Carvin CS6 and BK Blackdog installation

[nightwulf1974]

Hello all,

I am a recent owner of a new set of BK Blackdogs which I plan putting in my Carvin CS6.  I am a little confused as to what wiring diagram to follow and how to do it.  I am familiar with wiring and have done installations before on a Fender and amp mods etc. but I am somewhat confused here.

If anyone is or is not familiar, the Carvin CS6 has 1 volume, 1 tone (which is also push-pull for single coil operation) and a 3 way toggle switch. 

I have looked at both of these as to what diagram to follow per the BK schematics page but from what I can see inside my guitar, neither of these look exactly right or maybe I just need clarification.

2 Hum, 1 Vol, PushPull Coil Split Tone 3 Way Switch

2 Hum, 2 Vol, 1 PushPull Tone Coil Split, 3 Way Blade Switch

Does anyone have or know someone who has done a installation in this guitar and who could give me a pointer or two as to what one to follow or is it something which I am just going to have to bring to a tech? (would rather not but would if I have to).

My insides of the volume and tone pot have different wires going to them then what is instructed.  This is what is confusing me.  The soldering is easy, I just need to know for sure as to what goes where....

Anyone? :?  If need be, I can upload some photos of the inside cavities of the present wiring as well. 

Thanks,

nightwulf1974

[BigB]

My insides of the volume and tone pot have different wires going to them then what is instructed.  This is what is confusing me. 
(...)
Anyone? :?  If need be, I can upload some photos of the inside cavities of the present wiring as well. 

Almost each pickup brand has it's own color code, and there are different equivalent ways to wire the tone cap. Also the first BKP diagram you mention uses a Tele-like 3-ways toggle, while your Carvin seems to have a gibson-like one.

The below diagram should be closer to your current wiring, minus the color codes:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_1v_1t_3w_1pp


BKP color codes are:

Black =start of screw coil
White = finish of screw coil
Red = start of slug coil
Green = finish of slug coil

For standard series operation solder the red to the pot tag, the black to ground(usually the back of the pot casing) and solder the green and white together.

And the SD / BKP color code translation table is:

SD => BKP

green => black
red => white
white => green
black => red

HTH

[nightwulf1974]

Thanks man, should be helpful.  If after this I get confused, I will just bring it into a tech.  Surely they could figure it out either way but this makes it a lot easier to follow so I will give her a try!!
 :D

[BigB]

Thanks man, should be helpful.  If after this I get confused, I will just bring it into a tech.  Surely they could figure it out either way but this makes it a lot easier to follow so I will give her a try!!
 :D

If you have basic soldering skills, it would be a pity to go and pay a tech for something as simple. In fact you just have to

1/ draw an accurate diagram of your current wiring
2/ from this diagram and a couple other similar one, find out the color code for your current pickups
3/ translate from your current pups color code to BKP color code
4/ re-draw your wiring diagram with BKP color code
5/ proceed and swap the pups

[nightwulf1974]

So that diagram from SD has the volume being a push/pull.  On my Carvin, it is the tone which does this.  Also, my Carvin has that ground connecting the bridge and volume pots used as a solder spot for Carvin's Black/bare wire for the neck pup and just the bare wire alone for the bridge.  I have been able to remove the Carvin pups and wrote down what came from where, it is just I am hung up wanting to follow the exact wiring Carvin has.

Would it be easier to just ignore Carvin's old wiring and just follow the SD/BK conversion?  I am only worried as again I do not have a push/pull volume but a push/pull tone.

Nightwulf

[darkbluemurder]

Hi,

No need to make it more complicated than it is. Just approach it systematically.

1. Currently the hot leads of your pickups go to the three-way toggle switch. The output from the switch goes to the volume and tone controls. From the volume control output it goes to the output jack.

2. If the tone pot is a DPDT (i.e. if it has 6 contacts) then both of the split lines of the humbuckers go to it.

3. Solder the green and white wires of the pickups together. These are your split lines.

4. Solder the red wires of the BKPs to the toggle switch where the wires of the old pickups were. Solder the black ones to ground.

5. Solder the split lines to where the old split lines were connected.

6. You're done.

Good luck,
Stephan

[nightwulf1974]

I guess I would be more confident if I knew Carvins color coding.  Then this would be easy. 

[nightwulf1974]

Can someone make sense of this?

http://www.carvinguitars.com/manuals/Pickup_Wiring-rev2008.pdf

It almost seems like the colors are the same but I just don't want to screw this up..

[nightwulf1974]

Got it!  Thanks for all the help.  I used this chart:  Almost identical wiring!

http://www.caparisonforum.com/colorcodes.php