emg DC35 HELP!!!

nofxpunk138 · #1 08-22-2008, 10:12 AM

ok so i have an sx jazz bass, took out both stock pickups and purchased a single emg DC35 too put in the neck position. i followed the directions and soldiered EVERYTHING needed. i plugged in my bass and the conrols started smoking!

what the H is wrong? i'll post some pictures. PLEASE HELP ME!!

edit: also you can see that the thick white wire won't stay on the volume pot

nofxpunk138 · #2 08-22-2008, 11:31 AM

mrokern · #3 08-22-2008, 12:06 PM

I'm digging for the wiring instructions for the DCs...

As for the shield not sticking, sounds like you aren't getting the surface of the pot heated up enough and are creating a cold joint. It's a balance between overheating the pot (bad) and not getting it hot enough (also bad). Don't know what your soldering skill level is, but remember that all pieces of the work need to be sufficiently heated in order for a proper joint to take.

-Mark

mrokern · #4 08-22-2008, 12:09 PM

WHOA!

Just saw in the pic that it doesn't look like you are soldering the braid of the pickup lead to the chassis, but rather that you have put solder onto the white insulation! Am I seeing it correctly?

If you melted through that white insulation, it's likely that you are shorting that wire directly to ground. Bad juju...

-Mark

nofxpunk138 · #5 08-22-2008, 12:32 PM

no i cut a little bit of the wire cover so it wouldn't melt. i had everything soldered but it still produced no sound..

mrokern · #6 08-22-2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofxpunk138

no i cut a little bit of the wire cover so it wouldn't melt. i had everything soldered but it still produced no sound..

Not sure what you mean you cut a little bit...shouldn't have to cut anything on this install. Braid gets soldered directly to back of pot, small lead in center goes to contact of pot.

If you've got a multimeter, you could do a quick check of continuity from pots to pickups (disconnect the battery first, obviously).

Are you going off of diagram 1 of these instructions?

EMG Support Doc

nofxpunk138 · #7 08-22-2008, 12:44 PM

yes i followed diagram 1. i have a 100 watt soldering gun if that helps.

chris.gotfunk · #8 08-22-2008, 12:44 PM

I am curious how this would work anyway. The EMG pup is an active pickup and needs a battery to work. But the SX bass is a passive instrument. what other mods did you do to the electronics?
Peace,
Chris

nofxpunk138 · #9 08-22-2008, 12:58 PM

hi chris the emg 35dc package comes with prewired tone, volume, and input jack

chris.gotfunk · #10 08-22-2008, 01:06 PM

Ahhhh, good point. I guess that is why I just play them and no do the electronics.....

I thought you were just dropping in the pup with the stock electronics. I think better pics might help everyone here though.

Sorry I could not help. Good luck!!!!

Peace,
Chris

PS. Great pup by the way. I have one in my CT copy of Claypool's. Wired 18-volt and sounds great live and studio.

nofxpunk138 · #11 08-22-2008, 01:20 PM

thanks chris and sorry for the pics everyone but if i get too close you can't see anything because of the flash.

nofxpunk138 · #12 08-22-2008, 01:37 PM

hey guys i think i have fixed it, i resoldered everything and that seemed to do the trick. thanks for the support.

mrokern · #13 08-22-2008, 01:40 PM

Probably just a momentary short. I had one when I put a DC in my Schecter courtesy of the contacts on the bottom of the pickups contacting a spring.

Glad to hear it's working!

-Mark

Pulplogic · #14 08-22-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofxpunk138

ok so i have an sx jazz bass, took out both stock pickups and purchased a single emg DC35 too put in the neck position. i followed the directions and soldiered EVERYTHING needed. i plugged in my bass and the conrols started smoking!

what the H is wrong? i'll post some pictures. PLEASE HELP ME!!

edit: also you can see that the thick white wire won't stay on the volume pot

Where did the smoke come from? From the pickup or the pots? If it was from the controls I would guess that you somehow shorted the battery from the wiper (center pin) of the volume pot to ground. If you have a multimeter, remove the battery and measure the resistance between the two terminals on the battery snap. You will need to do this with your guitar cable inserted into the jack of the bass, but not connected to an amp. You should get a high reading Meg ohms once it stabilizes. You might also test if the pot is still good.

nofxpunk138 · #15 08-22-2008, 02:26 PM

thanks mark!

brad

nofxpunk138 · #16 08-22-2008, 02:29 PM

hi pulplogic. the smoke came from the controls not the pup. but anyways i fixed it by resoldering everything again. seems to be working good. it really shreds and is perfect for playing primus and metal.