JB SH-4 into a Strat... help

[Nintari]

I need some help. I bought a Seymour Duncan Jb SH-4 for the bridge of my American Standard Strat (it's a 96). I've already got everything screwed in and installed, but I haven't soldered anything yet because I'm having trouble finding definitive instructions on how to do so. My guitar has a 5-way switch, and all I want to do is wire it so the neck and middle pickups stay the same and the humbucker is isolated. So basically, I want the pickup switch to be position 1=neck, position 2=neck/middle, position 3=middle, pos 4=nothing, position 5=humbucker.

Anyone with any knowledge on this? I just need to know which color wire gets soldered where. I can pretty much do the rest from there.

 

[ARandall]

Unless you buy a superswitch, this is beyond the capabilities of what you can get.
The typical 5 way works by connecting the 3 pick-up lugs to the output common lug. In positions 2 and 4 (and position 1 is bridge not neck) all that is happening is 2 of the pick-up lugs are simultaneously connecting to the common. It is beyond possibility for either or both lugs suddenly to be connected to no pickup just by moving the switch.

 

[Nintari]

Unless you buy a superswitch, this is beyond the capabilities of what you can get.
The typical 5 way works by connecting the 3 pick-up lugs to the output common lug. In positions 2 and 4 (and position 1 is bridge not neck) all that is happening is 2 of the pick-up lugs are simultaneously connecting to the common. It is beyond possibility for either or both lugs suddenly to be connected to no pickup just by moving the switch.

Well, at least now I know I've been saying it backwards since... forever? lol

So what do you recommend me doing?

 

[ARandall]

Why not have position 4 just as normal. You could even have the bridge auto split. I mean it seems odd you wanting nothing for position 4....I mean you can equally not select that position if you don't like it.

 

[Rocco Crocco]

Position 4 with a JB Jr in my Strat sounds awful. Harsh and piercing. I can understand why the OP does not want that sound. I just don't use position 4 when I play that guitar.

 

[dcomiskey]

You do know that Seymour Duncan has about 1000 wiring diagrams on their site, right?

Strat Wiring Diagram | Seymour Duncan

The world's largest selection of free guitar wiring diagrams. Humbucker, Strat, Tele, Bass and more!

www.seymourduncan.com

 

[Nintari]

You do know that Seymour Duncan has about 1000 wiring diagrams on their site, right?

Strat Wiring Diagram | Seymour Duncan

The world's largest selection of free guitar wiring diagrams. Humbucker, Strat, Tele, Bass and more!

www.seymourduncan.com

Yes, but this is my first time opening up a guitar and the diagram I have from there was confusing. So I was hoping someone in here wish years of experience could just simplify it for me. You know, something like green to volume pot, black to tone pot etc. etc. sort of thing.

 

[Nintari]

Why not have position 4 just as normal. You could even have the bridge auto split. I mean it seems odd you wanting nothing for position 4....I mean you can equally not select that position if you don't like it.

I've never done anything like this before and wanted the most simple, most strait-forward configuration. I didn't think that was possible with a split.

But to be honest, I don't really want the humbucker TO split. I just wanted my Strat to work the exact same way as it did before, only with a humbucker in the bridge.

 

[CB91710]

Why not have position 4 just as normal. You could even have the bridge auto split. I mean it seems odd you wanting nothing for position 4....I mean you can equally not select that position if you don't like it.

I think the auto-split would also require a Superswitch.

The first thing that comes to mind for a "dead" position 2 is a kill/stutter switch.

 

[Nintari]

I think the auto-split would also require a Superswitch.

The first thing that comes to mind for a "dead" position 2 is a kill/stutter switch.

I don't really need any position to be dead. I'd be fine if the 2 position was the humbucker and middle together. I mean, I wouldn't use it, but I'd be fine with it being wired up that way. The only reason I said I wanted it dead was because I knew I wouldn't be using it and plus, I didn't even think it was possible without some wizardry which is beyond my skills.

 

[CB91710]

Ahh... That makes it easy.
Join the red and white together and insulate.
Connect the green and bare to the back of the volume pot, connect the black to the selector.

Worst case, the Duncan is out of phase with the middle pickup, but you won't be using that position anyways.

 

[ARandall]

^ Might actually make it usable, given the OOP effect will be lesser due to the pickups being mismatched in output.

OP - you're probably already aware, but you'll have a massive volume/drive/tonal imbalance between the JB and every other position. Plus the hum thing.

 

[Nintari]

Ahh... That makes it easy.
Join the red and white together and insulate.
Connect the green and bare to the back of the volume pot, connect the black to the selector.

Worst case, the Duncan is out of phase with the middle pickup, but you won't be using that position anyways.

Thanks! Sounds easy enough. I'll give it a go and we'll see how it turns out.

 

[Nintari]

Ahh... That makes it easy.
Join the red and white together and insulate.
Connect the green and bare to the back of the volume pot, connect the black to the selector.

Worst case, the Duncan is out of phase with the middle pickup, but you won't be using that position anyways.

Well, I did what you said and it was a success... so far. I didn't have lead-based solder, and the joints I made were pretty shaky. I kept wishing I had a third hand the entire time I was doing it because of the whole how-do-I-hold-soldering-iron-the-solder-and-the-wire-at-the-same-freakin-time thing... but I improvised using a pair of spare plies to hold the wire in place and got it done. Now I just have to see if the joints will hold up over time.

One thing of note though: I couldn't find my roll of electrical tape and thus, left the red and white wire soldered but exposed. Is that going to be an issue?

 

[ARandall]

Almost certainly yes....in a strat where you're stuffing everything together.
Any tape will do in the short term. But electricians is made for electrical non-conductivity.

 

[moreles]

Nintari, do your homework. There's no short-cutting to wiring -- it's either done right or it screws up -- and there are innumerable really good options, particularly with a superswitch. Wiring diagrams are not confusing -- they're absolutely clear, and they exist because they are the best way to show the cirrect conbnections. I am a normal person with normal wiring skills, and have done innumerable custom wirings, all kinds of PUs, in Strat-style guitars. You research the right diagram for you, and you carefully do the job. If you can't solder well, you practice until you can. My favoriote is the Bad Ronald Swiss Chsse wiring (I think that's the name) that used to be posted on the Dimarzio site. I don't mean to be a nagging grandma, but what you're asking for already exists. If you can sucker someone kinder soul here to write it all out like Siri giving directions to a Burger Kind 500 miles away, great, but just get the diagram, work out the wiribng colors (may need a conversion chart) and do it. IMO, of course.

 

[Skyjerk]

Well, I did what you said and it was a success... so far. I didn't have lead-based solder, and the joints I made were pretty shaky. I kept wishing I had a third hand the entire time I was doing it because of the whole how-do-I-hold-soldering-iron-the-solder-and-the-wire-at-the-same-freakin-time thing... but I improvised using a pair of spare plies to hold the wire in place and got it done. Now I just have to see if the joints will hold up over time.

One thing of note though: I couldn't find my roll of electrical tape and thus, left the red and white wire soldered but exposed. Is that going to be an issue?

I couldnt solder worth a damn first time I tried. Globs of solder everywhere, burnt wires, lots of swearing, and connections coming apart with a light tug afterward.

Practice makes it a lot easier. Simple tips like tinning your connections ahead of time make things WAY easier, not to mention not trying to get by with a 10 dollar, 25 watt iron and solder thats too thick for the job you're doing.

Take your time, read/watch some tutorials, have the right gear and supplies, practice, and then do it on your guitar.

 

[CB91710]

Well... I'm not telling you to do this, but when I need a 3rd hand, I feed the solder holding it in my lips.

 

[Nintari]

Almost certainly yes....in a strat where you're stuffing everything together.
Any tape will do in the short term. But electricians is made for electrical non-conductivity.

All right. I guess I'll just open it back up and stick some regular tape on around it for now, and then when I get around to the store for some electrical tape, go back in and do it right.

Nintari, do your homework. There's no short-cutting to wiring -- it's either done right or it screws up -- and there are innumerable really good options, particularly with a superswitch. Wiring diagrams are not confusing -- they're absolutely clear, and they exist because they are the best way to show the cirrect conbnections. I am a normal person with normal wiring skills, and have done innumerable custom wirings, all kinds of PUs, in Strat-style guitars. You research the right diagram for you, and you carefully do the job. If you can't solder well, you practice until you can. My favoriote is the Bad Ronald Swiss Chsse wiring (I think that's the name) that used to be posted on the Dimarzio site. I don't mean to be a nagging grandma, but what you're asking for already exists. If you can sucker someone kinder soul here to write it all out like Siri giving directions to a Burger Kind 500 miles away, great, but just get the diagram, work out the wiribng colors (may need a conversion chart) and do it. IMO, of course.

I feel like this is the internet message board equivalent of tough love lol. But I understand what you're saying, and I fully intend to do as much studying up on soldiering as I can before talking it again.

I couldnt solder worth a damn first time I tried. Globs of solder everywhere, burnt wires, lots of swearing, and connections coming apart with a light tug afterward.

Practice makes it a lot easier. Simple tips like tinning your connections ahead of time make things WAY easier, not to mention not trying to get by with a 10 dollar, 25 watt iron and solder thats too thick for the job you're doing.

Take your time, read/watch some tutorials, have the right gear and supplies, practice, and then do it on your guitar.

Yeah, I told myself I was going to practice on some junk electronics I have laying around first... but I just couldn't wait any longer. Since I had already put the pick guard together, the guitar was just sitting there, humbucker installed and staring at me like... come on buddy... lets do this! lol I totally caved. Thankfully though, I managed to just barely get through it. Next time I'll definitely be more prepared for sure.

Well... I'm not telling you to do this, but when I need a 3rd hand, I feed the solder holding it in my lips.

Do you also growl the opening line to Iron Man while doing it?

 

[ARandall]

If you can buy heatshrink this is better than tape.

Its just that tape is usually the easier thing for people to have hanging around.