First Time Build Wiring Question

[siin82]

I'll be starting my first build soon (week or so) - I'm building a guitar and a short scale bass (just got my necks from Warmoth - both are Wenge with Ziricote fingerboards - quite nice). Here are some specifics:

Guitar - P-90s (Lollar); 1 tone, 1 volume, 3 way toggle, Kill Switch, Hipshot bridge and tuners

Bass - Nordstrand Big Splits; 1 tone, 1 volume, 3 way toggle, Hipshot bridge and tuners

My plan was to use EMG no solder wiring kits (and kill switch) and then just cut and solder the ends that go to the pickups.

Has anybody every done this? I didn't get good info when I talked to EMG, but I read somewhere that the wiring may not work.

If I don't go that route, then I need a recommendation on pots and toggle switch - there are lots out there and don't know what to believe. For the input jack, I would use Switchcraft Deep Panel and for the kill switch Tesi IDO-XL-L.

Thoughts/opinions, please.

 

[stratamania]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

To answer your question(s) it/they need to be a little more specific as I am not sure what you are asking.

For a wiring question the wood, bridge and tuners, scale length don't come into it. So that leaves.

My plan was to use EMG no solder wiring kits (and kill switch) and then just cut and solder the ends that go to the pickups.

Has anybody every done this? I didn't get good info when I talked to EMG, but I read somewhere that the wiring may not work.

Why do you think you may need to cut and solder the ends of the EMG solderless system?

Perhaps we may be able to advise that you would not need to do so or give ideas for a better workaround.

If the wires really did need to be cut they would be cut at the ends that go to the controls and then you would need to use pots and switches of the correct values to wire things up if not using the connectors. But that also can be avoided and there is no reason if done correctly that it would not work.

Next, the other items which although you listed first seem to be a second option to EMGs.

If I don't go that route, then I need a recommendation on pots and toggle switch - there are lots out there and don't know what to believe. For the input jack, I would use Switchcraft Deep Panel and for the kill switch Tesi IDO-XL-L.

It would seem the EMG would be your preferred option so please provide more information on which set of EMGs and what you think the problem is that would prevent its use so we can focus on that one first.

Just for information, the jack is technically an output jack on a guitar.

Guitar - P-90s (Lollar); 1 tone, 1 volume, 3 way toggle, Kill Switch,

Bass - Nordstrand Big Splits; 1 tone, 1 volume, 3 way toggle,

In each case for the guitar and bass. I assume there are two pickups but it is not stated but what do you want the wiring to do?

Perhaps B, B+N, N and in the case of the guitar a kill switch.

If EMGs are your preference please provide the details of which set and what the challenge of using them is and I will advise on that first. 

 

[Rick]

Have you looked at the freeway switch brand?  They are worth a google search.

 

[stratamania]

Have you looked at the freeway switch brand?  They are worth a google search.

Rick, that does not address any potential question of the OP apart from as an alternative to a toggle switch. Let's try and find out first what the real ask is.

 

[rgand]

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to following your progress on both builds.

I've never used EMG no solder wiring kits. I like to do my own wiring. That said, if the wiring has to go through holes in the body, I like to use connectors so if anything has to come out, I can disconnect rather than start unsoldering. If that's the case with yours, I would think the connectors might help. That would depend on which body style(s) you choose or if you make your own, how you design them.

 

[siin82]

So, you're right - there were two questions:

1. EMG wiring kits are made for EMG pickups. Everything has connectors. That's great, but I'm not using EMG pickups. So, I was asking if anyone had used EMG's wiring kit with a non-EMG, non-active (passive) pickups.

2. If I don't go with EMG's wiring kit, I need pots, toggle switch, input jack and a kill switch. I have come to a decision on an input jack and kill switch. I was looking for advice on the pots and toggle switch.

I saw another post about freeway switches and it looked cool, but complicated. Why would I need a 6 way (or more than 3 way) switch. I don't understand how that even works.

By the way, I mentioned the other specs just to give a complete picture of what I was planning.

Thanks and sorry if my original post was not clear.

 

[siin82]

Have you looked at the freeway switch brand?  They are worth a google search.

Just looked these up again, don't see how they would work with P-90s (or the Big Splits) - seems like these switches are for humbuckers.

Am I wrong?

 

[stratamania]

So, you're right - there were two questions:

1. EMG wiring kits are made for EMG pickups. Everything has connectors. That's great, but I'm not using EMG pickups. So, I was asking if anyone had used EMG's wiring kit with a non-EMG, non-active (passive) pickups.

2. If I don't go with EMG's wiring kit, I need pots, toggle switch, input jack and a kill switch. I have come to a decision on an input jack and kill switch. I was looking for advice on the pots and toggle switch.

I saw another post about freeway switches and it looked cool, but complicated. Why would I need a 6 way (or more than 3 way) switch. I don't understand how that even works.

By the way, I mentioned the other specs just to give a complete picture of what I was planning.

Thanks and sorry if my original post was not clear.

No problem. The other parts, of course, are interesting and I would like to see how your build comes together. But was trying to get to the essence of what was being asked.

To answer the above.

1. EMG electronics, pots etc will not work with non-active pickups as the potentiometer values are very different.

2. Any decent pots from CTS / Emerson or the like. Lollar sells Emersons for example. You probably want 500K pots and on the guitar, you could also try a 250K in combination for the tone control if the 500K was too bright. A Switchcraft toggle switch will be a good choice.

The Freeway six-way toggle is not useful to use with P90s which are single coils as they are unable to split etc. The idea of them is to retrofit a 3-way toggle on a humbucker equipped guitar to give things such as series/parallel or split options in addition to the 3 usual positions.

If you are trying to avoid soldering there are places where you can buy wiring harnesses such as 920d Custom.

Hope that helps...

 

[drewfx]

EMG makes passive wiring kits as well. Basically the kits for EMG active PU's have 25K pots and the passive (HZ in EMG parlance) kits have 500K pots. The only way an active kit with 25K pots will work with passive PU's is if it's connected such that there's an active preamp/tone control between the PU and the pots.

 

[stratamania]

EMG makes passive wiring kits as well. Basically the kits for EMG active PU's have 25K pots and the passive (HZ in EMG parlance) kits have 500K pots. The only way an active kit with 25K pots will work with passive PU's is if it's connected such that there's an active preamp/tone control between the PU and the pots.

The HZ wiring kit is for passive humbuckers. The OP is planning to wire up single-coils at least in the guitar.

 

[siin82]

EMG makes passive wiring kits as well. Basically the kits for EMG active PU's have 25K pots and the passive (HZ in EMG parlance) kits have 500K pots. The only way an active kit with 25K pots will work with passive PU's is if it's connected such that there's an active preamp/tone control between the PU and the pots.

Just noticed the HZ kit says for humbuckers only - not going to work for P-90s, right?

JHZ kit is for bass. Here's the link - http://www.emgpickups.com/accessories/wiring-kits/wiring-kits/wiring-kit-jhz-set.html

Think that's going to work with Nordstrands?

 

[siin82]

So, you're right - there were two questions:

1. EMG wiring kits are made for EMG pickups. Everything has connectors. That's great, but I'm not using EMG pickups. So, I was asking if anyone had used EMG's wiring kit with a non-EMG, non-active (passive) pickups.

2. If I don't go with EMG's wiring kit, I need pots, toggle switch, input jack and a kill switch. I have come to a decision on an input jack and kill switch. I was looking for advice on the pots and toggle switch.

I saw another post about freeway switches and it looked cool, but complicated. Why would I need a 6 way (or more than 3 way) switch. I don't understand how that even works.

By the way, I mentioned the other specs just to give a complete picture of what I was planning.

Thanks and sorry if my original post was not clear.

No problem. The other parts, of course, are interesting and I would like to see how your build comes together. But was trying to get to the essence of what was being asked.

To answer the above.

1. EMG electronics, pots etc will not work with non-active pickups as the potentiometer values are very different.

2. Any decent pots from CTS / Emerson or the like. Lollar sells Emersons for example. You probably want 500K pots and on the guitar, you could also try a 250K in combination for the tone control if the 500K was too bright. A Switchcraft toggle switch will be a good choice.

The Freeway six-way toggle is not useful to use with P90s which are single coils as they are unable to split etc. The idea of them is to retrofit a 3-way toggle on a humbucker equipped guitar to give things such as series/parallel or split options in addition to the 3 usual positions.

If you are trying to avoid soldering there are places where you can buy wiring harnesses such as 920d Custom.

Hope that helps...

What about for bass - 250K or 500K? Pickups are passive.

 

[stratamania]

For the bass normal volume and tone in a passive set up 250K pots.

 

[siin82]

Thanks all! I think I got it.

I think I won't go with EMG. I did message 920d Custom. I'll compare their cost with just paying someone.

 

[Rick]

I’ve dealt with 920 people and they are real helpful.  I found talking to them on the phone to be the quickest clearest way to get info.  In terms of price on a three pick up set up on a 9 setting tele not only were the parts cheaper than if I sourced it myself, but they assembled it for me without extra charge!  The only thing I had to do was move everything to a warmoth pickguard.

 

[siin82]

I’ve dealt with 920 people and they are real helpful.  I found talking to them on the phone to be the quickest clearest way to get info.  In terms of price on a three pick up set up on a 9 setting tele not only were the parts cheaper than if I sourced it myself, but they assembled it for me without extra charge!  The only thing I had to do was move everything to a warmoth pickguard.

So, you bought the parts and they assembled it for free? That's great. I'll give them a call.

Thanks!

 

[Rick]

Well, not exactly, but that would be nice ...

Here's from my nashville build.  There was a $20 upcharge because I wanted 9 way switching instead of 7 way.  Fortunately they had almost what I wanted and even at that, the parts were cheaper than if I bought them myself and they put a lot of it together (see the tele switch plate), included in the price, saved me a lot of time.  If you can do it for cheaper let me know!  I'll be waiting ...

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=29494.0

Then as to your question about switching options, and why you'd want a 6 way, man it's options, it's great to go from a nasaly funk strum to a searing series overdrive at the flick of a switch.  Options, gotta have them.  Unless you don't want them, then forget about it.

 

[siin82]

Well, not exactly, but that would be nice ...

Here's from my nashville build.  There was a $20 upcharge because I wanted 9 way switching instead of 7 way.  Fortunately they had almost what I wanted and even at that, the parts were cheaper than if I bought them myself and they put a lot of it together (see the tele switch plate), included in the price, saved me a lot of time.  If you can do it for cheaper let me know!  I'll be waiting ...

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=29494.0

Then as to your question about switching options, and why you'd want a 6 way, man it's options, it's great to go from a nasaly funk strum to a searing series overdrive at the flick of a switch.  Options, gotta have them.  Unless you don't want them, then forget about it.

I'll let you know what they say.

In my case, since I'm using P-90s, anything more than a 3-way switch will not work.  But I can see the value in something more than a 3-way.

 

[siin82]

920d is the way to go. They are charging me a reasonable amount for the parts and about $22 per unit for labor. I'll take that any day.

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Rick]

Take some pics when you get it, curios about how you set it up.