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INSTRUCTIONS
A Switchcraft model 12B or L-12B TRS “stereo” jack is provided with the HSC preamp, the mounting dimensions of this jack are identical to the Switchcraft model 11 or L-11 “mono” jack that is used on most steel guitars. Steel guitars with thick endplates will use the L-11 jack that has a longer bushing (the threaded length that goes through the endplate). The bushing length for the 11 and 12B jacks is 0.276 inch and 0.375 inch for the L-11 and L-12B, please measure your existing jack to verify which one is required for your guitar. Steeltronics can provide either jack with your order, see the order page and select HSC if you require the 12B jack or select HSC-L if you require the L-12B jack.
Connect the pickup wires to the Switchcraft 12B or L-12B jack per this photo:
• It is correct that nothing is soldered to the ground lug of the jack.
• No other wiring changes are required unless
•There is a connection between ground and one of the pickup wires that is made somewhere other than the output jack.
•Your guitar has onboard volume and /or tone controls, these need to be removed from the circuit
Here are schematic diagrams for a single pickup and two pickups with a selector switch, as found on a D10 guitar:
For a D10 guitar, installing the balanced wiring does not require changing the selector switch wiring. The diagram above shows the switching in a general nature, since there are different D10 switching arrangements that are possible and the switching on your guitar may be arranged differently.
The important thing to note from the diagram is that only one of the pickup wires needs to be switched in the new balanced wiring arrangement. This is exactly the same as before, since for unbalanced wiring only the “hot” leads of the two pickups are switched and the other two pickup wires go to ground. In the new balanced wiring scheme, the two pickup wires that previously went to ground now connect to the ring terminal of the TRS jack.
As long as volume and /or tone controls are not present and there is no connection between ground and one of the pickup wires that is made somewhere other than the output jack, it is as simple as soldering the wires onto the new stereo jack on a D10 guitar.
To verify the wiring after installation of the new jack, plug a TRS cable into the jack and test the resistance between the tip and the sleeve of the jack and also between the ring and the sleeve of the jack as shown in these photos:
Both readings must be “open” circuit or a higher resistance than the meter can measure. Different ohmmeters will display this differently, so however your ohmmeter displays when the probes are held apart in mid-air not touching anything that is what you want to see.
If you measure between the tip and the ring of the TRS cable you should read the resistance your pickup is wound to.
Powering the HSC
The HSC requires a REGULATED supply of 9 to 18 volts DC. A regulated 18 volts DC power supply that uses the industry standard 2.1 x 5.5 mm jack with center-negative polarity is provided with the unit. Maximum current draw of the unit is 35 milliamps.
The unit can also be powered from an effect power supply unit such as the Voodoo Labs Pedal Power or the Dunlop DC Brick that provides 18 volt output.
In an emergency situation such as forgetting to bring the power supply to a gig, the HSC will operate adequately with a 9 volt regulated power supply such as the Boss PSA, Ibanez AC109, Dunlop ECB-003, or equal.
Adjusting the Pickup Load
The pickup load trimpots may be adjusted if desired. A higher resistance will make the tone brighter and a lower resistance will make it darker.
The factory resistance setting is 125 kilo-ohms. Whatever the resistance value you settle on that gives the desired tone, it is very important that the two resistances are be adjusted to same value for best noise and humbucking performance. A slight difference in reading is OK, but try to get the readings to be within 1-2 kilo-ohms of each other.
To adjust and check the resistance, follow this procedure:
1. Disconnect the power supply from the HSC and insert a TRS cable into input jack.
2. Remove the four screws that secure the bottom cover of the enclosure. As shown in the photo, the trimpots are adjustable using a small screwdriver.
3. Using an ohmmeter, measure the resistance between the tip and the sleeve, and the ring and the sleeve as shown in photos.
FAQ
Will the HSC work with single coil pickups?
It will work with single coil pickups also, but with single coils it will operate as a buffer only, it cannot make them hum cancelling.
My humbucker was two rows of magnets and is therefore sensing the strings differently than a single coil, so how can the humbucker combined with the HSC ever sound like a single coil?
It is true that there is a magnetic field difference that has some impact on the overall tone, but based on extensive testing I have found that the issue of the coils loading each is responsible for most of the tonal difference. Keeping is mind that two single coil pickups can sound very different depending on the exact design, the HSC is the only product that can produce something approaching a single coil tone from a “humbucker”.
Where can I get the TRS Cable?
Most music stores will carry 3 foot long TRS male to TRS male cables since they are commonly used in recording setups
Steeltronics stocks the correct cable, see our ORDER page.
What happens if the special TRS cable fails on a gig?
The wiring scheme used with the HSC is backwards compatible, and you can substitute a standard two conductor guitar cable and stay plugged into the HSC preamp. The tone will obviously change, but it will get you through the gig.
If the HSC preamp were to fail on a gig, you can do the same thing, take the HSC out of the signal chain, use a standard guitar cable, and the humbucker will work in the standard unbalanced wiring setup.