SBMM Ray4 HH - Pickup wiring diagram (and modifications)

[essej]

I recently modified my SBMM Ray4 HH with series/parallel switches, and because there didn't seem to be any wiring charts for this model or this modification, I thought that I'd make some for the benefit of others who might want to do the same thing.

Here is the stock pickup wiring diagram for reference:

And here is the modification wiring I decided to use, in order to disturb the existing wiring the least. In parallel mode for both pickups, the volume level is consistent across all 5 switch positions, which is great. Also, a bonus feature is that you can get a few lone single-coil modes out of it too (although not all).

And here are links to PDF versions:
Ray 4 HH - Pickup Wiring Diagram
Ray 4 HH - Pickup Wiring Diagram with Series_Parallel Switches

I'm guessing the other SBMM HH models have the same/similar wiring. There are probably other modifications to get even more combinations, but that would take more switches... perhaps this thread can discuss them!

 

[essej]

And for those of you who want to keep it simple and just wire it for parallel only (no extra switches), here is the diagram for that. Note that the new wires are in blue and purple, and the white pickup wires should be moved to go to ground (like the red pickup wires already are).

Here is the PDF version as well:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sorr0pv9pwol06b/Ray 4 HH - Wiring Diagram for Parallel Only.pdf?dl=1

 

[Siskin]

Very nice diagrams.

Do you use the Series wiring much when you've got the coice of Parallel?
I know Series is different and can work better with overdrive/disortion, but the Parallel sound is so good.

And how useful do you find having two separate Series/Parallel switches for each pickup.
Would a single 4PDT for Series/Parallel of both pickups at the same time have been a better choice/compromise?

 

[essej]

When I’ve played it since the modification I do pretty much keep them both parallel all the time. That said I’ve found that in position 3 (both pickups) putting the neck in series with the bridge in parallel is a pretty cool sound.

Wiring wise, it doesn’t simplify much (in terms of modification effort) to have a single 4pole switch vs 2 switches, and only eliminates options, IMO. Basically just one more hole to drill in the plate.

 

[T. Brookins]

For parallel, Sterling Ray 4 HH basses will have red as the Front coil and white as the rear coil. Green, black, and bare should all go to ground. Parallel wiring is how they all should’ve come. Tremendous basses.

As the PDF above, is there a difference in noise by swapping to red and white hot from green and black hot according to what is + and -? I figured that Green is commonly an earthing color… probably makes little difference in which poles are noisy to the touch since they’re RW/RP HB at all positions.

 

[essej]

For parallel, Sterling Ray 4 HH basses will have red as the Front coil and white as the rear coil. Green, black, and bare should all go to ground. Parallel wiring is how they all should’ve come. Tremendous basses.

As the PDF above, is there a difference in noise by swapping to red and white hot from green and black hot according to what is + and -? I figured that Green is commonly an earthing color… probably makes little difference in which poles are noisy to the touch since they’re RW/RP HB at all positions.

That wire coloring is what my diagrams do show, I just show the bass “upside-down”, the bridge is at the top and the neck at the bottom. The relationships between all the coils are consistent. I did that to make it work better with how the 5-way switch was represented... although it is confusing without explicitly showing the bass body.

As for +/- I was just reporting how my bass was wired from the factory, I can only assume others are the same way, and it shouldn't matter as long as they are consistent. I'd be curious if others of you opened up the back and took a look at your wiring to report which colors were wired to hot vs ground.

 

[Siskin]

Where did you put your switches? In the control plate or the wood?

 

[essej]

Here is the finished result showing my switch placements on the plate, only plate drilling required. There is still room for another switch (although it is more crowded internally in the center)

 

[Daniel Setiawan]

I recently modified my SBMM Ray4 HH with series/parallel switches, and because there didn't seem to be any wiring charts for this model or this modification, I thought that I'd make some for the benefit of others who might want to do the same thing.

Here is the stock pickup wiring diagram for reference:
View attachment 4708600

And here is the modification wiring I decided to use, in order to disturb the existing wiring the least. In parallel mode for both pickups, the volume level is consistent across all 5 switch positions, which is great. Also, a bonus feature is that you can get a few lone single-coil modes out of it too (although not all).

View attachment 4708614

And here are links to PDF versions:
Ray 4 HH - Pickup Wiring Diagram
Ray 4 HH - Pickup Wiring Diagram with Series_Parallel Switches

I'm guessing the other SBMM HH models have the same/similar wiring. There are probably other modifications to get even more combinations, but that would take more switches... perhaps this thread can discuss them!

How is the schematic that you demonstrated connected to the Stingray 35 (MC054W) preamp, please help me..

 

[essej]

How is the schematic that you demonstrated connected to the Stingray 35 (MC054W) preamp, please help me..

I’m not sure, as that preamp is not used in the stock Ray4HH. It looks like using it with that preamp is a little more complex because there are more wires coming off the 5-way switch going to the preamp in the ray35 HH, but there is only a single wire coming off the switch that goes to the preamp in the Ray4HH, so these diagrams won’t really help you.

 

[Daniel Setiawan]

I’m not sure, as that preamp is not used in the stock Ray4HH. It looks like using it with that preamp is a little more complex because there are more wires coming off the 5-way switch going to the preamp in the ray35 HH, but there is only a single wire coming off the switch that goes to the preamp in the Ray4HH, so these diagrams won’t really help you.

can you remake the diagram with the schematic configuration above but for the preamp... the preamp is stock from stingray 35.

 

[playinpearls]

I just picked this bass up used and like you, I couldn't find any info regarding the controls. Thanks for putting this together! I was wondering if you could tell me what each of these knobs do? I know knob 1 is volume.. Can you explain the other 2? Are they just bass and treble?

 

[essej]

I just picked this bass up used and like you, I couldn't find any info regarding the controls. Thanks for putting this together! I was wondering if you could tell me what each of these knobs do? I know knob 1 is volume.. Can you explain the other 2? Are they just bass and treble?

Sure, they are just the active bass and treble controls. They have a center detent which means flat, turning them up boosts bass or treble, turning down cuts them.

 

[DrumSC]

I recently modified my SBMM Ray4 HH with series/parallel switches, and because there didn't seem to be any wiring charts for this model or this modification, I thought that I'd make some for the benefit of others who might want to do the same thing.

Here is the stock pickup wiring diagram for reference:
View attachment 4708600

And here is the modification wiring I decided to use, in order to disturb the existing wiring the least. In parallel mode for both pickups, the volume level is consistent across all 5 switch positions, which is great. Also, a bonus feature is that you can get a few lone single-coil modes out of it too (although not all).

View attachment 4708614

And here are links to PDF versions:
Ray 4 HH - Pickup Wiring Diagram
Ray 4 HH - Pickup Wiring Diagram with Series_Parallel Switches

I'm guessing the other SBMM HH models have the same/similar wiring. There are probably other modifications to get even more combinations, but that would take more switches... perhaps this thread can discuss them!

So I rewired my bass, bought second hand. This mod made all the pickups the same volume in 2&4 but it seems to have made it buzz if my hands aren’t on the strings. I’ve checked all solder joints and grounds, does wiring in parallel cause this? I’m not too savvy with wiring but all is done per the schematic. Any ideas?

 

[essej]

So I rewired my bass, bought second hand. This mod made all the pickups the same volume in 2&4 but it seems to have made it buzz if my hands aren’t on the strings. I’ve checked all solder joints and grounds, does wiring in parallel cause this? I’m not too savvy with wiring but all is done per the schematic. Any ideas?

I thought I mentioned that in position 2 and 4, when the switches are in the “series” mode it actually kills the other coil so the bass operates with a single coil which will mean that noise/buzz can happen. It does give you brighter single coil sound though. If you keep the switches in their parallel mode, you should be able to switch through every position without any buzz.

 

[DrumSC]

There is a slight buzz in each position, not just 2&4. It gets noticeably worse when I juice the treble and bass pots. I’m going to replace the switch because it is pretty noisy when I change positions too. I’m thinking of using a 3 way switch, I’m not too interested in all the different options. I would like bridge, both pickups and neck. Just got to figure out how that works. Thanks!

 

[essej]

There definitely should not be any hum going on like that…. either something with grounding isn’t solid, or something else isn’t quite right in there.

Good luck with it!

 

[Stephen Shapiro]

Thanks so much for your help, @essej . I did the (parallel-only) mod a bit ago, and it worked like a charm, but I got some buzz from the bridge pickup. I'm sure it's a grounding issue, but I don't really know where to start. I was just gonna double-check my work and resolder the grounding connections for the bridge pickup. I'll report back.

 

[DrumSC]

Thanks so much for your help, @essej . I did the (parallel-only) mod a bit ago, and it worked like a charm, but I got some buzz from the bridge pickup. I'm sure it's a grounding issue, but I don't really know where to start. I was just gonna double-check my work and resolder the grounding connections for the bridge pickup. I'll report back.

I honestly couldn’t remember but I feel like there was absolutely no noise before I did the mod. The switch itself would crackle when I changed selections though. I ended up taking mine to a luthier for a setup and asked him to look over the wiring as well. I’ll report back too!

 

[essej]

The only mod I actually did was the dual switch parallel/serial setup… the parallel only version *should* be fine, and shouldn’t introduce noise as far as I can tell. Do you recall if your original stock wiring looked exactly like the stock diagram above, especially with regards to the pickup wires themselves?