Author Topic: can i do it myself? (Read 21598 times)

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #15 on:** April 08, 2007, 11:06:14 PM »

Melt the solder and pull the wires off?
Unscrew the pickups and extract....

CJ · « **Reply #16 on:** April 08, 2007, 11:27:18 PM »

Quote from: FELINEGUITARS

Melt the solder and pull the wires off?
Unscrew the pickups and extract....

ok. i'm not the experienced solderer so i wasn't sure if i just cut the old wires off or what. melting the solder off makes more sense though... And where are my pickups screwed in exactly? i guess i'll see when i take off the pickguard?

Tarzan · « **Reply #17 on:** April 08, 2007, 11:39:29 PM »

when you take off the pick guard, you unscrew the pickups at the same time, because the screws go through the pick guard

CJ · « **Reply #18 on:** April 08, 2007, 11:58:21 PM »

Quote from: Tarzan

when you take off the pick guard, you unscrew the pickups at the same time, because the screws go through the pick guard

oh those are the only screws holding them in?

CJ · « **Reply #19 on:** April 09, 2007, 12:26:15 AM »

oh, and is it possible for me to take a cover off of my other pickup, or will that ruin it? I heard it takes out the wax potting if you take the cover off, which i'm sure is true...

WezV · « **Reply #20 on:** April 09, 2007, 09:15:48 AM »

Quote from: callme.nasty

oh, and is it possible for me to take a cover off of my other pickup, or will that ruin it? I heard it takes out the wax potting if you take the cover off, which i'm sure is true...

depends on the pickups, single coils have plastic covers that come straight off.

Humbuckers have metal covers that are soldered to the pickup base plate and its easier to damage a pickup when removing these.

It doesnt exactly take out the wax potting when you remove a cover, but removing a cover is easier if you melt out the wax potting first - but thats not an easy task to get right

You have to be very carefull because too much heat will destroy the windings on the pickup

CJ · « **Reply #21 on:** April 10, 2007, 12:02:17 AM »

Quote from: WezV

Quote from: callme.nasty
oh, and is it possible for me to take a cover off of my other pickup, or will that ruin it? I heard it takes out the wax potting if you take the cover off, which i'm sure is true...

depends on the pickups, single coils have plastic covers that come straight off.

Humbuckers have metal covers that are soldered to the pickup base plate and its easier to damage a pickup when removing these.

It doesnt exactly take out the wax potting when you remove a cover, but removing a cover is easier if you melt out the wax potting first - but thats not an easy task to get right

You have to be very carefull because too much heat will destroy the windings on the pickup

hmm... sounds tricky. i guess i'll cross that bridge when i get to it.

CJ · « **Reply #22 on:** April 10, 2007, 08:54:38 PM »

mine will probably be a bit tricky since, as far as i know, my guitar was wired wrong when i got it. For example, one of my knobs may act as a volume knob when i have my selector switch in bridge position, but then when i change it to neck position that volume knob now acts as a tone knob.

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #23 on:** April 10, 2007, 09:54:36 PM »

OK - a quick bit of common sense and straight talking here

Sounds like there are a few ISSUES to get straightened out before diving in and taking covers off this pickup and doing stuff.

1) are the volume and tone controls actually working correctly?
I'll assume 2 x volume and 1 x tone as you said it was a V
A mis-wired tone control will aacyt as a bad volume control

2) if they are definately not wired up correctly - make this your first step
Forget all the modifying the look etc - get the basic elecs working right

3) if in doubt take it to a tech or someone that can at least give you straight advice without robbing you for the benefit of their experience

4) Alternatively there are plenty of wiring diagrams for v and explorer guitars online- get the wiring checked first

No need for a new thread, or further discussing the pros and cons of stuff until you have the basic functions of the guitar working right.

Make it a priority and then start enjoying your guitar

THEN - consider what tweaks and modifications you want to make

CJ · « **Reply #24 on:** April 10, 2007, 10:12:42 PM »

actually i remember someone telling me that the way i described was normal for a V. Either way, i'm not all into re-wiring it correctly. I actually like how it is, and i don't see a real need to fix it. It works fine. But, i'm wondering if it'll mess me up for putting in the new pickup. Couldn't i just wire the new pickup exactly how the old pickup was in?

And the reason i need to know how to take off a pickup cover... i might be buying MDV's miracle man which has a black cover on it. My current pickups are chrome. I don't think a black pickup and a chrome pickup would match well. Also, off topic, but his pickup his 52mm spacing and i need 50mm spacing but he says it won't make a difference. is this true?

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #25 on:** April 10, 2007, 10:53:38 PM »

Quote from: callme.nasty

actually i remember someone telling me that the way i described was normal for a V.

Not the way you described it it doesnt sound right

Two independant volumes and a master tone is what a V should have
the volume for one pickup will only affect the other pickup in the middle switch position when it will affect the amount of signal from that first pickup or will shut everything off if turned right down to zero

Quote from: callme.nasty

But, i'm wondering if it'll mess me up for putting in the new pickup. Couldn't i just wire the new pickup exactly how the old pickup was in?

I accept what you say about MDV's pickup, but for the exact reason you said i would want to know that my wiring was working ok if I was in your shoes.

Also maybe your V isn't incorrectly wired - as you also surmised
But you have run a couple of threads saying that it might be
So I was only suggesting you find out for sure

CJ · « **Reply #26 on:** April 10, 2007, 11:33:16 PM »

Quote from: FELINEGUITARS

Quote from: callme.nasty
actually i remember someone telling me that the way i described was normal for a V.

Not the way you described it it doesnt sound right

Two independant volumes and a master tone is what a V should have
the volume for one pickup will only affect the other pickup in the middle switch position when it will affect the amount of signal from that first pickup or will shut everything off if turned right down to zero

Quote from: callme.nasty
But, i'm wondering if it'll mess me up for putting in the new pickup. Couldn't i just wire the new pickup exactly how the old pickup was in?

I accept what you say about MDV's pickup, but for the exact reason you said i would want to know that my wiring was working ok if I was in your shoes.

Also maybe your V isn't incorrectly wired - as you also surmised
But you have run a couple of threads saying that it might be
So I was only suggesting you find out for sure

Well once i get my amp back from the shop i'll see what each knob does on each channel or whattever. I'm thinking it may have been wired like this on purpose for some reason because normally the V's have chrome inserts in the knobs saying volume or tone. But mine does not have any inserts... Or maybe they did that because they screwed up? I don't know, i remember talking to a gibson tech a while back and he said it was normal, but maybe i described it to him wrong...

Well how do i figure out if it is wired wrong? just look at a wiring diagram and opening up my guitar? where can i find a diagram for this guitar?

Philly Q · « **Reply #27 on:** April 10, 2007, 11:44:11 PM »

Quote from: callme.nasty

Well how do i figure out if it is wired wrong? just look at a wiring diagram and opening up my guitar? where can i find a diagram for this guitar?

Ignore the Duncan colour-coding, but here's your basic 2 humbuckers, 2 volumes, 1 tone, 3-way switch wiring:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/2h_2v_1t_3w.html

CJ · « **Reply #28 on:** April 10, 2007, 11:51:45 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

Quote from: callme.nasty
Well how do i figure out if it is wired wrong? just look at a wiring diagram and opening up my guitar? where can i find a diagram for this guitar?

Ignore the Duncan colour-coding, but here's your basic 2 humbuckers, 2 volumes, 1 tone, 3-way switch wiring:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/2h_2v_1t_3w.html

thanks for that, but damn thats confusing for someone whos never seen the inside of a guitar before. Could i also just use that diagram when i'm acutally just putting in my pickup?

Either way, i'll print this out and see how it matches up to my guitar.

Philly Q · « **Reply #29 on:** April 11, 2007, 12:12:59 AM »

Quote from: callme.nasty

thanks for that, but damn thats confusing for someone whos never seen the inside of a guitar before. Could i also just use that diagram when i'm acutally just putting in my pickup?

Well, the Duncan diagrams are about as clear as you'll find, at least they look like the actual parts rather than using symbols. And to be honest guitar wiring doesn't get much simpler than that, unless it's a one-pickup guitar.

There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to use the diagram as a guide when replacing your pickup. Bear in mind on your V the physical layout of the controls will be slightly different, but the connections should be the same or very similar. Just take your time and follow all the wires to see where they connect, try to understand how it all works.

The good thing with a V, if it's a 60s/70s style wth a scratchplate, is that you can take the plate and pickups off as one piece and put the guitar itself safely away from solder splashes!