Recent content by Boston Joe

These are active pickups on an old Ibanez SR200OL. I been having some issues with it: The pickups produce a very loud crackle/hum, particularly when the P pickups are engaged. The J pup is pretty quite. It gets worse when I engage the concentric EQ (produces a "whooshing sound when I rotate the...

Actually, a very noisey hum. I replaced the old switch on an H-S-S guitar and got the pickups to generate sound again, but I still have the noise when the volume pot is on. The hum is gone once the pot is turned dwon. I replaced the volume pot, disconnected the tone and even the capacitor, but...

When installing a selector switch, is it necessary to ground it? Thanks!

I've been battling with a problem guitar for awhile. It's an old Charvel with an H-S-S configuration. Essentially, I have some grounding issues resulting in hum and buzz when the volume pot is full on. When this same pot is slightly tapered off, the volume is immediately and greatly reduced, and...

How do you test the resistance of active pups and pots? Same as with passive? Help appreciated! :smokin:

I'm working on an old Hamer Korean 12 string bass outfitted with active pickups. Outside of trying a new battery, I can't seem to get any sound out of the instrument. Any leads on where to start? Thanks!

Now, you guys know me pretty well by now; I wouldn't waste your time directing you to a site if I didn't deem it a case of Bizarro World gone awry. I led you to the 1960 LP standard with a 60s SG neck added on by Gibson and missing parts going for $65K, and we agreed-- it was total madness (by...

... Someone please explain to me, as I just can't grasp the concept, why this is considered a working man's guitar: http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/30U-12706.htm Usually you pay that kind of money NOT to play the guitar, but then again, this ax is hardly in virgin condition. Is this...

Well, I tried the series/parallel mod using a push/pull pot with a Hot Rail-- not a bad sound, but now I have hum-- the other humbuckers in the guitar are fine just running off the pot (no mods). Any ideas where I went wrong....? :smack:

I'm looking to replace the large brass saddles I have on a 70's Strat tremolo-- will large stainless steel saddles give more overall punch and harmonic overtones? Thanks for looking!

Is this essentially the same stuff used in the gears of Wahs, and can I also use it in the gears of non-die cast (stamped) machine heads? Thanks!

And so I ask...Wiring a Hot Rail for series/parallel...worth it? Will the parallel sound be usable for high gain?

I am debating between the Hot Pots 100k and 470k pots...what should I expect from each one? Thanks. :)

Pretty generic header, but, now that I have your attention :laugh2: I'm curious... even though northern ash is a very dense wood, does its moisture content result in a softer wood, softer than say alder, that would actually make drilling and inserting screws less taxing due to a lower resistance?

Well, after hours of research, I have to ask: what would be the most plausible way to wire a bridge humbucker to a push/pull pot for series/parallel operation (pull being parallel), no tone, and connected to a 5-way Strat switch? Pictures help! :laugh2: