Help with tele 4way switch mod - adding an extra wire to ground from neck pickup

[Mr. Air]

I'm not totally sure on what to do with the neck pickup. Should I just solder a wire to the bottom of the pickup and ground it a the volume pot or am I supposed to do something with the "original" ground wire from the pickup?

[Twinfan]

You need the original pickup wires PLUS a wire from the cover only.  You'd need to dig out a schematic, as I think the original pickup leads go to the 4-way and the cover lead goes to the back of a pot.

[Twinfan]

Yep, I was right.  Here you go:

[AndyR]

I was about to type "yeah what he says"...

But..

I can't remember properly (mainly because I got BKP to supply me with pups wired ready for a 4-way), but don't you also have to break the original connection from the pickup cover to the pickup ground?

[Twinfan]

Good point Andy - I think you're right.  I can't remember if the covers are connected to the pickup earth lead as standard...

[AndyR]

I'm not actually sure it's there, but I can't think how it would be grounded if it isn't... And if it is there, and you don't remove it, then I guess the new ground will short things out somewhat/somehow...

(And I have a huge feeling of deja vu here - I have a feeling that we've had exactly the same conversation in response to exactly the same query in the past, and I still don't know what the facts are! :lol:)

[Mr. Air]

After studying the pickup I think I'm possitive on what to do. I need to disconnect the existing ground wire at the base of the pickup and throw on a new wire that's going to the back of the volume pot  :D

Thanks for you replies gents.

[Twinfan]

No probs  - hope it works out OK  :)

[AndyR]

Yep, glad to be of service :D

[Philly Q]

I can't remember properly (mainly because I got BKP to supply me with pups wired ready for a 4-way), but don't you also have to break the original connection from the pickup cover to the pickup ground?

Good point Andy - I think you're right.  I can't remember if the covers are connected to the pickup earth lead as standard...

Yeah, on a standard Tele neck pickup you have a single wire grounding both one end of the pickup coil and the metal cover.  So if you were to swap the wires round (e.g. to change from parallel to series or reverse the phase), that would connect the cover to "hot".... which you don't want.  :lol:

For the 4-way wiring the cover needs its own separate wire permanently connected to ground.  Then the other two wires, connected to the two ends of the coil, can be swapped around however you like.

[AndyR]

I can't remember properly (mainly because I got BKP to supply me with pups wired ready for a 4-way), but don't you also have to break the original connection from the pickup cover to the pickup ground?

Good point Andy - I think you're right.  I can't remember if the covers are connected to the pickup earth lead as standard...

Yeah, on a standard Tele neck pickup you have a single wire grounding both one end of the pickup coil and the metal cover.  So if you were to swap the wires round (e.g. to change from parallel to series or reverse the phase), that would connect the cover to "hot".... which you don't want.  :lol:

For the 4-way wiring the cover needs its own separate wire permanently connected to ground.  Then the other two wires, connected to the two ends of the coil, can be swapped around however you like.

Ah! Well explained, sir... the voice of sanity, etc...

And now, of course, if it all goes pear-shaped, we can all point at you :lol:

[Philly Q]

And now, of course, if it all goes pear-shaped, we can all point at you :lol:

Yeah, ever happy to be the scapegoat.