Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

[JHN]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

I know it will sound strange,but unsolder the pickup completely and check for continuity among all 4 colored cables with the silver one.Also try to change the order of the coils going in series,i.e. if you had the slug coil going into the screw coil,do it the opposite way.I once found solution to the same problem that way.Also never disregard the volume and tone pots,try hooking it straight to the output just to be sure.The custom sh5 doesn't sound as you described,something is wrong with either the connections or the pickup itself.

[Audhumla]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

So..! A short update with a new problem.

When changing the pups back then, I had the LP wired by a "pro". Or so he claimed to be. Now a good friend of mine who loves to tinker on guitars took a good look and truly found some iffy wiring in there. He redid it and .. yeah, I kinda found the low end of the SH5. It sounds very nice, I was surprised how much more ballsy the LP can be. So thanks for this tip and the persistence/echoing.

BUT.. and there's always a "but". I'm so sorry, guys...

At that point I already ordered an Alnico 8. Just because the tone description of it was more or less the perfect thing. And it was very inexpensive, too. So I read about how to change a magnet without killing the pickup, changed the magnet without killing the pup and WOW! It sounds even better. I love it. I truly am just done with searching for anything new. The SH5 + A8 is just born to be in this guitar.

Now for the problem:

I was very, very careful throughout the procedure. So when I flip the 3way switch to NECK, I get my lovely SH1. Perfect. When I switch to BRIDGE, I get my new favourite toy. SH5A8 in all its glory. Yeah... but the middle position. There is nearly no tone. When I dial back the Bridge Volume Poti to 6 or 7ish, I get more or less just the Neck Pup. As I said: I was very careful. The magnet I put in faces the right way (as in the right side goes to the pup and the right side faces the baseplate - or do you have to look our for more than that? I get perfect tone from all 6 strings). I did not rip on the wires and now that I opened up the back plate I cannot find any lose wiring. Any ideas?

As I said.. sorry. Should have listened and just have the damn thing rewired but the new magnet is definitely worth every penny. And the pure panic I'm suffering right now. ;>

[Aceman]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

CAn we get a pic of the control cavity wires?

[Audhumla]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

Apparently, I'm an idiot.

It's working now. I had the magnet facing the right way, but had to change the sides (left <-> right). Now I've got everything as it was. Just more awesome. Thanks again for all the help and your patience.

[Archer250]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

Ah. Now could you tell us what the wiring problem was?

[Audhumla]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

When I asked my friend, he just said it seemed like the guy who did the wiring before wasn't too familiar with the SD colour code and left it at that.

[Archer250]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

Ah!

[Masta' C]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

Glad you got it sorted and REALLY glad you liked the A8 It's a double-happy ending!

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

Sounds like it could be that he wired it with one coil shorted out/split mode and didn't realize it because he didn't understand the color code.

[dvanburen]

Re: Epi LP + SH5 fail - need suggestions for another Bridge pup

Awesome man. I started just like you. The Sh5 was my first Duncan pickup and I loved it for a long time. Still do, but I did the swap to the A8 and it worked wonders for me. Great pickup. But after several years I swapped out the A8 for the big ceramic from the Duncan Distortion (not the regular sized ceramic that is stock in the Sh5). I put that setup in my les paul and I won't be going back for a while. It gives the les paul power, punch and grind. It makes it a les paul killer!. Not trying to get you to swap mags again, Im glad you found what you were looking for. Just another testament that mag swaps are easy and provide a myriad of tones with a simple mod. Especially in the custom.. cheers