Guys,
OK = start laugh tracks....

I have a MIM strat that I'm upgrading.

I just put a swtichcraft jack on it (the old one was a little scratchy).

I got a wired pickguard from an American HSS strat with the N3 noiseless pups in neck and bridge and a humbucker in the bridge with the S1 switching.

I have it wired up and all seems to be working as expected. Switches work, plays through the amp and sounds good.

I have a question though.

On this pickguard, there was an extra ground wire that I've not seen before. I have the one going to the trem block (soldered into place) and one black wire and one white wire going to the output jack.

However, there was a shorter black wire that I'm pretty sure was coming off of the middle tone pot and I have no idea where it goes or what it is for.

Any ideas?

Jeff

Hi jeffnles1,

The extra ground might be there in case you want to connect ground to the control cavity.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

OK,
Here is what I had:
one of the black wires had a clip on the end that is made for a screw to go through.

Then there is the white and black wire that goes to the output jack.

Then there is a 3rd black wire that was just wire (coming off the middle tone pot).

Since there is no body shielding on this strat (MIM 1998 vintage) I soldered both of the ground leads to the trem spring block (where the original pick guard was grounded to).

It works, I get good sound from the amp but something doesn't seem just right.

When I touch the strings or the jack plate, I notice the background noise from the amp goes away. When I touch the strings, there's a barely audible "pop" sound.

These are the N3 noiseless pups so there shouldn't be much if any hum.

I think I've done something wrong in the grounding. The pickguard came already set up and from an American Strat so the only wires I am messing with are the white and the 3 blacks.


The one that had the screw attatchment should that not be soldered to the trem with the other gouund wire?

I'm a little confused as I've not seen this additional wire before. It isn't on my other strats and I'm not sure what to do with it.

Thanks,

Jeff

If I understand correctly, your pick guard came with three ground wires. One for the trem claw, one for the output jack, and the extra one with a terminal on the end to connect to the body on the side of the control cavity, with a short wood screw. Since you kept the original ground wire connected to the trem claw, you don't need to connect one of the three new grounds there, and can cut it from the back of the pot, leaving two ground wires on your new pick guard, one for the output jack and the extra one with the terminal. Connect your existing trem claw ground wire to the back of one of the pots (in the same place as the one that was cut off above). The ground wire with the terminal on it is to connect to the body in the control cavity.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Cool, got it. That makes sense.

Jeff