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Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

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  • Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

    Just installed a SD in my LTD Tele.

    Green and bare to ground
    Red hot
    Black and white taped off

    Sounds kinda honky and tinny. Kinda like a noiseless tele stack.

    Could there be a bad ground connection elsewhere in the wiring?
    Other ideas?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • #2
    Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

    I don't remember the wiring scheme but here is my Tele SD on full and split for a sound comparison.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

      I have to ask, but you did connect the white and black before taping off?
      -Chris

      Originally posted by John Suhr
      “Practice cures most tone issues”

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

        Originally posted by Ayrton View Post
        I have to ask, but you did connect the white and black before taping off?
        Check all your solder connections, especially this one! They need to make good contact with each other and nothing else. If they touch any ground you get one coil only.

        It should sound full and warm and loud.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

          From your description it sounds out of phase with itself.

          Try swapping the red and black wires. You wired it up right, but it’s possible it was put together wrong at the factory.

          I worked there for a while. I once got a tray of 100 humbuckers for Ibanez that were reversed. Someone wrote the ticket up wrong. If I hadn’t spotted it they would have shipped that way. Didn’t happen often, but it happens.


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

            Originally posted by Dave Locher View Post
            Check all your solder connections, especially this one! They need to make good contact with each other and nothing else. If they touch any ground you get one coil only.

            It should sound full and warm and loud.
            Black and white were already soldered, but the connection must have been bad because I resoldered them and viola!

            Thanks all!!


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

              Originally posted by Securb View Post
              I don't remember the wiring scheme but here is my Tele SD on full and split for a sound comparison.

              Is that a custom build? I love the green color. Warmoth?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

                Originally posted by Frogman View Post
                Black and white were already soldered, but the connection must have been bad because I resoldered them and viola!

                Thanks all!!
                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                HOORAAAY!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

                  Originally posted by Xeromus View Post
                  Is that a custom build? I love the green color. Warmoth?
                  It is a Mexican Frankentele mostly Fender parts the green is a Chrysler color I picked out in my buddy's bodyshop.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

                    Still got some honk and jangle.
                    Like it’s halfway parallel.
                    And the highs on the top 3 strings are piercing.

                    I tried switching the red and black wires like was previously suggested but that definitely made it parallel.

                    Maybe it’s the guitar? Very unexpected because Ive always read the SD was thick, punchy and slightly bass heavy.

                    Here are pics of the wiring:


                    Any other ideas?
                    Flipping it around ?

                    If not I’m gonna swap it out for a JB or JB/Custom.

                    Edit: also, the middle position’s volume is like half that of either humbucker alone.
                    Ideas?

                    #disappointed
                    Last edited by Frogman; 12-17-2019, 11:20 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

                      You can fix all of your problems with pickup height and pole piece adjustments. The SD is an extremely adjustable pickup.

                      "Honk" and "jangle" are why that pickup is so much better than most other high output humbuckers, IMO. It's powerful, but not overbearing or muddy. It's the only high output pickup I've ever used that works for me in the neck position.

                      Again, adjust the thing carefully. To start, all three of your wound string pole positions should be significantly higher than the plain string pole positions. Look at the stagger of a vintage style Strat pickup to see a good starting point...with the exceptions being that: 1) you should not radius the poles quite as much (because Fenders used curvier fretboards), and 2) the G string poles should actually be your lowest ones, not your highest ones. Strat pickups were designed around a wound G string, which when you use one ends up being your quietest string. But modern string sets use a plain G string, which ends up being your loudest string.

                      Here is how my pair of Super Ds is set. I treated one row of poles as if they were fixed (like a slug coil on a regular humbucker), and adjusted the other one for good string-to-string volume balance. This is after setting the pickup height for my preferred tone and output. I just cropped this from an old pic, so the resolution isn't great. But hopefully it gives you an idea of what a "standard" humbucker setup will probably look like, if the pickup is carefully adjusted for good string-to-string volume balance. The D pole/s will be your highest, and the G poles your lowest. B is higher than G and high E is higher than B. (In other words, the G to high E pattern looks like a "staircase"). Low E is second lowest after D. And for a reason I have never been able to determine, the A pole/s usually need to be lower than the low E pole/s. So the low E to D visual pattern is like a check mark (basically a form of a "V," but with the E being lower than the D).

                      Click image for larger version

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                      Last edited by ItsaBass; 12-19-2019, 01:15 AM.
                      Originally posted by LesStrat
                      Yogi Berra was correct.
                      Originally posted by JOLLY
                      I do a few chord things, some crappy lead stuff, and then some rhythm stuff.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

                        Originally posted by ItsaBass View Post
                        You can fix all of your problems with pickup height and pole piece adjustments. The SD is an extremely adjustable pickup.

                        "Honk" and "jangle" are why that pickup is so much better than most other high output humbuckers, IMO. It's powerful, but not overbearing or muddy. It's the only high output pickup I've ever used that works for me in the neck position.

                        Again, adjust the thing carefully. To start, all three of your wound string pole positions should be significantly higher than the plain string pole positions. Look at the stagger of a vintage style Strat pickup to see a good starting point...with the exceptions being that: 1) you should not radius the poles quite as much (because Fenders used curvier fretboards), and 2) the G string poles should actually be your lowest ones, not your highest ones. Strat pickups were designed around a wound G string, which when you use one ends up being your quietest string. But modern string sets use a plain G string, which ends up being your loudest string.

                        Here is how my pair of Super Ds is set. I treated one row of poles as if they were fixed (like a slug coil on a regular humbucker), and adjusted the other one for good string-to-string volume balance. This is after setting the pickup height for my preferred tone and output. I just cropped this from an old pic, so the resolution isn't great. But hopefully it gives you an idea of what a "standard" humbucker setup will probably look like, if the pickup is carefully adjusted for good string-to-string volume balance. The D pole/s will be your highest, and the G poles your lowest. B is higher than G and high E is higher than B. In other words, the G to high E pattern looks like a "staircase"). Low E is second lowest after D. And for a reason I have never been able to determine, the A pole/s usually need to be lower than the low E pole/s. So the low E to D visual pattern is like a check mark (basically a form of a "V," but with the E being lower than the D).

                        [ATTACH=CONFIG]102547[/ATTACH]
                        Thanks, I’ll try that tonight.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Super Distortion doesn’t sound right

                          Originally posted by Frogman View Post
                          Still got some honk and jangle.
                          Like it’s halfway parallel.
                          And the highs on the top 3 strings are piercing.

                          I tried switching the red and black wires like was previously suggested but that definitely made it parallel.

                          Maybe it’s the guitar? Very unexpected because Ive always read the SD was thick, punchy and slightly bass heavy.

                          Here are pics of the wiring:


                          Any other ideas?
                          Flipping it around ?

                          If not I’m gonna swap it out for a JB or JB/Custom.

                          Edit: also, the middle position’s volume is like half that of either humbucker alone.
                          Ideas?

                          #disappointed
                          Are you sure your switch is good? Middle position volume should be about the same as the neck humbucker by itself and no way should the three plain strings be "piercing." Just like you said, the Super D is thick and brassy.

                          I have had three or four of them and swapped them in and out of probably a dozen guitars over the years. Adjusting the height and the pole pieces will make a difference but even flat it should sound thick and full and loud.

                          If you already have another humbucker try swapping it in and see what you get. I believe there is something amiss with your wiring but don't know what. You are taping the as t black/white connection, right? As soon as those wires touch ANY metal part of your guitar (like when you put it back together) it will go to single coil!

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