Distortion pup install, help!

[stevesram]

Hi all. I hope someone might be able to help me. I've installed many pickups, including SD pickups before, but this time, something weird is happening.
I am installing a SD Distortion in my Dean Z. I have wired the black to the post on the bridge pot, the green and bare to the back of the pot, and the red and white I have taped off as I'm just wiring the pickup standard.
The sound is very thin and brittle coming through my amp, the neck(stock Dean pup) is very loud and powerful, but the Distortion pickup is bigtime weak like it's a single coil.
Any ideas what might be happening?
Thanks for any help with this.

Steve

 

[Artie]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

Two quick things:

1. When you say you taped off the red and white . . . you soldered them together first, right?

2. You grounded to the back of the pot, but is the back of the pot "grounded" to the output jack?

Btw - Welcome to the forum.

Artie

 

[stevesram]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

Two quick things:

1. When you say you taped off the red and white . . . you soldered them together first, right?

2. You grounded to the back of the pot, but is the back of the pot "grounded" to the output jack?

Btw - Welcome to the forum.

Artie

Thanks Artie for the welcome!
Um, about the soldering the red and the white first before taping. o Nuh uh. Oooops. I'm gonna go do that now. BRB.
The last couple pickup installs were just a Gibson AY and a 496/500 set so they were just single conductor pups. Forgot about the red and white needing to be soldered first.ooo

 

[Artie]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

We'll wait . . . with fingers crossed.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

Welcome to the Forum bro and much fun with your Distortion!Great choice!

 

[stevesram]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

We'll wait . . . with fingers crossed.

ok. Yep, I'm embarrassed as anything.o That was it Artie. The red and white wires(since I didn't solder them first) came loose and unattached from each other. The metal wires weren't touching. Soldered them, and all is gooooooood now. Holy carp, what a difference the Distortion is from the junk Dean bridge pup. Love this guitar now!
Mebbe I'll post up some pics once I get it all set up and cleaned up. It's a Dean Z with a licensed Floyd trem in Fireburst(looks like cooked cheese pizza so I'm told. haha
Thanks again Artie. You were super fast on a potential prob I had and you were dead on to what it was. You rock bro! I'll have a Bacardi and Coke for ya tonight.:bigthumb:

 

[stevesram]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

Welcome to the Forum bro and much fun with your Distortion!Great choice!

Thanks man. The sounds I'm already gettin from it, I definately :approve: of this pickup.
Now I'm wonderin if the OFR in my Kramer 1984 would be a direct drop in replacement for the licensed Floyd on the Z. Hmmmm.... Mebbe next string change I'll try that one out.
Off to set up the Z now. Woohoo!!!!

 

[Artie]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

I'll have a Bacardi and Coke for ya tonight.:bigthumb:

Can you fit one in the mailbox?

I love happy endings. And yes, the Distortion rocks. If you feel like messing with it later, you should "split" it. The Distortion split is one of my favorite sounds.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

Dean Z, Distortion. Mmmmmm Mmmmmm Good! welcome dude!

 

[Jackson Distortion]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

The Distortion split is one of my favorite sounds.

I just ordered a DiMarzio "Humbucker From Hell" - and now while I still have my SH-6 neck... what does a Distortion split sound like?

 

[stevesram]

Re: Distortion pup install, help!

Yah, I'm curious now too. What does that sound like split? I'm definately interested!
I've just been runnin it through the paces(old Maiden, old and new Priest, Accept, VH, Y&T, old Rush, Metallica, Megadeth, and my own noodly stuff haha) and it rocks hard. Harmonics are incredible with it. I used to think that the stock Dean neck pickups were good. Now I see how muddy they are when switching back and forth between the two.
Here's a quick pic of my Explorer type guitars. The Gibson has SD 59's in neck and bridge, and the black gold Z has the 496/500 set. I took this pic before I replaced the Fireburst pickup.

Artie, I could fit one in the mailbox, but I'm afraid the mail lady would drink it before it got to ya. :alcoholic :biglaugh:
Don't worry tho', I'll drink some for ya before I hop in the hot tub.