What to Fix Next?

[Kehpen]

Have any of you gotten new pickups with a faulty volume pot that is scratchy and significantly reduces normal volume to about 40% (and refuses to work on Line 6 amps at full volume)
Or a tuning peg that refuses to tune past a certain point. Or maybe a jack that makes you regret not spending on $20 on quality headphones when it snaps and pops through the amp?

I have all of those and more. But here is my main concern,

My 6 string, an ESP/LTD B-206SM, has two major flaws in it. The volume pot (a push/pull for my one split-coil BRAND NEW EMG TW-45 ) sounds relevant to nails on a chalkboard when I turn it up and down. It was much worse before I 'cleaned it.'
It also likes to spin past no volume and full volume. Which makes a loud and painful pop, as if I just took the jack out of my bass. I could get past all of this if it weren't for the A) complete lack of volume I actually GET from the thing is weak and useless during band practice.

Another wonderful thing about this bass is that, After I spent $250 on the EMG pickups, they couldn't give me any proper diagnosis. I also have horrible headroom from this bass, which makes it practically impossible to use unless I want to play acoustically. And we all know how lovely and melodic that sounds with an electric bass.


Any one know what is wrong with this thing? If I forgot to mention anything that might be important to know, let me know. This is really upsetting me.

[john grey]

You did not mention what year this instrument was mfg in. You had replaced the older pups with new: it MAY be that your control components simply are not up to dealing with the level of frequency(s) / energy that could be produced or have issues aside from simple age. When replacing the pups is often a good idea to look at the entire circuit and determining if the rest of the system is up to the task.

If you know how to use a multi-meter I suggest you test the system entirely. Poor soldier joints can have a devastating effect on functionality for several reasons. Is the new system designed to be active or passive? The existing control points are obviously questionable ( you needed to clean them). Therefore I would begin by examining the system completely. The parts needed may be very inexpensive when compared to your outlay for the new pups. There is really NO ethical way to answer the question of what's wrong with it without testing it and being right there. A small digital multi-meter costs as little as $10. A good one is worth buying as you would use it many times over the years.

My suggestion is replace anything that is even questionable rather than attempt to repair. It's worth the money and effort at this point.

[darkstorm]

Sounds like badly installed or faulty new electronics to me. At the very least a bad pot that needs replaceing.