Possible problem with wiring

[riverbluff]

I just noticed a problem I have with my LP.  I have it wired standard LP fashion (2 vol, 2 tone, 3 way switch).  The issue I am having is when I have the switch in the middle position there is noticable drop in Volume from either the Neck or Bridge position and the tone is very tinny.  While in the middle position, if I roll off just a touch of volume from the bridge position then the volume actually increases and the tone becoms full.  If I roll off ANY volume from the neck position then the volume drops off all together. 

I have compared the wiring to my outher LPs and everything looks the same.

Any thoughts? 

Bill

 

[TroubledTreble]

Can you post a pick of the controls?

Are the two pickups from the same manufacture? If they are different the color codes may be different and you are getting a phase problem. This reminds me of a problem I had a long time ago.... can't remember what it was... Seems like the issue was that the color codes were different.

 

[GoDrex]

hmmm could they be wired out of phase? lower and tin-y sounds like it to me... :icon_scratch:

sound clip? hehehe :toothy12:

 

[onedrop]

I just read about this recently... let me see if I can find it...

here
http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/stockgibson.php

Basically, if your wiring checks out, and the problem goes away when you roll off either volume knob even just a bit, the problem could be that the pickups are loading each other down when you're at full volume, which causes the quieter/thinner sound. As soon as you roll down one of the volume knobs, the pickups are isolated and regain their proper tone. He suggests putting a small resistor between each volume pot and the pickup selector, so that the pickups are isolated even at full volume (of course this also means you can never quite get to "full" volume).

However.. it seems odd that the output drops off altogether when you roll back the neck volume even a bit. You may want to try decoupled volume controls (see diagram on above site).

HTH

 

[riverbluff]

Problem solved.  It turned out the neck pickup was out of phase.  After several e-mails to Tim at BKP it was decided to take the neck pick up apart and reverse the bar magnet.  Once that was done, it fixed the problem.  Found an outstanding guitar repair shop (Zion Guitars) and they had the problem fixed in less then a day.

Cheers

Bill

 

[Orpheo]

Problem solved.  It turned out the neck pickup was out of phase.  After several e-mails to Tim at BKP it was decided to take the neck pick up apart and reverse the bar magnet.  Once that was done, it fixed the problem.  Found an outstanding guitar repair shop (Zion Guitars) and they had the problem fixed in less then a day.

Cheers

Bill

just curious; what kinda pickups you have from BKP?

 

[riverbluff]

Mule in neck Miracle Man in bridge.

 

[GoDrex]

hmmm that's not a good sign for BKP if pickups that expensive need to have their magnet flipped. I know they offer a set of permanently out of phase pickups, but I assume yours weren't supposed to be that way. I wonder what the mistake actually was.

 

[Orpheo]

hmmm that's not a good sign for BKP if pickups that expensive need to have their magnet flipped. I know they offer a set of permanently out of phase pickups, but I assume yours weren't supposed to be that way. I wonder what the mistake actually was.

might have something to do with the fact that the magnets of the mule and the miracle man have been calibrated for a set of 2x mule or 2x miracleman? its not a biggy though. its something that can happen to anybody.

 

[riverbluff]

Just a minor blip, in the grand scheam.  BKP was great with the communication and help in solving the problem.  I only noticed the problem when selecting the Bridge and Neck PU together, which is something I very seldom do.

 

[GoDrex]

If you hardly ever use the middle, you should have left it, IMO

 

[riverbluff]

Nah,  rather have it right for when I do want that sound/option.