I'm a bit ashamed it has took me this long to tackle this project. I'm excited that it is close to being
a fully functioning series l instrument again. It was about ten years ago that Mica and crew supplied me with
all the parts I needed to reassemble the electronics and now I just need to make all the connections.
I've completed the stereo jack/DIN plug/battery connections thanks to Mica's PDF instructions and are about to
start the ribbon cable connections. From pictures on the interweb I can see where most the wires connect,
assuming the color coding on the ribbon cable hasn't changed over the years.
Before I start I thought I'd better ask for guidance so I can be sure of my progress as I move forward.
I have Ron's schematics which I can pretty much follow, but I'll admit I'm a human and we know that often entails mistakes...so I'll go slow and careful with this project to make sure everything is right before I power her up.
If there is a wiring diagram that exists that will guide me that'd be great.
Otherwise I'll ask questions about specific connections that I am unsure of as they arise until everything is buttoned up.
I know from the Jack/DIN plug/Battery PDF that;
... the Red ribbon (adjacent to arrow) goes to pin 2 on the stereo jack
...the Orange ribbon goes to pin 6 on the stereo jack
...the Yellow ribbon goes to the common ground on the side of the stereo jack
That's where I'm at now.
I have mapped out where I think most the others go, but I thought I'd better ask for guidance in case my deduction from the pictures I've found aren't correct.
Thanks in advance for any help.
For a while I had some activators in the guitar, but I'm really looking forward to hearing 78-1100 as it was designed
to sound.
All my best,
Kris
Country & Western! 🤩
Sounds like a great project! 😊
Thanks guys,
I'll add some pics as I get going.
"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses."
-EB 8)
I have a bunch of Series instruments. If you need a particular photo of wiring, just hit me up.
Sweet! Thanks Michael.
:D
Here's the current sate of progress:
aug 19 progress.jpg
Michael,
Most the pictures I've found are taken from above. If you could take a couple shots from a 45 degree angle showing the connections to the potentiometers and the connections from the pots to the mini switches...that would be immensely helpful. Many thanks :)
These are snapshots from the samples. Might get you started! Ask for any clarification needed. These are funny - once Clarostat marked the pots wrong. Always makes me laugh when I see it!
Thank you Mica.
Those photos will definitely help.
They also show the jumper on pins 2 and 3 of the upper stacked pot that other photos didn't show clearly.
I'll post any more questions that arise after my next session with the soldering iron.
my best
I think I'm seeing there is a jumper between pins 2 and 3 on the lower stacked pot as well.
Is that correct?
thanks
I'm making a list of connections I need to make with the ribbon cable.
For this instance, I'm assigning pin numbers to the switches and pots that might be different from the standard nomenclature. I'm happy to be corrected.
For now, this is the scheme I'm using:
For the pots; I'm assigning the wiper as Pin 2
The tab counterclockwise from Pin 2 as Pin 1
The tab clockwise from Pin 2 as Pin 3
I'll refer to the (Volume)pots in the stacked assembly as upper and lower "Dual" pot
I'll refer to the (Tone) single pot as the "single" pot
The stacked pot assembly, single pot and adjacent switch for each pickup will be designated as either
"Neck" or "Bridge"
For the Switches; If being viewed from the bottom of the instrument (right handed instrument face down, neck extending to the left)... bottom left tab will be "Pin 1"
middle left tab will be "Pin 2"
top left will be "Pin 3"
top right will be "Pin 4"
middle right will be "Pin 5"
bottom left will be "Pin 6"
I think that will avoid any confusion as I find the points to connect wires and leads to.
For the ribbon cable, these are the connections I have figured out I need to make:
I'm starting with the Brown (adjacent to the arrow on the plug) as wire 1.
1 Brown -neck upper dual pot pin 1
2 Red -neck switch pin 1
3 Orange -neck switch pin 6
4 Yellow -neck switch pin 5
5 Green -neck single pot pin 3
6 Blue -bridge upper dual pot pin 1
7 Purple -bridge switch pin 1
8 Grey -bridge switch pin 6
9 White -bridge switch pin 5
10 Black -bridge single pot pin 3
11 Brown ??
12 Red -stereo jack pin 2
13 Orange -stereo jack pin 6
14 Yellow -common ground connection on side of stereo jack
I can't see clearly where the "11 Brown" wire of the ribbon cable connects to.
After I have the ribbon cable mapped out I'll continue with the resistors,capacitors,jumpers, and the connections from the rotary switch.
Phew! ;) This is a good excercise in being precise and succinct.
You're a braver man than I am.
Ha! ...Thanks for helping to make me smile.
I'm going through some turbulance in life now and I'm grateful for positivity that comes my way.
...and this project helps to distract me from the whirlwind of thoughts that might occur otherwise.
thanks again :D
That's very relatable.
Good luck with Brown 11!
I have soldered all the ribbon connections except for "Brown 11".
Yay for progress !! ;D
Lookin' good Bro. Elwood. ;)
Refresh my memory; what are the top two switches for on C&W there? I remember the drill pattern from the old pictures, but I don't remember if it was ever functional when you acquired him.
Dad gave a check to the ribbon cable and says your connections are all correct. You might have to take some off when you add the caps and resistors, when we build them we put those parts on first. I'm sorry I should have told you that when I posted the pictures. You weren't kidding that you were ready to go!
Brown isn't used - trim that back to the place where the wires are all still bonded together. This will save future me from getting a phone call about the disconnected brown wire ;D
Quote from: mica on August 20, 2026, 06:11:10 AMDad gave a check to the ribbon cable and says your connections are all correct. You might have to take some off when you add the caps and resistors, when we build them we put those parts on first. I'm sorry I should have told you that when I posted the pictures. You weren't kidding that you were ready to go!
Brown isn't used - trim that back to the place where the wires are all still bonded together. This will save future me from getting a phone call about the disconnected brown wire ;D
Yeah.......NO BROWN NOTES! 8) ;D
Quote from: mica on August 20, 2026, 06:11:10 AMDad gave a check to the ribbon cable and says your connections are all correct. You might have to take some off when you add the caps and resistors, when we build them we put those parts on first. I'm sorry I should have told you that when I posted the pictures. You weren't kidding that you were ready to go!
Brown isn't used - trim that back to the place where the wires are all still bonded together. This will save future me from getting a phone call about the disconnected brown wire ;D
Thank you Mica and Ron ;D
I was careful to leave space for leads, so I might not have to have any backwards steps.
I think I'll have time today to tackle the next steps. I'm so happy that this is going to work.
Quote from: edwardofhuncote on August 20, 2026, 02:29:08 AMLookin' good Bro. Elwood. ;)
Refresh my memory; what are the top two switches for on C&W there? I remember the drill pattern from the old pictures, but I don't remember if it was ever functional when you acquired him.
There was a mellow filter module originally, unfortunately it has apparently lost functionality...so those switches are just there
to fill the holes and look fancy. Maybe in the future they can be used for something; a "Talent" boost? ???
Rotary Switch connections:
Here's where I am...
Black - stereo jack common ground
Brown - bridge single pot Pin 2 (wiper)
Orange - ?? *
Violet - ?? *
Grey - neck single pot Pin 2 (wiper)
*Here's a pic I found with the Orange and Violet connected to the DIN jack.
However I noticed this instrument has resistors from those pins connecting with somewhere on the stereo jack,
so I'm not sure that this is where I should make those connections if I am following Alembic protocol.
orange and violet rotary switch connections.jpg
I see two extra resistors on the sample pics Mica posted; from tab 3 on the single pots to Pin 3 and Pin 4 of the switches.
I'm guessing these were a later addition (maybe for noise suppression).
I was only supplied with 6 resistors total (four 5.1k and two 100 ohm).
Should I ignore those extra resistors for the time being?
Thanks again for the guidance
Capacitors and Resistors installed !!
According to Ron's schematics, the .0033 caps coming from Pin 1 of the upper dual pots goes to ground.
Where are these typically connected for a good ground?
5e3673b1-033c-4033-a5b0-5df290ec07bf.jpg
Rotary Switch connections:
I have connected the grey and brown wires from the rotary switch (to the wiper tabs of the single pots).
I'm pretty sure the black goes the common ground on the side of the stereo jack.
I'm still not sure about the orange and purple connections.
Bridge ground wire:
I'm guessing that can go with the other grounds on the side of the stereo jack.
Getting close to the finish line I believe ; ))
Those resistors coming from pins-2&3 of the XLR are the mod which makes the 1/4" jack mono. If you want to make yours mono those resistors (weirdly, almost any value will work) "sum" at terminal 4 of the 1/4" jack. If you want to keep the 1/4" jack stereo it's pin-2 of the XLR (usually orange wire) to terminal 4 of the 1/4" jack AND pin-3 of the XLR (usually violet wire) to terminal 8 of the 1/4" jack.
You're on a roll, keep going!
Jimmy J
Quote from: JimmyJ on August 20, 2026, 04:16:51 PMThose resistors coming from pins-2&3 of the XLR are the mod which makes the 1/4" jack mono. If you want to make yours mono those resistors (weirdly, almost any value will work) "sum" at terminal 4 of the 1/4" jack. If you want to keep the 1/4" jack stereo it's pin-2 of the XLR (usually orange wire) to terminal 4 of the 1/4" jack AND pin-3 of the XLR (usually violet wire) to terminal 8 of the 1/4" jack.
You're on a roll, keep going!
Jimmy J
Ah that makes sense.
I'll keep it stereo for now.
Since I have added shrink wrap to the XLR connections already, I'll make the connection from the rotary switch (orange and violet) to the corresponding points at the stereo 1/4" jack (terminal 4 and terminal 8 respectively).
Thanks Jimmy!
I think I just need to ground those .0033 caps coming from the dual pot assembly and I'll be ready to test.
I might have time to jump back in tomorrow.
cheers!
Quote from: elwoodblue on August 20, 2026, 11:43:52 AMI see two extra resistors on the sample pics Mica posted; from tab 3 on the single pots to Pin 3 and Pin 4 of the switches.
I'm guessing these were a later addition (maybe for noise suppression).
I was only supplied with 6 resistors total (four 5.1k and two 100 ohm).
Should I ignore those extra resistors for the time being?
Thanks again for the guidance
No, the additional resistors from what you've labeled pin 3 and 4 are 620 ohm resistors and are required for the resonant circuit to function. They go to the CCW terminal of the volume control closest which has either a black or green wire from the ribbon cable (these wires are the circuit ground for each control cluster).
I'll put them downstairs for Mary to send to you tomorrow. And also include two 20 Kohm for mono conversion in case that option is what you decide sometime in the future.
The presently unconnected end of the .0033 also connect to the cluster ground on the volume control, black or green respectfully.
" Bridge ground wire: I'm guessing that can go with the other grounds on the side of the stereo jack."
Since the Alembic pickup design incorporates full electrostatic shielding, we normally don't ground the bridge (and thus the strings). This means that your hands are not grounded to the bass rig ground and avoids shock when also touching another system's "ground" (such as a microphone connected to the sound system). My guess is that if non-Alembic pickups that are not shielded or partially shielded were installed for a time, then grounded strings would have been beneficial. You can connect the bridge ground wire with the other ground wires on the side of the stereo jack as you noted, or you can leave the bridge ground off.
Pay attention to that man behind the curtain Dorothy! ;D
Thank you so much Ron,
I'm really glad I have this detailed guidance.
If my address isn't still on file I'll email that today.
All my best,
Kris