Wiring Help Needed

[siin82]

I got a multimeter and been doing a lot of testing. Here's what I'm seeing:

Input Jack tip and ring - 0
Volume Pot left and right - > 0, but small value - fluctuates between .7 and .1
Pickups hot and ground - all of them are > 0, but the number fluctuates and settles at .1

I'm wondering if the issue is the soldering or the components - how can I determine?

Getting close to giving up and taking it in...was hoping to not do that (money and pride).

Thanks for all the responses.

Btw, I tested my other bass that has Big Splits in them. Everything measure out at 7.2 with the same multimeter. So, my signal looks to be very weak.

 

[Reedt2000]

I got a multimeter and been doing a lot of testing. Here's what I'm seeing:

Input Jack tip and ring - 0
Volume Pot left and right - > 0, but small value - fluctuates between .7 and .1
Pickups hot and ground - all of them are > 0, but the number fluctuates and settles at .1

I'm wondering if the issue is the soldering or the components - how can I determine?

Getting close to giving up and taking it in...was hoping to not do that (money and pride).

Thanks for all the responses.

Btw, I tested my other bass that has Big Splits in them. Everything measure out at 7.2 with the same multimeter. So, my signal looks to be very weak.

To test solder and components you set your meter to read ohms and start measuring the ins and outs for continuity and resistance. Two switch lugs that are supposed to be connected in a particular position should read open in the other positions and have no resistance in the connected position.

I'd encourage you to take a slow, careful trip across all the connections with your soldering iron first. Make sure they're all clean and there's no stray strands, grounds are far from hot leads and lugs, and no foil tape is touching anything. Might as well double check your pickup wires too making sure what you think are start and end of the coils actually are.

 

[definenredefine]

I may be wrong but I think you need to use on/on/on switches for your coil switches. I used one of those to a 3 way switch to my J bass and it worked as intended. I recognize that my bass has 2 discrete single coil pickups, but I think the principle should be the same since your Bigmans' coils are wired in parallel (I think.)

Also, when wiring in that way, I had to wire just the "hot" wires to the switch, and on opposite poles. It didn't seem to work any other way. The center poles were soldered together and wired to the input on the volume pot.

I found the wiring diagram on an old TB post. Here it is. I used the wiring for "mini-toggle."

 

[siin82]

I may be wrong but I think you need to use on/on/on switches for your coil switches. I used one of those to a 3 way switch to my J bass and it worked as intended. I recognize that my bass has 2 discrete single coil pickups, but I think the principle should be the same since your Bigmans' coils are wired in parallel (I think.)

Also, when wiring in that way, I had to wire just the "hot" wires to the switch, and on opposite poles. It didn't seem to work any other way. The center poles were soldered together and wired to the input on the volume pot.

I found the wiring diagram on an old TB post. Here it is. I used the wiring for "mini-toggle."
View attachment 4986842

It is an on/on/on. Also, it's series, not parallel.

I followed this video for splitting -

Does anyone have a schematic for wiring an on/on switch that is DPDT? I think that's my issue (not wired correctly).

Btw, I desoldered all pickup wires, tested the pickups with the multimeter and they were all good. I then resoldered. I really don't think my issue is with the quality of the soldering, but with the schematic itself - specifically with the on/on switches. I've been trying to just get the NP5 to work, since that doesn't use the coil splitting. Tried different jumper combinations, but am not getting it.

 

[MidlifeBeginner]

Input Jack tip and ring - 0

If it reads 0 Ohms (use a resistance range, not the continuity test) with the volume knob up all the way, there is a short.

First try all the switch positions in case the short is just on one of the switches.

Unfortunately, to find a short you have to start disconnecting things. Visual inspection to look for anything obvious.

 

[siin82]

I have resoldered the every connection and tested. All are giving me positive numbers now except:

Middle rung on volume pot with ground on volume pot (which connects to the input jack)
Input jack

Still no sound on any selection.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Reedt2000]

I have resoldered the every connection and tested. All are giving me positive numbers now except:

Middle rung on volume pot with ground on volume pot (which connects to the input jack)
Input jack

Still no sound on any selection.

Any other thoughts?

Bad volume pot? Bypass it and go right to the jack, see what you get.

 

[Ögon]

Are you really sure you connected the volume pot correctly?
Are the middle and left volume pot connector not touching the copper-foil? Check with multi-meter.

If all is good... I would advice you to remove all the switches from the wiring. Just a volume/tone pot with pickups, Check if it works. If it works, add the switches one by one in the circuit and check if it works in between. It is really easy to make a wiring mistake with multiple switches.

 

[definenredefine]

It is an on/on/on.

My bad.

 

[Reedt2000]

Run right to the jack, it'll let you test your switching and identify if the vol pot wiring is the issue. It makes sense that it's the pot (whether it's bad, or wired wrong is another question) cause no signal has ever gone through and the vol is the last stop before the jack, if it's bad, no signal.

 

[siin82]

Problem solved. I had 3 issues:

1. Lugs on volume pot were touching the copper tape - just rotated the pot to solve this.
2. Volume pot was not screwed in enough, so there wasn't a good ground contact (my theory anyway). Fixing this made all my readings work and get some sound.
3. I needed to make a few soldering cleanups after I did #2 to good sound from all pickups and splittings.

All is good now. Thanks to all for feedback. It always helps to talk about problems, even if you find the answer yourself!

 

[Reedt2000]

So... sound clips?

 

[Ögon]

Problem solved. I had 3 issues:

1. Lugs on volume pot were touching the copper tape - just rotated the pot to solve this.
2. Volume pot was not screwed in enough, so there wasn't a good ground contact (my theory anyway). Fixing this made all my readings work and get some sound.
3. I needed to make a few soldering cleanups after I did #2 to good sound from all pickups and splittings.

All is good now. Thanks to all for feedback. It always helps to talk about problems, even if you find the answer yourself!

Shorts are easily made when using copper-tape and multiple switches..
We could only give you advices and steer you into the right directions. You were the only one who could solve it, and you did.

Make everything look clean and reliable inside, close the wiring-room and go celebrate you fixed it.

Rock-on..

 

[siin82]

So... sound clips?

Got a slight setup issue with the neck mount (action too high in the upper fret region). Gonna fix this, then the bass will be playable.

I did do a quick sound check and compared to my short scale that has two Big Splits (from Nordstand). My conclusions are:
1. There are lots of sound opportunities with the pickup and wiring choices I made...which is what I was after.
2. That NP5 is friggen awesome! First time playing through a P pickup...very pleasantly surprised with the tone.

I'm a guitar player that plays bass on my recordings. So, you (unfortunately) won't hear any slap out of me. But I will create a new thread with some recordings to share here (maybe help someone else who's looking for opinions on Nordstrand pickups).

 

[MidlifeBeginner]

Great job! You are now empowered should an issue arise on another bass or guitar.