Jackson Ke3 Pro Series:Very thin sound, especially when playing single notes.

[GuitarJames]

Hi, Thank you for everyone taking the time to read this post.I have a Jackon Ke3 Pro series made in Japan guitar( Alder body,Maple bolt on neck, Rosewood fingerboard,with Seymour Duncan 59's/JB combo ( I believe). My problem is,it has a very high, thin trebley sound, which actually cuts out when hammering/pulling off, and when picking just sounds think weak and still cuts out. Sometimes you have to reset the Pick up switch multiple times when switiching from either the Neck , or both pick ups, back the Bridge pickup (the JB4). i have no idea if it's a wiring or tone pot problem, but i suspect it is.I have never actually done any wiring or pick up changes on any guitar and have no idea what the problem is. If anyone has experianced a similar problem i would greatly appreciate their infther than basic truss rod,Bridge or intunation, i am FAR from a Guitar tech! Thank you again for your responces, Cheers James.

 

[GuitarJames]

Re: Jackson Ke3 Pro Series:Very thin sound, especially when playing single notes.

Hi, Sorry this is my first post here but certainly not my first time viewing! this is a bad problem, my Jackson RR5 has the same pick up's and dosn't sound anything alike

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Jackson Ke3 Pro Series:Very thin sound, especially when playing single notes.

thin and trebly sounds like out of phase
but if it once played fine and this just started that would not be it
if it cuts out and you have to keep dinking with the switch
then it may be a cold solder joint on the switch

probably a bad solder joint somewhere in any case
touch each with a soldering iron till the solder "re-flows"

 

[Adieu]

Re: Jackson Ke3 Pro Series:Very thin sound, especially when playing single notes.

*If* all else fails, eliminate possible sources of trouble from the circuit (disconnect them - as in unwire, not physically remove).

The lead(s) to the tone pot(s) can simply be unsoldered or clipped. If that does not help, bypass ("wire around", creating a "shortcut" of sorts) the volume pot(s): for 1 master volume (between switch and jack), solder a piece of wire from the same output lug of the switch that goes to the volume pot - but straight to the lug on the jack that comes from pot (no need to clip anything, and simply cut this new wire to undo)...for individual volumes for each pickup, solder a bypass lead, as above, from the lug on each volume pot the pickup wire goes onto to the lug on the switch that this volume pots output lug connects to (one pot at a time, we're looking for the problem component here not modding).

If none of that helped, its the switch (it likely is the switch and/or grounds wiring anyways, imho)... in that case, undo the other bypasses and connect volume pots' output lugs directly to the lug on the jack that the switch went to. If both pickups start working, its the switch (note: theyre wired parallel here, leading to wonkiness with volumes affecting each other, or even muting everything when one is off, and thats normal for parallel wiring)

Other notes: this is all about disconnecting/bypassing "hot" signal wires - leads from lugs ("feet" on pots), NOT grounds (wired to back/body of potentiometer)... Btw, if neither pickup works properly after bypassing switch and after trying bypassing all pots, then reflow (reheat to melting, make sure they dont fall off and set properly) all ground connections at backs of pots.

Last ditch "does this pickup work" test: solder a single pickup directly to jack ("hot" to tip lug, ground to ring lug). Test, if it does, disconnect and try the other one, same way.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Jackson Ke3 Pro Series:Very thin sound, especially when playing single notes.

I'm thinking that you have major wiring issues.....

The thin trebly tone sounds like you have only 1 coil of a humbucker.
The cutting out sounds like there is either a loose wire or a bad solder joint.
There is also something going on with the switch....either the physical connection with the mechanism itself or in the wiring to same.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Jackson Ke3 Pro Series:Very thin sound, especially when playing single notes.

Have you tried unplugging the guitar, spraying a shot of contact cleaner into the switch, then working it through its full range of motion a couple dozen times, then plugging it back in for another check? Several of my guitars have developed issues like you describe, and it's been a dirty switch every time so far.