Wiring for live wires

[BloodyWarrior]

Hi,
I have a Jackson WR1 witch has 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3 way switch. I replaced the stock invader and full shred with a Live Wire Metal in the bridge and a Live Wire classic in the neck. The guy who installed the pickups said the supplied wiring diagram and volume pot did not work He used a different pot and the if you turn the volume knob all the way up its off but a little less than all the way is full volume> the pickups also sound weird i cant get the full distortion sound its like their half volume but i dont think its the volume knob

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I had something similar happen, and it turned out some solder had dripped on the pot, connecting the volume lug to the case.

 

[BloodyWarrior]

Re: Wiring for live wires

jb, did you have these problems with live wires?

could it have something to do with an optional resistor? is that why i onlyget half power?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I'm not sure. This wasn't with live wires, I think it was a JB. Sorry I can't help out more.

 

[Artie]

Re: Wiring for live wires

Hey Bloody; Welcome to the forum. To be honest, I'm a bit skeptical of the following statement:

The guy who installed the pickups said the supplied wiring diagram and volume pot did not work He used a different pot . . .

The LiveWires aren't exactly a new product. Even though I've never owned any, I seriously doubt that SD supplies them with an untested diagram, or a faulty pot. I'll bet you dollars-to-donuts that your "tech" screwed up the installation, and doesn't want to admit it.

I'd take the guitar somewhere else, and get a second opinion.

Artie

 

[Artie]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I just wanted to add - generally, Active pups use unusual value's of pots, like 25k instead of 250k or 500k. Also, I'm fairly sure that LiveWires require a stereo output jack, in order to do the power switching. Not positive, but I believe so.

You can use this diagram as a reference, and see that its a stereo jack. Did your tech install one of these?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/support/schematics/2active_hum_2vol_2tone_3wy.html

(Also, I notice in that diagram that LW's seem to use 100k pots.)

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Wiring for live wires

Also, I'm fairly sure that LiveWires require a stereo output jack, in order to do the power switching. Not positive, but I believe so.

I thought the stereo jack was just to act as an on/off for the battery.

 

[Artie]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I thought the stereo jack was just to act as an on/off for the battery.

Yup . . . thats what I meant by "power switching".

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Wiring for live wires

Duh. I'm apparently not all here tonight.

 

[BloodyWarrior]

Re: Wiring for live wires

The diagram they supplied is for a 2 volume and 2 tone style guitar, like the ones in the link. But i'm definately getting a second oppinion.

 

[Artie]

Re: Wiring for live wires

Ah . . . in that case, just use this:



(Click the image for full-size version.)

Artie

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I have installed and used LiveWires in the past. They install the same as passive humbuckers with a couple of minor issues. First difference is the batteries but that is no big deal and if you look at the schematic Artie was kind enough to post, the batteries are not in the signal path. The signal path is the same as for passive pickups.

The pot values are different though and you really shouldn't change those in an upwards direction. Using 250k or 500k pots with active pickups doesn't work out well and this is your first problem to fix. First thing to do is to meter the pot that didn't work. If it is faulty SD will replace it and I highly recommend that you look into that before anything else.

The 100 ohm resistor supplied with the LiveWires is used to match the output to passive humbuckers if you were to mix a LiveWire pickup to a passive. Since you are using 2 LWs, you don't need the resistor.

If I was troubleshooting this guitar I would first bypass the guitars electronics and connect (one at a time) the LWs directly to the output jack tip connection and confirm that the pickups are working properly. This is the only way to confirm proper operation with active pickups as you can't meter the resistance. I would then meter the pots and check for proper spec. If the pickups both work properly and the pots are properly spec'ed then you have a wiring problem.

 

[Artie]

Re: Wiring for live wires

Good info Robert. I didn't know about the resistor thing. That'll be good to know if someone ever asks me.

To whom it may concern at SD: Since that drawing is 98% your property to begin with, feel free to use my 2% worth any way you want, in case you'ld like to add the 1 vol, 1 tone schematic to your website.

Artie

 

[BloodyWarrior]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I hand drew that diagram last night trying to figure out what would work, but thank you very much for the confermation. And Robert you answered all my questions. Thank you so much for your help im giong insane without my baby.
Dean

 

[BloodyWarrior]

Re: Wiring for live wires

I made a very stupid mistake. I'm fairly certain i wasn't plugging the cord into the guitar jack enough. I think it was acting as i described because circut wasn't competed which so the batteries weren't on. The diagram artie made works but you need a 250k taper volume pot to fully shut off the sound. The pickups sound awsome, super death metal bridge, and super shred neck. Thank you all again for your help.

 

[Artie]

Re: Wiring for live wires

The diagram artie made works but you need a 250k taper volume pot to fully shut off the sound.

That means that you still have something wrong. More than likely, its the ground connection to the volume control. Look at this diagram:

When a volume control is on "zero", the output jack is shorted to ground and the pots resistance is removed from the circuit. It doesn't matter whether the pot is 10 ohms or a million ohms.

Double check the ground.