Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to jack

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

With GFS the colors appear to be the same as Throbak...
Black is the start of the screw coil (-) which goes to ground,
White is the finish of the screw coil AND the finish of the slug coil. Under the tape around the coils of the pickup those two wires are connected to each other and to the white wire that you see. This is the wire that is used to split the humbucker to a single coil (the slug coil). If this wire is taped off/isolated then the two coils of the pickup are in series and are both active and humbucking.
Red is the start (+) of the slug coil and is considered the hot/lead wire which goes to the volume pot input lug.

Your GFS diagram shows Modern wiring. The Throbak diagram shows 50s wiring. It's all a matter of where the tone pot connects to the volume pot.

These are the wires and connections that you see in your diagram. If the white wire is connected to a switch which can connect it to a ground (back of pot) you can split your pickup.

[Hank-]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

Ok guys i have done complete rewire. I think problem was on switch i had positive soldered onto negative and negative soldered onto positive. Anyhow i can now measure pickups at jack of the guitar.

However there is something odd here. When pots are at max volume 10 it registers 8.4k in neck and 14.4k in bridge, however when i turn pots down to middle it will actually show weird value like 40k ohms, and even somethings 132k ohms.

I'm pretty sure that's not normal unless 50s wiring is doing this. I don't know what to make of that. I will post pics shortly. I'm tired troubleshooting this. I've been at it for 2 full days lol

Its normal.

[rango]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

With GFS the colors appear to be the same as Throbak...
Black is the start of the screw coil (-) which goes to ground,
White is the finish of the screw coil AND the finish of the slug coil. Under the tape around the coils of the pickup those two wires are connected to each other and to the white wire that you see. This is the wire that is used to split the humbucker to a single coil (the slug coil). If this wire is taped off/isolated then the two coils of the pickup are in series and are both active and humbucking.
Red is the start (+) of the slug coil and is considered the hot/lead wire which goes to the volume pot input lug.

Your GFS diagram shows Modern wiring. The Throbak diagram shows 50s wiring. It's all a matter of where the tone pot connects to the volume pot.

These are the wires and connections that you see in your diagram. If the white wire is connected to a switch which can connect it to a ground (back of pot) you can split your pickup.

Thank you for explanation. I think it's same thing that Thorebak diagram says. I'm just new to all this so terminology is new to me. Maybe i'll order push/pull pots and redo it for coil splitting, when i'll feel ambitious about it. Might as well do it for $20.

I was thinking of doing Jimmy Page wiring but that's not possible i think? , as GFS Kwikplug pickups are missing Green wire. The only available option is this which is fine as well. So here i can only do 2 push pulls.

Lesson learned for next time ONLY TO BUY 5 wire pickups.

Many thanks again to everyone that helped me. Much appreciate it.



Someone in other thread attempted to do this with 4 wires and i think based what they wrote they were successful. I'm hesitant to try this after my experience lol

I'm assuming the green wire in this diagram is my white wire, the coil splitter wire?

[AlexR]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

Your coil split wire is two wires in a 4 conductor pickup. Its merely an extension of the series connection......the two wires that would get soldered together if you didn't want any splits.
Similarly, if you don't want to split the pickups, this one gets taped off and not used.

[rango]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

Your coil split wire is two wires in a 4 conductor pickup. Its merely an extension of the series connection......the two wires that would get soldered together if you didn't want any splits.
Similarly, if you don't want to split the pickups, this one gets taped off and not used.

Alex so can i use last diagram and use white wire instead of green in that diagram. the silver is bare wire i think and rest is same.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

Alex so can i use last diagram and use white wire instead of green in that diagram. the silver is bare wire i think and rest is same.

There isn’t a split wire on 4-conductor pickups. You use all the wires connected correctly or you won’t get sound. You need to stop thinking about “which wire is the split wire” because that’s not how 4-conductor pickups work.

The GFS pickup has misled you a bit because it has two of the pickup wires soldered together under the pickup tape and that connected to a single wire coming out of the tape for splitting. But under the pickup tape, there’s still 4 wires total, a start and finish wire for each coil. You will not be able to do any more complicated wiring like JP wiring until you understand how all those wires work together. There isn’t “a split wire.”

[rango]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

I had to look up coil splitting vs coil tapping on youtube. Sorry if i'm asking noob questions but i'm a noob now. Yes i've taken apart neck pickup and there is 4 wires total. 2 blacks, white and red i think if i remember correctly.

According to GFS diagram i can coil tap, which does not interest me as i'm interested in splitting the coil for single coil not dropping the output of the coil. I guess i chose wrong pickups but for price it was right. I should have just went with 5 wire pickups but this is my first guitar so i don't wanna go all balls out, especially that GFS has been nicely reviewed everywhere.

I have Vintage 59s neck at 8.14k ohms for blues tones and Crunchy Pat (equivalent to Seymour Duncan Super Distortions) in bridge at 14.4k Ohms for rock and metal tones.

Either Kwikplugs or wiring length of the cables dropped resistance in neck to 8.0k Ohms and bridge to 14.0k ohms when measured at output jack. Not necessary a bad thing as those values are high anyway.

I'm curious how both pickups ON in middle switch position will sound like as outputs are SO MUCH different from each other?

I'm looking for my first amp also. Considering Monoprice 15 watt tube amp, Fender Blues Jr clone or Katana 50 but i think i'm going to go with tube amp. Any suggestions for first cheap good amp?

Thank you again for input and patience. Glad i was able to resolve this myself. I will still have luther do a nut and full setup but i wanted to do as much possible myself.

Anyone living in Chicago that can recommend good but cheap luther i would greatly appreciate it too.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

When you measure a pickup at the output jack, it will not be accurate, because you’re measuring it with everything else in the circuit.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

There isn’t “a split wire.”

Actually, the white wire in the GFS diagram IS the split wire. It is the equivalent to the red + white wires of a Duncan pup connected together. If that white wire is connected to ground it will split the pup.

[Chad]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

When you measure a pickup at the output jack, it will not be accurate, because you’re measuring it with everything else in the circuit.

It’s generally pretty close, though.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

I had to look up coil splitting vs coil tapping on youtube. Sorry if i'm asking noob questions but i'm a noob now. Yes i've taken apart neck pickup and there is 4 wires total. 2 blacks, white and red i think if i remember correctly.

According to GFS diagram i can coil tap, which does not interest me as i'm interested in splitting the coil for single coil

GFS is using the term "coil tap" incorrectly. They actually mean "coil SPLIT". A lot of people, including guitarists, manufacturers, and retailers use the terms incorrectly/interchangeably. But if you understand what each term means, you won't get confused.

not dropping the output of the coil.

Whether you "tap", "split", or wire the coils in parallel, your output WILL drop some.

I guess i chose wrong pickups but for price it was right. I should have just went with 5 wire pickups but this is my first guitar so i don't wanna go all balls out, especially that GFS has been nicely reviewed everywhere.

I wouldn't say you chose the "wrong" pickups. GFS pups are fine. I happen to love several of their pups that are actually very good sounding and quality (Mean 90, Dream 90, Dream 180, Surf 90).

Either Kwikplugs or wiring length of the cables dropped resistance in neck to 8.0k Ohms and bridge to 14.0k ohms when measured at output jack.

Just the opposite...adding cable length or the Kwikplugs (in series) will RAISE the resistance very slightly. Components added in parallel will lower resistance. In guitar wiring you have both conditions going on and it's not always accurate to measure resistance at the jack.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

Actually, the white wire in the GFS diagram IS the split wire. It is the equivalent to the red + white wires of a Duncan pup connected together. If that white wire is connected to ground it will split the pup.

The bulk of my comment acknowledged that.

[ItsaBass]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

I’m gonna be honest here. That wiring looks scary and appears to have at least one ground loop. Have you considered having the tech do the wiring job too? Looks like you bought good parts and are having other work done. Might be worth a few extra bucks to get it tip-top.

There can be no such thing as a ground loop in a low voltage DC circuit. It's one of the most incorrect oft-repeated guitar forum bits of nonsense.

[rango]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

Actually, the white wire in the GFS diagram IS the split wire. It is the equivalent to the red + white wires of a Duncan pup connected together. If that white wire is connected to ground it will split the pup.

Awesome. Then i can use that Zanymus diagram for JP style coil splitting?

So i'm looking at both diagrams from @Zanymus and GFS and push/pull pots and green wire is going on pot to where GFS white wire is going. So when i pull the pot up i ground that white wire and put it in zero/ground position correct?

I just want to make sure that last diagram has worked for other people? Can somone @Zanymus for me so he can chime in here.

I can't do as i don't have enough posts here for it to work. I guess there is minimum amount before i can do that or Doc if you can look at the diagram if it seems correct?

Apparently according to this post S.D diagram has some "signal leakage" issue.

Signal leakage post
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/show...=1#post4282700

Again i dunno. I'm just trying to choose correct diagram to go with.

I'm thinking of wiring all this outside the guitar. I have extra switch and jack anyway and then measure it ALL with mulitimeter before i drop it in guitar. That way if something doesn't work i don't do disable current setup.

2 Diagrams Zanymus vs GFS coil split. Both show same pot lug solder but white vs green cable. Since they're both coil splitting wires, i'm assuming i can interchange them. White in GFS = Green in Zanymus/S.D diagram?

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?337920-Multimeter-shows-pots-resistance-instead-of-pickup-resistance-when-connected-to-jack&p=4370124&viewfull=1#post4370124

Why is capacitor being grounded to the back of the pot? I'm assuming JP style wiring is 50s?, so shouldn't left leg of cap be soldered onto middle leg of the volume? Or is J.P still 50s wiring and it goes to different location do due schematics of push/pull pot?



Thank you everyone for help. Much appreciate it.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Multimeter shows pots resistance instead of pickup resistance when connected to j

So i'm looking at both diagrams from @Zanymus and GFS and push/pull pots and green wire is going on pot to where GFS white wire is going. So when i pull the pot up i ground that white wire and put it in zero/ground position correct?

The pots where the green wire goes in the Zanymus drawing are not splits, but phase reverse and pickups in series. The green wire is ground.

2 Diagrams Zanymus vs GFS coil split. Both show same pot lug solder but white vs green cable. Since they're both coil splitting wires, i'm assuming i can interchange them. White in GFS = Green in Zanymus/S.D diagram? [/B]

The green wire is ground. Those pots are phase reverse and pickups in series. The pots where the red wires go are handling the coil split. The red wire is equivalent to the GFS white wire.

Why is capacitor being grounded to the back of the pot?

Passive guitar tone is an RC network (a resistor and a capacitor), connected to ground. Doesn’t matter which is first, but they need to be in series and connected to ground. That diagram shows the resistor (the pot) before the capacitor, so the capacitor is connected to ground via the back of the pot.

I'm assuming JP style wiring is 50s?, so shouldn't left leg of cap be soldered onto middle leg of the volume? Or is J.P still 50s wiring and it goes to different location do due schematics of push/pull pot?

50’s wiring is the tone network connected to the middle lug of the volume. If the tone network cap is wired between the volume and tone pot, then the cap would be wired to the middle lug of the volume. If the tone pot is between the volume and the cap, then the tone pot needs to be connected to the middle lug of the volume for 50’s wiring.