Hi everyone. Brand new to the site and just completed my first build (Strat with traditional pickup set up, using Fralin PUps). obviously did something wrong in the wiring as I am getting horrendous feedback from the picups whenever any amount of gain or any effects are turned on, and also, neither tone pot works. I really want to do this myself rather than take it to a tech as I want to understand my guitar inside and out. Any hints on what could be the problem? Also, I've had a hell of time soldering to the volume pot (solder joints snap off as I am trying to place the pciguard assembly onto the body. Again, any hints on how I could improve my soldering technique. Thanks for your help!
Tone pots not working an forrendous feedback
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bbl4ck
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Hey,
Sorry, I can't help you much on the wiring diagram. I am not much of an expert myself. However, there are a lot of great sites out there that have many wiring diagrams to offer.
This is one of my favorites. Check it out for your particular options:
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/c=rLuBw6jG24AdHBhURZgXhGrMC/category/wiringresources/
As for soldering onto your volume pot; many pots have a coating on them.
Use a file to remove the coating from the location you are attempting to solder and you will likely have much better results.
Good luck and welcome to the forum. One rule; you gotta post pics. We all want to see what your building.
:rock-on:
Sorry, I can't help you much on the wiring diagram. I am not much of an expert myself. However, there are a lot of great sites out there that have many wiring diagrams to offer.
This is one of my favorites. Check it out for your particular options:
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/c=rLuBw6jG24AdHBhURZgXhGrMC/category/wiringresources/
As for soldering onto your volume pot; many pots have a coating on them.
Use a file to remove the coating from the location you are attempting to solder and you will likely have much better results.
Good luck and welcome to the forum. One rule; you gotta post pics. We all want to see what your building.
:rock-on:
The noise is probably a bad ground or an earth loop. To get your soldering techniques right get an old pot or terminal strip and practice on that first. Here's a link to a soldering guide - a bit long winded but covers everything you need to know - http://www.apogeekits.com/ApogeeKits_Free_Guide_to_Electronics_Soldering.pdf
Seymour Duncan also have plenty of wiring diagrams on their site. Check this out - http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/
Good luck :icon_thumright:
Seymour Duncan also have plenty of wiring diagrams on their site. Check this out - http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/
Good luck :icon_thumright:
Show us the wiring schematic you used, and if possible take a pic of your wiring and post it for us to see, we have helped many people here with there wiring problems, my first thought is your missing your Ground wire from the Bridge/Strings
Secondly I think you need the hottest soldering Iron you can afford 45 + watts so you can heat that pot quickly, solder it, and remove heat
Chrisg your blue text is useless, even with my glasses on I can't read a word of it, I know it's MY problem, but any other color would be better, except yellow,
Secondly I think you need the hottest soldering Iron you can afford 45 + watts so you can heat that pot quickly, solder it, and remove heat
Chrisg your blue text is useless, even with my glasses on I can't read a word of it, I know it's MY problem, but any other color would be better, except yellow,
Ditto - we need more info, and we can cure anything. there is a stickied thread on wiring here, with a jillion diagrams/guides etc.:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=281.0
If your solder joints are falling off the pots, did anybody tell you to sand a rough spot into the top of the pots, through any plating? Do you know what a cold solder joint looks like (dull, not shiny)? Do you know you're supposed to heat the parts, not the solder.... there's a lot to cover. A great single-location resource is Dan Erlewine's "Guitar Player Repair Guide" but you can find the same info online, with some burrowing. There are probably a dozen ways to wire a Strat, what schematic are you starting with?
I'm trying to load the images for reference but can't figure out how to do it. The instructions say to browse to the image and then hit insert image and post, but nothing shows up in my preview except the worcs
. Any hints...
Also, I just noticed when I opened her back up this morning to take the pictures that there are two wires missing: from tone to tone and from tone to volume. I missed these becasue they did not show in the oriignal diagram I was following. I switched to this one because it was easier to read
Also, I just noticed when I opened her back up this morning to take the pictures that there are two wires missing: from tone to tone and from tone to volume. I missed these becasue they did not show in the oriignal diagram I was following. I switched to this one because it was easier to read
I think I got it now. Let's see...
http://bandcage.com/bandphotoalbum.html?d=boneyardrecords&a=1083
Like I mentioned, I discovered I few things since my original post. I did not include in the wiring the cables connecting tone to tone and tone to volume, which I suspect is the reason for the tone pots not working. The only ground I have is the one that runs from volume pot to the spring law in the back. When I get home tonight I will make the two connections stated above to see if that works, but I am still convcerned about the feedback issue, I have a feeling that connecting the tine pots may not resolve this... I hope I'm wrong.
http://bandcage.com/bandphotoalbum.html?d=boneyardrecords&a=1083
Like I mentioned, I discovered I few things since my original post. I did not include in the wiring the cables connecting tone to tone and tone to volume, which I suspect is the reason for the tone pots not working. The only ground I have is the one that runs from volume pot to the spring law in the back. When I get home tonight I will make the two connections stated above to see if that works, but I am still convcerned about the feedback issue, I have a feeling that connecting the tine pots may not resolve this... I hope I'm wrong.
At least read this: http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Electronics/Shielding/i-4000.html It's free, clearly written, and has nice diagrams.
If you have no idea WHY things should be wired a certain way, it's very hard to solve any problems you are having. It is also hard to solve any wiring issue without a multimeter, even the most basic one.
It sounds to me like you've wired your output jack wrong, as well as possibly not grounded something important. Do you get a 'normal' pickup sound, PLUS a lot of static, or is there basically no sound except static? The ground wire should contact the 'sleeve' part of the guitar cable (the metal part that is not the tip), and the hot should contact the 'tip' - on a strat that comes from the pickup switch to the volume pot, to the jack. Insert the cable to the jack and follow the wires visually back up to your pickups to see what I mean.
If you have no idea WHY things should be wired a certain way, it's very hard to solve any problems you are having. It is also hard to solve any wiring issue without a multimeter, even the most basic one.
It sounds to me like you've wired your output jack wrong, as well as possibly not grounded something important. Do you get a 'normal' pickup sound, PLUS a lot of static, or is there basically no sound except static? The ground wire should contact the 'sleeve' part of the guitar cable (the metal part that is not the tip), and the hot should contact the 'tip' - on a strat that comes from the pickup switch to the volume pot, to the jack. Insert the cable to the jack and follow the wires visually back up to your pickups to see what I mean.
thanks tfarny. the Stewmac reference is very helpful and will surely clarify lots of things for me, and your description for tracing the jack connection is perfect, I will check as soon as I get home. My pickups sound beutifully as long as there is no gain or no "effects" on the signal other than a little bit of reverb. Once any gain or effects are introduced, the intolerable feedback creeps in slowly and then overbearingly. the noise I get I wouldn't call static, it is really just feedback like what you get when you put a mic up to a speaker.
BTW I do have a multimeter, just don't know how to use it (sorry man, I'm a complete rookie, I admit it!) Cheers and thanks for your help.
BTW I do have a multimeter, just don't know how to use it (sorry man, I'm a complete rookie, I admit it!) Cheers and thanks for your help.
OH, I thought you were using the word 'feedback' to just mean buzz or hum. You mean actual shrieking feedback? That's nothing to do with your wiring job most likely.
Different story entirely:
It only does that with this guitar and no other guitar, you're sure? You've got new Fralin pickups in there, off of ebay or direct from Fralin? What is your rig and what effects? At what volume do you get this feedback? You go from no feedback issues to horrible screeching just by, say, turning on a chorus pedal? Just want to clarify exactly what your problem is.
Different story entirely:
It only does that with this guitar and no other guitar, you're sure? You've got new Fralin pickups in there, off of ebay or direct from Fralin? What is your rig and what effects? At what volume do you get this feedback? You go from no feedback issues to horrible screeching just by, say, turning on a chorus pedal? Just want to clarify exactly what your problem is.
Yep, only wit this guitar. I have an Ibanez semi-solid that works beautifully in my setup. I am going straight into a multi-effects processor and amp simulator, and from there to my audio interface and into my computer. But when I plugged into my Vox pathfinder I had the same feedback problem. I do still need to set up the pickup height, don't know if this has any relevance. As I mentioned, it is very odd because I can see that in a strictly clean mode, the Fralins sound outstanding, I was able to appreciate the hints of vintage strat sound. I bought the Fralins from Warmoth so I am confident they are genuine, new and can only assume have undergone some level of quality assurance before they hit the shelf. I am hoping that once I fix the jack connection (if in fact it is wrong) and I connect the leads from tone to tone and tone to volume, perhaps the problem will go away. This is killing me man, I am absolutely dying to play this thing! Thanks again!
SUCCESS!!! :cool01: It WAS the output jack. I wired wrong and was causing all kinds of havoc. I corrected that, resoldered the ground, inspected all the solder joints while I was in there and BINGO, everything works like a charm, at least from the electrical standpoint. not I begin with the setup. but that's a whole other story... thanks to all who responded, you were all helpful, and the links will certainly keep me readin for a few nights to come. Cheers my friends!
