Orange wire barely attached to 85/15 TCI Pickups

[seanchristopher]

I was taking out the pickups rings on my CE24 to check what was causing the neck pickup to tilt (couldn't figure out why but reinstalling the pickup rings fixed it!) when I noticed that the orange wire for the 85/15 TCI neck pickup, is barely attached to the pickup and feels like it could come off really easily if I twist it the wrong way.

I kept on getting worried I'd rip it off when I was struggling to get the pickup screws and pickup springs reattached to the pickup ring (it was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life )

I'm not sure what the orange wire is for, because it doesn't show up on the 85/15 TCI Pickup wiring chart that I found online. So I'm thinking maybe it's a ground wire or something.

Does the orange wire on my neck pickup look like it's not attached very well to you guys?

Does anyone else's 85/15 TCI Pickup have an orange wire that looks like it isn't attached very well like mine?

Or does mine look fine and thats normal for these pickups?

And if not, Is this wire not being attached very well a concern?

Any help and/or info is appreciated!

 

[SinSir]

Orange is ground. I posted a TCI color code diagram from PRS on here somewhere you can search for.

 

[seanchristopher]

Orange is ground. I posted a TCI color code diagram from PRS on here somewhere you can search for

I figured it was the ground wire, and i'm glad I was right! I must have looked at the wrong diagram. I'll have to check out the one you posted!

Does the ground wire on my pickup look like it's about to come off? Or is that how it's supposed to look?

 

[Broseph]

Your exact fear happened to me. I went to swap the pickup ring on my CE to black and the orange wire was bouncing around. I googled and was relieved it was only the chassis ground wire. I guess I’ll solder it to the baseplate?

 

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

Orange is ground. I posted a TCI color code diagram from PRS on here somewhere you can search for.

It's a CHASSIS ground, to be specific. It doesn't even have to be connected for pickups to work. It forms the shield for the coils (coils in newer PRS pickups are surrounded by copper tape) with the pickup base. If it's lose, just solder it to the base

 

[Broseph]

Confirmed. I soldered the orange wire to the baseplate after it popped loose. I don’t appreciate any difference in hum. Crisis averted.