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Author Topic: Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily.  (Read 3759 times)

ezas

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Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily.
« on: October 17, 2011, 11:18:28 PM »
It looks like i have a bad neck PU based on checking the resistance on a Mother's Milk set. I've contacted BK by email to work that issue.

This is my first build so I'm being (probably overly) cautious. But I'd like to know how to wire the guitar with the bridge PU out of the circuit. Wiring is standard Strat with the middle tone also controlling the Bridge tone. Currently the guitar has the hot and ground wire to the Bridge PU disconnected, but no other alteration to the wiring harness besides that. Can I just tape those ends off or do other connections need to be changed for it to play right with only neck and middle PU's connected?

I'd really like the guy I'm building the guitar for to be able to play it. He has been waiting patiently for many months.

Thanks in advance

Ian Price

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Re: Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily.
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2011, 11:29:00 PM »
I'm not sure of how to fix this problem - others on here are far better qualified than I am.

After reading your post one question came to mind. This is your first build and somebody is waiting for you to hand it over to them. Sounds a little bit odd and ill advised that your first build would be for someone else. Is money changing hands for this? Personally if someone was building mea guitar I would probably expect them to know how to sort out wiring.

Sorry if this causes offense, totally not my intention. I'm just curious as to why your first build is going to someone else!
I think I hate being indecisive.

Philly Q

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Re: Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily.
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2011, 01:00:49 AM »
Currently the guitar has the hot and ground wire to the Bridge PU disconnected, but no other alteration to the wiring harness besides that. Can I just tape those ends off or do other connections need to be changed for it to play right with only neck and middle PU's connected?

It'll do no harm to leave the bridge pickup in place with the ends of the wires taped so they don't flap around and inadvertently make connections.

Of course you'll get no sound in the bridge position on the switch.

But can I ask why you want to leave the bridge pickup disconnected if it's the neck pickup which is "bad"?  :?
BKPs I've Got:  RR, BKP-91, ITs, VHII, CS set, Emeralds
BKPs I Had:  RY+Abraxas, Crawlers, BD+SM

ezas

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Re: Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily.
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2011, 03:43:03 AM »
My bad. I always seem to say neck when I mean bridge and bridge when I mean neck.

It's the bridge PU that is bad. I have the bridge PU out of the body currently with the expectation that it will be going back to BK for replacement, but I'm waiting to hear back from BK on the next steps to take.

ezas

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Re: Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily.
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2011, 04:14:45 AM »
I'm not sure of how to fix this problem - others on here are far better qualified than I am.

After reading your post one question came to mind. This is your first build and somebody is waiting for you to hand it over to them. Sounds a little bit odd and ill advised that your first build would be for someone else. Is money changing hands for this? Personally if someone was building mea guitar I would probably expect them to know how to sort out wiring.

Sorry if this causes offense, totally not my intention. I'm just curious as to why your first build is going to someone else!

Yeah that question was kinda walking a fine line . . . but a good question in an internet sort of way. No offense taken.

It's not a commercial venture. It's a joint project between myself and a friend. I have always wanted to build (as in assemble) an electric guitar from Warmoth parts. My playing sucks and I barely played the electric guitar I already owned. So the way I put it to people is; I'm building my dream guitar for someone else. He is a hell of a nice guy and I found myself in a position to have the time and resources to do this for him.

I'm also doing a build in parallel for a guitar for myself. It's a 7/8ths size strat with a 24" neck. So some things I practiced 1st on the build for myself. A good example is the threaded inserts for the neck and the wipe on poly for the neck, I did on the my guitar first.


ezas

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Re: Remove 1 PU from wiring temporarily. - update with review
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2011, 09:57:46 PM »
After my 'player' having the guitar overnight he called it "perfect" and the tech he took it too said I set it up just about the way he sets them up He said the action was a little low the high E side. He said intonation was pretty much right on, which is good since I only eye-balled it. This was based on a quick evaluation by the tech. But as my first setup, I'm glad to hear it was ball park for being set right.

Oh I should probably mention I over-nighted a SD SSL-3 to put in the bridge position while waiting for the Bridge PU to go back to BK. So the setup is MM at middle/neck and a SD SSL-3 at the bridge mounted reverse slant. All of them set on the low side to start.

What really struck me was the quality of the mid-range. it has a resonance reminiscent of a cello or the human voice box. Put another way there is no worries about having a 'usable' middle PU. And I'm not the fan some are of the middle PU alone on a Strat. I wouldn't go as far as to call it's 'warm', musical is how I would describe it which is perfect since that is what we were going for.  Above all it sounds like a Strat when I close my eyes.