John Birch J1 wiring diagram?

CampbellH · September 2023

Is there such a thing?

This is my first time being asked to refurb one of these guitars and they also want to replace the pickups. Reading the threads on this forum before signing up opened my eyes to..well.. a new world 9f learning.
Now I can open this guitar up and walk through every cable and draw it all out, but if someone has already done that it would be nice.

Seeing that it has two volume and tone, a master volume, pickup selector toggle are all good. The stereo??? selector that is all new to me, and I want to make sure I get this right.

Can anyone point me to where I should look?

WezV · September 2023

honestly, if doing a refurb with new pickups go for normal wiring and find another use for the switch hole. Does it still have the original pickups?

OilCityPickups · September 2023

I agree with Wez ... the wiring it was born with isn't really of much practical use with modern pickups - and to be fair wasn't much cop when it came out. The original pickups are normally the more tasty part to be honest.

Funkfingers · September 2023

There exists a John Birch enthusiasts website. They may be able to assist with schematic diagrams and/or photographs of the innards of specific models.

WezV · September 2023

also if you find my old wiring diagram out there don't assume it is correct.... it's as I found the guitar, but it had been messed with early in its life. I;ve had a few people point out errors with it along the way

CampbellH · September 2023

WezV said:

honestly, if doing a refurb with new pickups go for normal wiring and find another use for the switch hole. Does it still have the original pickups?

No, not original pickups, dimarzio super dist. I will discuss with the owner whether they want the stereo switch for originality or not. Personally I think splitting or seriesl\parallel would make more choices available to them.

CampbellH · September 2023

WezV said:

also if you find my old wiring diagram out there don't assume it is correct.... it's as I found the guitar, but it had been messed with early in its life. I;ve had a few people point out errors with it along the way

That's another reason for using a trusted diagram over what I would see. Especially as I know someone has been in there already, and it was explained to me that the pickups were 'broken'.
I will get my hands on the guitar tomorrow evening and be able gauge things better. Rather than relying on text and a single photo. Though saying that, seeing there is one countersunk screwnail used as a pickup height adjuster kind of says I will be ripping it all out anyway.

WezV · September 2023

Oddly, mine also had a pair of old DiMarzio's in it when I got it

blobb · September 2023

Any use? From JB catalogue ....

Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53164013896_be3be4ef10_k.jpg

Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53163424022_085aa80b81_k.jpg

blobb · September 2023

For what it's worth on mine (JB bass) I can't figure out what does what when switching, even with the instructions. Just because someone says it's broken....pinch of salt. They might just be experiencing the JB factor.

CampbellH · September 2023

blobb said:

For what it's worth on mine (JB bass) I can't figure out what does what when switching, even with the instructions. Just because someone says it's broken....pinch of salt. They might just be experiencing the JB factor.

Yes I thought of that. Reminded me of when Iwas a Tech in schools. A teacher coming to me saying the TV was broken and I would go to the plug and ... Click.. fixed.

OilCityPickups · September 2023

CampbellH said:

WezV said:

also if you find my old wiring diagram out there don't assume it is correct.... it's as I found the guitar, but it had been messed with early in its life. I;ve had a few people point out errors with it along the way

That's another reason for using a trusted diagram over what I would see. Especially as I know someone has been in there already, and it was explained to me that the pickups were 'broken'.
I will get my hands on the guitar tomorrow evening and be able gauge things better. Rather than relying on text and a single photo. Though saying that, seeing there is one countersunk screwnail used as a pickup height adjuster kind of says I will be ripping it all out anyway.

Very unusual for Super Distortions to be 'broken' they are about the most robustly built pickup I know of! Yuck to the screwnail ... if the height thread is buggered I usually solder a 'foot' part with a thread donated from another pickup under the messed up thread - that sorts it and is barely visible.

MattP · September 2023

OilCityPickups said:

CampbellH said:

WezV said:

also if you find my old wiring diagram out there don't assume it is correct.... it's as I found the guitar, but it had been messed with early in its life. I;ve had a few people point out errors with it along the way

That's another reason for using a trusted diagram over what I would see. Especially as I know someone has been in there already, and it was explained to me that the pickups were 'broken'.
I will get my hands on the guitar tomorrow evening and be able gauge things better. Rather than relying on text and a single photo. Though saying that, seeing there is one countersunk screwnail used as a pickup height adjuster kind of says I will be ripping it all out anyway.

if the height thread is buggered I usually solder a 'foot' part with a thread donated from another pickup under the messed up thread - that sorts it and is barely visible.

That's a great tip, thanks. I've tried a few bodges for this in the past but this hadn't occurred to me!

OilCityPickups · September 2023

MattP said:

OilCityPickups said:

CampbellH said:

WezV said:

also if you find my old wiring diagram out there don't assume it is correct.... it's as I found the guitar, but it had been messed with early in its life. I;ve had a few people point out errors with it along the way

That's another reason for using a trusted diagram over what I would see. Especially as I know someone has been in there already, and it was explained to me that the pickups were 'broken'.
I will get my hands on the guitar tomorrow evening and be able gauge things better. Rather than relying on text and a single photo. Though saying that, seeing there is one countersunk screwnail used as a pickup height adjuster kind of says I will be ripping it all out anyway.

if the height thread is buggered I usually solder a 'foot' part with a thread donated from another pickup under the messed up thread - that sorts it and is barely visible.

That's a great tip, thanks. I've tried a few bodges for this in the past but this hadn't occurred to me!

There you go ... ask a pickup specialist :-)

WezV said:

Oddly, mine also had a pair of old DiMarzio's in it when I got it

Was a common mod at the time ... the guitar had the looks, but people wanted more 'wall of sound'.

CampbellH · September 2023

I now have the guitar and well, If you ever wondered what smoking 40 Senior Service a day for forty years looks like personified as a guitar. Then this is it.

The wiring is certainly not standard. The client is not a guitarist and he has commissioned this work on benhalf of the owner, and various pieces of info on what each control does has either been forgotten in time or just guessed. What I was told were tone pots turns out to be three way rotor switches for coil splitting. There are a few other things I was told 'were' and are certainly 'not'. I'll just dig through these and see what is what.

Now something I have not encountered before is the master volume is a double stacked pot and I am told this is where the fault lies and to replace this. Tonight I will give it a good clean and see if it is faulty, with all of the others. Is there anything special I should be aware of here?

One more question. Original JB Humbuckers, are they wired with 2 wires exposed or four? As the client has decided to buy original pickups to get it back to an original look. If they are the former, I will to ask does he want original look or playability how the guitar owner remembers it?

WezV · September 2023

original pickups look like this underneath

Image: https://www.jp-guitars.co.uk/projects/electric_guitars/projectE12_john_birch_guitar/images/John_Birch_double_cutaway_1970s_014.jpg

most don't coil split and just have the 3 tabs on the bottom, except he multiflux model

The stacked master volume allows stereo wiring. If stereo isn't needed, get rid. that's probably what one of the switches is controlling

Has the owner found original pickups like the ones above, or the modern equivalent? very different story

CampbellH · September 2023

WezV said:

original pickups look like this underneath

most don't coil split and just have the 3 tabs on the bottom, except he multiflux model

The stacked master volume allows stereo wiring. If stereo isn't needed, get rid. that's probably what one of the switches is controlling

Has the owner found original pickups like the ones above, or the modern equivalent? very different story

Thanks WezV. I am waiting for photos of the pickups to find out what they actiually bought. I have set them up for possible disappointment on this matter, which going by what I now know of them is more than likely going to happen.

Great info on the pot. That will make it a lot easier to sort out, again thanks.

blobb · September 2023

JB pickup descriptions.

Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53168039461_0755232b05_k.jpg

blobb · September 2023

If there is any interest I can scan the rest of the catalogue, probably in a new thread.

guitars4you · September 2023

Slightly off topic, I knew there was some connection with JB in Nottingham - Just googled it and found this from John Carling Guitars - So the I in below is John Carling

I started working with guitars and in bands for many years and in 1993 joined the late John Birch to restart John Birch Guitars from here in Nottingham. In 2000 John passed away and left the guitar business to me and together with work mates Laz Gajic and the late Phil McAlister carried on until 2021 when i decided to retire and the John Birch brand was taken on by a new owner in partnership with John Diggins and Sons who was part of the original John Birch Guitars Ltd from Birmingham UK. In 2023 I decided to restart back into the guitar business offering custom pickups, used guitars and Hyperstrat conversions.

WezV · September 2023

SImilar on the website

John Birch Guitars UK Ltd. is now under new ownership and the website is currently being reconstructed. Our extensive product range is also under review with the intention to relaunch new and existing John Birch products to the market soon. Announcements will be made as and when developments take place but in the meantime, we would like to thank you for all your support and loyalty to John Birch Guitars.

blobb · September 2023

Yes, JB were still going a few years ago, but flogging newer designs which carried the name only. They were making new versions of the pickups as well and if I remember they moved to just making the pup's and abandonded the guitar side. They had a fb page but it doesn't exist anymore. Here's a couple of reverb ads for the newer pickups:

link 1

link 2

It's probably worth checking the ones we are talking about are original or the new version?

blobb · September 2023

From John Carling youtube page

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bew_9LCla4

blobb · September 2023

...and of course, JD is still going, if you want it from the horses mouth. He built most of the JB guitars.

https://www.facebook.com/jaydeeguitars

WezV · September 2023

blobb said:

Yes, JB were still going a few years ago, but flogging newer designs which carried the name only. They were making new versions of the pickups as well and if I remember they moved to just making the pup's and abandonded the guitar side. They had a fb page but it doesn't exist anymore. Here's a couple of reverb ads for the newer pickups:

link 1
link 2

It's probably worth checking the ones we are talking about are original or the new version?

yeah, they seemed to offer a selection that fit the generic humbucker, Mini-Hum, P90 formats.

I never tried any of these. I was only interested in the original style - potentially a lot of extra tooling costs to replicate those, but Jaydee seems to do it for his Iommi guitars - looking neater than the originals

https://reverb.com/uk/item/63087884-jaydee-custom-old-boy-iommi-pickups

blobb · September 2023

Originals aint cheap....

https://reverb.com/item/40258410-john-birch-hyperflux-vintage-1970-s-pickup

WezV · September 2023

blobb said:

Originals aint cheap....

https://reverb.com/item/40258410-john-birch-hyperflux-vintage-1970-s-pickup

Compare that to some Magnums!

WezV · September 2023

this is mine. Original hyperfluxes back on with some 3D printed rings, wired like a normal LP with the addition of a master volume, varitone and kill switch

Vs how it looked on arrival

the bottom of the body was barely hanging on by a few splinters and back plate - those cracks go all the way through. The finish was as sharp as razorblades and had to go, despite looking pretty cool in its worn state

I still need to make a backplate for it, 13 years after it first turned up

blobb · September 2023

Absolutely love that Wez, great refurb. A double cut version is my grail guitar, I settled for this instead...

Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32788909147_15a667236c_k.jpg

Image: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46815709815_052d2c5096_k.jpg

CampbellH · September 2023

I have advised them on various options with pickups. It's up to them to decide if they have big enough pockets for originals.Now that they know how the guitar is actually wired up, not what they thought, they are asking to only replace anything faulty. As it is now a sentimental piece rather than a full refurb/update of a guitar.

blobb · September 2023

Close up the wiring in mine if that's any use.

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John Birch J1 wiring diagram?

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