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View Full Version : Guidance on Pickup Wiring and Switches



ConnemaraGuitar
12-29-2007, 12:18 PM
Hello, all. I'm a newbie on this forum.

For the past couple of years I've been making acoustic instruments in my spare time...a couple of drednoughts, an Irish Bouzouki, some 000s, a couple of Martin style 5 terz(es?), and a few tenor ukuleles. Since I don't play guitar, my brother-in-law suggested I get an electric on which to learn, so I bought a Japanese strat. It's a beautiful thing and despite the fact that it's been sitting in its case for several months now, I still cannot play. Must be something wrong with it.

While browsing electrics a while ago I came across a TAG, a Hollow T, and was blown away by everything about this instrument. At present my budget will not support a TAG, so I'm going to go ahead and build a hollow-body...with Anderson pickups. Gotta start somewhere, right?

The configuration that shows up a bit in the TAG gallery uses SA1R, SA1 and H2+ pickups. Incidentally, the guitar will be a strat shape with a rear-routed mahogany body and EIRW neck and fingerboard.

Where can I get information on the optimal control/switching setup for these pickups? Is it possible to purchase the package from Magdon, where I intend to buy the pickups? It would appear that I need at least a volume control, a tone control, and a 5-way switch. It also appears that guitars with these pickups also have a toggle switch (perhaps a bridge switch?) as well.

Any guidance you can provide would be most useful! Many thanks, and best wishes for the New Year to everyone. Lofton

tom
12-29-2007, 03:19 PM
you can go as fancy or simple as you want. you can buy the pickups from jack, and either get a ready made harness from us or we can send you a diagram and you can wire it yourself.

ConnemaraGuitar
12-29-2007, 07:28 PM
Thank you, Supreme Commander!
I'll give you folks a call next week. A wiring diagram would be useful, and maybe even the harness. Will the diagram show recommended switches and controls? And where can I source the switches/controls so I don't wind up needing a left-handed #2.865 torx driver with reverse thread screws?

Not to be too obvious, but if I'm going to buy really good pickups I want to make sure the plumbing is equal to the rest. I've got a pretty good handle on wood, but electronics are not an area of expertise for me. So, er, what do you folks at TAG use, and can I buy the components from the Source?
Your humble subject,
Lofton

tom
12-30-2007, 05:31 PM
if you get a harness, it has all you need. if you choose to wire yourself, allparts has the oak switches and cts and alpha pots.