Nordstrand Big Split white&black&gray wires: Which is which?

[basadam]

I assume white is hot black is ground. And gray? Ground too?

[PilbaraBass]

if you email nordstrand pickups, they'll answer your questions ...

my limited experience with them has been great and I was just asking some general questions...

but you only have 3 wires, it should be easy...

get your ohm-meter out and measure the resistance between black and white (if you get several kilo-ohms) the grey is your ground...otherwise try another combination...

if you don't have a multi-meter, get one! they're inexpensive and extremely useful.

[GeoffByrne]

At a guess:

White to hot, black to ground - Grey to ground via a switch as it's probably the coil-tap.

[4Mal]

Originally Posted by GeoffByrne

At a guess:

White to hot, black to ground - Grey to ground via a switch as it's probably the coil-tap.

+1
except being a split single coil - think p-bass - the Big split isn't coil tappable - so no switch.

Still call the Nordstrand would be a good idea - and please to share the knowledge if you do call - I have a set in bound for install in a 55-01 - not sure that I'll get install instructions with them.

[budman]

Originally Posted by GeoffByrne

At a guess:

White to hot, black to ground - Grey to ground via a switch as it's probably the coil-tap.

The gray wire grounds the poles. In most instances it connects to ground like the black wire. If you're installing a buffered preamp, like an Audere, the gray wire is grounded and the black wire is connected to a common connection from the preamp, which is isolated from the ground.

[basadam]

Originally Posted by 4Mal

Still call the Nordstrand would be a good idea - and please to share the knowledge if you do call - I have a set in bound for install in a 55-01 - not sure that I'll get install instructions with them.

I sent him an e-mail. I'll surely post here when he answers. Tonight I'll try installing, gray is most probably ground though I don't know to what purpose.

[4Mal]

Probably chassis shielding. That is getting more common as a way to help mitigate noise.

[basadam]

I soldered gray to ground, it seems to work.

Here is a thread with quick clips: Nordstrand Big Splits on Sadowsky M5-24 w/clips

[4Mal]

seems sensible. I'm getting a P crossed with a J neck vibe from that sample. That makes some sense too... Tough to really tell much over laptop speakers though.

[basadam]

Here is the info from Nordstrand regarding the gray wire:

The small gray wire is an addition we've made to accomodate the growing number of Audere and other buffered preamp installations. This wire will be connected to the same place as the black wire in most installations. It connects to the pole pieces via shielding foil. On a buffered input preamp such as the Audere the black wire will connect to the pickup common in, which is isolated from the common ground, which is where the small gray wire should be connected, usually at the sleeve of the jack.

Funnily I had this information in my previous Fat Stacks package but completely forgot