VHII sounds like stock single coil :(

[geetardude]

My new MIM Strat came equipped with 3 single coils (250k pot). Once my new pickguard arrived I took the bridge single coil pup out and dropped in a BKP VHII humbucker.

Other than having slightly more volume than the stock single coil, there is no noticable difference in sound between the stock single coil and the VHII humbucker.

The bridge single coil pup was the only change that I made. After I unsoldered the single coil, I soldered the VHII's red lead to the selector switch and the black and braided to ground (following the included directions). I played with height setting and got it to where it sounds best.

There is no wiring error. There is no hum, pops or noise. In fact the guitar is just as smooth and quiet as it was stock. The problem is that the VHII sounds nothing at all like a humbucker, but amost identical to the original stock single coil.

A friend came over to check my work, he said the wiring and workmanship was perfect. He also said that the VHII was working correctly, but that some guitars do not change that much in sound by a simple pup replacement. He suggested puting the single coil back in and ask for my money back, or save it for my next guitar someday.

Did I blow all that money for nothing? Please Help!

 

[Davey]

wire like this

VHII -> 500k volume pot -> selector switch

neck and middle -> 250k volume-> selector switch
then wire for master tone (if you want to keep it, i prefer no tone controls)


you'll have two volume controls and a master tone and i assure you, there will be a difference.
humbuckers are 'designed' to work with 500k pots. if you wire 500k pots to single coils, it'll be bright as $%&#

try this first

[geetardude]

Hey thanks for the suggestion.

I know there is a difference between 250k and 500k pots. But if there is no difference between the VHII and the stock single coil using 250k, why would there be a difference between the VHII and the stock single coil using 500k?

If there does turn out to be a little bit of difference I'm wondering if it will even be worth it considering the huge dollars for the BKP? Especially when I could have bought a SD or other humbucker at a realistic price?

I am sorry I sound so negative but you don't know how excited I was after I saved up enough money and placed my order for the VHII. Now after all that work it doesn't live up to its reputation. It also proved to me that Fender really does make good stuff, even the stock single coils.

Please let me know before I spend more money on a wiring kit and have to rip this whole thing apart again.

 

[gingataff]

Tricky. You say there's no hum so it sounds like both coils are working, try tapping (gently) on both with a wrench or screwdriver to check. I take it from what you said that you have the braided wire rather than the 4 conductor? So that rules out parallel and coil splitting to thin your sound.

Do you play clean or with overdrive? What is the rest of your set up?

The VHII has a heavily offset winding so I believe it does have more of a singlecoil character than other humbuckers, but I shouldn't think you'd mistake it for one.

[JamesHealey]

the VHII is asymetrically wound, thus giving it single coil like tones..
it's got all the overtones that single coils have.. with the beef of a humbucker.

it sounds absolutely huge but with a great dynamic range, it shouldn't sound thin or too much like a single coil..

I'd rewire everything every single solder point, just incase i've found this solves a lot of problems, also check you've wired it up right.

www.seymourduncan.com has wiring diagrams just follow the diagrams on there..

BKP if i remember rightly is Red Live, Bare and Black to Earth, and Green and White solderd together for standard series opperation, which is what u'll want in most cases.

[Twinfan]

There is no wiring error

I beg to differ  ;)

It sounds like you've got four conductor wiring as you mention red and black leads.

What have you done with the green and white leads?  I would imagine you'd want to split the humbucker for position two of your 5 way selector so you'd need to attach the green and white leads to the selector switch too.  See the following diagram, but BKP colour codes are different so you'll need:

* Black and bare - ground on rear of volume pot
* Green and white - both go to selector switch together (red and white below)
* Red - end of selector switch (black below)

[steve]

Mmmm,Something must be wrong as both my VHII's sound massive. They have characteristics of single coils as they have a big open tone but
they shouldnt sound gutless. Check out the clips in the player's room.

[Davey]

also, what amp do you have

[DeanS]

Mmmm,Something must be wrong as both my VHII's sound massive. They have characteristics of single coils as they have a big open tone but
they shouldnt sound gutless. Check out the clips in the player's room.

++1 Mine sounds massive in an ash strat with just the right amount of upper mids sizzle!

[Bird]

Mine also sounds amazing  :twisted:  Sounds like a wiring issue.

[Peter Antal]

If the white and green leads are soldered together - the two coils are in series -, the VHII should have serious punch.

[Transcend]

sorry if this has been mentioned but i only had time to scan it.

what is your guitar??

it could be that you havea  cr@ppy guitar thats made out of agathis or plywood. therefore anything will sound lifeless.

[Davey]

sorry if this has been mentioned but i only had time to scan it.

what is your guitar??

it could be that you havea  cr@ppy guitar thats made out of agathis or plywood. therefore anything will sound lifeless.

he said MIM fender

[Transcend]

sorry if this has been mentioned but i only had time to scan it.

what is your guitar??

it could be that you havea  cr@ppy guitar thats made out of agathis or plywood. therefore anything will sound lifeless.

he said MIM fender

ah well sorry.

then again personally i think fenders sound liek shite but thats all personal preference.

but yeah it definitely sounds like a wiring issue

[JamesHealey]

well theres ya answer.. get a big slab of mahogany and get rid of that mim shitee..

but still on a serious note, resolder everything if u think u've done it right. it could be a solder joint u can't see that not conducting propperly i've had loads do that coz my solderings not exactly amazing.