I purchased a set of SD livewire PUs and I attempted to install them myself with the standard 9 volt didn't use two like someone else suggested. I was having a hard time soldering the PUs to the pots and believe believe I overheated them and ruined them. Well I took the guitar to a repair shop and asked the repairman if he could test the pickups before he soldered them to the pots. To make sure i didnt ruin them.He said no he couldn't. My fear was that I shorted something out and ruined the PUs. Anyway I got the guitar fixed the repaiman sucked and it took him over two months to get around to my guitar. He charged me a fortune for PU installation. I couldnt him to lower the price he was the store manager. Needless to say i will never go nack there! But the guys at SD tech support were great with helping me the went above and beyond for me and I greatly appreciate it! The guitar now sounds great! Anyway my question for future reference is there a way to use something like an ohm reader to check to see if the PUs are still functioning and the preamp isn't burned out. I was thinking maybe there wasn't that's why places like guitar center do not sell used PUs that aren't installed in guitars. At least I believe they don't?
How to test if a pickup is bad without soldering it
- Thread starter Matman1
- Start date
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: How to test if a pickup is bad without soldering it
Why couldn't an ohmeter be put across the leads to check for dc resistance?
Why couldn't an ohmeter be put across the leads to check for dc resistance?
Re: How to test if a pickup is bad without soldering it
Thats what I was wondering. I am a novice in guitar repair and pickup installation. But it appeared that the guy at the repair shop is as well!......So I could get an ohmmeter and tell if the pickup works without being hooked up or using the battery? Just the PU and its wires? The ohmmeter readings would show whether or not the pickup or preamp is broken or shorted out? I probably could get what the PU readings should be off SDs website?
Thats what I was wondering. I am a novice in guitar repair and pickup installation. But it appeared that the guy at the repair shop is as well!......So I could get an ohmmeter and tell if the pickup works without being hooked up or using the battery? Just the PU and its wires? The ohmmeter readings would show whether or not the pickup or preamp is broken or shorted out? I probably could get what the PU readings should be off SDs website?
Snoogles
Cranky-dologist
Re: How to test if a pickup is bad without soldering it
i just figured out how to test a humbucker (4-conductor) pickup in this way, and its quite easy
1. get a multimeter (ohm meter?)
2. find the color-coding on the SD website for 4-conductor humbuckers, and determine which leads connect to which coil (in regards to a humbucker pickup)
found here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=color_codes
3. find the estimated reading for your pickup on the SD website (ie: JB = 16 when wired in series)
found here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones
4. in the case of a 4-conductor humbucker, test each coil seperately (find the "start" and "finish" leads for each coil and measure them separately)
... 4a. in the case of the JB, each coil should register around 8
5. wire the 2 coils in series and test the "hot" and "ground" leads (according to the SD wiring scheme)
p.s. if your humbucker is only 1-conductor, and you're a pickup-mod'ing noob (like i am), then DO NOT try to take apart your pickup... like I did :crying:
i just figured out how to test a humbucker (4-conductor) pickup in this way, and its quite easy
1. get a multimeter (ohm meter?)
2. find the color-coding on the SD website for 4-conductor humbuckers, and determine which leads connect to which coil (in regards to a humbucker pickup)
found here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=color_codes
3. find the estimated reading for your pickup on the SD website (ie: JB = 16 when wired in series)
found here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones
4. in the case of a 4-conductor humbucker, test each coil seperately (find the "start" and "finish" leads for each coil and measure them separately)
... 4a. in the case of the JB, each coil should register around 8
5. wire the 2 coils in series and test the "hot" and "ground" leads (according to the SD wiring scheme)
p.s. if your humbucker is only 1-conductor, and you're a pickup-mod'ing noob (like i am), then DO NOT try to take apart your pickup... like I did :crying:
Last edited:
Re: How to test if a pickup is bad without soldering it
An active pickup is going to be difficult to test with just a multimeter. You can't just measure the coil resistance like you can on a passive pup. But if you have some test clips, a cable, a battery, and an amp it should only take a couple of minutes to hook the pickup directly to the amp, power it on, and listen for an output signal. If the pup isn't installed just hold it next to the strings of the nearest guitar or tap it with a screwdriver.
An active pickup is going to be difficult to test with just a multimeter. You can't just measure the coil resistance like you can on a passive pup. But if you have some test clips, a cable, a battery, and an amp it should only take a couple of minutes to hook the pickup directly to the amp, power it on, and listen for an output signal. If the pup isn't installed just hold it next to the strings of the nearest guitar or tap it with a screwdriver.
