Help the noob with his JS Humbucker, please

KenCleanAirSystem

OK, so I buy a Jag-Stang, try it out and the (stock) bridge pickup isn't working. I download the wiring diagram, take off the pickguard, but what I find is a little confusing. The pickup appears to have only one large black wire coming off it. Without even getting into the connections (I'll save that for the next posting), why don't I see a black a white (or whatever I'm supposed to see)?

Thanks for any tips you can give me on this. And thank you for going easy on the noob abuse.

Blandest

the black is a coating, both wires are inside. or should be.

funtoosh

welcome, ken.

are you sure the PU is stock? or maybe the previous owner restored it to its original state before selling, and in the course messed up the wiring ... (that happened to me once)

KenCleanAirSystem

Thanks to Blandest and Funtoosh:

I think it's as Funtoosh said: the pickup is stock but a previous owner messed around and now I want to restore it to its former glory.

OK, now that I've got my black and white wires separated, the white goes to the appropriate three-way switch and the black goes...where? Can anyone advise on exactly how to solder the white wire to the switch (i.e. to which little metal poles on the switch)?

I know these are beginner questions but...you have to start somewhere, right? Thanks for the help.

tragictravisty

i believe that they go to opposite sides of the switch, and are connected to either of the middle poles (both middle poles should be connected)

it really doesnt matter if which one goes to which side, it would reverse the phase, but since its got phasers, you would still have all the tones, just w/the switch at different places.

Blandest

KenCleanAirSystem said: Thanks to Blandest and Funtoosh:
I think it's as Funtoosh said: the pickup is stock but a previous owner messed around and now I want to restore it to its former glory.
OK, now that I've got my black and white wires separated, the white goes to the appropriate three-way switch and the black goes...where? Can anyone advise on exactly how to solder the white wire to the switch (i.e. to which little metal poles on the switch)?
I know these are beginner questions but...you have to start somewhere, right? Thanks for the help.

No problem. I was hoping it wasn't a "What kind of humbucker should I get?" type question.

Glad it was legit 😆

KenCleanAirSystem

OK, slight confusion -- the wire coming out of the humbucker indeed has a black cover, and contains a) a wire covered in white insulation and 😎 a "naked" wire. Should the "naked" wire be considered the "black" wire? Or is it a ground wire of some kind?

Again: I realize this betrays a shocking ignorance of the rudiments of electricity but remember, Daniel-San: wax on, wax off...

Blandest

correct.

unless i'm wrong. ha 😆

Fran

Yeah, the naked wire is ground and the white is hot. They go on the opposite terminals on the switch nearest the humbucker..