Telecaster Wiring

Rkphilpot

Hi Everyone,
I've been trying to educate myself in different types of wiring for telecasters. Not just how they are wired but why certain things work in different ways.
Does anybody know of a good source of information, a book or something, that can explain guitar electronics to me.

Certain things like why on this '50's style wiring there doesn't seem to be a ground wire between the lugs on the two pots? I can see there is one on the housing and obviously the tone cap is on different lugs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/198435672@N03/shares/UF5qW35k95

Compared to this one where the tone cap is in a different position, with a ground wire between the end lugs of each pot. I can see there is a treble bleed on this one too.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/198435672@N03/shares/9X4j74z8gi

What im trying to find out is why they both work, the mechanics behind it, why the location of the tone cap can be different, why they can be grounded differently. Etc. Etc. I know theres some very knowledgable people on here. I'd like to learn, but youtube and websites have so much mixed information, mostly detailing where these things came from but not why or the mechanics behind it.

Thank you 

ICBM

The simplest way to explain it is that the order of the components in the tone circuit doesn’t make any difference, ie hot > cap > pot > ground works exactly the same as hot > pot > cap > ground, and the direction of connections on the tone pot makes no difference either since it’s being used purely as a variable resistor, not a potential divider.

The only thing that really matters is whether the tone circuit is connected to the input (pickup switch terminal) of the volume pot, or the output (jack) terminal. The first option is normal Fender wiring, the second is *Gibson* 50s wiring, not Fender.

Rkphilpot

Ah ok, appreciate you taking the time to explain, that made sense. Thank you.

prowla

@ICBM Have you ever seen them wired with the switch (and thus pickup) connected to the Vol pot wiper with the rest of the circuit (Gnd & live) coming off its two end lugs?

ICBM

prowla said:

@ICBM Have you ever seen them wired with the switch (and thus pickup) connected to the Vol pot wiper with the rest of the circuit (Gnd & live) coming off its two end lugs?

Not in a Tele - but that's how Rickenbackers are wired. It has the disadvantage that turning both volumes down to zero makes the guitar hum, since the output is 'floating' not grounded. I rewired my 4001 with the outputs from the pot wipers exactly because of this, even though it now means that turning *either* volume down to zero mutes the output, in mono mode - but I actually prefer this. If you want to select just one pickup, use the switch!

Dave_Mc

Brilliant question, I always wondered that too. Thanks for the answer too @ICBM ;;