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I think I just royally messed up..

5string5fingers

5string5fingers

Mar 18, 2008
5,133
331
Tifton,Georgia
#1
So, Did a new paintjob on my SR400..which naturally meant I needed to break it out. The elctronics cavity is a mess of wires, really hard to get in there and in a hurry I cut the pickup wires just to get them out.

Weeeeellll I found out today putting it together there is a small insulated wired inside another wire..

Im thinking I know the answer, but I am assuming I jacked up and now have to buy new pickups, since I dont know anyway to attach the inner and the wire that surrounds it and keep them separate, correct?

If you know a trick, please let me know.
 
#5
Ok so here is the wire stripped and separated.
I should be able to do this on both ends and just connect the wires and then wrap them right?
 

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#7
You'll be fine. The inner wire is the signal and the outer braiding is a shield and ground. Carefully reconnect each without letting them touch or melt together.
For the future...never cut pickup leads. Take control cavity pictures, or draw diagrams and unsolder the connection at the pots or switches. Also, rechargeable 9v batteries are not really proper for a bass. The voltage is usually less than a full 9 volts, and may have more distortion and less headroom. Keep working on your own instruments, though. It's good to be able to do things for yourself.
 
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#10
johndb said:
You'll be fine. The inner wire is the signal and the outer braiding is a shield and ground. Carefully reconnect each without letting them touch or melt together.
For the future...never cut pickup leads. Take control cavity pictures, or draw diagrams and unsolder the connection at the pots or switches. Also, rechargeable 9v batteries are not really proper for a bass. The voltage is usually less than a full 9 volts, and may have more distortion and less headroom. Keep working on your own instruments, though. It's good to be able to do things for yourself.
Click to expand...
Definitely learned my lesson.

As for the 9V Ive never had an issue. Been using these for a couple years, gigged with them and havent had any issue.
 
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#11
5string5fingers said:
well..I soldered the wires together. still nothing. Not sure whats going on. 9V is on charge, possible it could have been too low still. Will try again in the morning, if not I will double check everything.
Click to expand...
Post a photo of the solder job. Either something is shorting, or there's another issue somewhere else in the wiring.
 
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#12
You should be able to hold the 2 conductors of that wire to the tip and shield of the cable that's plugged into your amp,s input.
Use tape if you need to, it just a quick test.
If you hold the center to the tip and outer strands on the sleeve, you should be able to make noise with the pickup thru the amp.
Alligator clip leads are far easier for this.
Im Assuming you have a preamp, but a passive pickup.
Establish 1st the pickup works.... once the bare wire leads (or alligator clip leads)are in place with your 1/4" cable, a screwdriver or something with some iron gently tapping on the pickup will come right thru your amp.

Once pickup definitively works, then move onto basic connection checking, which may mean finding/drawing awiring schematic.

Make sure not 1 strand of the outer shield touches the center lead.
 
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