Wiring issues

[seagulc]

I'm having some wiring issues that I was hoping you guys could help with. I just finished wiring my pickups and there's a few problems. It's a 2 humbucker setup using a 3 way mini switch. First of all, somehow the pickup selections from the switch are "up - Both pickups. Middle position - Neck pickup. And Straight down - neck pickup". I'm wondering if this is possible to happen from wiring my switch upside down - it was impossible to tell which end was the top or bottom of the switch but I figured it wouldn't matter. It doesn't seem like this could cause such a problem but I'm hoping it can.

The other issue is that there is a ton of buzzing, I'm guessing a grounding issue. If I touch the knobs or the bridge pole which has the grounding wire attached to it, then the buzzing gets much louder. I've heard this could be from wiring the output jack backwards (hot wire to the ground of the jack, and vice versa). Could this cause such a problem? Which part of a deep panel jack is supposed to be the ground, and which should the hot wire be connected to?

Here's a picture of my wiring diagram. I'll try to post up a more detailed account of the issues later. Any help would be much appreciated, this was my first time wiring and very depressing to find it is completely screwed up.

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[Mor Paul]

Just switch the wires on the output jack. That should work on the hum. I'll let someone better tell you how to get the switching.

 

[seagulc]

I was pretty sure I got the wires on the jack right though, that's why I asked which part should be grounded. Hopefully that's the issue though.

 

[tfarny]

On any output jack, the ground needs to touch the ring of the cable, not the tip. Take a close look and make sure that's the case. Your diagram is fine as long as your switch is on-on-on DPDT. If it is, and you are definitely getting the neck pickup in all positions and you do have it wired as the diagram says, you need a new switch, that one is broken. That should get you started, good luck.  :icon_thumright:

Also double check that your bridge and strings are grounded by checking for continuity between the strings and the ring of a cable when it's plugged in. If you don't have a multimeter or even a cheap continuity tester, now is the time to get one.

 

[seagulc]

This is the switch I used, I'm not sure if its DPDT - http://www.warmoth.com/Mini-Switch-On-On-On-P730C63.aspx. Would it still work if I did the switch upside-down from the wiring diagram?

I have a multimeter, but what do you mean by check for continuity? Should I check the resistance, or what? I also don't have strings or a neck on it yet, but I can check the continuity to the bridge.

As for the jack, I'll have to take a look and check, but I'm almost certain that I have it done correctly  :dontknow:

edit: I've never soldered before so I guess there's a chance I overheated some parts, but I don't see how that would cause the messed up switch. Maybe the buzzing though.

 

[blue313]

This is the switch I used, I'm not sure if its DPDT - http://www.warmoth.com/Mini-Switch-On-On-On-P730C63.aspx. Would it still work if I did the switch upside-down from the wiring diagram?

If it were wired backwards, then center position would most likely be a dead position.

I have a multimeter, but what do you mean by check for continuity? Should I check the resistance, or what?

Yup, set the meter for ohms and looks for zero resistance.

 

[seagulc]

Alright, I'll get back to you guys once I check out those things for sure. But i'm 90% certain it's none of the problems mentioned so far except maybe a broken switch =|

 

[tfarny]

Sorry, but if you don't know how to check for continuity, and the guitar doesn't have a neck on it, how do you know the switch isn't working right?

 

[seagulc]

I tapped on the pickups with a piece of metal to see which would react in which settings.

edit: Just to clarify, I'm not certain the switch is the issue. I'm hoping it is, but it might be something else in my wiring.

 

[Alfang]

Ok, no eggnogg tonight,  The switch should not be  from one position on through,  Both, then one then the other,          It should be One pup, both pups, then the other pup.

Heres the obvious, somethings screwed up, And like tfarny said, if you don't know how to use a meter, find someone in the area that does, 

Or, find a good schematic from Seymour Duncan, study the schematic till it makes sense to you then make sure it's wired accordingly

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/

Good luck, let us know what you find

 

[seagulc]

Well, I knew that, that's why I made this post  :icon_biggrin:

I'm going to go over my wiring and make sure it matches my diagram though, since everyone says the schematic looks good. And we'll see if the output jack is the key to the grounding issue.

 

[Alfang]

Well for starters, I can't figure out what kinda switch your using, but of the two types of switches i know of, yours is neither, or if is , then thats your problem

Heres exactly the schematic your TRYING to do  http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w  See how that 3 way has 4 wires going to it? yours doesn't

So are you using a gibson style 3 way or a fender blade style switch

 

[seagulc]

I'm using a mini switch. I got the schematic on how to wire it here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=3ws_trans

By the way, the 4th wire going to that switch is just a ground. Most people agree it's unnecessary to ground the switch, and either way, having it not grounded wouldn't change pickup selection.


edit: After seeing that SD diagram, im actually pretty sure I did wire the output jack backwards! Hopefully that will take care of the buzzing, but it still doesn't explain the strange switch/pickup selection problem.

 

[blue313]

edit: After seeing that SD diagram, im actually pretty sure I did wire the output jack backwards! Hopefully that will take care of the buzzing, but it still doesn't explain the strange switch/pickup selection problem.

If your leads are reversed, then the interconnected grounds are now the hot leads and vice versa.  Follow the diagram in reverse and you'll see some odd things, especially if those with common grounds are now common hot.  

The neck is essentially shorted to the output and is always on.  The bridge only comes on when you eliminate the neck's pots with the switch.  Even still, the neck's new hot connection can use either sides pots, thanks to the ground jumper between the volume pots.


In a nutshell, I think your diagram and wiring are correct.......except for the jack.

 

[NLD09]

Your diagram looks like a face.

 

[-CB-]

Max had the hum right.

The switch is an on-on-on switch.

What happens in the swith is....

Lets call it  P1a  P2a  P3c

And call it  P2a  P2b  P3c

In one thrown position you get

P1a-P1b
P2a-P2b

In the center you get
P1a-P1b-P1c
P2a-P2b-P2c

And in the opposite position you get
P1b-P1c
P2b-P2c

Unless I'm totally nuts that is.

In that case, you simply have the switch reverse wired - remember the contacts thrown are opposite from the position of the lever, not like a slide switch, where the contacts "make" the way the switch is thrown.

 

[seagulc]

Alright, I'm gonna try switching the output, and if it still has messed up switch then I'll change up the wires on the switch too. I'll report back guys, thanks again.

 

[seagulc]

I switched the wires on the output jack and it's still messed up. The bridge pin no longer causes any buzzing though. Here's my list of the problems:

With the pickup selector up, neither pickup works and there's a lot of buzzing
Middle selection - no buzzing (when not touching any parts) and the neck pup works
Down - same as middle

In any selection, buzzing results from touching the neck volume/tone knobs or from touching the neck pup.

 

[tfarny]

That list of problems is just one problem - the bridge pickup isn't getting a signal out.Then you need to turn the switch around in the hole, if you want to. Could be a bad pickup, bad solder connections (esp. lack of grounding), bad pots. Since your diagram is correct and you have a multimeter, just start checking for continuity to find the culprit. I suspect a cold solder joint somewhere.

 

[seagulc]

Alright, I'll give that a try. It doesn't really explain the buzzing though, which I suspect is a grounding issue.