Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

[Cory_Dylan]

Well today I wired up the Jimmy Page mod. (took me about 4-5 hours :blackeye: )

When i was finished, i checked everything, looked fine.

Problem is, when i plugged it in to see if it worked, the first thing i heard was a really loud buzz. It stopped when i put my hand on the string. When i played it, it was really quiet, but it worked. The push/pulls worked, im pretty sure, i could barely hear it it was so quiet. All my grounds look fine.

So, i screwed up.

Do you know what i could've done wrong? please help!!!

 

[yes-fan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

maybe the ground got disconnected from the bridge.

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

if the ground was disconnected from the bridge the buzz wouldn't stop when i put my hand on the strings.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

if the ground was disconnected from the bridge the buzz wouldn't stop when i put my hand on the strings.

The low output sounds like a cold solder joint on the hot side, and or posssible ground problems somewhere else. Also make sure that you read the control layout logic for that thing, as there are some control settings that will be reduced in volume due to different settings if the neck volume is turned down, and the three way switch is in a certain positions (forget offhand what it is). Recheck your work again, if it's the *real* version of the switching logic, it will work. Overall it sounds like a cold solder joint on the hot side.

 

[frankencat]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

It's a ground problem. Double check all of your ground connections.

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

for what it's worth, i just noticed that when i touch the nut on the switch the buzz gets really loud.

 

[3 cent hero]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

for what it's worth, i just noticed that when i touch the nut on the switch the buzz gets really loud.

my guitars have always done that, it's no biggie

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

checked all my grounds several times, i see nothing wrong with them and have no idea why it shouldn't work. i plugged it in again and the buzz isn't as bad anymore, but it's still there, and the output is still really low. i'm almost positive i don't have any cold solder joints. do you think i could have burnt up a pot?

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

checked all my grounds several times, i see nothing wrong with them and have no idea why it shouldn't work. i plugged it in again and the buzz isn't as bad anymore, but it's still there, and the output is still really low. i'm almost positive i don't have any cold solder joints. do you think i could have burnt up a pot?

It's possible, but I don't think it would effect it like that (you could check the pots disconnected with a meter though, it's possible that one could have developed a partial short effectively turning into a low value resistor ... kinda doubt it though), furthermore, if the nut on the switch buzzes when you touch it, that's a ground problem, that switch body should be grounded. (again though, I don't think that would be indicative of the problem that you are having here). I'm assuming that ALL positions are low in volume, if so ... that tells me there is a cold solder joint or partial short somewhere on the output (did you check the output jack). Have you checked the ground and hpt connections via a meter, visual inspection is good, as well as the lightly tug the wire tests (loose connections) ... but the meter will tell you more. Are you sure that your pups are wired correctly as well (phase and magnetic polarity as related to the colour code of the particular brand(s) that you are using? ) Most likely it's a faulty connection, miswiring, or faulty components are the to blame. The only thing you can do is check it over, step by step, connection by connection. Sorry guy, no magic revelations are popping into my head on it ...

 

[jeremy]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

if you have hum, theres a grounding problem. if you have low output then it sounds like something may be messed up in the wiring. when you split the coils, does it get even quieter with more noise?

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

if you have hum, theres a grounding problem. if you have low output then it sounds like something may be messed up in the wiring. when you split the coils, does it get even quieter with more noise?

I agree with what your saying here Jeremy, I was think though in regards to the output issue that a cold solder joint, or toasted pot, or other such things could create a large resistance on the signal going to the amp, and pull down the signal level greatly ... kinda like a crappy cable with a partial short can do, I'm with you on the grounding thing 100% ... Frustrating as it is, I guess the only thing he can do is go bad thru it step by step.

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

OK. Turns out i was using silver-bearing solder used for jewelry. Not good.

I took everything completely apart and checked them with a meter. The pots all read about 460k. Capacitors worked. Everything stil goood.

I wired everything back up. It works BETTER than it did before, but stil SUCKS.

Still a hum, (a grounding problem i know). The output is stil VERY low. Jeremy, yes it does get quieter when the coils are tapped. It seems to get louder when phase is reversed. neck series with bridge SUCKS. It's quiet, and it just does not sound good at all.

I've checked everything over and over. This REALLY f*ckin sucks.

I guess conclusion, i just suck at wiring. Should i take it to a tech?

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

Also, i noticed something wierd about the volume controls. They sound like normal volume controls when you adjust them, only the volume stays the same.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

My goldtop which is wired with those pullups does seem to be a little more prone to noise than before, even tho I think it's wired up right. I don't have the problem with low output, tho. When you said the middle pos sounded terrible, I'm assuming it sounds small and honky? Are both your pickups Duncan? I think PRS encountered a slight noise problem when they designed the McCarty, because of it's coil splitting feature, so they chose to flip the magnet in one of the pickups to cure it. I think you may have hooked everything up right, but there's some tiny variable causing this noise. I too, have checked all the connections and my guitar sounds fine, but a tad noisier than my other Pauls, which still have that connecting plate. You might try running a common ground wire to all 4 pots, and using copper tape to shield the whole inside of the cavity. I still would like to take my guitar to a wiring pro and see if they could diagnose something. It's very strange that I haven't found out why it's happening. On my guitar, it's not bad, but still bugs me a bit. Especially in a room that's prone to electical noise.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

I had a problem with excessive noise too. The two wires that are supposed to be wired together (from 4 conductor pups) weren't completely sealed off. They would move around inside the guitar and cause noise. I had to bend some of the wires on the inside of my guitar to make sure they didn't touch each other or another part of the guitar that shouldn't have been touched. You might want to check that. After "tightening" up the work on the inside and making it less sloppy, it sounded much better and now I have practically no hum at all.

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

Another weird ground problem. Normally when you touch the output jack, you get a loud buzz right? Well, in my case, there is always that buzz, and when you touch the output jack, the buzzing stops.

There are so many problems here, and i have absolutely no idea what they could be.
I KNOW i have everything wired up right. This guitar sounds all out bad. It sounds so bad, you can't even hear the difference when you switch the pickups. They all sound the same. Bad.

This really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really..............

SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! :yell:

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

Another weird ground problem. Normally when you touch the output jack, you get a loud buzz right? Well, in my case, there is always that buzz, and when you touch the output jack, the buzzing stops.

There are so many problems here, and i have absolutely no idea what they could be.
I KNOW i have everything wired up right. This guitar sounds all out bad. It sounds so bad, you can't even hear the difference when you switch the pickups. They all sound the same. Bad.

This really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really..............

SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! :yell:

Take it to a tech, I hate to be blunt, but it doesn't seem that you are able to find the problem(s) ... it could be the connections, the wiring, the pups not the correct phase and/or magnetic polarity ... what you said in the post before this one about that you can't even tell a difference in tones, it all sounds the same, it all sounds bad, etc. The volume controls don't work ... there a loud buzzing that doesn't go away, etc. Man you shouldn't be having all those problems period ... take it to a tech, that looks to be your best solution at this point. Make sure you get him or her to give you a written list of the faults, errors, and/ or explanation of the problem(s) and the corrections taken. Then chalk it up to a learning experience.

 

[strat_master]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

I dunno honestly thats why i dont do any of that kidnas tuff on my own, I always take it to a teach to do it, casue im scared something like that might happen to my guitar. Sure it will cost you but you get the peice of mind that the job wil be done right.

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

I'm going to take it to a tech. Anybody have an idea of how much they'll charge?

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Well, this sucks... (someone smart please help)

I'm going to take it to a tech. Anybody have an idea of how much they'll charge?

Really all depends, you might get off with just a bench fee, if the tech spots the problem immediately, and it's an easy fix (most bench fees were like $15~$20, and covered most small simple repairs ), with all the parts there (in other words not having to remove and install parts) for something along the lines of the complexity of the JP LP wiring probably $35 -$45 ( including bench fee, not in addition too), finding the problem is often a main source of cost which is included ... If the tech finds the problem quick and say it's two exchanged wires, and a loose one, you might just get off with a bench fee.
Your better bet is most often to take it to a privately owned shop, a lot of the repair shops within larger stores, Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc. , the techs/repair people work for the store, and go by the stores rules, many times it is very much a set price that the tech has to adhere to, via the store's interests. Also , sometimes the private guys can expedite your repair if they are waiting on other things (parts, customer call back, etc.), amny of the chain stores' repair area's are bombarded with restring jobs, or detailing.