Wiring Question.

amptcat

i recently installed a pickup behind the bridge of my jazzmaster clone. i wired it to an on-on switch, then directly to the output, making sure both ground wires were on one terminal and both hot wires were on the other. But the pickup didnt work. i checked over the wiring again and again - i think the pickup might be busted, or perhaps the hardware wires im using do not do what they have to in a guitar. Is there a problem when putting more than one circuit on an output? or do you think its one of the other problems i said?

HNB

amptcat said:
i recently installed a pickup behind the bridge of my jazzmaster clone. i wired it to an on-on switch, then directly to the output, making sure both ground wires were on one terminal and both hot wires were on the other. But the pickup didnt work. i checked over the wiring again and again - i think the pickup might be busted, or perhaps the hardware wires im using do not do what they have to in a guitar. Is there a problem when putting more than one circuit on an output? or do you think its one of the other problems i said?

I could be wrong, but I think it has to go at least to the volume pot before hitting the jack. Try running the hot to the same place the other lines hit the volume pot.

amptcat

HNB said:
I could be wrong, but I think it has to go at least to the volume pot before hitting the jack. Try running the hot to the same place the other lines hit the volume pot.

thank you for the reply! i will try wiring the hot from the on-on switch to the middle position on the toggle. i have a hard time believing a pickup has to go through a potentiometer before it can make any sound, tho.

alternatively, i shud wire the pickup directly to the output once to see if the pickup is even functional... cuz im thinking more and more that may be the problem.

HNB

amptcat said:
thank you for the reply! i will try wiring the hot from the on-on switch to the middle position on the toggle. i have a hard time believing a pickup has to go through a potentiometer before it can make any sound, tho.
alternatively, i shud wire the pickup directly to the output once to see if the pickup is even functional... cuz im thinking more and more that may be the problem.

Just run the hot line from your on off switch to the volume pot. You don't need to run it all the way to the toggle unless you want to. 😀 It doesn't take long to do that and you should be able to see if you get noise before sealing it up. 😀

amptcat

HNB said:
Just run the hot line from your on off switch to the volume pot. You don't need to run it all the way to the toggle unless you want to. 😀 It doesn't take long to do that and you should be able to see if you get noise before sealing it up. 😀

i did that and go to sound :/ i ordered a new pickup (goin with a lipstick instead of another hotrail) and ima put that in there. i learned you dont have to put it to the volume pot first, since the vol pot just limits sound, so ima put it straight to the output again so i can turn the other pickups off while using it. this is my last mod to the guitar! im really excited.

HNB

amptcat said:
i did that and go to sound :/ i ordered a new pickup (goin with a lipstick instead of another hotrail) and ima put that in there. i learned you dont have to put it to the volume pot first, since the vol pot just limits sound, so ima put it straight to the output again so i can turn the other pickups off while using it. this is my last mod to the guitar! im really excited.

Good luck! Post pics when done. 😀