Hot Rails Auto Split?

[alexreinhold]

Hi all,

I've got a very basic problem.

I'm currently wiring an SSS Strat with Lollar Blackfaces as neck and mid and the SD Hot Rails as bridge. I've been using the auto split wiring diagram and ran into problems. Here are my questions:

1. With a standard 5-way switch, can you confirm that auto split puts position 1 in parallel and only affects position 2, i.e. split+mid instead of parallel+mid?
2. When testing, all positions created sound except position 1 - i.e. the hot rails was dead. Any idea what the cause could be? I triple checked the wiring and it all looks just like on the SD wiring HSS auto split diagram.

Thanks so much for your help!

Alex

 

[stratamania]

Can you provide the diagram or a link to it that you used and a photo of your wiring?

 

[alexreinhold]

Sure, sorry. Attached find photos (cream is neck, yellow is mid PU) and the wiring diagram which I followed exactly.

 

[stratamania]

Thanks for posting the diagram and pictures.

1. With a standard 5-way switch, can you confirm that auto split puts position 1 in parallel and only affects position 2, i.e. split+mid instead of parallel+mid?

No the wording you have above does not match that diagram. Where position 1 is the bridge it will give you...

1. Bridge (coils in normal humbucker series operation)
2.  Bridge split + middle
3. Middle
4.  Middle & neck
5. Neck

2. When testing, all positions created sound except position 1 - i.e. the hot rails was dead. Any idea what the cause could be? I triple checked the wiring and it all looks just like on the SD wiring HSS auto split diagram.

From what I can see your wiring matches the diagram. Can you check something please so we can rule out if the bridge position is actually working in position 2.

In position 2 of the switch is sound coming from the middle and bridge or just the middle?
Take a screwdriver or similar and tap on the middle pickup polepieces and it should make a sound through an amp.
Does the bridge pickup when tapping on it make a similar sound or is it not making a sound?

If it does make a sound in position 2. then you have a ground problem is position 1 bridge is not making a sound. If this is the case remove the green and bare wire of the hot rails from the solder glob on the back of the volume pot and reground it to a separate spot on the pot. I suspect this is probably where the problem is causing an open circuit and when in position 2 the north coil is making it to ground as designed via the ground going from the switch to the tone pot.

 

[alexreinhold]

I did as you told, no sound comes from the bridge. However, I can rule out a broken connection to ground with a resistance meter.

I soldered the red and green cable straight on the output socket to the amplifier and heard that clicking sound when I touched the bridge with a screwdriver. I did the same with the black and white cable, and there was no sound.

I now unsoldered all wires coming out of the bridge from the rest of the circuit and did some resistance measurement. As shown in the attached picture, I measured that joint 1 is connected to joint “R”, which is the end of the red cable, 2 to “G” (green), 3 to “W” (white) and 4 to “B” (black). I ruled a broken cable wire out: Joints R, W, B and G are connected to the other end of the red, white, black and green cable, resp.

If I am not mistaken, one coil of this pickup should be connected to joints 1 and 2 (the red and green cable) and the other to 3 and 4 (white and black cable). Between 1 and 2 I measure a resistance of about 18 kΩ. Between 3 and 4, however, I did not measure any conducting connection.

Could it be that the coil of the bridge, the one connected to the white and black cable, is broken or not connected?

(see picture attached).

 

[stratamania]

With the troubleshooting so far we have ruled out the wiring that you did and the problem is with the pickup. I was hoping it did not turn out to be the pickup....either something inside it is not connected as it should be or something has shorted.

Is it a new pickup as it would need replacing under warranty.

 

[alexreinhold]

I sadly had to come to the same conclusion. I ordered it new from warmoth with the wood, will contact them on Monday but already ordered a new one here in Germany. Will update here asa it works.

Thanks for the help!

 

[stratamania]

Okay hopefully you get something sorted out and end up with a spare pickup. There is an excuse for another project 

How is your finishing getting on?

As a side note I got hold of a Seymour Duncan pickup from a German supplier recently. You should be able to register it with w-distribution which is part of Warwick and get an extended four year warranty.

 

[alexreinhold]

Oh, there will certainly be another project - with or without a spare pickup

The finish ALMOST brought me to my knees (I was seriously going through a small personal crisis) but - albeit a few glitches and a tiny dent I miraculously managed to create without even having played the guitar, it looks very nice. Once the new Hot Rails arrives, I'll put everything together and then you'll see the final product in my December GOM submission. Without your help, I certainly wouldn't have gotten this far - so live long and prosper (having just watched episode 3 of Discovery ;-))

 

[stratamania]

Thanks Alex, appreciated and look forward to seeing your build. Make it so...engage.

 

[alexreinhold]

Next problem  i got the new hot rails installed and it works just fine - the lollars are perfectly in phase on position 2. However the potis seem to create some sort of crackling sound. I only tested one amp and one cable (will test another amp and cable tomorrow) any idea what could cause the crackling coming from the potis?

 

[stratamania]

It could be dirt or dust as they are unlikely to be worn if they are new. You need a switch cleaner such as Deoxit or a similar brand. Perhaps Kontakt Chemie Kontakt 60 in Germany would be the sort of thing you need. A tiny bit sprayed in the pot and rotate them back and forth should clean them.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7guedH2AzY
[/youtube]

 

[Rick]

Replace it with this switch ... see the last scheme

 

[stratamania]

Replace it with this switch ... see the last scheme

He could but at the moment we are looking at crackling pots.

 

[alexreinhold]

I was being imprecise, sorry. The crackling was not occurring when I turned the pots but when there was contact (not just a little, it was a crazy loud crack). So what I did is, I soldered everything off the volume pot and then on again and that seems to have solved it. On to the next step...