Charvel Guthrie Govan Wiring Diagram

[brucegregori]

I get all of the sounds from the diagram just fine. Screwdriver test verifies all the positions are "normal" with the toggle in the "down" position.

But, when I put the toggle to the "up" position I get two things happen that seem odd.

1. The middle position on the five with the toggle up - I get this rolled off tone almost as if a wah is in the heel position. So if you stay in middle and toggle back and forth you get tele spank (down) and "money for nothing" up. I mean it is kind of cool sound, but I didnt think this is what this position was supposed to do. So that is one thing...

2. bridge position toggle back and forth almost sounds like the same voicing...I mean they sound almost identical..I have good ears and I am a session player by trade so I feel like I am going out of mind haha! But they really sound no different...

Now, I am not saying this is incorrect and maybe this is what GG was going for?

I know he likes that "woman" tone thing so I could see him throwing that in since he is big clapton/cream fan...

I'll take more photos with better labeling...It is so packed in there.

Thanks for your help...

BG

[sumgai]

Jan 16, 2022 17:40:45 GMT -5 brucegregori said:

[The] bridge position toggle back and forth almost sounds like the same voicing...I mean they sound almost identical

That solder joint on the back of the pot (where the two resistors are tacked down) looks suspicious to me. Try re-heating the joint again.  Other solder joints don't "look" bad from here, but you never know.... Re-heat anything that looks iffy to you - it can't hurt.

Next (if needed), make sure the switch itself is in working order. Only a meter can do this, because you need to disconnect the wire from one of the lugs. Doing so ensures that you are measuring only the switch, and not some other signal path.

HTH




sumgai

[burgher79]

brucegregori something seems off. The single coil simulation is very obvious on the bridge pickup. It is actually one of my favourite single coil style sounds as it has classic single coil but with a little more muscle and much less noise. This should be the same with the neck pickup. The toggle should have no impact on the position 3 setting.

It does sound like a wiring issue around the toggle switch. Maybe try to re-solder the point where the resistors (under the shrinkwrap) from the capacitors connect to the tone pot first to see if it helps.

[brucegregori]

Ok thanks - I will give that a try. Bruce

[brucegregori]

Here is a better image of the tone pot...

[brucegregori]

[Deleted]

Just finishing work and noticed this


That is One CAP is linked to Position 3
and another is linked to Position 1&2 BUT the COMMON is linked to ONLY Position 2

[brucegregori]

So Are you saying my set up is different than the diagram...? 

[brucegregori]

[Deleted]

Wow

1) that white cable next to the green where does it go to

So the 100nF & 1K5 is in parallel with the second pickup in the humbucker.

I can NOW ☺️ see that for the bridge but I can't see what the other side of this switch does. Should it come active the same as the bridge does

If position 1 should be the same as 5 but with neck pickup than bridge. I would take the wire that goes to 1&2 and put it where the the neck pickup join is, but the other end of the cap/resister to position 1

[brucegregori]

[brucegregori]

Do these help?

[Deleted]

Yes a bit complex for what it does


and id admite i cox up with the Grounding of this 150K/100nF, it is too complex for its own good
you have a small space so where you can doulbe up do, where you can save on cost do.

[admsavage]

Jan 16, 2022 14:11:41 GMT -5 brucegregori said:

Do those Caps on the DPDT have resistors on them? 

Also I would do what was suggested for me and check the continuity with a multimeter between all the points, and follow the diagram originally provided!

Also I just noticed that the hot, red wires are in different positions on your switch than to what is specified in the diagram. I mean I dont know if it matters since they are all bridged together? But they seem to be farther apart in your guitar than the diagram, where they are right next to each other?

[brucegregori]

Ok - not sure about all of that. I think from the what I am hearing is that there should be no affect to the pickups with the alter switch other than pos 1 and 5. So I am thinking this was just wired backwards some how. I think I need to send it out to charvel to fix it, although they broke it so....whatever will happen next..

[brucegregori]

IT went back to Charvel to see if they can figure it out. They messed up so they can fix it lol!

[admsavage]

Sorry to be posting again, but I rewired and I'm still getting problems...

Neck pick up works, but the inner coil is the louder one. its also brighter than the outer coil which sounds more muffled, I can flip the pick up itself to fix this!
Neck and middle I get just the inner coil (remember the pick up is in the pocket it wrong) of neck. No middle pick up though.
Middle position I get the neck pick up again, but it sounds weaker?
Bridge and Middle position I get just the bridge, outer coil is the brighter than the two.
Bridge position is just the bridge, same as the bridge and middle position, no change in volume or sound though, just effectively the same sound twice.

the SC circuit works on just the neck pick up. No where else. 

I have literally spent 2 weeks wiring and unwiring, etc. trying to do this thing. Any more advice other than taking it to an actual repair shop?

Thanks again for all the help so far!

[admsavage]

So I searched more on the web and it turns out my bridge was out of phase with my middle pick up, even though they are both dimarzio I thought that there wouldnt be an issue with phasing. I wired the bridge as red+green as the split, white to hot and black and bare to ground. It seems to work now, in all positions but I think 2 and 4 positions are out of phase sounding now. And im not sure how to go about fixing that.

Just thought an update would be good, in case anyone else runs into my problem!