PRS pickup wiring issue - can anyone help?

[Twinfan]

OK, so it's non-BKP related but someone may be able to help hopefully!

I have reissue PRS T&B pickups in my SE Custom 24 which work fine but the output is WAY low.  Much lower than my Modern Eagle.  All looks OK:

* Neck pickup reads 8.4k through a guitar cable, same with the Sweet Switch on or off
* Bridge pickup reads 10.3k, same with the SS on or off
* I fitted a new (reading 475k) CTS pot when I rewired it
* The red (split) wires are no used and taped off
* The pickups are designed to work with a rotary switch, so one has a flipped magnet.  To combat this, I've switched the hot/ground leads on one of the pickups.

It's almost as if the individual coils of each humbucker is out of phase with itself as there's no bass or power.

Any ideas folks?

[ToneMonkey]

Sell it  :band4:

[Stevepage]

Switch the Hot/Ground leads around again and see if that works?

[Twinfan]

I had them that way originally, but the in between position was out of phase a-la-Peter Green.  Not sure what the output level was though....

[Philly Q]

Can't think what's going on here!

Is red definitely the coil-split wire?  I guess it must be, based on your DC readings.

When you say WAY low, how WAY is WAY?  Like almost inaudible?  Could it be a fried pot?

[Twinfan]

It's low as in single coil low, as if the coils are in parallel maybe?  I read the leads DC resistance before I fitted the pickups and red is definitely the split for both pickups.

Odd huh?  I've fitted pickups plenty of times now and never had an issue like this.  Just the usual not working or out of phase in the middle position.  I'm well confused!

[Philly Q]

I don't see how you could "accidentally" wire a humbucker in parallel or in phase with itself, though....

Were they secondhand pickups?  Could a previous owner have messed about with them?

[darkbluemurder]

Does the guitar hum more than other guitars? And if you have a single coil switch, is the guitar louder in single coil mode than in humbucker mode?

If the answer to both questions is YES then you got the coils linked with improper phasing. If the pickup has a four conductor wire, desolder the two wires soldered together and check which one is the hot coil. Reverse these two wires. You should be back in business then.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

If the pickup has a four conductor wire, desolder the two wires soldered together and check which one is the hot coil. Reverse these two wires. You should be back in business then.

PRS use a single "coil-split wire" - i.e. "green and white" (in BKP colours) are joined at the pickup, not at the end of the cable.  So you'd need to dismantle the pickup if this is the problem!  :(

[Twinfan]

They're brand new pickups Phil.  The only thing I can think is that the CTS pot is doing something weird.

I'm going to connect the bridge pickup directly to the output jack at the weekend and see if works OK.  If so, I'll add the toggle switch/sweet switch/volume pot one at a time to see where the issue kicks in.  If it's still not right straight to the output jack then both pickups must be faulty in some way.  Magnet issues maybe?

[Tellboy]

I'm going to connect the bridge pickup directly to the output jack at the weekend and see if works OK. 

I think that is the only thing you can do. The original T and B pickups seem to have a reputation for being bright and harsh.
This clip seems to confirm that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVNF-VU7FIk

[Twinfan]

I've no problem with the tone of them, but tiny output is no use to anyone!

[darkbluemurder]

If the pickup has a four conductor wire, desolder the two wires soldered together and check which one is the hot coil. Reverse these two wires. You should be back in business then.

PRS use a single "coil-split wire" - i.e. "green and white" (in BKP colours) are joined at the pickup, not at the end of the cable.  So you'd need to dismantle the pickup if this is the problem!  :(

Oops - of course you are right. In that case a phasing problem seems to be unlikely. The direct link test should then be more fruitful. If the direct linkage of the pickup works, add the volume control. If it still works, add the tone control, switch and so on until you find the culprit.

Cheers Stephan

[Twinfan]

Yep, that's the plan!  I'll give it a go on Saturday afternoon.

[Twinfan]

Right - bridge 'T' pickup direct to the output jack reads 10.4k and sounds the same  :?

Original pickups back in and T&Bs back to PRS UK I think.....