Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

[Phantumgrey]

And it sounds terrible like a tin can. I tried using seymour's wiring diagrams, but they weren't even close for my 5 way switch. My SH-4 in the neck and quater pound strat sound great. The SH-6 not so much. I check for cold joints in my solder point and they seem fine. Is this just not the right pick up for my guitar?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Welcome to the forum!

It might not be, but I'd rule out any wiring problems, first. Make sure both coils are working (tap lightly on the poles, you'll hear it through the amp) and you can post pics of your wiring here- we might be able to suggest a few more things.

 

[The JEM Ghost]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

It may be that you don't like the SH-6, but as Mincer said I'd make sure the wiring is done right and both the coils are working and it's not wired parallel.(since the Ibanez switches are not the same as the switches shown in the Duncan diagrams).
It would be great if you could post some pictures of the way you wired the guitar, that way the forum members can give you certainty it's not (or is) wired the wrong way).

 

[Phantumgrey]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370




I know the north and south should be twisted and soldered, but the only way the humbuckers would work was it they we wired to the 5 way switch.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

OK, you need to find out what the tabs on the switch do. My thought, with those red/white wires soldered to the switch, is that only half the pickup is working. Someone who knows those import switches might pop in here. Can you check each coil of the humbuckers and see if they are working? Tap on the poles with a screwdriver (lightly) with the guitar plugged in.

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Yep, looks painfully wrong. I'm surprised he hasn't noticed that his neck pickup hums in position 5 and likely has no idea how hot a JB in the neck really is. It also looks like each lead of the QP is connected to one of each of the banks: yikes!

So the red/white wire combos can stay. The terminal between them needs to go to ground. The wire leading to the input of the volume control needs to go on the inside terminal that is the common for the bank that selects the pickup combination (the one that is currently disconnected).

Hopefully he'll get proper hum cancellation, coil selection and phase, but it doesn't seem promising.

 

[Phantumgrey]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Yep, looks painfully wrong. I'm surprised he hasn't noticed that his neck pickup hums in position 5 and likely has no idea how hot a JB in the neck really is. It also looks like each lead of the QP is connected to one of each of the banks: yikes!

So the red/white wire combos can stay. The terminal between them needs to go to ground. The wire leading to the input of the volume control needs to go on the inside terminal that is the common for the bank that selects the pickup combination (the one that is currently disconnected).

Hopefully he'll get proper hum cancellation, coil selection and phase, but it doesn't seem promising.

I just looked up a wiring diagram for my Ibanez (See Attached).

It looks like I have the twisted red/whites where the blacks should go because where you're saying I should ground is actually the hot for my middle start (My strat center PU works great), and the twisted white/red may work just soldered and taped according to seymour duncan wiring diagrams.

I think I have the blacks or hots for my humbuckers tied into the shunts. I'm all messed up lol.

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Yep, I'm quite familiar with that diagram.

First, lets get some better pictures, if you don't mind. Pull the wires out so we can see where they go instead of presenting us a rat's nest. We can't see what is connected to your volume control. It would also be nice to know where the large black, white and red wires connected to the switch are going.

With a QP in the middle, I think you might want to reconsider whether you want to split your humbuckers.

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Now that I'm on a PC and not a phone I think I may have deciphered your rat's nest.

The easiest change is to move the red over to the terminal that is disconnected and swap the larger black and white wires.

Listen to whether the hum is reduced when switching from position 3 to position 2 and from position 3 to position 4. Also listen to whether position 2 and 4 sound in-phase or out-of-phase. If positions 2 and 4 don't behave right, come back and tell us exactly how they sound wrong.

Personally I'd probably not use the bank on the left altogether and replace the QP with an STK-S9 or Hot Rails Bridge if you don't like the hum.

 

[Phantumgrey]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Now that I'm on a PC and not a phone I think I may have deciphered your rat's nest.

The easiest change is to move the red over to the terminal that is disconnected and swap the larger black and white wires.

Listen to whether the hum is reduced when switching from position 3 to position 2 and from position 3 to position 4. Also listen to whether position 2 and 4 sound in-phase or out-of-phase. If positions 2 and 4 don't behave right, come back and tell us exactly how they sound wrong.

Personally I'd probably not use the bank on the left altogether and replace the QP with an STK-S9 or Hot Rails Bridge if you don't like the hum.

Does this help?

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

That's what I figured, so...

The easiest change is to move the red wire over to the terminal that is currently disconnected and swap the ground wire and the white wire from the QP. You better check to make sure you labeled your bridge and neck wires properly otherwise they will need to be swapped as well.

I'd probably not auto-split (just remove the ground wire). If you don't like having hum in positions 2, 3 and 4 then I'd consider an STK-S9 or Hot Rails Bridge. I totally understand if you specifically want a QP in the middle position, though; and I don't think you'll find a noiseless equivalent.

 

[Phantumgrey]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

That's what I figured, so...

The easiest change is to move the red wire over to the terminal that is currently disconnected and swap the ground wire and the white wire from the QP.

I'd probably not auto-split (just remove the ground wire). If you don't like having hum in positions 2, 3 and 4 then I'd consider an STK-S9 or Hot Rails Bridge. I totally understand if you specifically want a QP in the middle position, though; and I don't think you'll find a noiseless equivalent.

Ok so just to clarify and thank you for bearing with me here:


Swapping the Black ground (Switch terminal to POT) and white (QP) hot wire to the old ground location.

I'm not sure what Auto-split means

I appreciate the help. I was just thinking I somehow put the twisted white/reds where the hots should go thinking I plugged in the Neck and bridge hot wires into into the coil shunts because I read the wrong ibanez switch detail.

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Swapping the Black ground (Switch terminal to POT) and white (QP) hot wire to the old ground location.

Yes; and move the red wire over to the empty terminal next to it.

I'm not sure what Auto-split means

It means your bridge and neck will automatically be split when they are combined with the middle single coil. That is precisely the reason why the ground wire goes in between the red/white pairs. However if the terminals on each end of the switch are truly both coming from the bridge pickup, you're going to need to swap the positions of either the red/white pairs or the black leads on the other side (which ever gives you the correct pickup selection).

 

[Phantumgrey]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

Yes; and move the red wire over to the empty terminal next to it.


It means your bridge and neck will automatically be split when they are combined with the middle single coil. That is precisely the reason why the ground wire goes in between the red/white pairs. However if the terminals on each end of the switch are truly both coming from the bridge pickup, you're going to need to swap the positions of either the red/white pairs or the black leads on the other side (which ever gives you the correct pickup selection).

That's incredibly helpful. Thank you!

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

You're welcome.

If you choose not split the humbuckers when combining them with the Quarter Pound, just remove the ground wire from the switch and leave the red/white pairs connected. They aren't doing any harm there and that way you won't have to tape them off.

 

[Phantumgrey]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

You're welcome.

Again, if it were me I would not split the humbuckers when combining them with a Quarter Pound. Removing the ground wire from the switch will accomplish that. The red/white pairs can stay connected to the switch. They aren't doing any harm there and you won't have to tape them off.

I'll play with the sound with them split and then not split to compare. I can see the benefit of the humbuckers calming the quarter pound down a little bit. I did pick it because of the high output but you're right. It gives a lot of that typical passive single coil pickup noise.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

I'm just gunna chime in and say +1 to Gregory

 

[de_dUKe]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

+2 Gregory.. Good show Buddy.. :clap:

The Distortion is a raucous pick up so it had to be a wiring problem..
...and it really was..!!

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

I'll play with the sound with them split and then not split to compare.

Cool!

The Quarter Pound is a beast. Combining it with a split humbucker, even a hot one, is just going to make Quarter Pound quack, with the predominant character still being that of the Quarter Pound. In addition you'll get a pretty large volume drop in the notch positions.

Keeping the humbuckers in series will give you a much more diverse palate of sounds without abrupt transitions because you'll be blending the positions more evenly.

I can see the benefit of the humbuckers calming the quarter pound down a little bit.

In the case of this flame thrower you have in the neck, I have a feeling it will be the the Quarter Pound that will be the one doing the taming. In the case of the Distortion in the bridge, there will probably be a more even blend.

 

[gregory]

Re: Hello Installed SH-6 distortion on the bridge of my S370

I'm just gunna chime in and say +1 to Gregory

+2 Gregory.. Good show Buddy.. :clap:

Thanks for the kind words, Kamanda~SD and de_dUKe!