Wiring a bass hummbucker help- now with pic

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:16 am

I'm building a bass and have a GFS music man style hummbucker in the bridge position, it has 4 wires, an uninsulated ground, white, red, black. I know 2 need to be soldered together (no coil split) but I don't know which two. I don't have the GFS wiring diagram with me and sent them an email but haven't heard back. I need to get this thing soldered up and delivered soon.. Anyone know the GFS wiring for no coil split??

ken

Shadoweclipse13 · Post by **Shadoweclipse13** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 10:53 am

Have you tried taking a continuity reading between wires with an electrical meter? Two will connect with each other, two won't.

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:59 am

I'll grab my meter and see what I get in different configurations. Thanks

ken

Embenny · Post by **Embenny** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 1:48 pm

GFS has a Universal Wiring Diagram with all the details for your pickup (first diagram, of the humbucker).

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 5:06 pm

Close but not quite what I need. This pickup has bare, black, red, white. No green. I will save that pic for future reference when I travel. I have several of those in my shop but no use on the road...

ken

Shadoweclipse13 · Post by **Shadoweclipse13** » Thu Dec 20, 2018 7:57 pm

I'm almost wondering if the bare wire was a green wire at some point. That would line up with some of their pickup diagrams.

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 3:27 pm

Still no response from GFS...

The description of this harness on their website says it is Positive, negative, coil tap & shield

Here's what I get with the meter

White to red = 4.1k
White to black = 4.1k
Red to black = 8.2k Obviously both coils...
black & white to red = 4.1k
red & white to black = 4.1k

red to black with white to shield = 8.2

White to shield = infinite
white & shield to red = infinite
white & shield to black = infinite

red & black to white = 2k

So I'm thinking white & shield to ground and red or black to the 3 way switch and the other to ground but I have no real idea....

I would guess white is coil tap, red is + and black is - but not sure..

Any ideas??

ken

timtam · Post by **timtam** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 4:55 pm

Screwdriver test for coil identity / polarity starts about 1 minute in. Easier with an analog meter but do-able with digital, as shown ...
https://youtu.be/zZzBPxKpvq0?t=67

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 5:49 pm

Thanks, It appears black is the start, so it should go to ground and red to the switch.

Wonder if I should just tape off the white (coil split) or connect it with the shield to ground?

ken

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 3:06 pm

It worked!! Glad that project is done...

ken

kdanie · Post by **kdanie** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 4:56 pm

Built for the teenage daughter of a friend. She's been playing an inexpensive J bass copy for the past 5 years and I figured if she was going to keep playing she needed something a bit more special.

ken

Shadoweclipse13 · Post by **Shadoweclipse13** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 5:01 am

That is a wicked awesome project! Glad you got it figured out!

OffsetGuitars.com

Wiring a bass hummbucker help- now with pic

Wiring a bass hummbucker help- now with pic

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Re: Wiring a bass hummbucker help-now with pic!!

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