Warpig Wiring for BC Rich Beast

[Starforsaken]

Hi, I'm looking to retrofit a set of BK Warpigs into a BC Rich Beast.  I've never fitted pickups before, but I've done plenty of electronics and soldering so I don't think it should be a problem.

I've been looking for as much info as I can find prior to actually picking up a soldering iron, and I've come across a slight problem, namely that the wiring diagrams that come with the BKs are a bit limited.  My guitar has one volume pot, one tone, and a 3-way selector switch.  As you're probably aware, the pickups come only with a diagram for 2 volume and 2 tone pots.

The BC Rich website's diagram is here: http://www.bcrich.com/images/schematics/lrg_beast.jpg
The connections to the pickups look very simple - it seems to show one of the 2-conductor wires from each pickup being connected to one side each of the 3-way switch, and the other wire to ground.

The diagrams that come with the Warpigs are a bit more complex, with the pickups being connected to the pots and not directly to the 3-way.

I presume that there are different configuration would achieve the same effect?  If I am removing the existing BC Rich stock pickups by simply desoldering from the 3-way switch, then it would obviously be easiest to just connect the Warpigs in the same way that I've removed the stock pickups.  Will this work?  If not, has anyone created a wiring schematic which shows the connections for wiring both pickups to 1 volume, 1 tone, with a 3-way selector?

Thanks for your help.

[Philly Q]

The thing to remember is that the switch is only letting through one "signal path" at a time.

If each pickup has its own volume (and/or tone) pot (like a Les Paul or SG), those pots need to be in the signal path before it hits the switch.  So the "hot" wire from the pickup goes to the pot's input, then the pot's output wire goes to the switch.  The switch is the last item in the chain so its output goes straight to the jack.

If both pickups share the volume and tone pots, the signal needs to hit the switch first, so whatever pickup combination is selected can then go through the pots.  In this case, the "hot" wires from the pickups go straight to the switch, then the switch's output goes to the volume pot.  The pots are the last item in the chain, so the volume pot's output wire goes to the jack.

So, after all that, the simple answer is just to disconnect the old pickups and wire the new ones in the same way.  You didn't mention if your pickups have 2-conductor or 4-conductor cable.

Here are two Seymour Duncan diagrams for comparison.  Bear in mind BKP use different colour coding.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_1v_1t_3w

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w

[Starforsaken]

Thanks a lot, I've had a look at those diagrams and some other Seymour Duncan diagrams and I've decided to wire in a coil tap with a push-pull tone pot too.  Mine are the 4-conductor, so I've found a suitable diagram and got my wire colours sorted out... all I need now is for the pot to arrive in the post and off I go.

[Philly Q]

Excellent!  You do realise you're obliged to show us pictures when it's finished?  :)

[Starforsaken]

Well, I haven't got the energy to restring the damn thing yet, but I installed the pickups tonight.  I plugged in to test them with some taps and they certainly seem to be working ok, so fingers crossed I haven't screwed anything up.  I'll get it restrung at the weekend and give it a damn good testing!  The lower of the two control knobs is now a push-pull tone control to give me a coil tap option.

[Philly Q]

Scary!  The Pigs certainly suit the look of the guitar very well .  :)