First full-rewire starting

Ghostman

Ghostman

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My entry into a full guitar rewiring will start soon enough. I've swapped pickups before but I've never done a complete ground up rewiring.

I have a Dean Mustaine VMNT that I've always disliked the active pickups in it. A week ago, I saw a post on FB about this custom shop called Voodoo Pickups. Well, I've got an affinity for anything "Hellraiser" and the first image that popped up is a custom wound "Hellraiser" pickup. It's part of a Horror series that they are doing that includes the Pennywise, Vorhees, and Freddy pickups.

I ordered some CTS pots to replace the existing system, since I know that actives use different impedance pots. However, what I didn't check was the physical size of them. This morning I opening up the cavity to check things out and found that the stock Pots are super small. Luckily, the new CTS will barely fit and be nice and snug in there.

The new pickups will arrive in about a week or so. I ordered a matching set. One thing that will change with the configuration, is that I don't ever use a Tone knob, so that is getting disconnected. However, I'm thinking that maybe I could pull it out and put in a kill switch or something ala' Tom Morello in there. Still thinking about it. This guitar has a battery compartment, so maybe I can work something out to light up the kill switch when I plug a guitar cable in. That would be pretty cool actually.

wULDTrL.gif
 
Here is the current configuration: Volume/Bridge - Volume/Neck - Selector - Tone Knob

lFQ2R7o.jpg


The new layout will be: Kill switch - Volume/Neck - Selector - Volume/Bridge
But I may swap the Neck and Bridge volume pots

I ordered up the kill switch and it has a built in LED that connects to a 9V power source. I found a bunch of wiring diagrams for exactly this, so bonus to me.

Current cavity wiring:

T0Eztiw.jpg


The CTS pots are way bigger:

iJUiqfa.jpg


but still fit!

TnLGkuK.jpg
 
Ghostman said:
The kill switch came yesterday in the mail. I just ordered two new knobs to match the new "Red" motif. Getting excited again.

:D

YHe9xKa.jpg
Click to expand...

GM, did you buy a latching or non-latching one? My first Warmoth build I used a non-latching one as I watched a YouTube video where some guy playing with a chord ringing out and he’s pushing the switch on and off to get that cut out effort. I thought that was cool, so that’s what I ordered from Tesi. Then I kinda discovered I’m never going to play that style of music, so on the next build I bought a latching one. I find that is far more useful for me given I play mostly at home. So when I’m practicing and want to take a break, to get a cold one or pee, etc, I can just push that switch in instead of turning the volume knob down. When I pick it back up, I’m at the same settings of where I left off.
 
This is a non-latching for that Staccato effect. I probably won't use it much at all, but it's there, and I hate HATE tone knobs, and since I'm rewiring this guitar, the first ting I decided was to remove the tone knob and I'd have a hole left.

This one has the Red LED which will be a cool effect when I plug in. Keeps the 9V batter compartment in play as well.
 
I tried to post the link but it doesn't show. Is there a trick to posting links on this site...or am I just a dumbass? lol!
 
Ghostman said:
Here is the current configuration: Volume/Bridge - Volume/Neck - Selector - Tone Knob

lFQ2R7o.jpg


The new layout will be: Kill switch - Volume/Neck - Selector - Volume/Bridge
But I may swap the Neck and Bridge volume pots

I ordered up the kill switch and it has a built in LED that connects to a 9V power source. I found a bunch of wiring diagrams for exactly this, so bonus to me.

Current cavity wiring:

T0Eztiw.jpg


The CTS pots are way bigger:

iJUiqfa.jpg


but still fit!

TnLGkuK.jpg
Click to expand...

That is a wild looking finish, man - luv it...
 
Ghostman said:
sure thing:


forgot the "custom" in the title.
Click to expand...

Thanks, man. They don't give much of a description do they, I'll be interested in your review of them.

I've been trying different pickups lately trying to find a set for my LP that really impress me (in that guitar) and so far I haven't found what I'm looking for. I'm about ready to sell the fucker and call it a day. I've tried so many pickups and none of them have been "it". I may just have a dud, but I'm having a hard time accepting that.
 
Last edited:
I started the prewire a little early. After tearing things down I realized I could slide the Seymour Duncan Mustaine Live Wires into the Schecter I have. The Schecter has a route for active pickups with a battery box already in place. Score. What I didn't count on, was that I needed a different jack on the Schecter to power the actives, and the wiring was completely different for the volume/tone layouts that I needed to order some wire.

I pulled the VMNT apart and at least remembered to measure where I have the bridge pins set:

eY5C2zi.jpg


All stripped:

hnMf2do.jpg


And then I mounted up the pots and the new kill switch. I'm getting things laid out so I can get the wiring down before the soldering iron comes out. I still have to wait for the new pickups so I have some time.

W29nVyA.jpg


The existing setup on the Schecter: 3-way switch up top which stays. Volume, then Tone with push/pull which activates the rotary knob which selects different values of capacitors for differing tone variations.

ApJ9vI7.jpg


The Live Wires went in, along with the pots I removed from the VMNT. I have the layout done, I just have to rethink the wiring since the original pickups were routed to the 3-way first, and then the volume/tone stack knobs. The new layout will be two volumes that run to the 3-way, and then to the tone and output jack.

LwkAllo.jpg


I like the black chrome in this Schecter though. Looks much better to me.
 
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