Guitar Discussion V10 - February 2013 edition - General

Alright, seems the pickups ARE fucked after all. Either that or my wiring sucks dick (I followed [url=http://goo.gl/zRQ1a1]this diagram[/url] btw.) They buzz when you plug them in, and buzz differently if you touch them. Is this a sign that they may be fucked? If I recall they did the same thing with the old wiring when I first got them so I don't believe my work is at fault here. [editline]23rd August 2014[/editline] It could possibly be a grounding thing, how should I go about grounding my pots? To eachother or to something in the control cavity?

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45776845]Alright, seems the pickups ARE fucked after all. Either that or my wiring sucks dick (I followed [url=http://goo.gl/zRQ1a1]this diagram[/url] btw.) They buzz when you plug them in, and buzz differently if you touch them. Is this a sign that they may be fucked? If I recall they did the same thing with the old wiring when I first got them so I don't believe my work is at fault here.[/QUOTE] Sounds like a dodgy ground, can't tell you much without the guitar in my hands but identify the ground wire and follow to make sure it has a good connection and there are no ground loops. Having a multimeter makes this much easier. I would suspect the individual grounds for the pickups.

[QUOTE=Nazereth666;45776910]Sounds like a dodgy ground, can't tell you much without the guitar in my hands but identify the ground wire and follow to make sure it has a good connection and there are no ground loops. Having a multimeter makes this much easier. I would suspect the individual grounds for the pickups.[/QUOTE] To be honest, I'm pretty sure they don't even have grounds. All they had was a single wire that goes onto each of the volume pots. Can I ground them myself somehow?

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45776960]To be honest, I'm pretty sure they don't even have grounds. All they had was a single wire that goes onto each of the volume pots. Can I ground them myself somehow?[/QUOTE] Any chance you can snap me a photo of the electronics cavity so I can try and get an idea for what is going on?

[QUOTE=Nazereth666;45777330]Any chance you can snap me a photo of the electronics cavity so I can try and get an idea for what is going on?[/QUOTE] [t]http://goo.gl/nRaOa2[/t] I'm kind of unsure if I'm soldering the pickups into the right spot (they're on the same pegs as the ones connecting the vol pots to the tone), maybe I should move them to the switch.

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45777370][t]http://goo.gl/nRaOa2[/t] I'm kind of unsure if I'm soldering the pickups into the right spot (they're on the same pegs as the ones connecting the vol pots to the tone), maybe I should move them to the switch.[/QUOTE] Pickups on a les paul wiring configuration are almost always attached to the pots first then from there they go to the switch then the output jack. What I am seeing here is kind of confusing me, I see one wire attached to the output jack when there should be two as well I don't even see a ground going to the bridge stud. And yeah there should be at least two wires coming from each pickup, but that wouldn't matter in this case because I am not seeing a solid ground wired anywhere into that guitar. Everything looks kind of wrong here, as you can see in that wiring diagram almost every part is connected to a common ground and then sent to the output jack. I am not sure what is going on with the tone knobs either.

[QUOTE=Nazereth666;45777471]Pickups on a les paul wiring configuration are almost always attached to the pots first then from there they go to the switch then the output jack. What I am seeing here is kind of confusing me, I see one wire attached to the output jack when there should be two as well I don't even see a ground going to the bridge stud. And yeah there should be at least two wires coming from each pickup, but that wouldn't matter in this case because I am not seeing a solid ground wired anywhere into that guitar. Everything looks kind of wrong here, as you can see in that wiring diagram almost every part is connected to a common ground and then sent to the output jack. I am not sure what is going on with the tone knobs either.[/QUOTE] All the wiring save for the ones coming from the pickups is part of [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ASFYBYI]this cheap as fuck wiring harness from amazon[/url]. There's just a single wire for the jack, the volume pots are connected with one wire to each tone pot, and the volume pots are connected to the two outside pegs on the switch; with the middle one to the jack. The harness description says to 'solder your pickups to the switch and ground them to the volume pot.' although I don't know if I did this correctly. I soldered them to the pots but I have no idea how I'd do the grounding to them. I might just say 'Fuck it' gut the entire thing and get some more premium parts.

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45777586]All the wiring save for the ones coming from the pickups is part of [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ASFYBYI]this cheap as fuck wiring harness from amazon[/url]. There's just a single wire for the jack, the volume pots are connected with one wire to each tone pot, and the volume pots are connected to the two outside pegs on the switch; with the middle one to the jack. The harness description says to 'solder your pickups to the switch and ground them to the volume pot.' although I don't know if I did this correctly. I soldered them to the pots but I have no idea how I'd do the grounding to them. I might just say 'Fuck it' gut the entire thing and get some more premium parts.[/QUOTE] Yeah that wiring harness is bull, anything with the words "High quality, low price" is almost certain to be crap. Either way I think they expected you to wire a common ground to all the pots and to the bridge stud. As for the pickups, if the wires coming out of them aren't two conductor then you need to wire a ground. The process for that is simple, all you have to do it run a wire from the base plate on the pickup to the back of the pot. The pickup wires look too thick to be a single conductor wire, if they are epiphone pickups then there should be an insulated wire and then wrapped around that there should be a completely bare wire which is the ground. Like this. [img]http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/tele-home-depot/28234d1246592029-shielded-single-conductor-wire-lead-jpg-jpeg[/img]

[QUOTE=Nazereth666;45777679]Yeah that wiring harness is bull, anything with the words "High quality, low price" is almost certain to be crap. Either way I think they expected you to wire a common ground to all the pots and to the bridge stud. As for the pickups, if the wires coming out of them aren't two conductor then you need to wire a ground. The process for that is simple, all you have to do it run a wire from the base plate on the pickup to the back of the pot. The pickup wires look too thick to be a single conductor wire, if they are epiphone pickups then there should be a insulated wire and then wrapped around that there should be a completely bare wire which is the ground. Like this. [img]http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/tele-home-depot/28234d1246592029-shielded-single-conductor-wire-lead-jpg-jpeg[/img][/QUOTE] I just checked them, they're just a single bare wire on the inside. I know it's another 'High quality, low price' harness but [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E70KX38]this one[/url] seems to be more complete, it looks as if it's all grounded anyway or something like that. I'm no electrician, so I'm not entirely comfortable with soldering the entire guts from scratch, I hope you understand.

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45777734]I just checked them, they're just a single bare wire on the inside. I know it's another 'High quality, low price' harness but [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E70KX38]this one[/url] seems to be more complete, it looks as if it's all grounded anyway or something like that. I'm no electrician, so I'm not entirely comfortable with soldering the entire guts from scratch, I hope you understand.[/QUOTE] I completely understand there was a time when I knew absolutely nothing about electronics, that harness does seem to have some grounds attached to it. I still notice that there seems to be no wire for a bridge ground in the guitar. In that pic you sent, that little hole near the top left pot should have a wire coming out of it that is sandwiched between the bridge stud bushing and the hole it goes into in the body (as seen below). You would have to have a bridge ground or else your guitar will buzz like crazy. You need to pull out the stud bushing attached to that hole and run a wire into it like you see below then put the bushing back in. The bridge ground then needs to be attached to the common ground. [img]http://www.mylespaul.com/gallery/data/615/medium/144_wire.jpg[/img] I have to get some sleep if you have any more questions I can try and answer them when I wake up.

Alright, thanks man. I'll see if I can do something to ground the whole thing as it stands now, I have some spare wire hanging around that I can use.

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45777983]Alright, thanks man. I'll see if I can do something to ground the whole thing as it stands now, I have some spare wire hanging around that I can use.[/QUOTE] Taking a close look at the harness it actually looks like they are using single conductor shielded wire to connect the ground on all the pots and to the output jack. I'm tired as hell so it took me a second look to notice. But yes either way you still need grounds coming from the pickups which would be connected to the back of one of the pots and a bridge ground which will also be attached there. It's frustrating for me because I have wired so many guitars now that I am used to the way they are originally wired and that cheap harness is kind of different. Shame you don't live near me, I would sort it out. Anyways now I must go to bed.

Good fast, not too hard rock riffs? Want some finger training

I just tried Elixir acoustic strings, and am highly unhappy with the tone. I do understand they last verrry long but I don't care if they last long if I have no interest in picking up the guitar in the first place. Other strings that sounded much better inspired me to play, even if they only sound good for a few weeks of hard playing. In fact, the last set I used lasted months, sounded great, and I NEVER cleaned it. The strings were starting to turn black and it looked terrible. But they sounded just fine... Elixir acoustic strings sound thin and plastic-y at low volumes, and when strummed hard also sound thin and lack bite. IMO they are not worth the price unless you are made of acid.

[QUOTE=Zar;45779469]Good fast, not too hard rock riffs? Want some finger training[/QUOTE] i always used this riff for that [url]http://youtu.be/J5yR5XhCIeg?t=4m35s[/url]

[QUOTE=Wingz;45779809]i always used this riff for that [url]http://youtu.be/J5yR5XhCIeg?t=4m35s[/url][/QUOTE] Thanks but I think that's a bit too metal for what I want, I should have elaborated a bit. I would love some riffs that go up and down some scales. Maybe a John Mayer one? Doesnt have to be John Mayer at all though.

[QUOTE=Zar;45780051]Thanks but I think that's a bit too metal for what I want, I should have elaborated a bit. I would love some riffs that go up and down some scales. Maybe a John Mayer one? Doesnt have to be John Mayer at all though.[/QUOTE] AC/DC has plenty of fast-ish blues riffs, their songs are also good for learning the pentatonic scales since Angus uses them a lot.

[QUOTE=Schmaaa;45780596]AC/DC has plenty of fast-ish blues riffs, their songs are also good for learning the pentatonic scales since Angus uses them a lot.[/QUOTE] oh man [url]http://youtu.be/WvqGxfgQH9I?t=40s[/url]

[QUOTE=Zar;45779469]Good fast, not too hard rock riffs? Want some finger training[/QUOTE] sweet child o mine is pretty fluid if you want to practice string skipping, cochise or anything RATM or Audioslave is good for practicing shifting.

Ah fuck, I ordered a set of Irongear pups as well as a new wiring harness. The fuck am I getting into?

[QUOTE=Wingz;45780637]oh man [url]http://youtu.be/WvqGxfgQH9I?t=40s[/url][/QUOTE] this [editline]23rd August 2014[/editline] beating around the bush is another good one

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45781268]Ah fuck, I ordered a set of Irongear pups as well as a new wiring harness. The fuck am I getting into?[/QUOTE] did you get that bridge ground set up?

[QUOTE=Nazereth666;45784318]did you get that bridge ground set up?[/QUOTE] Nah, I found I didn't have enough wire for it. I'll sort it out when I can.

[QUOTE=MasterFen006;45784364]Nah, I found I didn't have enough wire for it. I'll sort it out when I can.[/QUOTE] Cool, if you need any help with it let me know.

[url]https://myspace.com/baesj74/music/songs[/url] Man this is so independent you can get.

Woah woah woah, hold the FUCK up. Myspace still exists? I haven't seen anyone use it in 7 years.

More baritone acoustic :smile: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my6l6grkay8[/media]

you make sweet, sweet music with that guitar.

[QUOTE=Pat.Lithium;45789161]you make sweet, sweet music with that guitar.[/QUOTE] Thank you <3

[QUOTE=Darkslicer;45789310]Thank you <3[/QUOTE] Are you gonna remember us when you get to the top?