SG wiring troubleshooting help

[superpete]

Hey everyone,

I'm having issues with a Gibson SG. I'm not necessarily asking for anyone to diagnose it (although that'd be great), but more what I can check to find out where the issue is.

The issue is the neck pickup. It used to work and cut out every now and then. now it just has insanely low output 100% of the time, but it is there. The pots still bring the volume and tone up and down, but there is just crazy low output, as if the volume is on 1 at max. If the bridge pickup is on 10 and distorted, switching to the neck is a quiet, cleanish sound.

When the pickup selector is in the middle position, it sounds like it is just the bridge pickup. Usually if the bridge pickup is on 10 and the neck is rolled back, the middle position is kinda in between. Not in this case.

I haven't opened it up yet but using a multimeter on a cable i get a full reading from the bridge pickup and no reading from the neck. I assume this means the signal is so low it isn't registering because the pickup isn't dead, it's just weak.

I don't mind going in and seeing what the issue is, but i dont know where to start. In my mind it could be anything; a bad coil, incorrect wiring, faulty 3 way switch, bad pot, etc. if anyone has had a similar issue and can help narrow down where to start looking for the problem it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Next non-instrusive step could be to take off the control cavity cover and take a look at each of the connections on the neck volume and tone pots. See if any are clearly frayed, coming loose.

 

[Artie]

Also, gently push the neck electrical contact against it's other lug, (on the 3-way), to see if it isn't making good contact.

 

[AlexR]

If you have essentially a 0 reading, then you have a broken wire in the pickup more likely than not. The DCR setting reads continuity, but the insane low output is probably capacitive coupling meaning you are essentially inducing a signal across the break.

 

[beaubrummels]

I'd make sure the pot lugs aren't contacting the sheild around one of the other wires in the control cavity

 

[jimilee]

Just to throw my 2 cents in, check the toggle switch to make sure the wiring is still solid and intact. That’s another point of failure.


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[Artie]

I'd make sure the pot lugs aren't contacting the shield around one of the other wires in the control cavity

+1. I can't tell you how many times I've seen this.

 

[superpete]

this is great stuff everybody, thank you all! gonna open it up and see what i can find out!