Another dilemma that I can’t resolve

[frets]

Hi Guys😸😸😸,

I’ve got a guy that I sold a harness to some time ago.  At first he said it was working perfect but now he is having a problem with it.  He lives out of State to me.

I’ve attached the diagram.  I know the harness works as it should given I tested everything that goes out.  It worked with a traditional HSS pickup configuration.  This is what makes it weird.  It’s an HSS with a “Neck On” push pull Volume and a Middle Tone Coil Split to the Bridge.

I’m quoting him as to the problem.  It has a three wire Duckbucker. Red, White, Bare.

“I’m getting Neck (DuckBucker) active in positions 1,2,3,4. It should be active in 1 and 2 but not 3 and 4. The Middle is active in postitions 3,4 as it should, but it's getting drowned out by the Neck pickup The Humbucker is active in position 4 as it should be. Position 5 is Humbucker only exactly as it should, Split Coil pull works, Neck Pull on works.

The issue is postions 3,4 that should not have the Neck active and it is....“

Ive checked the wiring, via photos and mine looks right as does his.  He’s using the red on the Duckbucker as North Start and the White married to the Bare going to ground.

Any thoughts?  Thank you!

[newey]

If it worked when you shipped it, the problem isn't with the diagram, it's with the wiring (or with the switches themselves).

First, I would have him double check, via a tap test, that he is not also getting the neck with the HB at position 5. The HB might be drowning out the neck at that position, he may be hearing HB alone but actually having the neck, too.

If the Neck is also active at position 5 (I'd call it position 1, but we'll use your guy's designations), then we can pretty much (almost) eliminate the 5-way swithc as the problem and focus on the DPDT neck on. The two possibilities are either that the neck + is shorting to the lower right-hand lug on the P/P, which is then connected to hot on the V pot, or the Push/pull switch has an internal fault on the right-hand pole (less likely).

If, however, his first description is correct, and he is getting the neck at 3 and 4 but not 5, then the focus would need to be on the 5-way switch. Either the neck + is inadvertently making contact with the middle hot, or there is an internal fault in the switch connecting those 2 lugs (less likely).

My suspicion would first focus on those 2 470k resistors. Did you tape those leads? If not, and the bare wires touch each other, that would explain the described symptoms.

[frets]

Newey,
As always, thank you.  I’m having him work through some checks.  I’ll keep you guys posted.  It’s just the whole enchilada of problems that has me baffled.  And of course, I don’t know as much as you angels do.

[Deleted]

“I’m getting Neck (DuckBucker) active in positions 1,2,3,4. It should be active in 1 and 2 but not 3 and 4. The Middle is active in postitions 3,4 as it should, but it's getting drowned out by the Neck pickup The Humbucker is active in position 4 as it should be. Position 5 is Humbucker only exactly as it should, Split Coil pull works, Neck Pull on works."

1. Neck
2. Neck + Middle
3. Middle // Neck + Midde
4. Middle + Bridge // Neck + Middle + Bridge
5. Bridge // Neck + Bridge

If getting Neck in position 1,2,3 & 4 and not 5 I think more to do with his ears.
As the bypass works on every other position (well 3&4)
And it shouldn't be active on 3&4 well that's the bypass, why not 5 is a puzzle.

I would suggest taking Photos of the wiring outside and inside the guitar as people touch and play inside and blame others when gone wrong. What I did with some of my house wiring , maiming fuse boards to show the state and that is correct when I left it.

I haven't look at the resistors yet
But switching is ok for me really
So I'd guess Newey is right (dam that's hard to type LOL)


if making a 500K Pot (just using one side of it) you should really put it on the Pot itself
this will mean you only need ONE Resister and will give the pot your target of 250K

at the moment you have
----POT----------Cap-----GROUND
----Resister-------------GROUND

You want more

----POT-------+---Cap-----GROUND
----Resister--+

(My ASCII Drawing sucks i know)

[frets]

Thanks Angel,
I’m drawing out some snippet diagrams so he can check to make sure of what Newey recommended.