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Shielding problem? or bad wiring problem?

zaviere

zaviere

Apr 20, 2012
95
2
#1
So I installed a sd quarter pounder on my mim fender p-bass. I've installed quite a few pickups on guitars before so I'm fairly confident I wired it right. It sounds fine when plugged in. But here are the weird things:

1. I have 2 pbasses. One a year 2000 mim pbass with stock pickups as far as I can tell. and then this one with the quarter pounders. The stock p bass has quite a hotter output than the quarter pounder. Isnt that supposed to be the other way around.

2. When I have the pickguard in place (meaning installed in the guitar) the tone knob doesnt seem to have much effect. However when I raise the pickguard off of the body, I noticed the tone knob DOES have a much more pronounced effect. I can hear the "wah" effect. whereas when the pickguard is placed up against the body it does not. It is MUCH more subtle.

3. When all is installed and pickguard screwed in, if I wiggle the input jack connected to the guitar, it sounds scratchy. Like its not making a solid connection or so. At first I bent the hot connector so that it makes a more solid connection when the plug is inserted. Still does it. So I went and just replaced it with a switchcraft. Still does it. Thought maybe the cable was bad but it does it on various cables. It seems it only does it when I pull on the cable down towards the floor. It sort of lifts the pickguard slightly off the body. Thats why I'm wondering if its some sort of shielding issue.

Anyways yeah. Its kinda minor but it really bugs the crap outta me. Hopefully somebody can provide some insight as to why that is? Thanks in advance for any help.
 
#2
1. The QP might be badly wired - it could be wired in parallel instead of series as it should be, or it could be wired out of phase. If the sound lacks a bit of mids but has a decent amount of highs, it's in parallel. If the sound is unusually nasal and thin with no bass to speak of, it's out of phase. Either way it'd need a rewiring at the volume pot. Alternatively, one of the QP's magnets might have gone weak or had been accidentally flipped.

2.3. You've probably got a stray ground connection somewhere on the pickguard that keeps pressing against the tone pot and the output jack - it could be that the signal lug still touches against the pickguard or surrounding cavity (if it's shielded) and shorts out.

Can you get a photo of the wiring as it is now?
 
#3
Yeah I can but not until later tonight. Yeah I've tried looking an checking to see if there's a loose connection anywhere but I just can't find one.

As far as the pickups go. They don't sound thin n wimpy. Just not as high an output as the stock mim pickups. Starting to think I got screwed. Bought em used.

But like I said. When I have everything wired with the pickguard OFF of the body, it sounds different. Better? I dunno. Can't really play it since the pickguards hanging off of it. But the treble knob is a lot more "apparent".

Thanks for ur help
 

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