My Mustang has died?

Array

I recently picked my mustang up again after a couple of years of not playing it (terrible I know .. but I was renovating our house and expecting the birth of our son.. then he was born ... 10 months later I am nearly concious again. ... anyway). It is making no sound at all. I've opened it up and all the wires are still attached. Only thing that comes to mind is that the wiring may have just degraded and gone? It was made in 1972 and worked last time I tried it a couple of years ago.

Anyone got any ideas? Is this a common occurence. Any help appreciated.

AnotherTool

For starters......

Did you try every option on the pickup switches?

Have you got another lead you can try out?

Array

I tried every combination of switches and different leads. Also know the leads were working as I have an old beaten up squire strat that works through them.

AnotherTool

I don't think it's the wiring, considering there are all original 50's guitars in perfect working order out there, i've never heard of wiring just degrading.

Is there any sound at all when you plug the lead in? Static, popping, anything?

Array

Nothing ... it's silent. Maybe a pot has gone?

AnotherTool

It's not likely to be a pot, they usually just make crackling noises when they go bad, they don't just stop making sound because they are quite protected in that casing.

Check and double check every simple thing you can think of as to why it's not producing sound, you'd be suprised how many people make obvious mistakes.

Failing that, make sure the tab hasn't bent on the jack input and it's contacting the lead, if that is ok, resolder the jack wires and see if that makes any difference.

Do you have a multimeter?

Array

I have a multimeter but can't remember how to use it and I've lost the manual. I'm good at this aren't I !

Aug

oh, boy...

well, first off, let's check the list, shall we?

1. Is the amp turned on? Is it a tube amp? Are the tubes working?

2. Is the volume on the amp turned up?

3. Is your lead cable broken? (open the ends to see)

4. Are you using any pedals? If so, make sure they are powered and connected properly.

5. Is the tab on the inside of the input jack bent? (open the control cavity, pull the plate up, insert your lead cable and make sure it's making proper contact.)

Start there.

Array

Aug said: oh, boy...
well, first off, let's check the list, shall we?

Is the amp turned on? Is it a tube amp? Are the tubes working?

Is the volume on the amp turned up?

Is your lead cable broken? (open the ends to see)

Are you using any pedals? If so, make sure they are powered and connected properly.

Is the tab on the inside of the input jack bent? (open the control cavity, pull the plate up, insert your lead cable and make sure it's making proper contact.)
Start there.

Thanks, I've tried all this already. I'm just not familiar with the multimeter that I have to hand.

AnotherTool

You need to switch the multimeter to the continuity setting, then you press the two testers onto the wire/terminals, and it will tell you if there is a break in the loop.

If you need to know how to setup your multimeter, search for a manual on the web.

antoha

one simple thing test to do, is to connect the jack directly to the pickups, that way you'll now if the problem is the pickups or the wiring. I usually do it this way(quite bizarre i guess): I tape a small headphone with some music playing in it to the pickup, take the wires from the pickup, press the black one to the sleeve of the jack and the other one to the tip. If you hear some static and the music from the amplifier, then the pickup is working.

Array

ok --- some photos...

All wiring seems good -- I checked it with the multimeter and got the beep to show connections are good from jack to pickups and through the different switches etc.

If it was a pickup I would have thought it unlikely that both would go at the same time?

Last photo to remind me of the date on the end of the neck ... looks like 16 OCT 71 B

Array

After all this checking over I thought I'd give it one more try in case something happened / moved when I took it apart and reassembled it... Nope. Still silent.

I'll take it apart again and try the headphones on the pickups wired to the jack thing in the morning.

antoha

actually you can check the pickups with the multimeter too, i just test them that way because i dont have one. But you can try it too. Btw, another crazy idea-maybe its the strings?

Array

How could it be the strings? They're new Ernie Ball 11's. The same as the previous ones.

antoha

well, maybe they somehow stopped being magnetic...but i said: crazy idea 😀 I'm pretty sure it's something with the wiring, so nothing serious. I redone the whole wiring on my stang and it didnt take me too long (i have rewired a les paul before: THAT guitar is tricky) Good luck! Hope you'll fix it soon.

XxMangoxX

~Are your pickups still working?

~Is your instrument cable broken?

~Plug your guitar in the input jack and jiggle the wires connecting it. The may not be an obvious disconnection, but one inside the insulation((?)) around the wire.((I had that problem.))

~Also on the toggle switch, check and see if its touching the metal((three way toggle switch. I don't know how it might work for you)) or whateverit has to touch to send the signals to the pickups.((I also had this problem 😉 )) Hope I helped!

tragictravisty

i think mango nailed it with the cable.

Array

Array said: I tried every combination of switches and different leads. Also know the leads were working as I have an old beaten up squire strat that works through them.

Array

XxMangoxX said: _Are your pickups still working?
_Plug your guitar in the input jack and jiggle the wires connecting it. The may not be an obvious disconnection, but one inside the insulation((?)) around the wire.((I had that problem.))

I tried this. No static, no crackle, no sound. I do get a good signal showing wiring is all good from the jack through to the pickups.

I've put switch spray in the switches in case they're eroded, but still no diference.