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Thread: mmaehler IB5 Build

  1. #1

    mmaehler IB5 Build

    First build. I'm stuck on Pickup installation and wiring.

    The springs that are meant to be mounted under the standard kit pickups are so long they only allow the screws to bite in about one full thread depth. (I already stripped one out of it's hole.) More troubling - With the springs installed, the lowest pickup height is looking way too high. I can't figure out what the deal is. Were the pickup cavities not routed deep enough? Do I need to drill a countersink for the springs to sit in?

    Also, the wiring diagram lists the wires coming from the pickups as - White (Hot) and Bare (Ground). The wires coming out of the pickups with my kit are - Bare and Green wrapped together (which I assume to be Ground), Red and White wrapped together (Hot?), and Black(???). How do I make sense of this?

    Lastly, the Humbucking Pickups I've seen are always installed in opposite orientation. My pickups are just black plastic rectangles so the only clue I have to orientation is the position of the wire coming out. Does it matter which way they are oriented?

    Anyone deal with these issues already or have some advice? Thanks!

  2. #2
    GAStronomist stan's Avatar
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    I haven't built one of these but a pic of the springs and cavity etc may help .
    If all is correct I don't see why you couldn't cut a spring down to suit

    Plenty of these have been built so some of the build threads may answer your questions, have a look while waiting for others more knowledgable than me to see your thread

    Enjoy the build these are great looking guitars

  3. #3
    Here's what the wires look like and another shot showing how little of the screws extend even with the springs completely compressed. It's weird because usually if there is a spring there is also a hole that the spring sits in. That's not the case with these pickups. The spring just rides on the screw which also makes them a real chore to get in as they like to fall off the screws when you flip the pickup over to instal it. I'm stumped.
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  4. #4
    GAStronomist stan's Avatar
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    no hole underneath for the spring?
    Spring normally sits on the underside of the pickup, there should be room around the screw for it
    Last edited by stan; 29-09-2016 at 05:22 AM.

  5. #5
    GAStronomist stan's Avatar
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    I'm guessing - and it's only that - that white/red is hot, green/bare is ground, black for a coil split ...

  6. #6
    I know, right? I put the spring where it is in the photo just so it would be clear how much of the screw extends. The hole on the underside of the pickup is only large enough for the screw. No place for the spring to seat nicely.

    I'll put up a photo of the bottom of the pickup along with an end view of the spring. Not sure if it's clear but the outer diameter of the spring is larger than the hole and the hole has the same inner diameter from top to bottom. No seat for the spring.
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  7. #7
    Thanks. Maybe I'll wire it up like that and test it out.

  8. #8
    Mentor FredA's Avatar
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    Hey, with the pickups, are the white and red soldered together?
    If so it could be the 'middle wires', the wires that link south and north coils and allows you to wire for coil splitting.
    Green would be ground and black hot.

    If you have a multimeter test resistance between green and red/white, and then between red/white and black.
    If I'm correct the sum of these 2 should equal what you measure between green and black.

    So you would cable with green as ground, black as hot.
    With white and red you can ignore them (wrap them in sparky tape to isolate them), or you can wire them to a switch or push pull pot for coil tapping.

    With the springs, just cut them to the length you want. I'd start by removing a third and check and cut more if needed.

    With pickup orientation see which corner the wires come out of the pickup from and put this toward control cavity.

    Hope this helps.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
    #1- STA1M - Completed Jan16 - GOTM Feb16 - Here
    #2- IB5 - Completed Aug16 - Here
    #3- 335 style 12 strings - 3rd build - Almost done - Here
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  9. #9
    Thanks. Yes, the red and white are soldered. I'll run the test.

  10. #10
    The original IB-5 kit had 2 wire pickups, just hot and ground. Now the kits have started coming with 4+1 wire pups (4 wire plus ground/shield), hence the discrepancy with the diagram. Typically, the colours will be:

    Green & bare: negative/ground
    Red & White: series link (linking the two coils)
    Black: hot/positive.

    (but, the colours can vary from batch to batch from the factory)

    If you're not going to be doing any coil splits etc, make sure you insulate the soldered tips of the red/white wires. Usually, the higher resistance pickup will be for the bridge position, but if the values are the same then the pup with the longer wire will be the neck. And, as Fred said, orientate them with the wires towards the cavity.

    There's no problem with trimming the pickup springs if needed, or you could use foam blocks under the pups or even swap out the springs for some shorter Strat style ones. The body of the IB-5 is pretty thin so be careful when considering drilling or deepening holes/routs.

    Another thing to check with the IB-5 is fit of the long thread flush-mount jack, as sometimes it may be necessary to tweak the cavity so that the jack nut can be fitted properly. The lugs on the jack can also be confusing as it's a stereo jack with an unusual lug layout. From memory, I think it's the two shorter lugs that are the hot and ground, but it's wise to test with a multimeter to be certain before tryng to wire it.
    Scott.

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