ShortScale.org

Joey wrote:Have you templated it yet?

I have a template someone else sent me before I got this guitar.

Update:

I got the guitar back today with a new bone nut. Looks good. I am going to try to wire up a new 3 way switch tonight and get her up and going.



Does the red wire go on the ground or does the red wire attach to the two folded inside posts? I haven't wired a 3 way switch in a while.

The original switch
(bridge - both - neck)
Terminals
1 - 2 - 3


The switch on the schematic is
(bridge - both - neck)
Terminals
1 - 23 - 4

I can't see all the terminals on the new switch, I'm assuming it's 4 terminals plus a 5th terminal (ground). The ground terminal is always obvious, it's always connected to the switch casing. If you have 5 terminals, pinch the two middle post together with a pair of pliers and solder them together like in the schematic.

You are not changing the wiring schematic just swapping out the switch itself so don't change the wiring.

It's the same thing

1 - 2 - 3
1 - 23 - 4

A meter is a good thing to have on hand. Put it on the terminals and run continuity. I have a bad habit of putting in switches backwards. Put the switch on the pickguard, and have it at the angle you want. Decide which position you want the bridge pickup in and the neck pickup in. Then wire it reverse.... so if you want bridge on in the up position, put it on the bottom of the switch (reverse). It'll make sense when you have a meter and see how the toggle pushes the contacts in and out.

Cool. Each pickup has a ground wire soldered to the case, so I can attach those to the ground lug. Each Pickup wire goes to the outside posts and the red wire(from the output jack) is connects to the two posts in the middle.

Does that sound right?

I bought Right angle switch so it will be left/right instead of up/down so the switch will fit in the route under the pickguard.

Yep, yep you got it. When it comes to soldering, scuff the terminals a little bit with sandpaper. Strip your wires back and add just a thin layer of solder to them... then bring the wire to the terminal and solder it. I like to strip my wires back extra long, make the connection then cut off the excess wire with a flush cut pliers. Low heat solder iron with a thin gauge solder (Radio Shack carries thin solder, vs Home Depot thicker diameter plumber's solder) heats up quickly without over heating the parts and makes for a super shiney solder joint.

I like to put my switches in at a 45`. I haven't seen the body route, but hopefully that new switch will squeeze in without to much trouble.

If you decide you miss your tone control knob. You could always toss in a Jaguar 3 switch plate. Wire a different value cap to each switch. It'll give you a cool custom look and give you more function... more chrome too

It doesn't look like you got a shield on that pickguard. Now would be the time to do it. If you got copper tape, use it. In a pinch you can use ducting tape (the stuff you use on dryer vents). You don't have to ground the ducting tape... the humbucker springs and the switch will automatically ground it out for you. You may need to scuff the tape lightly to expose the aluminum and make a better connection. This is where you need a meter to double check your shield to ground - continuity.

I used some copper tap for shielding around the switch.

I have a weird wiring issue. The front knob is the volume for the Bridge pickup and the second knob is the volume for the neck pickup.

When I select the bridge pickup it works
When I select both pickups it appears to work. I can turn off the volume to the bridge pickup and it still has sound and can adjusted with the second knob. (that means the neck pickup works right?)
When I select the neck pickup, it gives me no sound.

I am not sure what cold be the issue here. Why would the neck pickup work when both are on but not by itself?

I had the switch wired wrong and i am using a diagram to try to get everything right. I am worried the second pot might be shot.

When I check the bridge pickup to the pot, I get 8K but the wire from the pot to the switch is nothing. The pot from the neck pickup appears okay.

Before you call it a bad pot............................

[youtube][/youtube]

500k on the neck pot and 8k on the bridge pot. The wires seems to be backwards from the pot to the switch.

Not sure what is going on here.

Photo bomb us, maybe we can spot something that you are over looking

Run continuity test on all your connections (hot & ground)... the meter will go to "1" when you are on the right setting... when you touch the two probes together it will drop to "0". The setting I think is usually a dotted line with a solid line above it, most meter will beeeeepppp when you touch the leads together.

0 ---> good, continuity
1 ---> bad, open connection

Then go through and check resistance... K's...... flip switches and adjust pots while watching the meter.

I have not rewired the switch yet but here are a couple of pics. If I had extra pots I would start over, but the ones I have are 250K. I am wondering if it would be easier at this point at least on the second pot.

I thought we were only replacing the 3 way switch. Why are you rewiring the pots? Did the guitar come to you in bits and pieces not wired?

Grey Insulation - Pickup ---> Pot
Red Insulation - Pot ---> Switch




Seymour Duncan shows...

Outside Terminal - Ground
Middle Terminal - Lead to Switch
Outside Terminal - Lead to Pickup





Your first pot on the left looks like to me

Outside Terminal - Ground <------ Correct
Middle Terminal - Grey Insulation/Pickup <--- Should be Red Lead to Switch
Outside Terminal - Red Insulation/Lead to Switch <--- Should be Grey Insulation to Pickup




I can't make out what's going on with the second pot....

Are you using a solder iron or a solder gun?

see if this helps you out

http://geekversusguitar.blogspot.com/20 ... agram.html

Update?

It is still open in my music room. I hope to get to it soon. Just have not had a chance to wire it back up.

Since neither I nor my ex college roommate who is also an electrical engineer can't get this guitar to work, I am taking it to my new guitar tech.

Maybe he can sort out the problem.

Get new pots and a switch and start from scratch. It's fun. And the stock parts aren't great, anyways.

I will see what the tech charges and then if it's too expensive I can go that route.

resistance is futile