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How to install 4 wire PUP's on a 2 Wire Harness


azzonie

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I have an Epiphone ES355 which has the standard Alnico 57 Classic Hum bucker pickups. The Alnico Classics are 2 wire PUP's. I recently acquired some Epiphone ProBuckers at a dirt cheap price from someone who had changed out the ProBuckers for some Seymour Seth Lover Pups. At my level of play, these are just fine for my current needs without having to drop a wad of cash to upgrade the PUP's.

 

The ProBuckers are a 4 wire pickup, plus a braided ground. The Alnico Classics are a 2 wire (1 wire plus a braided ground.)

 

At this time, I only want to use the ProbBuckers as a Hum Bucker replacements for the Epi Alnico Classics. I will NOT be changing out the wire harness. or use coil tapping on this modification. So the objective of this exercise is to mate the Epi 4 wire pickups to the existing Epi 2 wire harness in my ES 355.

I am not sure about the color code marking of Epi Pro Buckers, but I am guessing that they are the same as the Gibson Burst Buckers. This is to say:

 

North Start Red (Signal)

North Finish White Tied together (w/o coil tap)

South Finish Green Tied together (w/o coil tap)

South Start Black Ground

Bare Braided Ground?

 

What I am not clear about is the grounding connection. The Gibson schematics that I have seen for 4 wire pups, show the black wire and the bare braided wire tied together as ground. Can anyone tell me if this arrangement would also be true for the Epiphone connection? Since the ES 355 has a Bigsby and is a P.I.A to string up, I really want to get this PUP conversion hooked up right on the first attempt.

 

Also can anyone direct me to where I could buy the modern plastic wire (with foil shield) that is used in the Epi? I want to add an additional length of wire splice in before wiring up the PUP's. Unfortunately, Epiphone doesn't give you much length to work with, so adding a 5" extension splice would make the wiring up job on the PUP's much easier.

 

I would greatly appreciate any clarification & expertise that this forum could lend to the success of my project.

 

 

Thank you for your support!

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I have an Epiphone ES355 which has the standard Alnico 57 Classic Hum bucker pickups. The Alnico Classics are 2 wire PUP's. I recently acquired some Epiphone ProBuckers at a dirt cheap price from someone who had changed out the ProBuckers for some Seymour Seth Lover Pups. At my level of play, these are just fine for my current needs without having to drop a wad of cash to upgrade the PUP's.

 

The ProBuckers are a 4 wire pickup, plus a braided ground. The Alnico Classics are a 2 wire (1 wire plus a braided ground.)

 

At this time, I only want to use the ProbBuckers as a Hum Bucker replacements for the Epi Alnico Classics. I will NOT be changing out the wire harness. or use coil tapping on this modification. So the objective of this exercise is to mate the Epi 4 wire pickups to the existing Epi 2 wire harness in my ES 355.

I am not sure about the color code marking of Epi Pro Buckers, but I am guessing that they are the same as the Gibson Burst Buckers. This is to say:

 

North Start Red (Signal)

North Finish White Tied together (w/o coil tap)

South Finish Green Tied together (w/o coil tap)

South Start Black Ground

Bare Braided Ground?

 

What I am not clear about is the grounding connection. The Gibson schematics that I have seen for 4 wire pups, show the black wire and the bare braided wire tied together as ground. Can anyone tell me if this arrangement would also be true for the Epiphone connection? Since the ES 355 has a Bigsby and is a P.I.A to string up, I really want to get this PUP conversion hooked up right on the first attempt.

 

Also can anyone direct me to where I could buy the modern plastic wire (with foil shield) that is used in the Epi? I want to add an additional length of wire splice in before wiring up the PUP's. Unfortunately, Epiphone doesn't give you much length to work with, so adding a 5" extension splice would make the wiring up job on the PUP's much easier.

 

I would greatly appreciate any clarification & expertise that this forum could lend to the success of my project.

 

 

Thank you for your support!

 

 

 

I bought a set of Probuckers for my Epiphone Lucille..........easy access with the back plate :)

 

The Probuckers and Classic Pros follow the Gibson wire scheme:

 

 

Red is the hot goes to the Pot tab

 

Green/White solder together to complete the split coil function and just leave to the side or you will not have full HB......I just soldered and taped.

 

Black is Ground twist and solder that to the other wire there are 2 grounds not sure why Epiphone did this design.......both go to the back of the Pot

 

 

 

 

Also put a set of Probuckers into my 335 Pro...........made sure I bought from Ebay that did not have the quick connects clipped.......that one easy swap too just fish and plug and go to go.

 

 

Good luck not sure were to get more wire but the Probuckers I got both had the connects attached.......clipped the Gold ones for Lucille and plenty of slack to get to the Pots.

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I bought a set of Probuckers for my Epiphone Lucille..........easy access with the back plate :)

 

The Probuckers and Classic Pros follow the Gibson wire scheme:

 

 

Red is the hot goes to the Pot tab

 

Green/White solder together to complete the split coil function and just leave to the side or you will not have full HB......I just soldered and taped.

 

Black is Ground twist and solder that to the other wire there are 2 grounds not sure why Epiphone did this design.......both go to the back of the Pot

 

 

 

 

Also put a set of Probuckers into my 335 Pro...........made sure I bought from Ebay that did not have the quick connects clipped.......that one easy swap too just fish and plug and go to go.

 

 

Good luck not sure were to get more wire but the Probuckers I got both had the connects attached.......clipped the Gold ones for Lucille and plenty of slack to get to the Pots.

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Thank you very much for your reply! I basically had it figured out, and I had a hunch about that black/braid bare wire ground arrangement. However, I do appreciate the confirmation from somebody who has already been down that road.

 

By the way how do you like the ProBuckers in your ES 355?

 

 

Thanks, again!

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Thank you very much for your reply! I basically had it figured out, and I had a hunch about that black/braid bare wire ground arrangement. However, I do appreciate the confirmation from somebody who has already been down that road.

 

By the way how do you like the ProBuckers in your ES 355?

 

 

Thanks, again!

 

 

No problem, I am not sure either why they used 2 ground wires.........took some searching on line too to figure out what the extra wire was and once figured out all good.

 

I like the Probucker I think it is Epiphones best PU.

 

Like them in Lucille and my 335 Pro.

 

Lucille I did as you and did not change any guitar wiring so just straight HB.

 

The 335 Pro I wanted to keep the push/pull single coil option on that guitar and why I bought it.

 

I am one of the few here who does not like the Alnico Classic Pros........I think they sound flat.....the Probuckers have a depth to them the ACPs do not seem to have to me.

 

The Probucker does not sound much like a real Gibson Burst Bucker but to me more like a bright Gibson 57 or very close to the new Gibson 61 zebras just slightly lower output....so just crank up the amp a bit when changing guitars.

 

I like the Probucker think you will find more depth/clarity over the stock PUs you have now.

 

 

Dave

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