A Signal Injector for Pickups Without Strings Installed

tdowns · July 3rd, 2009, 02:05 AM

I have been planning this project for a while and finally had free time today to put it together (my 4 day weekend).

This device can inject a signal into the face of a guitar pickup without strings installed.

There have been many times I have wired a guitar from scratch, made a modification, or performed a repair. After putting the guitar back together, I find that I have overlooked something or made a mistake. A Telecaster has a control cavity so most problems can be resolved without removing the pickguard or strings. I really hate it when I work on a Strat, get all the strings installed, and find out I have a wiring problem and need to take it back apart. One method I used for years is to take a screwdriver and tap on the pickup you are testing to see if the switch and volume controls work. This works OK, but the "thud" created by tapping the pickup with a screwdriver is a very low frequency signal. This sound is about the same with the tone control at any position, so it's not the best source for testing the tone control operation.

The AWESOME mellecaster had a great innovation here, which is a tensioned string that can be plucked over a pickup under test.

I decided to go electronic with the concept. The nitty gritty details are on

T's Technical Notes - A Pickup Signal Injector

Here is a video demo. I apologize for the poor quality. This was uploaded to YouTube directly from my Blackberry.

Oldschoolwax · July 3rd, 2009, 09:30 AM

Cool, I hold my cell pone over the pups and listen for the ticking that the tower checks make, I've used watches too, but that gives you more ability to play with the controls!

~Michael

jcayer · July 3rd, 2009, 10:02 AM

Brilliant !!!

Nice project, Thanks for the tip !!!

mellecaster · July 3rd, 2009, 04:59 PM

I think YOU are the Awesome one my Friend !......

Don't let Redd see that...he'll think it's a Texas E-Bow or sumptin...

schoolie · July 3rd, 2009, 08:09 PM

Very nice engineering, Sir! I just want to add that tuning forks are great for testing pickups too.

tdowns · July 4th, 2009, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldschoolwax

Cool, I hold my cell pone over the pups and listen for the ticking that the tower checks make, I've used watches too, but that gives you more ability to play with the controls!

~Michael

Good ones. That is some resourcefull thinking. Yes, you must wait in between tower check. I haven't used a watch since the cell phone/pager era. I've heard of folks hearing annoying ticking in their guitars due to watches.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcayer

Brilliant !!!

Nice project, Thanks for the tip !!!

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellecaster

I think YOU are the Awesome one my Friend !......

Don't let Redd see that...he'll think it's a Texas E-Bow or sumptin...

Thanks melle. Yes, give Redd a few minutes with that thing and I bet he would be making some amazing muisc with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by schoolie

Very nice engineering, Sir! I just want to add that tuning forks are great for testing pickups too.

I've never owned a tuning fork, but I thought about it. I wonder what material they are generally made of. Would it have permeability? This one is made of steel so it would work great.

schoolie · July 4th, 2009, 05:03 AM

I bought a cheap tuning fork and it seems to be made out of steel and produces a nice, clear signal. However, I think your solution is more versatile.

Dababy · July 4th, 2009, 09:28 AM

Great idea! Wouldnt the tone and sustain be improved if you used an expensive tonewood for the housing instead?

tdowns · July 4th, 2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dababy

Great idea! Wouldnt the tone and sustain be improved if you used an expensive tonewood for the housing instead?

Oh yes...and I forgot to use cloth covered wire too.

July 3rd, 2009, 02:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	A Signal Injector for Pickups Without Strings Installed I have been planning this project for a while and finally had free time today to put it together (my 4 day weekend). This device can inject a signal into the face of a guitar pickup without strings installed. There have been many times I have wired a guitar from scratch, made a modification, or performed a repair. After putting the guitar back together, I find that I have overlooked something or made a mistake. A Telecaster has a control cavity so most problems can be resolved without removing the pickguard or strings. I really hate it when I work on a Strat, get all the strings installed, and find out I have a wiring problem and need to take it back apart. One method I used for years is to take a screwdriver and tap on the pickup you are testing to see if the switch and volume controls work. This works OK, but the "thud" created by tapping the pickup with a screwdriver is a very low frequency signal. This sound is about the same with the tone control at any position, so it's not the best source for testing the tone control operation. The AWESOME mellecaster had a great innovation here, which is a tensioned string that can be plucked over a pickup under test. I decided to go electronic with the concept. The nitty gritty details are on T's Technical Notes - A Pickup Signal Injector Here is a video demo. I apologize for the poor quality. This was uploaded to YouTube directly from my Blackberry. __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof. Last edited by tdowns; July 3rd, 2009 at 03:05 AM.

July 3rd, 2009, 09:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
Oldschoolwax Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LI New York Posts: 552	Cool, I hold my cell pone over the pups and listen for the ticking that the tower checks make, I've used watches too, but that gives you more ability to play with the controls! ~Michael __________________ Matter cannot be created or destroyed, nor can it be returned without a receipt.

July 3rd, 2009, 10:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
jcayer Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Quebec Age: 47 Posts: 282	Brilliant !!! Nice project, Thanks for the tip !!! __________________ Jean Luke, may the twang be with you

July 3rd, 2009, 04:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
mellecaster VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 7,543 17 Photos	I think YOU are the Awesome one my Friend !...... Don't let Redd see that...he'll think it's a Texas E-Bow or sumptin... __________________ Expert Repair....ReCrafting...and Set-ups Making your World a Better Place...One Guitar at a time

July 4th, 2009, 09:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
Dababy Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Northeast Ohio Age: 33 Posts: 228 2 Photos	Great idea! Wouldnt the tone and sustain be improved if you used an expensive tonewood for the housing instead? __________________ Check out my website: Indie/ alt country/ praise & worship/ blues. Is that a genre? http://www.wix.com/JoelSkaggsMusic/dababyguitar

July 3rd, 2009, 08:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
schoolie Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Age: 42 Posts: 189	Very nice engineering, Sir! I just want to add that tuning forks are great for testing pickups too.

July 4th, 2009, 05:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
schoolie Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Age: 42 Posts: 189	I bought a cheap tuning fork and it seems to be made out of steel and produces a nice, clear signal. However, I think your solution is more versatile.

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