CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

[Greenhornwantingmore]

I recently modified a Left-Handed Squier MIC Affinity Stratocaster with an Official MadeInGermany Floyd Rose Tremelo (which works like a perfect charm) and a Custom Wiring Mod (3 Push/Pull Pots: Dual Pickup Coil-Split, Phase Switch, Series/Parallel). The diagram I followed was from Seymour Duncan.

Everything seemed to work EXCEPT (as you'll see in the video): The Bridge HUMBUCKER seems about half the volume and tone when compared to the NECK/BRIDGE split position and the solo NECK position. As well: the master volume pot turns one way and the two tone pots turn the opposite direction. And when in the BRIDGE HUMBUCKER position: the tone1 cuts the volume/tone of the BRIDGE HUMBUCKER in half in addition to the already lower volume of that pickup.

Any assistance on we're I may have gone wrong and what to look for to fix the mod problem would be greatly appreciated.

YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vzUMA-1O1U

Also: here are the wiring diagrams.
The FIRST is the original wiring Diagram
The SECOND is the actual diagram I used. I had to relabel it because the pickups I used were no-name pickups and I had to deduce the polarity of each by hand with a voltmeter. In this diagram the "yellow" is representative of the "white" wire.

DIAGRAM 1: https://imgur.com/Xcf70eA

DIAGRAM 2: https://imgur.com/IXvrFXk

THANK YOU!

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Welcome to the forum.

The tone pots in the that original Duncan diagram are backwards. That's why those turn the wrong way.

My only guess on your bridge is either a bad solder joint not giving you both coils, or you've got a switch actually wired backwards from what you think it should be doing.

In your video, you rolled the tone controls but referred to them as changing phase or series/parallel. That's not what they would do if you followed the diagram you posted. You'd have to have a push-pull pot and pull the switch to change phase or series/parallel.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Welcome to the forum.
In your video, you rolled the tone controls but referred to them as changing phase or series/parallel. That's not what they would do if you followed the diagram you posted. You'd have to have a push-pull pot and pull the switch to change phase or series/parallel.

All three are push/pull pots. I didn't pull any of them. My point was: the Tone1 is supposed to be a phase switcher. If I had mixed up a post wiring on that push/pull pot is it conceivable I have put that particular pickup (since the phase seemingly only effects the bridge in the diagram I followed) is now in perpetual phase switch mode?

That was my meaning. I was merely rolling off the Tone1 to illustrate it effects the volume of the bridge (which it shouldn't). The diagram stipulates only ONE volume. The master.

But I'll look into the bridge solder you suggested. Though I'm pretty sure I have it secure.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

But to your point. On the original diagram you stated it was backward? As in the push/pulls on the two tones need to be inverted?

Why would Duncan out a faulty diagram on their website?

 

[LtKojak]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Why would Duncan out a faulty diagram on their website?

In June last year, the Duncan Co. went live with a new site. Unfortunately, it went south pretty badly. The result was that most of the info associated with the products is simply wrong.

Starting at the very top, the people responsible to do the job was incompetent, to say the least, and after fourteen months of the "incident", still to this day no correcting measures have been taken.

HTH,

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

LAME!

So, not being an electrician, simply being able to follow directions and perform some elementary soldering: how should I re-solder the push/pull pot in question? simply invert the soldering of the posts on the TriplePost/TripleThrow part of the pot? Or does ever element of the pot need to be reversed, the Pot throw included?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

I do want to help you, but first, an observation...my response to your tone which you think/said sounded pretty good on the neck pup. When I was a young kid, I caught a buch of bees and put them in a tin can (yes back in those days cans were made of tin). When I would shake the can those bees got mad and started buzzing around inside that can. That noise sounded a bunch better than your tone from your guitar/amp.

There are problems with your wiring. Obviously the tone pots are wired backwards as well as other problems which cause them to affect your volume. You've probably wired the p/p switches incorrectly or there is at least one short somewhere.

Why do you even want split, series/parallel, phase options? This is not easy wiring for a professional luthier, but next to impossible for a beginner. Plus, with that much distortion, you won't even be able to hear any difference anyway. . Why not just keep the wiring simple and make a real player out of your guitar instead of an expensive toy? Your understanding of electrical wiring and how pots and switches work is obviously very limited, and you have bitten off way more than you can chew.

You might consider keeping the wiring as: three way pickup selector, master volume, and master tone.

Sorry if this post sounds so negative, but to be ultimately kind, I think a reality check is in order.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

LAME!

So, not being an electrician, simply being able to follow directions and perform some elementary soldering: how should I re-solder the push/pull pot in question? simply invert the soldering of the posts on the TriplePost/TripleThrow part of the pot? Or does ever element of the pot need to be reversed, the Pot throw included?

For this question, the tone only, only the 3 lugs on each tone pot are involved (ignore the switches, for now). Just move the outside tone pot lug wire over to the other/opposite outside lug on the same pot. Leave the middle connection where it is. That should reverse the spin of the knob so it works 'as expected'.

As far as the switches, volume and levels, you've possibly got a host of other issues. If you can, please take very clear photos of the whole wiring as it is inside the guitar, and close up/detail photos of each switch. Photos need to be clear enough to tell what wire is soldered to which tab or lug.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Thank you for the comments.

I'll get pictures up as soon as possible today.

thank you for your interest and assistance again.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

I do want to help you, but first, an observation...my response to your tone which you think/said sounded pretty good on the neck pup. When I was a young kid, I caught a buch of bees and put them in a tin can (yes back in those days cans were made of tin). When I would shake the can those bees got mad and started buzzing around inside that can. That noise sounded a bunch better than your tone from your guitar/amp.

There are problems with your wiring. Obviously the tone pots are wired backwards as well as other problems which cause them to affect your volume. You've probably wired the p/p switches incorrectly or there is at least one short somewhere.

Why do you even want split, series/parallel, phase options? This is not easy wiring for a professional luthier, but next to impossible for a beginner. Plus, with that much distortion, you won't even be able to hear any difference anyway. . Why not just keep the wiring simple and make a real player out of your guitar instead of an expensive toy? Your understanding of electrical wiring and how pots and switches work is obviously very limited, and you have bitten off way more than you can chew.

You might consider keeping the wiring as: three way pickup selector, master volume, and master tone.

Sorry if this post sounds so negative, but to be ultimately kind, I think a reality check is in order.

I understand the tone is a tad muddled. I suspect the tone is not entirely clear because of the incorrect wiring. But frankly most of the problem stems from:

1) it was shot on an ipad.

2) The acoustics of that room are rather poor.

3) The amplifier is simply a practice amplifier.

4) Those pedal settings were set for the original single coils. I haven't adjusted them for these less dynamic humbuckers.

Your jabs aside, I concede a lot more can be gained from the tone in these pickups. But to answer your question as to why I seek this wiring setup. I simply want a myriad of options. I mean this to be a gig workhorse. Coil split for a more Strat sound when needed. Humbucking for rock/metal, Series/Parallel for that single coil sound when gigging in bars and places with fluorescents and other hum causing factors and phase for the nasally solo sound.

To answer your question.

Thank you for the interest. Advice is appreciated.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Sorry if this post sounds so negative, but to be ultimately kind, I think a reality check is in order.

Yeah, other commenters are being constructive. I admit my knowledge is limited but that's what forums like this are for. As well, there's something to be said of stumbling to learn and learning by doing.

You're a snide snob. You comments are no longer welcome.

For all others reading I thank you for your patience and encouragement. I'm happy to take advice and constructive critique/criticism from everyone else who has commented.

GuitarDoc. You're snide jerk. Your comments are no longer welcome.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Here are the pictures of the wiring as best and clear as I can get them. Upon inspecting I don't see any mis-wiring with regards to the diagram I used. But perhaps someone else can see what I may not be seeing.

Thank you for any advice!

 

[The Convert]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

I'd like to point out two things, from the POV of a first time observer on this thread.

In regards to the "unkind" exchange, I think the OP might consider their own response. Although the feedback wasn't what they wanted to hear, the feedback was about the work product: "That noise sounded a bunch better than your tone", "There are problems with your wiring", "This is not easy wiring for a professional luthier, but next to impossible for a beginner." There is nothing personal in these statements. They were stronger than they needed to be, and like so many things, they were opinions, but they had nothing to do with you as a person, OP.

Your response however, "You're a snide snob. You comments are no longer welcome", ARE a personal attack and are the really intolerable and intolerant expression here.

It stuns me that musicians do this at all. Any kind of artist--more than anyone else--should understand the difference between criticism of an effort (song, painting, or customized guitar) and a person. Every famous and beloved musician has far more crappy tracks recorded on albums than beloved hits. That doesn't make them bad musicians. Likewise, if a person expresses themselves in a way you don't like, it's hyperbolic to jump to the most extreme answer, which is that person is 'bad' (if there even is such a thing) as opposed to maybe, "I know you're trying to give me good advice, but you're coming off like a dick--maybe you could focus more on the guitar and less on my decisions." Just a suggestion.

By your own admission, you don't know what you're doing. You said you aren't an electrician and you said you are blindly following diagrams you don't understand with a soldering iron. I'm sorry if you think it's cruel to hear, but why would you think that's likely to succeed? Why do you think professional guitar techs and luthiers get paid what they do? You rolled the dice, you came up empty, you asked a bunch of anonymous people, and you got varied feedback.

Personally, I'll recommend that you get exactly what you want from your instrument by paying a pro who knows what they are doing to fix the mess, and then spend a lifetime loving that guitar.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

WOW.

I see how welcoming this community is.

Good to know.

 

[The Convert]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Dude, you have 6 more posts than I did when I posted last here. YOU are the community I am encountering! I joined today.

So really...what's got you bent out of shape? You may not think this is so, but I want to help you, and I'd bet that other dude did too. Maybe it was just not what you wanted to hear?

Again specifically, you admitted that you don't have the knowledge to do what you tried to do. In my experience, sometimes it's time to just call in the marines. Maybe you think you can do this and it's just a matter of flipping wires around. I can't tell you that. If that's what you choose to do, I hope it works for you. I'm just saying, based on what you told everyone, it sounds like you'd probably be better off going into a music store and giving someone $50 to rewire it. Considering all the years we keep our instruments and all that we spend on them, it might not be that terrible a cost.

As for people's behavior, I just wanted to point out that we can talk about the problem, or we can call each other names. Maybe we can do just the former, and maybe when we do that, we can be polite. I don't see any reason that it should come to name calling. That's my point.

As before, I hope you get things sorted out.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Your comments are appreciated.

I simply have a problem with the likes of GuitarDoc implying others should not try to learn anything. Had his comments been followed by a suggestion I don't think I or anyone else would have taken them as personal. But he merely commented with thinly-veiled jabs that my questions and efforts are a waste of time and I shouldn't even try. It's not what he wrote, it's that he only wrote that with no encouragement or advice that I took it as personal: because it was, quite obviously. Others have commented that I may need to take a step back or offer up pictures, etc. but there was always an effort to offer help. Words and phrases have meaning. Offering degradative criticism with no direction how to improve could never be construed as constructive. Anyone who thinks that's constructive has no idea how conversation or perception works.

It obviously was personal. I don't care. But I would never expect someone to take personal criticism/attacks lying down. I'd encourage them to stand up for themselves. And I stood up for myself.

If I seemed to take any issue with you, it is: your comments seem to support his and embolden such negativity. That may not have been your intention. I don't think it was. But it evidently was GuitarDoc's to be malicious. No one else here has responded with such flippant dismissal (and I thank the rest of you for that!).

You'll take this as you will The Convert. I hold nothing against you. I hope your questions get answered as well and maybe one day we can even answer each other's questions.

Thank you convert and everyone else who's at least offering advice and direction so I can learn more.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

For this question, the tone only, only the 3 lugs on each tone pot are involved (ignore the switches, for now). Just move the outside tone pot lug wire over to the other/opposite outside lug on the same pot. Leave the middle connection where it is. That should reverse the spin of the knob so it works 'as expected'.

As far as the switches, volume and levels, you've possibly got a host of other issues. If you can, please take very clear photos of the whole wiring as it is inside the guitar, and close up/detail photos of each switch. Photos need to be clear enough to tell what wire is soldered to which tab or lug.

Still new to the operations of this forum. I'm quoting you beaubrummels in case it links your your message box. Requested photos have been linked to this thread. I am aware the wires are excessive. Upon rewiring I'll aim to decrease the length of the wires.

Thanks again!

 

[The Convert]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

If I seemed to take any issue with you, it is: your comments seem to support his and embolden such negativity. That may not have been your intention. I don't think it was.

Hey, brother. I'm not really about "sides" and I know when I bring up those kinds of small (but what I consider significant) details, it's because I do want to illustrate the distinction, even if it isn't a major element of the overall interaction. For whatever reason, I have come to expect Internet rudeness, but actual personal insults do get me irritated. That's why to me the difference between : "I don't like your behavior" and "You are a sonofa*****" is gigantic, as everyone acts poorly from time to time, but assigning an identity is a pretty big deal. Anyways, I'm told I think too much.

But I mirror your wishes Good luck with your project, and maybe I'll get my Goldtop crunching right soon, too.

 

[Greenhornwantingmore]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

Fair enough.

Perhaps it's my disdain for SJWs and the like that has me on edge as of late (with regards to censorship and dismissal of people's opinions/arguments/etc. - not that I'm aiming to bring that bag of worms here, merely commenting it pervades the rest of the internet and has been on my mind as of late and I likely brought that baggage to the table, unfortunately)

Cheers to you sir! And happy hunting...

 

[The Convert]

Re: CUSTOM Guitar Wiring Modification HELP!?!

I would say that I am educated as, employed as, and evangelical about being what you might call a SJW.

Perhaps we can be friends, anyways.