raizen82
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Post by raizen82 on Feb 13, 2007 13:20:46 GMT -5
i'm an electric guitar newbie. my stock bridge pickup(humbucker) turns on and off while playing. anyone know what the problem could be? i have a multimeter but i don't know how to test the pickup. it only has one hot and one ground wire and i'm scared to open up the pickup itself.
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Post by hammeroff on Feb 13, 2007 13:26:09 GMT -5
If it's a guitar that has the pup controlled by one volume pot you could check that thing out and make sure it's not defective.
If it's an older guitar, or a cheap one, maybe make sure you don't have a dodgy solder joint that could be moving around. Or a bare wire that could be doing something funky when the instrument is moving around.
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raizen82
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Post by raizen82 on Feb 13, 2007 13:32:14 GMT -5
the other pickups work fine tho (H-S-S strat). can the volume pot be defective for one connection and work fine with the others? i also checked the solder joints and they are solid.
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Post by ChrisK on Feb 13, 2007 13:54:49 GMT -5
It sounds like either the selector switch, the wiring to that pickup, or the pickup itself.
Don't open up the pickup.
Connect your multimeter to the output (jack) of the guitar.
Use the 20K Ohms range (if it's not auto-ranging).
Select only that pickup on the selector switch.
Set the volume to max.
You should read between 5K to 20K Ohms. See if it changes to overrange (infinite, an open) or to near zero (a short).
Post your results.............We'll go from there.
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raizen82
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Post by raizen82 on Feb 13, 2007 15:33:25 GMT -5
ok, it reads 9.36 at the 20k range.
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Post by UnklMickey on Feb 13, 2007 16:50:10 GMT -5
that seems like a believable value for a HB.
now, what happens when you tap in the area around the pickup selector?
BTW,
WELCOME TO GUITARNUTS2.
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Post by ChrisK on Feb 13, 2007 17:12:48 GMT -5
Clues are.
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raizen82
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Post by raizen82 on Feb 13, 2007 17:23:29 GMT -5
it doesn't change as long as long as the volume is at max. moving the volume to 0 reads a 0.04k and around 12.46 at volume level 3 but once it goes to volume 6-9 the meter reads a 1(open).
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Post by UnklMickey on Feb 13, 2007 18:12:58 GMT -5
that sounds normal so far.
wait for Chris, but i suspect it might be time to measure the resistance of the contacts of the selector switch.
since this is an intermittent problem, you might have a hard time tracking this one down.
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raizen82
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Post by raizen82 on Feb 13, 2007 21:29:49 GMT -5
followed your advice and checked the selector switch. it's working fine tho. there's short on the ON(closed) positions and readings of resistance on the OFF(open) ones. it's making me think it could be the volume pot or the PU itself.
P.S. thanks for the welcome Ü this site is awesome, very informative and helpful with lots of friendly ppl.
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Post by ChrisK on Feb 13, 2007 22:21:01 GMT -5
Yeah, repeat the readings on the highest range that you have.
If ya gots a 1 Meg Ohm range, use that.
Also, monitor the resistance while you play. It should jump around. Switch to a 200 milliVolt AC range and monitor the signal while you play. If it cuts in and out while you play, the reading should cut in and out.
My access will be intermittent, I'm in Cleveland Ohio at the moment and we're having a blizzard. At least it ain't upstate New York where they already had 14 FEET last week.
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Post by UnklMickey on Feb 13, 2007 23:19:05 GMT -5
... At least it ain't upstate New York where they already had 14 FEET last week. 13 FEET, 6 INCHES. don't exaggerate! ;D ...it's working fine tho. there's short on the ON(closed) positions and readings of resistance on the OFF(open) ones. it's making me think it could be the volume pot or the PU itself... whoa! back the truck up. volume pot -- not likely. it would cause the same problem for all pickups. pickup itself -- maybe, but they usually don't go intermittent. selector switch -- more likely. in addition to Chris's test, also check with the LOWEST resistance scale. check the probes touching each other. you'll measure a few tenths to one ohm. then check from the wiper to each position. and in each position, wiggle the lever a little. if the resistance is a couple of ohms, but it's steady, no worries. but if it's significantly higher for the bridge position, or if it changes significantly when you wiggle the lever, i'd replace the switch. also, if your control cavity is shielded, it could be the connection for the bridge pickup is almost touching the shielding. then while you are playing, the vibration and slight flexing of the body is enough to complete the connection to the shield, shorting the bridge pickup connection to ground.
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raizen82
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Post by raizen82 on Feb 14, 2007 2:33:26 GMT -5
oh i see, i see. hmm.. well, i took out the pickguard assembly and unsoldered the connection to the output jack just to check its guts and put it back to do more tests. now i'm wondering what i did coz it's not acting weird anymore. left it plugged in for a couple hours to see if the intermittent comes back. i'll see if it stays fixed for a couple of days and if it does, you might be right about the switch touching the shielding.
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Post by guitardoode on Feb 18, 2007 10:40:40 GMT -5
I have to agree with Mickey! It is MOSTLIKELY to be the pickup switch.
I had a problem with my chinese squier strat where the selector duffed up!
But (I know its a diff guitar) but on my Ibanez Destroyer 120 X i had the same problem, on the neck pickup it was reallyyy intermittant and in some strange occasions the other PUs would quieten!
took me for ever to figure out the problem but it WAS the switch but it did it in colder temperatures! somehow when it got too cold the contacts in the switch didnt seem to actually connect up properly... Suppose thats where the expression of "Warming up" Comes into play ;D
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