Lower than expected output from JB

[labianco]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought 3 SD pickups (little 59er, classic stack plus, JB full sized) and wiring them up in my fender player strat. When I went to test it out I expected a really full and rich sound when on my amp OD channel. It was not quite there. In fact I was surprised that the 3 pickups were equal volumes - I expected the JB to be much louder. I am wondering if I did something wrong in my wiring or if my wiring diagram is just bad design. I did put in a toggle switch to control coil splits and I can hear a difference but it is very very mild.

All grounds are connected properly and I the bass contour knob works in CCW direction. I made sure to "turn this off" when testing the pickups. I didn't toil over the pickup heights but they weren't ridiculously far away or very close. Any suggestions you all could provide as to what might be going on here is much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

I've used Bass Contour controls myself in a couple schemes. And based on what has worked for me in the past, I believe the input and output wires on your Bass Contour control need to be swapped around. Try that.

 

[labianco]

Jack_TriPpEr Thanks for the heads up Ill check that. Although, when I was testing it I made sure that the pot was set to the position where there it shorted out the cap, so the bass contour should have been out of the circuit. Was there anything else that looked odd in the wiring scheme to you? Is the way I did the coil tap ok?

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

labianco i didn't see anything else in that diagram that looked odd.

The next thing to do, would be to take measurements of the JB pickup using a multimeter to ensure the pickup is in good working order. Ref this tutorial video:

 

[David Garner]

For what it's worth, I've used a JB in a Les Paul with a 59 until literally last week (swapped it for a Super Distortion and 36th Anniversary PAF), and I still have one in the bridge of an HSS Strat. I don't find it to be louder than lower wind pickups. In fact, in the Strat, it cuts a little less in full humbucker mode than it does split.

I haven't used a Little 59er, but my guess is you're just hearing the EQ difference between the brighter single sized stack/humbucker and the full JB.

 

[devastone]

You may have your neck and middle pickups at the same height as the JB too, if so, they will be louder, the amplitude of the string vibration is bigger as you get farther from the bridge, so even though the pickups aren't as hot, they have more signal to 'pick up", heights are important.