Weak Bridge Humbucker

[mijaddict]

Okay so I have a guitar, HH, 3 way selector switch, 1 volume pot, 1 tone pot/push pull coil split.

The bridge humbucker sounds weak and drops in output just by selecting it. It doesn't cut out or seem to be particularly microphonic, and it's still somewhat useable both clean and with distortion, but it sounds thinner than even most single coils.

The middle position with both pickups together sounds semi-decent, but noticeably thinner than it is supposed to, and only reads roughly about the same value of the neck output.

Yet if I take ohm readings of the bridge pickup when the selector is in the neck position, it reads as it should, 15 k ohms, so I think I can rule out a broken coil (at least according to my woefully inadequate knowledge of electrical circuits).

But if I take readings of the bridge pickup when selected to the bridge pickup, it drops insanely, almost to 0 k ohms.

I replaced the switch with a brand new Switchcraft and rewired it correctly, but the problem persists.

Everything else looks to be soldered correctly, or at the very least, very solidly, so I think faulty solder connections could be also ruled out.

Anyone know what the problem is? Maybe the tone pot/coil split is faulty?
I would love any help I can get with this.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

Is it a four conductor pup? Are the res and white wires (if it's a Duncan) connected and isolated? Sounds like they may be touching a ground somewhere which would effectively split the pup.

A couple good clear pics showing all wiring and connections would surely help.

 

[mijaddict]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

Is it a four conductor pup? Are the res and white wires (if it's a Duncan) connected and isolated? Sounds like they may be touching a ground somewhere which would effectively split the pup.

A couple good clear pics showing all wiring and connections would surely help.

Not entirely sure, I don't think so, but it may be; I really am a novice with electrical things.
But here's a pic of the cavity.

 

[mijaddict]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

Here's a few more pics.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

It's nice to have pics, but they don't show the connections of the wires to the three way, pots, or p/p switch. It would be good if you could pull the wires up out of the way so the connections can be clearly seen (a separate pic for each of the components...switch, vol pot, tone pot with p/p switch. Also, it appears that you have four wires (green, yellow, light blue, black) coming from the pup cavity, each with two wires inside the colored sleeves. It would be nice to know where they come from (ex: yellow from one coil of neck pup, green from other coil of neck pup, etc). You'll need to pull the pups out to verify this.

If you don't think you can get good photos, you can describe where each wire is connected.

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

looks like the switch is touching the shielding paint in the first picture on the upper connection to the 3 way switch. I'd make a pad of electrical tape, shove it between the solder and the paint and see if that fixed the drop in volume. It looks like it would drop out or cut out the volume on one pickup. See the red circle on the attached picture.

 

[mijaddict]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

It's nice to have pics, but they don't show the connections of the wires to the three way, pots, or p/p switch. It would be good if you could pull the wires up out of the way so the connections can be clearly seen (a separate pic for each of the components...switch, vol pot, tone pot with p/p switch. Also, it appears that you have four wires (green, yellow, light blue, black) coming from the pup cavity, each with two wires inside the colored sleeves. It would be nice to know where they come from (ex: yellow from one coil of neck pup, green from other coil of neck pup, etc). You'll need to pull the pups out to verify this.

If you don't think you can get good photos, you can describe where each wire is connected.

Okay, I tried to take pics of the individual proponents as you suggested, I hope they're clear enough to figure out. The light blue and yellow wires come out of the neck pickup and the black and green comes from the bridge pickup.

3 way selector

Volume pot

Tone/push pull coil split

Output jack

 

[mijaddict]

Re: Weak Bridge Humbucker

looks like the switch is touching the shielding paint in the first picture on the upper connection to the 3 way switch. I'd make a pad of electrical tape, shove it between the solder and the paint and see if that fixed the drop in volume. It looks like it would drop out or cut out the volume on one pickup. See the red circle on the attached picture.

I tried the tape, but it didn't solve the problem, thanks for the suggestion though.