Quick Change Pickup Wiring Solution?

CactusTone

CactusTone

Inspired
Has anyone come up with a wiring solution for making pickups swappable without having to un-solder and re-solder each time? Wondering if a Wago 733-102 female connector (or similar) could be soldered to the potentiometer, and then the pickup's wire could be connected via a 733-202 male counterpart?

1703877958388.png

These connectors are designed for wire gauges as fine as 28 AWG, which should accommodate just about any pickup. Seems to be small enough that several could be fit into just about any guitar's wiring cavity.

Has anyone tried something like this or similar?
 
EMG has been doing this for quite a few years. Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan offer solderless connectors
on their pickups. On some of their guitars, Gibson has been using pcbs and connectors on their pickups for a few years.
They all probably use a different connector on the pickups. I'm not sure of what companies offer as far as pots and switches.
 
Along the same line, I have several pick guards for my Strats.
A long time ago I decided to use male/female bullet style connectors for quick changing the guards.
I use them on the 2 wires to the output jack, all wired the same for a quick change.
 
scottp said:
Along the same line, I have several pick guards for my Strats.
A long time ago I decided to use male/female bullet style connectors for quick changing the guards.
I use them on the 2 wires to the output jack, all wired the same for a quick change.
Click to expand...
What's a "bullet style connector"? Got a link?

Many years ago I used internal connectors on a homemade guitar so I could swap out pickups and electronics. But many years later when I actually wanted to do that, the connectors were no longer available. Boo.
 
https://madhatterguitarproducts.com/collections/terminator-dual-volume-kits
mad hatter has been doing this for years. I have one of the 5 way but have not installed it. It seems like more of a hassle than soldering If you are just replacing pups. I’m pretty comfortable soldering, replacing pups and tone pots etc. Generally, I am repairing one thing or replacing pups so a complete electronics overhaul never seems worth it.

I do have a jackson misha pro that the electronics are just sh$t so I plan on ripping everything out and trying this system.
 
Last edited:
MSS said:
https://madhatterguitarproducts.com/collections/terminator-dual-volume-kits
mad hatter has been doing this for years. I have one of the 5 way but have not installed it. It seems like more of a hassle than soldering If you are just replacing pups. I’m pretty comfortable soldering, replacing pups and tone pots etc. Generally, I am repairing one thing or replacing pups so a complete electronics overhaul never seems worth it.

I do have a jackson misha pro that the electronics are just sh$t so I plan on ripping everything out and trying this system.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link! Was super excited until I saw this:
1703911411442.png
My PRS is one volume only.
 
I've used parts from Obsidian Wire in the past and they worked well for me on a few Warmoth builds. With their stuff, pickup installation and swaps are easy, but not wiring configurations; you're kinda stuck with what you get.

https://obsidianwire.com/
 
The Plexiglass Ampeg guitars had interchangeable pickups that plugged right into the body. Never understood why this idea didn't take off like a rocket with other builders.
 
Tonedeaf said:
The Plexiglass Ampeg guitars had interchangeable pickups that plugged right into the body. Never understood why this idea didn't take off like a rocket with other builders.
Click to expand...
The Dan Armstrong ones, right?
Could swap out the pickups, but only for their idiosyncratic ones, but also could slide them to any position.
 
Dave Merrill said:
The Dan Armstrong ones, right?
Could swap out the pickups, but only for their idiosyncratic ones, but also could slide them to any position.
Click to expand...
Yes. Mine only slid in and out. Bought mine when they first were discontinued for 300 bucks in the 70's. About 20 years later gave it to my son. He left it in the back seat of his car and it was stolen. When I showed him how much they sell for now he felt horrible.
 
The reason this would prove problematic in the long run is oxidation. The audio signal from a guitar is VERY low and directly affected by resistance from oxidation. Soldered connections will last an extremely long time. The surface will oxidize but the connection within the joint stays pure.
 
rcm78 said:
The reason this would prove problematic in the long run is oxidation. The audio signal from a guitar is VERY low and directly affected by resistance from oxidation. Soldered connections will last an extremely long time. The surface will oxidize but the connection within the joint stays pure.
Click to expand...
This is an interesting point that I had not considered. How long do you think it would take for problems to arise? Are there maintenance practices that could extend purity?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom