've seen it several times in Stew Mac switches. Just move the switch to a different position and gently press that lug down so that it will get a good connection with the swiper and try it again.

June 30th, 2008, 07:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
braderrick Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 25 Posts: 448	Hmmm glad it worked. If you weren't on the other side of the country I'd hit ya up to let me play that thing as a reward.