Quarter Pounder in an Esquire

[rp53]

Built an Esquire and using a quarter pounder as the only pickup - 3 pos switch and I have used Eldred wiring. Hunted around for wiring diagrams or advice - couldn't find any. So I connected the white wire to hot and the black wire to ground. Left the red wire unconnected (as one online forum had suggested). That was dead and I found it needed the red wire attached to the hot as well. Then I get signal. I rather think the sound is a bit woolly and muffled. Should the red and white wires be attached together as the hot or have I got something wrong here? Advice much appreciated.

[itbepopples]

Does it sound muffled in all 3 positions? What value are the caps you used? The red wire indicates that you have the tapped version of the quarter pounder. In case you aren't familiar the red lead bypasses the second half (likely not half literally) of the windings on the pickup to give you less output. Strange that the one lead was dead but it worked with both leads connected. Someone smarter than I may chime in and advise you as to how to properly check to see if the pickup is no good. I have a quarter pounder I've been waiting to find a home for and like you have been dreaming up ways to wire it up. In the meantime perhaps this diagram will give you some insight as to how you could use the tapped lead if it comes back to life. https://www.seymourduncan.com/images...e_1VppT_1T.jpg

[ArtieToo]

Sounds like you have a faulty QP. Black and white are definitely the full QP. Do you have a meter? Or a friend who does. You need to measure the resistance from red to white.

[Mincer]

First I would try connecting directly to the jack to see if it is the pickup itself. It does have a lot of mids, but I don't think I'd call it muffled. It almost sounds like your tone control is all the way off.

[rp53]

Many thanks all for answering. I must admit I had come to the conclusion that first off I had got the wrong pickup for what I wanted...I should not have got the tapped version in the first place (not what I actually ordered but it is what I got and assumed they were all like that). Connection white to hot and black to ground is completely dead, so I am assuming from your answers that I have got a faulty pickup (it is new though). I did not try to connect the red on its own in place of the white...I just added it to the white and found I was getting a signal. So I now suspect all I am getting is the tapped signal. I have ordered a two-wire quarter pounder and will chalk it up to experience. I will post the result when I get it.

[hamerfan]

Send it in for repair. That's cheaper than buying new.

'Wooly and muffled' tells me its maybe the wrong pup for you. You may be better off with a vintage style pickup.

[jeremy]

wooly and muffled with only using half the coil seems odd though. do you have a meter to check the coil?

[GuitarDoc]

I haven't found even the full quarter pound to sound "woolly and muffled" in the least. The tapped setting should sound clear as a bell. I would definitely check what you've done with the tone circuit. Using a 500k vol pot? Try a .010 uf cap to the tone pot and see what that does.

[rp53]

Hi...
I ordered a new quarter pounder (the two wire version). Installed it and all is perfect! Clearly the other pickup, although brand new, was faulty. It now sounds just like I expected...sparkling crystal clear highs and ringing lows to match - great sounding pickup. Unfortunately it is probably not worth sending the faulty one back because I bought it along with the guitar body from Warmoth in the US (I am in the UK). Just one of those things...must have been a Friday afternoon one in the factory.

[Mincer]

Well, at least the mystery is solved! Congrats on the great sounding pickup!

[ArtieToo]

Glad you got it sorted out, but I would think that Warmoth would stand behind their product. Have you contacted them?

[rp53]

Replying to ArtieToo - I just think it would not be worth the cost of sending it back to the US.