PRails and JD bridge

[dimmy]

I've built my son a Tele partscaster with a PRails (in a triple shot mount) in the neck and a JD bridge pickup. I have a 3 way toggle and attempted to wire it with 2V and 1T control. I'm pretty terrible with wiring and I think I've done something wrong. I seem to have quite a few issues:

- Volume pots seem to traverse the entire range in a 1/4 turn
- in the middle pickup position, reducing the volume of either the neck or bridge more than 1/4 turn kills the volume
- The single coil in the PRails sometimes does not work. Changing the pickup selector back and forth does nothing. The only way to get it working again is to change the PRails to another setting via the triple shot. But the single coil works 90% of the time.

Anyway, I'm very confused what the issues could be. It's not very useable and my son doesn't use the volumes at all. I'll like to rewire it again as I've heard it it go 'dead' during a performance. That was a little embarrassing...

I'm wondering if some of the experts could look at my diagram and let me know if there are any errors that need fixing before I gut it and rewire afresh?

I'm thinking of using 500K for the PRails volume, 250K for the SD bridge volume and 500K for the master volume. Is this what you recommend for this combination of pickups?

Finally, I may use normal cloth covered wire. Is there any downside to using this as opposed to the braided wire?

Thanks in advance.

[hwiho2002]

I think you should start over. There's a lot that don't look right.

-there's nothing connected to the middle lug of the p-rail volume. There should be a lead going to the toggle switch. Also, the 3rd lug should be grounded. The outer braided shielding of the lead going to that lug is grounded, but not the lead inside of the braiding, if that makes sense.

-the lead from the middle lug of the JD vol should go directly to the toggle switch. Currently it looks like it goes to the middle lug of the tone pot, then to the switch.

-I'm not seeing a capacitor on the tone pot?

[JB_From_Hell]

I’d recommend considering MV/MT. With the triple shot, two volumes and a tone is kind of a lot to fiddle with.

[dimmy]

I think you should start over. There's a lot that don't look right.

-there's nothing connected to the middle lug of the p-rail volume. There should be a lead going to the toggle switch. Also, the 3rd lug should be grounded. The outer braided shielding of the lead going to that lug is grounded, but not the lead inside of the braiding, if that makes sense.

-the lead from the middle lug of the JD vol should go directly to the toggle switch. Currently it looks like it goes to the middle lug of the tone pot, then to the switch.

-I'm not seeing a capacitor on the tone pot?

Sorry, the photos are not clear. Here are some better ones. What you mentioned above should be visible now

[dimmy]

I’d recommend considering MV/MT. With the triple shot, two volumes and a tone is kind of a lot to fiddle with.

Agree, in hindsight, I would have gone with MV/MT, but I've drilled 3 holes and don't want to have an empty hole.

[hwiho2002]

Sorry, the photos are not clear. Here are some better ones. What you mentioned above should be visible now

everything looks good then. it's possible the pots might've been overcooked. maybe pics of the toggle switch and the jack too?

[JB_From_Hell]

Agree, in hindsight, I would have gone with MV/MT, but I've drilled 3 holes and don't want to have an empty hole.

I think separate tone knobs would be more useful on a Tele. Dial in a nice clear neck tone on the amp, then take the edge off the bridge with its own tone control.

[dimmy]

I think separate tone knobs would be more useful on a Tele. Dial in a nice clear neck tone on the amp, then take the edge off the bridge with its own tone control.

Would you use a 500K Tone for PRails, a 250K Tone for JD Bridge? What about the value for the MV? 500k?

[JB_From_Hell]

Initially, I’d use whatever was already in the guitar or what I had on hand.

[hamerfan]

You say you have a triple shot for the Prail. The are quite flimsy and easy to overheat.

[dimmy]

You say you have a triple shot in Prail. The are quite flimsy and easily to overheat.

Thanks, that could explain the issue with the single coil cutting out occasionally.

[GuitarDoc]

I don't see a problem with the wiring of the pots. I suspect the problem is with the TS. Like hamerfan said, the TS takes special care wiring/soldering...it's easy to over heat and very easy to break a wire.

I love TS rings and what they can do (option wise), but they really should have been designed to be more sturdy.