Hi, I'm from Amsterdam, and I'm preparing a different loaded pickguard for my '93 SSS Silhouette. I have a guard and 3 original pickups taken from a MM Cutlass (including the silent circuit). The output wires of the original pickguard are connected to the jack output via a male/female connector. This was standard MM practice, I do not know if it is still so. Now my first question is about that connector: what exactly is it called, and where can I get it? It consists of a plastic housing and contact pins. The connector is 3 pole, of which only two are used. I'd like to keep this part standard, so I can switch between pickguards. Thank you!
- Thread starter 12fret
- Start date
DrKev
Moderator
Hallo! Welcome to the forum!
It's called a Molex connector and it is standard on all Silhouette guitars. The third pin is used on the Silhouette Special for 9V to the silent circuit (which is not present on the 24 fret Silhouette). For that to work you will need a TRS input jack on the guitar (I don't know if the Silhouette has TRS or more standard TS). The negative side of the battery is connected to the ring terminal, when a standard mono jack is connected to the guitar the battery circuit is complete (because the negative connects to ground). When your cable is unplugged the battery is disconnected and does not drain. This is standard wiring for many guitars with active circuitry.
Have you checked the dimensions of the cavity on the Silhouette are large enough to accept the Cutlass circuitry and battery?
It's called a Molex connector and it is standard on all Silhouette guitars. The third pin is used on the Silhouette Special for 9V to the silent circuit (which is not present on the 24 fret Silhouette). For that to work you will need a TRS input jack on the guitar (I don't know if the Silhouette has TRS or more standard TS). The negative side of the battery is connected to the ring terminal, when a standard mono jack is connected to the guitar the battery circuit is complete (because the negative connects to ground). When your cable is unplugged the battery is disconnected and does not drain. This is standard wiring for many guitars with active circuitry.
Have you checked the dimensions of the cavity on the Silhouette are large enough to accept the Cutlass circuitry and battery?
Welcome 12fret, lets see these guitars man. You can get the molex connectors from tons of places, it's very common. Does the one you have have a part number on the side? I believe you can get them from Glamazon, but not 100% sure.
DrKev, Molex is the company that makes the connector. https://www.molex.com/en-us/home
Glenn |B)
DrKev, Molex is the company that makes the connector. https://www.molex.com/en-us/home
Glenn |B)
beej
Moderator
You can get the Molex connectors at certain electronic supply stores. In Canada, I've bought them from Mouser in the past.
That said, you don't really need them. Unless you're planning to switch pickguards regularly (which was the point of having a quick disconnect), you can just solder the output wires as you would normally.
That said, you don't really need them. Unless you're planning to switch pickguards regularly (which was the point of having a quick disconnect), you can just solder the output wires as you would normally.
DrKev
Moderator
You can also use the basic screw terminal blocks you'll find in any hardware store or even many supermarkets. They can work just as well.
Thanks guys, that feels good. Dr Kev you answered my stil unposed question about the connection of the silent circuit. A TRS, I had not thought of that. Yes, the dimensions of the Silhouette cavity are large enough for the Cutlass circuitry. Even the distance between the 'pot holes' in the pickguard is exactly the same on the Silhouette (from '93) as on the Cutlass. The PCB sank in place perfectly. The battery is another thing, I think it won't fit in the cavity, but I plan to install one of these battery boxes at the back of the guitar (sold separately by MM). This will be some work, so I first want to get the guitar running w/o silent circuit, see how it sounds. Yes, a screw terminal block, that would be a quick solderless solution. Thanks.
Re Molex part, it seems to be this one: https://www.molex.com/en-us/products/part-detail/03062032. It the male connector, at the pickguard side. Still have to find the right 'crimp connectors'. I'm in The Netherlands, and I only have found an outlet which makes you buy 400 pieces or so at a time.
Sure! It's mess now, but I won't forget! Mine is a beautiful see through sunburst, with rosewood neck. I picked it at the factory in '93. I had quasi naively arranged for our holiday route to pass through San Luis Obispo. I stopped at the music store (forgot the name), and expressed my wish for a Silhouette. The guy who worked there, named Charles, then took me to the MM factory, he obviously had an 'in'. There I picked it, and it was set up while I waited. Nice memory. I my case is still the note from Charles 'thank for your business'.
GoKart Mozart
Well-known member
I ran across this thread recently from 15+ years ago; check out page 2 where Dudley Gimpel (former head designer at MM) chimed in with some part numbers for those connectors.
Silhouette pickguard/pickup module
Hi I read somewhere about the pickguard and pickups of the silo special being a unit that is changeable without re-wiring (connector slides in). Is this true? Couple other questions if anyone knows answer please -if you have a sss pickup config can you go to the ssh config just by unscrewing...
forums.ernieball.com
Great info! I found that the parts numbers mentioned by Dudley have to be changed slightly when using the molex.com website. The 538 prefix needs to be dropped, and the hyphens needs to be eliminated.
So these are the modern part numbers:
Receptacle: 03061032
Female contacts: 02061103 or 02061132
Plug: 03062032
Male contacts: 02062103 or 02062132
Thanks Dudley, thanks GoKart!
banjoplayer
Well-known member
absoluteley, I do that with every guitar that has a pickguard for many years. Best and easiest solution!
