Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
This is my first post and would like to get some help with the wiring on my Spectrum GT. I have been lurking for a while looking thru diagrams and pretty much any diagrams I could find on the net and have not found one exactly like mine.
It is a H-S-S with one volume, one tone, a 5 way switch and a coil tap switch. I bought this thing literally with the wires hanging out of it. I almost walked away from it but I love the neck on it and had to have it just because of that. The body and paint is just about perfect too.
The neck pup has red/black wires, center has blue/white, bridge has red, blue, black and white. Some of the diagrams I have seen show a green wire that mine does not have. If someone has one of these they can take the rear cover off of and help me out I would greatly appreciate it.
It is a H-S-S with one volume, one tone, a 5 way switch and a coil tap switch. I bought this thing literally with the wires hanging out of it. I almost walked away from it but I love the neck on it and had to have it just because of that. The body and paint is just about perfect too.
The neck pup has red/black wires, center has blue/white, bridge has red, blue, black and white. Some of the diagrams I have seen show a green wire that mine does not have. If someone has one of these they can take the rear cover off of and help me out I would greatly appreciate it.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
when you say Spectrum GT, which model do you mean? the older spectrum series had a GT, but it was H-S-H, with three knobs and a 3-way switch. catalog
the later spectrum series had a couple models that sounds like what you describe.
other catalog different page
whatever the model, i can make you a diagram to help you get your guitar working.
the later spectrum series had a couple models that sounds like what you describe.
other catalog different page
whatever the model, i can make you a diagram to help you get your guitar working.
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
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Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
Well it looks like the Spectrum 1. I saw it pictured somewhere before that called it a GT. It is the WE1400 BK. It also has those black pup covers. I believe it is an '89.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
okay then, give me a little time and i'll post up a sketch for you.
first i have a couple questions:
do you have any idea of which wire is which on your humbucker?
do you have a meter to check it?
i have a WE1400RD, except my pickups have the exposed poles, similar to the catalog pic of the WE4400.
on my guitar, the humbucker has 2 cables that run to the control cavity so it is a different pickup than yours.
first i have a couple questions:
do you have any idea of which wire is which on your humbucker?
do you have a meter to check it?
i have a WE1400RD, except my pickups have the exposed poles, similar to the catalog pic of the WE4400.
on my guitar, the humbucker has 2 cables that run to the control cavity so it is a different pickup than yours.
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
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Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
The bucker has black/red north pole, blue/white south pole.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
do you have the original 5-way switch?
one commonly found on these later models has a plastic body with a label SL-5
it has 7 tabs all on one side, numbered 1-8 (with no tab at #4 )
the coil split is a mini switch SPDT, two position switch
it has 3 tabs on the back
one commonly found on these later models has a plastic body with a label SL-5
it has 7 tabs all on one side, numbered 1-8 (with no tab at #4 )
the coil split is a mini switch SPDT, two position switch
it has 3 tabs on the back
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
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Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
mine also has a treble bleed capacitor,
but i'll need to get out a magnifier to see the markings on it

but i'll need to get out a magnifier to see the markings on it

gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
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Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
This one is metal with a board mounted to the side with the 7 solder tabs on it. It has the solder tabs 3 on each side in a curve shape and one tab in the center. It looks like it had a ground wire soldered right where the spring hooks on too.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
I couldn't find any markings at all on the switch.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
sounds like it is made similar to the SL-5.
mine had connections on 4 tabs, the 3 pickups, plus the output to the volume pot
the other 3 tabs had no connections
can you tell how the humbucker wires were connected, which pair would be the center?
my first guess is;
black - output
red/blue - center
white - ground
i will doodle up a sketch with wire colors marked
if you have no indications for how the wires were connected before, then you may have to connect it a couple ways so you get the proper phase relations on each of the pickup combinations
so you can find the one that sounds best
mine had connections on 4 tabs, the 3 pickups, plus the output to the volume pot
the other 3 tabs had no connections
can you tell how the humbucker wires were connected, which pair would be the center?
my first guess is;
black - output
red/blue - center
white - ground
i will doodle up a sketch with wire colors marked
if you have no indications for how the wires were connected before, then you may have to connect it a couple ways so you get the proper phase relations on each of the pickup combinations
so you can find the one that sounds best
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
- Number of posts : 1337
Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
i can email you a pdf if you want to print a copy for your workbench
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
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Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
Thanks that should work if I get a different switch for it. I guess i'm going to wait a little bit and see if something turns up using the original switch. If I don't find anything i'll get a new switch.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
if your switch works, there is no need to get a different one.
does your switch look like this?

5-way blade switch
you only need to use 4 tabs, one for each pickup
and one more for output
you will have 3 left unconnected on that style switch as well
pics are good...
does your switch look like this?

5-way blade switch
you only need to use 4 tabs, one for each pickup
and one more for output
you will have 3 left unconnected on that style switch as well
pics are good...
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
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Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
No its different than that one. That's been my big dilemma on this. I tried to post a pic but couldn't get it to work. There is one on ebay the item number is 400607836109. I think if you see it, it will make sense.
chip51x- Registered Member
- Number of posts : 7
Registration date : 2013-11-12
Re: Need help with Spectrum GT wiring
center tab is output to the volume pot
you connect the pickups to three tabs in a row, on one side or the other, your choice
leave the other three with no connection
if you have a meter, you can verify which tab works on which switch position before you make your connections
you connect the pickups to three tabs in a row, on one side or the other, your choice
leave the other three with no connection
if you have a meter, you can verify which tab works on which switch position before you make your connections
gittarasaurus- Financial supporter
- Number of posts : 1337
Location : San Francisco, CA
Registration date : 2011-05-25

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