Author Topic: Pickup output (Read 111 times)

jedisan · « **on:** May 24, 2010, 01:16:41 PM »

My good drummer friend of 25 years and his son came by yesterday for me to have a look at the son's Epi Les Paul Custom. I am somewhat handy with a soldering iron and the like, so I said I would have a look. Seems the overall output of the guitar is greatly diminished, as compared to any humbucker guitar I have.

I checked all the wiring, straight foward LP style, and only thing I could find, was the output jack ground wire had became mostly thread bare from the loose jack spinning. I repaired that, and raised the pups a tad, and results were not much better.

So, I figure something else must be going on. Anybody have any ideas or suggestions? I have the guitar still in my possesion, as I offered to see if I find a solution.

Thanks in advance for any additional info anyone can come up with.

Tim

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2010, 04:16:57 PM »

I'm guessing that neither of the pickups is louder than the other.

jedisan · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2010, 04:45:43 PM »

No, actually the bridge pup is a little louder. When the neck pup is switched in, it is like it is dead. I unsoldered the neck pup leads, and jumpered to a jack, bingo, full output.I then took the 3way switch out of line for the neck pup, and it went right back to almost no output.

So I suspect something maybe going on in the pot area. A little more process of elimination may find the culprit.

Tim

terryc · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2010, 06:45:17 AM »

Could be a pot thats got dirt on the track or corrosion, you could try switch cleaner on the pot and a zillion turns to clean it.
If the guitar is not played regular and kept out of a case then dust has a way of finding its way into everything.
I have had my son's mates bring guitars to me with similar problems. I use my medical knowledge if diagnosis to get better info??
When did it occur?
When did you last play it?
How often do you play it?
Have you dropped it?
Do you keep it in a case
and so on.
Switch cleaner first, if no resolve then out with the soldering iron.
I must have saved these kids a s**t load of money as I never take anything from them.

crobbins · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2010, 02:16:52 PM »

Maybe it's his amp, and not the guitar?