Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

[guitarwithlegs]

The problem I am having with wiring is that my tones are acting as volumes instead of being a tone pot. Also the volume is lower then what is should be. The pups all test out to be ok on a multi-meter so I know the pups aren’t bad and all the pots are new and they all test out correctly also, so I know there not bad either.

The 6-way switch and the pups all work fine; all the pickups work right with the volume pots and they all split the way there suppose to. The 6-way works the way it should as shown in the diagram. This is why I can’t figure out what is wrong with the tones and the volume output. In order to get good volume I have to turn my booster on, plus my compressor just to get a normal output.

I have wired other guitars with a 6-way setups exactly how the diagram shows and have had no problems with it. I am completely stumped with what’s wrong.

The only thing different from the wiring diagram for the 6way is that I have a bridge wire connecting the hot output from the middle pup to the terminal on the switch; the ground wires from the pup I have on the neck tone pot to split the pickups, and it works well. Below is the link to the diagram have used to coil tap the pickups. The top diagram is for the neck and bridge volume and the bottom I used for the neck tone for the middle pup. As stated before instead of connecting the hot wire to the tone pot I bridged it to the switch to keep the selection for the pickup.

Below are all the pics I have of the guitar and wiring plus wiring diagrams.

Coil tap diagrams:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/picture.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3145


6-way switch diagram:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3159

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3158


Controls cavity and 6-way cavity:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3157

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3150

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3149

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3148

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3147

Neck vol pot:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3156


Neck Tone pot and coil tap pot for the middle pup:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3155


Bridge Vol/coil tap and bridge tone:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3152

Bridge Vol/coil tap:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3151

Bridge Tone:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3153

Epiphone Black Beauty LP:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435&pictureid=3146



Pictures page:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/album.php?albumid=435

 

[hermetico]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

Let me try to understand what do yo have and what are you trying to achieve.

I see you are using a Stewmac Freeway switch, don't you?.
I see there three pickups and 4 pots.

Questions:
1) Which pickups are involved in this design? Maker/Model/wires?
2) How do you want to use those 4 pots? 3 volumes (one for each pickup) + 1 tone? or what?
3) what combinations do you expect for each of the 6 positions of that Freeway switch?.

 

[guitarwithlegs]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

The switch works fine i have no problem with the selections and yes the switch is the stewmac switch. the pickups are Gibson 57' Classic's 4 conductor. the pots im just looking for a two vol and two tone setup with the middle pup being split with the neck tone pot. if thats not possible due to the switch wiring combined with splitting the pickups im fine with 3 vol and a master tone.

the pots are 3 push pulls and one standard pot. neck vol and tone pot are push pull and the bridge vol pot is a push pull. the bridge tone pot is the standard pot.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

From what you describe, it sounds like a grounding problem.

After looking at your photos all I can say is...what a rats nest! We're supposed to be able to see the connections and follow the wires? Also, the soldering is pretty poor/bulky. Looks like you used a low wattage iron and tried to compensate for the bad connections by putting on a lot of bulk of solder. If I were you I'd recheck every solder joint, remove half the solder, make sure you get the metal hot enough to make the solder flow like water, and retake the photos so we can clearly see all the lugs and where each of the wires is going/coming from (or label them).

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

Classic 57 with 4 conductors?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

Gibson aftermarket pickups often come with more adaptable output cabling than the OEM versions but, in the case of the '57 Classic, this would be kinda self defeating.

 

[guitarwithlegs]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

the soldering iron i was using was going bad towards the end of the job, this is why some of the joints have a lot of solder on them and some dont look clean. i will have to get a better iron and redo all the joints.

and yes all the pickups are Gibson 57' Classic's, 4 conductor pups

 

[guitarwithlegs]

Re: Volume Output and Tone Problem with Gibson Pickups, PLEASE HELP!

i tried re-soldering the joints and making sure they all for good and im still dealing with the same problem.