Strat wiring help needed

[blakejcan]

I'm wiring up from scratch a S/S/S strat guitar with Bare Knuckle Apaches. I used this diagram for reference and pretty sure I did it right. Tapped the pickups when I was done to see if I had sound. Volume and both Tone knobs work. Only get some ping sounds with a screwdriver tap when in the 4th position. Everything else....nada? Not sure where I could have gone wrong here other than maybe not grounding something properly or just going back to check my solder points?

https://www.seymourduncan.com/resources/pickup/wiring-diagrams

 

[blakejcan]

update to myself--the SD diagram doesn't have the wire going from one end of the blade to the other for some reason. Found that on another diagram and now we're back. Hurray me!

 

[playas]

Have you got it working?
How do you like them?

I have a set in my only SSS guitar (a parts strat) and I really love them.

Congratulations if you got it working.

 

[Supernautilus]

update to myself--the SD diagram doesn't have the wire going from one end of the blade to the other for some reason. Found that on another diagram and now we're back. Hurray me!

It's there, I can see the grey wire. It's just really poorly highlighted. Bad diagram.

 

[blakejcan]

haha dude. ok. I give up. It is there. But now could I make sense of that in that diagram. I assumed that gray was part of the switch. It needs to be highlighted red or something.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I'd also like to know what you think of the Apaches.

 

[Mincer]

Some diagrams are poorly rendered, and some are just plain wrong. We have a thread about the ones that aren't right.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Yeah, I looked really hard and still didn't see that grey connection. Now I can barely make it out. But, yeah, that is a very important connection and if you don't make it you will get exactly what you first got...nothing.
Very poor diagram.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Glad you got it up and running
How's it sounding?

 

[blakejcan]

I'll let you know once I get the nut on this thing and a setup.

 

[blakejcan]

ok I'm back. I had these working or so I thought and now that I've got it all strung up it's wonky again. I can tap with a screwdriver and get sound on the bridge pickup only. Neck & middle the volume and tone work but no actual sound. Just buzzing. I have checked the diagram a million times. Reflowed all of my joints. I'm at a loss. The only thing I haven't done yet is re-check the ground to the claw but I'll do that next.

Any next steps here before all my hair goes gray?

 

[beaubrummels]

Just sounds like neck and middle aren't grounded maybe.

 

[Artie]

Shot in the dark, but those "standard" 5-ways come in two different configurations. One with the commons on one end, and one with them on the other. You have to physically look to make sure you establish which poles are the commons.

 

[Artie]

Here's the Stew-Mac one that's "backwards." (This is a 3-way pic , but the 5-way is the same.)

 

[blakejcan]

Good idea. I just tried re-doing them and still nada

 

[blakejcan]

Shot in the dark, but those "standard" 5-ways come in two different configurations. One with the commons on one end, and one with them on the other. You have to physically look to make sure you establish which poles are the commons.

Errr......I'm not sure what that means or what to look for?

 

[beaubrummels]

Errr......I'm not sure what that means or what to look for?

As you move the lever, you'll see a little tab shift from lug to lug. But one of the lugs has a rail that stays constantly in contact with it, that is the common lug. You can see both of what I'm talking about in Artie's photo posted.

 

[Artie]

Look at my post #14. There are 5-ways available with the "commons" on the opposite end from where the standard CRL or Oak Grigsby would be. On your diagram, the common terminals are the two with that gray wire that's hard to see. The one I posted in #14 has them on the opposite side. (Upper-left/lower-right.) Its messed me up more than once.

And remember, it's a long shot. Your problem my be something unrelated.

 

[Artie]

Here's the pic I was looking for:

 

[blakejcan]

Thank you. I think I got it. yes, where that jumper goes from one pole to the other across the switch is on the commons. Only the big part of the tab touches it on either side.

This is fun for anyone else --https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/latest-updates/5-way-strat-switch-explained-part-1#:~:text=The%20common%20is%20always%20%E2%80%9Con,been%20selected%20via%20the%20switch.