Slowly increasing DCR?

[IzzyTheWegie]

Hi all,

Long time SD user here, first time poster.

This one is really throwing me for a loop and I’m out of ideas. I was hoping someone would be able to lend some insight.

I installed some new electronics in my HSS partscaster (volume, tone, tone cap, super switch, resistors and output jack) and upon checking the DC resistance of the pickups at the output jack I get a slowly increasing reading for each pickup. The pups showed a steady reading when tested out of the guitar. All the components tested okay before installation. After installation, a continuity test of all the components checks out. And I resoldered everything just in case there was a cold joint somewhere. Unfortunately, there was no improvement. Sound-wise, the output is a few db lower than where it should be and the highs sound like they’re being rolled off a bit.

Any ideas?

 

[beaubrummels]

Welcome to the forum

You mentioned resistors. What are those doing in the circuit? What wiring scheme are did you implement? (Got a schematic or drawing?)

HIghs rolled off could either be the affect of the tone circuit (rolling off highs is what it does), or something going on with the volume when it's not full up.

How do you know the output is a few db lower (what was the method of measurement)? Did you wire it with a pickup straight to the jack to compare? What are the pickups? Were they new or used?

 

[ToneFiddler]

Temperature change can cause the PUs DCR to drift.
even the measuring current from your multimeter might be enough to cause this

 

[IzzyTheWegie]

Got it sorted. Thanks for the thoughts beaubrummels and ToneFiddler. I really appreciate it!

Turns out the switch was bad. Super frustrating because it’s brand spanking new. Connected one of the pups directly to the output jack and then added one component at a time until the problem reappeared. Dropped an old, regular 5-way in and it’s back to tearing heads off.

Thanks again!

 

[Mincer]

I've had brand new switches that turned out to be bad. Pots, too. Drove me crazy, because that was the last thing I suspected.

 

[IzzyTheWegie]

I hear ya, Mincer. This was pretty annoying to track down. At least I’ll know for next time! Haha

 

[zionstrat]

Glad you found that one so fast, I have to admit I was totally stumped

I'm not wiring nearly as many guitars as I used to, but one habit that continues is to multimeter every part before the solder comes out saved me a lot of time and hassle in the past and I would suggest it on anything other than the simplest build.

 

[Aceman]

Welcome Izzy. What pickup, incidentally???