Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

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bluesjunky

New member
New to forum but have problem need help with. Not an electronics guy but work very carefully cause of my tool and die background.

Bought a Duncan Custom Humbucker bridge pickup and a Duncan 59 Model neck Humbucker and installed them in my Gibson SG faded Deluxe along with 4 vintage-500k pots. I wired the pickups according to Duncan diagram but wired the pots according to the recommended vintage 50's pots. Two problems 1) bridge pickup seems week less power than the neck pickup. How would I check out of phase? 2) Bridge pickup cannot be adjusted any closer than .220" from the bottom of the E string while pressing on the string at the last fret. Could this be the problem with the week sound and how do I get the pickup closer? Neck pickup has plenty of adjustment.

Thank you,
bluesjunky:scratchch
 
Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

Do you have a link to the schematic you used?

Either that or a picture of your control cavity would help us a lot in trying to figure out what's up with it.

Also, do you have a multimeter? It would probably be worth while checking all your solder joints in case there's a cold or loose one, in case you haven't already.
 
Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

Duncan pickup schematic -
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w

50's vintage 500k potentiometers -
http://www.specialtyguitars.com/kits/lp_diagram.pdf

checked all connections and are good. Lowered the neck pickup and raised the bridge pickup and have a more even sound but both pickups are about .200" away from strings when pressed on last fret.. Seems far away but maybe that is what I will have to do to get them even. Also neck pickup is not level, thought about putting something behind it to level it out like foam. Thank you for your response. I am not an electronics guy and never will be. Bluesjunky
 
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Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

Why can't you get the bridge PU any higher? Are the adj height springs too long and preventing that? That's happened to me a couple times. Solution is shorter springs or to cut down the existing springs. The PU's are usually supposed to be 1/8 to 1/16 from the strings, when you press down the strings at the highest fret. If the PU's are too low, you lose output.

For out-of-phase, when you switch the toggle to the middle position, it will be obvious if they're in or out of phase.

Good choice of PU's. If you find the Custom a little harsh for your tastes (I'm a blues player myself), just swap the magnet. The C5 & CC are the same PU with an A5 and A2. It's also very popular with an A8 (the PU is known as the 'C8'). I like the Custom with an A8 in SG's & 335's, and with an A5 in LP's. Some guys here also use it with an A4 or A3.
 
Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

Hey thank you Bluesman. I wasn't sure about trimming the spring wanted to get some advice first before hackin' anything up. Also about to change the nut out with a bone nut. Got a pre-cut, pre-grooved unbleached one from Mojo Music in North Carolina today. I have only done a couple over the years so the pre-cut is a blessing, should save time. Thanks again, I appreciate the advise. BJ
 
Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

bluesjunky said:
Hey thank you Bluesman. I wasn't sure about trimming the spring wanted to get some advice first before hackin' anything up. Also about to change the nut out with a bone nut. Got a pre-cut, pre-grooved unbleached one from Mojo Music in North Carolina today. I have only done a couple over the years so the pre-cut is a blessing, should save time. Thanks again, I appreciate the advise. BJ
Click to expand...

If you need springs for the PU's, let me know, I have lots of spares.
 
Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

Thanks for the offer of springs but I trimmed down the ones on the bridge pickup and shimmed the neck pickup with some foam to keep it level. Got both pickups adjusted to about .100" and .110" with the bridge being a little louder. Installed and fitted the bone nut, set action and intonation. Playin through a Billm modded Blues Jr. With the Duncan pickups this setup is a very good combination. Sweet creamy tone with pickups turned back to 6-7 volume and tone to 8. Crank the pickup volume to 10 and what a great driven sound. Glad it was nothing more than adjustments to get this thing up and going again. Thanks everyone for the help! Bluesjunky
 
Re: Duncan Pickup Wiring with Vintage 500k Pots

Well just finished last week modding my BJr NOS. Did all Billm mods. Monster little amp and happy with it totally. Retired a year ago and having a great time tinkering and playing (non professional). Can't stand to have stock anything....cars, motorcycles guitars and amps. Gotta tweek to stay happy.
 
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