Model 3a wiring issues

[keithf]

Guys,i just got hold of a 87 3a,can someone shed some light on the correct type of switch to use,it's got a buzz on all settings so im thinking all is not well,also a wiring diagram and an explination of what the 5 switch settings are.
cheers
Keith

[dg]

It's got the Jackson JE-0005 Special 5-way switch. Here's a diagram with the correct wiring for Jackson pickups:

http://audiozone.dk/guitargallery/?c...8Page16_17.jpg

This should give you Bridge pickup, Both, and Neck in positions 1,3,5, and a mixture of outer coils or inner coils in the 2 & 4 positions. If you have another brand of pickups in the guitar, it's very important to double check your wiring color codes. For example, Duncans have the same 4 wire colors, but each color doesn't exactly match with Jackson, and it can really screw things up with polarity and with the split coil wiring on this switch.

http://hotrodguitars.com/WireCode.htm

If the switch itself is the problem, Stewmac has their Super Switch:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Switches_and_knobs/Super_Switch.html

[keithf]

Excellent,Thanks DG,Looks like a jackson swith which has been re wired badly.Is there a better diagram about,that one's hard to make out .
Keith

[Þor]

It's got the Jackson JE-0005 Special 5-way switch. Here's a diagram with the correct wiring for Jackson pickups:

http://audiozone.dk/guitargallery/?c...8Page16_17.jpg

If you follow the wiring layout in that link, the pickup selections will be (from position 1, all the way back): Both humbuckers (coils in series, pickups in parallel), outer coils in series, inner coils in series, bridge humbucker (coils in series), neck humbucker (coils in series). Lots of very usable tones, but not a very conventional layout with the bridge HB in position 4.