My first G&L!

[fourstringbliss]

Okay, so...

The parts came in on Wednesday. I thought, "I've got a wiring diagram and I've asked some good questions, right? I'm ready to do this, I think.

Four or five hours later I close her up and that's when the problems began. The individual switching is great and I like all the sounds - that's the good thing. One bad thing, though, is that I've got a light grounding buzz so something is definitely not grounded correctly. In addition to this, I'm getting a staticky sound and I'm sure it's the vol/vol stack which also acts more like a pickup selecting switch because when I turn either knob down less than 1/4 the pickup is off. Now I'm wanting to put it all back the way it was.

I got an authorization to return the vol/vol stack and the knobs so I ordered a 4PDT switch to go with the original parallel/single coil/series switch. I pull out the new parts I put in, put in the old parts wired the way they are on the wiring diagram, plug it in and...nothing. In re-grounding things to the back of the volume pot I had put too much heat in and fried it. Right now the volume control I'm using is a push/pull pot that has a narrower shaft - but at least it works.

I've got a new volume pot coming from G&L and that 4PDT switch from Allparts. I'm going to replace the volume pot and install that parallel/single coil/series switch and then I'm done rewiring my basses for a long, long time!

Lessons learned:

1) Use a good quality soldering iron with a new tip when engaging in a big wiring job

2) Unless you really understand how all of the wiring works together stay out of the main guts. I should have never removed the volume pot - with all of the grounding that needed to happen it was too complicated for my skills.

3) If a simple change will give you almost what a complicated change will give you, go with the simple. Yes, having a vol/vol stack would allow me to blend the pickups and individual P/SC/S switches would allow for more tonal variety, but are any of these changes diffferent enough from the simple to make it worth it? Not in this case!

[hoerni]

Sorry to hear about your troubles fourstringbliss. Soldering on these things can be a pain. Hopefully you'll get it back up and running soon.

I'm surprised you could fry the pot with too much heat from the soldering iron. Were you using a gun? They can develop alot of heat.

You're right about a good soldering iron. We have a Metcal at work that has forever ruined me on all other irons. I've always used a Weller, and they have a good rep, but the Metcal blows it away. There's a good temp controlled iron that alot of guys on another forum I know recomend. It's dirt cheap too (like $35 for digital temp control). I can look it up if you are interested.

As for my bass, the mods will wait. I just got in my ship ment of strings so I can do the Hipshot install and string change (plus the usual intonation adjust, etc)

[fourstringbliss]

Originally Posted by hoerni

Sorry to hear about your troubles fourstringbliss. Soldering on these things can be a pain. Hopefully you'll get it back up and running soon.

I'm surprised you could fry the pot with too much heat from the soldering iron. Were you using a gun? They can develop alot of heat.

You're right about a good soldering iron. We have a Metcal at work that has forever ruined me on all other irons. I've always used a Weller, and they have a good rep, but the Metcal blows it away. There's a good temp controlled iron that alot of guys on another forum I know recomend. It's dirt cheap too (like $35 for digital temp control). I can look it up if you are interested.

As for my bass, the mods will wait. I just got in my ship ment of strings so I can do the Hipshot install and string change (plus the usual intonation adjust, etc)

Believe me - you can fry a pot if too much heat is applied for too long!

I've got it back up and running, but the series setting isn't the same. That's okay because I don't really like it anyway - not clear enough for me. The parallel setting is enough of a humbucker sound so I'm thinking about installing a singles outside/parallel/singles inside switch. I'm going to look into those Metcal soldering irons as well.

[spideyjg]

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

I'm going to look into those Metcal soldering irons as well.

Metcal makes fabulous soldering gear, especially for surface mount stuff, but you have to pay for it. $$$$$$

For

[fourstringbliss]

Originally Posted by spideyjg

Metcal makes fabulous soldering gear, especially for surface mount stuff, but you have to pay for it. $$$$$$

For

I think with a good tinning of a new tip my 30w Radio Shack soldering iron will do the trick. Believe it or not, I'm seriously considering going all passive in my L2500 Tribute. I don't ever use the active settings because I don't like how they sound. It sounds a bit harsh to my ears - too aggressive for my taste. I might just take the preamp out and have a seperate parallel/single coil/series switch for each pickup. That was the best part of last week's wiring debacle - the seperate p/sc/s switches made for some nice combinations. Plus, I wired the series without a capicitor and it gave a slightly louder and fatter single coil like sound. Me likey!

[hoerni]

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

I think with a good tinning of a new tip my 30w Radio Shack soldering iron will do the trick. Believe it or not, I'm seriously considering going all passive in my L2500 Tribute. I don't ever use the active settings because I don't like how they sound. It sounds a bit harsh to my ears - too aggressive for my taste. I might just take the preamp out and have a seperate parallel/single coil/series switch for each pickup. That was the best part of last week's wiring debacle - the seperate p/sc/s switches made for some nice combinations. Plus, I wired the series without a capicitor and it gave a slightly louder and fatter single coil like sound. Me likey!

You should at least step up to the temp controlled iron. The cheap RS ones are just a fixed wattage, but they won't apply extra power to keep the temp constant.

This one:
Has recieved good reviews from guys on other forums.

TENMA also used to make a similar one that all the pinball repair guys would swear by. Pinball games often have very fragile boards.

[fourstringbliss]

Originally Posted by hoerni

You should at least step up to the temp controlled iron. The cheap RS ones are just a fixed wattage, but they won't apply extra power to keep the temp constant.

This one:
Has recieved good reviews from guys on other forums.

TENMA also used to make a similar one that all the pinball repair guys would swear by. Pinball games often have very fragile boards.

I think you meant to put a link to a particular soldering iron, but it didn't come through.

[hoerni]

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

I think you meant to put a link to a particular soldering iron, but it didn't come through.

Yep I did. Does this should up?

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7508

[fourstringbliss]

Originally Posted by hoerni

Yep I did. Does this should up?

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7508

That does look nice! If I'm going to start in on some major solder sugery I'll probably go for something like that - thanks!

[fourstringbliss]

I wired up my bass with a 4pdt switch for the parallel/single coil/series mod, but the switch I bought doesn't work the same way as the one in the diagram. I should have bought the same Digikey 4pdt switch that was mentioned.

If you're interested in doing this mod (which is pretty easy with good results), it's the Digikey CKN1139-ND and you can find it by searching here:

Digikey Search

[dlb1001]

Another thing about soldering irons. Check to see if the solder that was used to assemble the bass is lead free or not. I noticed some of the Fender's have a lead free sticker on them so you would need to get lead free tips and solder to do any rewiring. Also, if you are going to invest in a good iron, get one that ESD certified.