PG Tele Dull. Damaged?

[ManFromNapa]

While installing a PG Tele pickup I damaged some of the ribbon that protects the wires. I can't tell if the wires are damaged or not. The pickup works, but it sounds dull and "quacky". Like a cocked wah. Nothing like what the pickup sounds like on the web. Is this because I damaged it of does the PG tele just sound dull? I'd like to know before I replace it.

 

[Mincer]

Are you able to use a meter to get a DC reading on it? Also, is this when the pickup is on by itself or with another pickup?

 

[freefrog]

Can you measure its DCR with a multimeter? it can be done from the jack plug of the guitar if needed. EDIT: sorry, Mincer has been quicker than me...

Does the tone control works normally or like a second volume pot?

Both answers should allow to know if the pickup is damaged or not.

 

[GuitarDoc]

The fact that it works (you get sound) would indicate that the coil wire is not damaged.

Do as Mincer and freefrog have suggested and include some pics showing the wiring/connections (to pots and switch).

 

[freefrog]

A pickup can have a damaged coil and still work. I've seen it several times and had even to solve this issue TWICE for a same player.

Details here: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...-modern-player-tele-hss?p=6038763#post6038763

And here, too, reminding that some famous player(s) might have took advantage of the issue... <:0)
https://www.marshallforum.com/threa...thout-anyone-noticing-it.130785/#post-2343570

 

[GuitarDoc]

A pickup can have a damaged coil and still work. I've seen it several times and had even to solve this issue TWICE for a same player.

Details here: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...-modern-player-tele-hss?p=6038763#post6038763

And here, too, reminding that some famous player(s) might have took advantage of the issue... <:0)
https://www.marshallforum.com/threa...thout-anyone-noticing-it.130785/#post-2343570

Yes, it's possible. Not probable. That's why it's a good idea to do the testing as suggested and to include pics, to rule out that possibility.

 

[Guest]

ManFromNapa

The symptoms you are describing is know as "Out of phase" wiring, you seemed to have wired the pickup in reverse. This is where loss of tone and quickness come from.


Re-solder the A to B and B to A and you'll be good!

 

[freefrog]

Thinking to OOP is a good idea but... OOP sounds involve two pickups. OP mentions only one pickup sounding "quacky" and like "a cocked wah". It's typical of pickups that a broken coil wire made capacitive IME. Hence my post 5.

Same thing explained in other words and by someone else here, FWIW: https://youtu.be/XDCHles5of4?t=221

But only an answer to my questions in the post 3 would tell if this hypothesis is valid or not in this case, of course.

 

[ManFromNapa]

Thanks everyone for posting. I had a long day and didn’t get to read this until now. I’ll work on pictures and measurements tomorrow.

to answer some of the questions:

The pickup sounds bad by itself.

the wiring: red&white soldered together and taped off. Green & unsheidled are grounded. Black is soldered to the switch.

Tone works as expected, as a tone not a volume.

I’ll wake measurements tomorrow.

 

[freefrog]

Tone works as expected, as a tone not a volume.

So it shouldn't be a case of broken wire giving a capacitive pickup... but a DCR measurement would help to be sure.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

PG could sound a bit honky compared to a stock Tele bridge, and less twangy. Even so, it shouldn't be dull.

There have been cases of pickups coming with wrongly wired leads, though that's extremely rare..
If DCRs for series and the individual coils all read normal, I might try reversing one coil.

 

[ManFromNapa]

Finally had time to do some testing and take pics.

DCR Readings:

• PG Neck: 6.91
• PG Bridge: 18.50

Very close to what the SD site says they should read.

Here is a pic of the wiring. Note: I installed the control plate in reverse so that I won't hit the switch all the time. It's Volume, Tone, Switch.



Here is a clip of what I hear. It's the guitar plugged directly into my DAW. I play the neck pick up first, then switch to the bridge pickup. At the end I go back and forth. You can hear the bridge sounds full and clear while the neck sounds dull. Nothing like what it sounds like on the SD website.

 

[ToneFiddler]

Sorry, that sounds pretty normal.
a neck single coil compared to a humbucker bridge, is a pretty drastic change and the humbucker comes of as pretty narrow and middy.
I had the same with the lil 59 or the lil screaming demon in a strat

 

[ToneFiddler]

You should try to disconnect the tone for the bridge only, so you get a wee more sparkle from the bridge

 

[freefrog]

...or wire the "dull" pickup in parallel to shift up its resonant peak: it will make it brighter, thinner, closer to a single coil.

But yes, the tonal difference seems normal for what the pickups are...

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I think we all had assumed the OP's issue was with the bridge PG. Turns out it's the neck sound he doesn't like.
Both tones in his sample seem to lack bite IMO.

Was that recorded using settings leftover from the stock singlecoils, or was it truly straight in without any EQ?

 

[ManFromNapa]

I think we all had assumed the OP's issue was with the bridge PG. Turns out it's the neck sound he doesn't like.
Both tones in his sample seem to lack bite IMO.

Was that recorded using settings leftover from the stock singlecoils, or was it truly straight in without any EQ?

No, it’s the bridge I don’t care for. Too much of a difference from the neck.

 

[ManFromNapa]

Thanks everyone. I guess that’s just what the PG tele sounds like. Does anyone have a recommendation for a tele bridge pickup that would compliment the PG humbucker in the neck?

 

[Mincer]

Thanks everyone. I guess that’s just what the PG tele sounds like. Does anyone have a recommendation for a tele bridge pickup that would compliment the PG humbucker in the neck?

Do you want it to sound like a traditional Tele, or like a humbucker? Is noise cancelling important to you?

 

[hamerfan]

Good advise from Freefrog and Tonefiddler. I like my
​​​​Tele with vol pot value of 1 meg and I use a no load pot for the tone.