HSS strat pickups replaced: Don't Work!

[keefaz]

Hi, all.

Yesterday, I gutted my guitar and put in a SD humbucker and middle SC, and a Bare Knuckle Trilogy in the neck. I'm pretty new to all this and my soldering is not the best, but I was pretty careful. I plug the guitar in and I get no output from anything OTHER than 4th switch position which gives me only the one coil from the bridge humbucker.

Any ideas, chaps?

Cheers,

Keith

[BigB]

Well, there's obviously something wrong with your wiring. Now without other informations - say, something like a drawing of your wiring -, I don't see how we could debug this ;)

[edit]
And while we're at it, this kind of questions usually go to the 'tech' section.
[/edit]

[keefaz]

Well, there's obviously something wrong with your wiring. Now without other informations - say, something like a drawing of your wiring -, I don't see how we could debug this ;)

[edit]
And while we're at it, this kind of questions usually go to the 'tech' section.
[/edit]

Ah! Sorry! Is it possible to move this thread? I used the wiring diagram here: http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WDUHSS5L1101

[Twinfan]

It sounds like you made a bad job of the soldering, I'd maybe take it to a tech to fix it?

[keefaz]

It sounds like you made a bad job of the soldering, I'd maybe take it to a tech to fix it?

Haha! The funny thing is I've just started at a guitar shop and would like to take care of this myself. :lol:

[darkbluemurder]

I would take this systematically and do the following:

Step 1 - Make sure that the pickup signal gets to the output jack

Solder the neck pickup's hot lead to the volume pot input. Solder the other pickup lead to ground. Don't use the switch or tone control(s) for now. Solder a wire from the volume pot output to the output jack tip connection. Solder the remainder volume pot connection to ground and also the shaft connection of the output jack.

You should now hear the neck pickup working and you should be able to control its volume with the volume pot.

Step 2 - add the tone pot

Step 3 - add the pickup selector switch but only wire the neck pickup to it. For a regular HSS wiring you should hear the neck pickup in positions 1 (neck alone) and 2 (Neck + middle)

Step 4 - add the middle pickup

Step 5 - add the bridge humbucker but use it in straight humbucking method first

Step 6 - add the coil tap

These steps will take time but given the fact that the guitar is not working at all right now it seems to be the best option.

Good luck
Stephan

[dobbins]

As an amatuer who replaced the entire electronics in one his guitar's last night, I would say use a meter to check all your connections. It is useful bit of kit to have anyway and very quick way of checking connections as you go along, and means you won't speculate, but know which connections have gone wrong.

If you're lacking info check out http://www.guitarelectronics.com/

My 2p...

[ev1ltwin]

FYI, the positions on a strat 5 way switch start from the bridge and go toward the neck. It's a bit counter-intuitive to me as a right-handed guitarist because I think from left to right (neck to bridge in this case) on most things. Maybe the guy who named the positions was left-handed?

typical positions for a HSS strat with auto-split:
1. Bridge (both coils in series)
2. Split Bridge + Middle (parallel)
3. Middle
4. Middle + Neck (parallel)
5. Neck

I'm assuming you mean that position 2 on your switch is only giving you the split bridge. It seems nitpicky, but this will avoid much confusion in the long run, especially if you started working at a shop.

Also, all the replies in this thread are helpful, so definitely take advantage. Good luck!

[keefaz]

I would take this systematically and do the following:

Step 1 - Make sure that the pickup signal gets to the output jack

Solder the neck pickup's hot lead to the volume pot input. Solder the other pickup lead to ground. Don't use the switch or tone control(s) for now. Solder a wire from the volume pot output to the output jack tip connection. Solder the remainder volume pot connection to ground and also the shaft connection of the output jack.

You should now hear the neck pickup working and you should be able to control its volume with the volume pot.

Step 2 - add the tone pot

Step 3 - add the pickup selector switch but only wire the neck pickup to it. For a regular HSS wiring you should hear the neck pickup in positions 1 (neck alone) and 2 (Neck + middle)

Step 4 - add the middle pickup

Step 5 - add the bridge humbucker but use it in straight humbucking method first

Step 6 - add the coil tap

These steps will take time but given the fact that the guitar is not working at all right now it seems to be the best option.

Good luck
Stephan

Thanks, this was really helpful. Got there in the end! All up and running now. :D

EDIT! Also, I hasten to point out I'm working on my own guitar, not a customer's!