If you’re looking for a way to upgrade the sound of your guitar, installing a three wire pickup might be the solution you need. Unlike traditional single-coil pickups, three wire pickups can offer you more versatility and let you experiment with your sound, thanks to their advanced design.
But what exactly is a three wire pickup? How does it work? And most importantly, how do you wire it to your guitar? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and guide you through the process of wiring a three wire pickup step by step.
What Is a Three Wire Pickup?
A three wire pickup is a type of magnetic guitar pickup that is designed to offer you more tonal control over your sound. While traditional single-coil pickups only have two wires, a three wire pickup has an additional wire that connects to the pickup’s cover or shield. This extra wire can help reduce unwanted noise and interference, making your sound cleaner and more defined.
Another advantage of a three wire pickup is that it allows you to split the coils, which basically means you can turn off one of the two coils that make up the pickup. This gives you access to single-coil sounds without having to switch to a separate single-coil pickup, giving you more flexibility.
How Does a Three Wire Pickup Work?
Like all magnetic pickups, a three wire pickup uses a coil of wire wrapped around a magnet to convert the vibration of your guitar’s strings into an electrical signal. When you play a note, the string vibrates in the pickup’s magnetic field, which induces a small voltage in the coil of wire. The signal is then sent to your amplifier, which amplifies it and sends it to your speakers.
What makes a three wire pickup different is that it has an additional wire that connects to the pickup’s cover or shield. This wire acts as a ground, which helps reduce noise and interference caused by electromagnetic fields. By connecting this wire to your guitar’s ground, you can eliminate buzz and hum from your signal, making your sound cleaner and more professional.
How to Wire a Three Wire Pickup?
Wiring a three wire pickup to your guitar is surprisingly easy, even if you don’t have much experience with electronics. To do this, you’ll need a few basic tools, including a soldering iron, wire cutters, and a wire stripper. You’ll also need a wiring diagram, which will show you how to connect the pickup to your guitar’s volume and tone controls.
Step 1: Gather Your Tools and Materials
Before you begin, make sure you have all the tools and materials you’ll need for the job. You’ll need:
- A three wire pickup
- A wiring diagram
- A soldering iron and solder
- Wire cutters and a wire stripper
- A Phillips head screwdriver
- A grounding wire
Make sure your soldering iron is hot and ready to use, and double-check that you have all the wires you need.
Step 2: Remove the Old Pickup
If you’re replacing an existing pickup with a three wire pickup, the first step is to remove the old pickup. To do this, use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the pickup in place, and gently pull the pickup out of the guitar’s body. Be careful not to damage any of the wires or components.
Step 3: Prepare the Three Wire Pickup
Before you can install the new pickup, you’ll need to prepare it for wiring. This involves stripping the insulation from the three wires and twisting them together into a single cable.
Start by stripping about 1/4 inch of insulation from the end of each wire using a wire stripper. Be careful not to cut the wires, as you’ll need them to be as long as possible. Once you’ve stripped the wires, twist the strands together to form a single cable.
Step 4: Connect the Pickup to the Volume Control
The next step is to connect the pickup to your guitar’s volume control. To do this, you’ll need to refer to the wiring diagram that came with your pickup.
Start by identifying the wire that connects to the pickup’s cover or shield. This wire is usually bare or has a green or yellow stripe. Solder this wire to the back of the volume control potentiometer, which is usually the farthest one from the guitar’s output jack.
Next, find the wire that connects to the pickup’s hot lead. This wire is usually white or yellow. Solder this wire to the input tab of the volume control potentiometer.
Finally, find the wire that connects to the pickup’s ground lead. This wire is usually black or brown. Solder this wire to the back of the volume control potentiometer, next to the wire you soldered in step one. This wire is your ground wire, which will help reduce noise and interference in your signal.
Step 5: Connect the Volume Control to the Tone Control
The next step is to connect the volume control to the tone control. This involves soldering a wire between the two pots.
Start by finding the input tab of the tone control potentiometer. This is usually the one closest to the guitar’s output jack. Solder a wire from this tab to the output tab of the volume control potentiometer.
Step 6: Connect the Tone Control to the Output Jack
The final step is to connect the tone control to the guitar’s output jack. This involves soldering a wire from the output tab of the tone control potentiometer to the input tab of the output jack.
Once you’ve completed these steps, your three wire pickup should be wired and ready to go. Test your guitar to make sure everything is working properly, and make any necessary adjustments to the tone and volume controls to get the sound you want.
FAQs
What’s the Difference Between a Three Wire Pickup and a Two Wire Pickup?
A three wire pickup has an additional wire that connects to the pickup’s cover or shield, which acts as a ground. This helps reduce noise and interference in your signal, making your sound cleaner and more professional. A two wire pickup doesn’t have this extra wire, so it’s more prone to buzz and hum.
Can I Use a Three Wire Pickup with Single-Coil Sounds?
Yes! One of the advantages of a three wire pickup is that it allows you to split the coils, which basically means you can turn off one of the two coils that make up the pickup. This gives you access to single-coil sounds without having to switch to a separate single-coil pickup, giving you more flexibility.
Do I Need to Be an Expert to Wire a Three Wire Pickup?
No! Wiring a three wire pickup is actually quite easy, even if you don’t have much experience with electronics. As long as you have the right tools and materials, and you follow the wiring diagram carefully, you should be able to do it without any problems.
What Tools Do I Need to Wire a Three Wire Pickup?
To wire a three wire pickup, you’ll need a few basic tools, including a soldering iron, wire cutters, and a wire stripper. You’ll also need a wiring diagram, which will show you how to connect the pickup to your guitar’s volume and tone controls.
