Messed up P-90

Powertwang · November 15th, 2009, 09:28 PM

I bought a '68 ES 330 this evening and the bridge pickup only has about 20% of the output that it's supposed to have. Given that the pickup isn't completely dead and the volume and tone pots seem to be working fine, I'm hoping that the pickup might be salvageable. Any suggestions on what might be wrong and/or how I can troubleshoot it?

jbmando · November 15th, 2009, 09:37 PM

I just found this site: Pickup repair

callaway · November 15th, 2009, 10:14 PM

Assuming all the wiring and other parts are good, it sounds like the windings are shorted somewhere. If that's the case, the only thing you can do is have it rewound.

Powertwang · November 15th, 2009, 11:27 PM

Well, I've adjusted the pole pieces of the neck and bridge pickups downward and upward, respectively, and they sound a bit closer in output (though still not quite right), but now the middle position sounds completely out of phase. I checked the strings against the pole pieces in both positions to see if the pickups ground out, but neither do, so now I'm extra confused as to how this could have happened. If I reverse the winding of either one won't that pickup then ground out if the strings touch it? Can pickups change phase all on their own?

timyin · November 17th, 2009, 07:17 AM

I've come across something similar years ago. More than likely somebody has previously opened up the pickup and reversed one of the magnets underneath accidentally.

November 15th, 2009, 09:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Powertwang TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Indianapolis Age: 43 Posts: 18	Messed up P-90 I bought a '68 ES 330 this evening and the bridge pickup only has about 20% of the output that it's supposed to have. Given that the pickup isn't completely dead and the volume and tone pots seem to be working fine, I'm hoping that the pickup might be salvageable. Any suggestions on what might be wrong and/or how I can troubleshoot it?

November 15th, 2009, 09:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
jbmando Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Plymouth Meeting, PA Age: 57 Posts: 517	I just found this site: Pickup repair __________________ "It takes roughly a decade to sound like you've been playing for ten years."

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November 15th, 2009, 10:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
callaway Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 334	Assuming all the wiring and other parts are good, it sounds like the windings are shorted somewhere. If that's the case, the only thing you can do is have it rewound.

November 15th, 2009, 11:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
Powertwang TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Indianapolis Age: 43 Posts: 18	Well, I've adjusted the pole pieces of the neck and bridge pickups downward and upward, respectively, and they sound a bit closer in output (though still not quite right), but now the middle position sounds completely out of phase. I checked the strings against the pole pieces in both positions to see if the pickups ground out, but neither do, so now I'm extra confused as to how this could have happened. If I reverse the winding of either one won't that pickup then ground out if the strings touch it? Can pickups change phase all on their own?

November 17th, 2009, 07:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
timyin NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 1	I've come across something similar years ago. More than likely somebody has previously opened up the pickup and reversed one of the magnets underneath accidentally.

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