HRW Pickup Wiring

[Mave]

My "Sweet 16" sounds so good and balanced with the HRW in neck position that I bought a set of HRWs to mount in my L-5. The HRWs have 4 wires (green,yellow,brownand white) and came with the green ahd yellow wires twisted together and sealed in shrink tube. I also gao a note saying to use the brown wire as a ground and the white as the "hot" lead. Wired this way the HRWs have the great well-balanced tone I was looking for, but also have a lot of static (or 60 cycle hum) at even very low volume. It acts like a bad ground and disapears when I touch the strings or other metal parts. I'm using the original Gibson pots and wiring harness and the Gibson never had this problem. Is the wiring set-up correct, or is there a better way to run the 4 wires (what are all those wires there for anyway)? Please help if you know more about this wiring set-up than I do.

[H]

Hi Mave,

 

HRWs can be coil-split, that's what the extra wires are for.

 

I can't answer the other part of your question but there are some smart cookies on this forum who can and will. I expect mars_hall will weigh in with something definitive; he's helped me out with HRW-related questions recently.

[kbp810]

Is there by chance a bare wire along with the other 4?

 

If so, that bare wire also needs to be grounded.

[pushover]

This does sound like it's a grounding problem.

[DetroitBlues]

This does sound like it's a grounding problem.

 

+1

[Blunote]

I have HRWs in my Millie and there's no unwanted hum -except for my singing.

Since you've got the problem to varying degree on both guitars, maybe it's the set up. HRWs are pretty hot. Most of us with them have found the sweet spot with them adjusted almost flush with the rings.