Wiring diagram for Texas Specials

[noiseordinance]

Hey there. I have an American Special that came with Texas Specials, and the previous owner removed them. I'm thinking about putting the back in, but can't seem to find a wiring diagram. The guitar currently has a 3 way switch installed, for what it's worth. Anyone have any pointers?

 

[Staggerlee666]

This is a good start:image removed

 

[noiseordinance]

This is a good start:image removed

Is that your way of saying throw them out?

 

[Staggerlee666]

Sorry, didn't mean to be such an a**. I wasn't really impressed with the Texas Specials. What do you have in the guitar now?

How is the American Special different in terms of wiring from a Standard Strat? I would start here: http://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Original/10002/011-5602A_SISD.pdf

 

[SPUDCASTER]

Under the assumption that this is a Telecaster?

If both are two wire, a standard Tele wiring should do.

If the neck pickup has three wires, you can wire a 4 way switch for the series option.

If you want the series option and the neck pickup only has two wires. You will have to run a separate ground for the cover.

Any or all these wiring diagrams can be found at the Seymour Duncan site or just google "standard Telecaster wiring" and log on to images.

Good luck, have fun!

 

[sjtalon]

I'm thinkin' Tele


Blacks are ground, also the yellow neck lead goes to ground. So YOUR yellow bridge to switch, white neck to switch.

Diagram would be the way the switch is, just stay with however the pots and cap are.:

 

[parademe]

That's what I did. Almost. With this diagram you have the pickups wired in series in the middle position. So I just went for the regular wiring at the switch: neck, neck & bridge in parallel and bridge. I also put a treble bleed in there.
The schematic shown above was (just a copied slip of paper) what FMIC put in the box when I bought my Texas Specials.
I think they are great pickups.

 

[noiseordinance]

Thanks for the info, guys. And my bad, telecaster is correct.

I desoldered the prior pickups and am looking to solder in the Texas Specials. A few extra questions before starting. There are currently two caps wired to the tone pot (one that is tiny, labeled Y5U 104M and bridges two posts, and another that is larger and labeled Z5U 203M that grounds the third post). Most diagrams I see only have the single cap that is used to ground the third post. Additionally, you can see that my 3-way selector is wired differently than the one in the Texas Special diagram above.

Should I just desolder everything as currently wired, and wire as closely as possible to the Texas Special diagram above?

I've attached a few photos of the current setup. Thanks!

 

[sjtalon]

I would just wire the three neck leads and the two bridge leads as you see them on the diagram I posted, keeping it regular tele 3 way., and check that the jumpers are correct as well.

So you only have two leads to go to the switch, then ground the other three to the back of the vol. pot.

If you want to go easy route on your grounds, that being not have to mess with soldering on a pot and ruining it, cut that black jumper about 1 inch up from the vol. pot, strip it some, and solder all your grounds to it, then tape it up good. Snip the other end of it (the black wire) on the tone pot as close to the solder as you can. There is no reason/need for those two pots to be jumpered together like that. Not to mention it is a sad looking solder job.



Somebody did a grease bucket to your tone pot ( not that that is a bad thing or anything to do with a pup swap:

 

[sjtalon]

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/12311-mod-garage-the-fender-greasebucket-tone-circuit

 

[Tuxedo Poly]

Maybe stick with the Fender American Special Telecaster diagram. Greasebucket in all its glory.

 

[noiseordinance]

Thanks for the reply, guys! I think I'll just keep the grease bucket and roll with the diagram in the American standard wiring above. Last question; it appears that my tele only has one ground screw attached to the bottom of the control cavity, but does not have one at the bottom of the pickup cavity. Is that ok to bypass?

 

[dobrojoe]

I just removed my Texas specials and put a pair of Vintage in. Much prefer them. The pole stagger on the Texas Specials were giving me loud 3rd and 4th strings and a very weak 1st. The Vintage set have pole pieces that are the same height and give a much better string balance and a warmer tone. Now that found the joys of four and five-way switching, I couldn't go back to three-way. I have the control cavity and the pick-up cavities lined with self-adhesive copper shielding plus the underside of the pickguard - all grounded to the volume control casing.

 

[noiseordinance]

I just removed my Texas specials and put a pair of Vintage in. Much prefer them. The pole stagger on the Texas Specials were giving me loud 3rd and 4th strings and a very weak 1st. The Vintage set have pole pieces that are the same height and give a much better string balance and a warmer tone. Now that found the joys of four and five-way switching, I couldn't go back to three-way. I have the control cavity and the pick-up cavities lined with self-adhesive copper shielding plus the underside of the pickguard - all grounded to the volume control casing.

I actually have my heart set on a Twisted Tele neck / Broadcaster bridge combo. The Texas Specials would just be temporary (my guitar came with Noiseless N3 in neck and bridge, which sound terrible, but also included the original Texas Specials). I have both the noiseless and Texas Specials on Craigslist, and once sold, will get my ideal set. I'm think the Texas Specials will sound good enough for now though. *fingers crossed*

 

[GuitarKaos]

View attachment 405626
That's what I did. Almost. With this diagram you have the pickups wired in series in the middle position. So I just went for the regular wiring at the switch: neck, neck & bridge in parallel and bridge. I also put a treble bleed in there.
The schematic shown above was (just a copied slip of paper) what FMIC put in the box when I bought my Texas Specials.
I think they are great pickups.

THANK YOU!!! Just picked up a MIM Tele from my local shop down here in AL, and it came with Texas Specials with the WORST wiring job I have ever seen.. WHAT this individual was thinking, I don't know... Middle postion was out of phase, etc.... I have a feeling they sold it just because of that... Horrible sound when they shared...

Anyway.. Just wanted to say thanks, AND ask a quick question.... Do you remember the values on the treble bleed circuit?? (and was it with both the cap and resistor?)... I ask because I have caps and resistors for a setup that is WONDERFUL with a LP and PRS (with HB's), but stink with strats (w/single coils)...

Thanks guys (& ladies).... New to the site and loving the info so far....

 

[parademe]

THANK YOU!!! Just picked up a MIM Tele from my local shop down here in AL, and it came with Texas Specials with the WORST wiring job I have ever seen.. WHAT this individual was thinking, I don't know... Middle postion was out of phase, etc.... I have a feeling they sold it just because of that... Horrible sound when they shared...

Anyway.. Just wanted to say thanks, AND ask a quick question.... Do you remember the values on the treble bleed circuit?? (and was it with both the cap and resistor?)... I ask because I have caps and resistors for a setup that is WONDERFUL with a LP and PRS (with HB's), but stink with strats (w/single coils)...

Thanks guys (& ladies).... New to the site and loving the info so far....

For the treble bleed I went with the kinman design:
130k resistor and a 0.001 uF ceramic disc capacitor in series.
I also tried different values and the parallel versions but this one worked best for me.
And welcome to the forum

 

[GuitarKaos]

For the treble bleed I went with the kinman design:
130k resistor and a 0.001 uF ceramic disc capacitor in series.
I also tried different values and the parallel versions but this one worked best for me.
And welcome to the forum

Thank you for the info... I will def give those values a shot...

 

[TxSpecial86]

I just removed my Texas specials and put a pair of Vintage in. Much prefer them. The pole stagger on the Texas Specials were giving me loud 3rd and 4th strings and a very weak 1st. The Vintage set have pole pieces that are the same height and give a much better string balance and a warmer tone. Now that found the joys of four and five-way switching, I couldn't go back to three-way. I have the control cavity and the pick-up cavities lined with self-adhesive copper shielding plus the underside of the pickguard - all grounded to the volume control casing.

Ah man, you just have to get them at the right height. you have to get the plain strings a little further away but the bass side closer, opposite of what you would think. And its made for a 9 inch radius as well. The shape of the old nuts.

 

[ProFenderTexan]

Hello, Telecaster players and fixers...

Tele-Luthiers, I am installing a 4 way + s-1 switch in my telecaster in an attempt to create a Baja Telecaster. I have Texas Specials Telecaster pickups. Really dig the pickups and I second TxSpecial86's comment on getting the height right.

Now, I am wondering about the coloring differences on the pickups.

Left diagram is my Texas Specials pickups. Neck PU shows White, Black, Yellow (Ground).

Right diagram is the classic baja tele wiring diagram. Note it uses Yellow and Black wires Neck PU seem to be the signals and Green goes to GND.

So, process of elimination and utilizing my basic EE degree from 25 ish years ago tells me (to ask a friend) Black is black signal, Yellow/Green are grownd, white/yellow are the signal.

If someone could confirm or set me straight, I'd much appreciate!

 

[sjtalon]

Baja neck- GREEN cover ground, BLACK COIL negative, Yellow COIL positive.

TS neck-Yellow is cover ground, Black is coil negative, and White is coil positive.

TS bridge, Black is to ground, yellow coil positive (to sel switch)