help please

Think293 · November 4th, 2003, 04:56 PM

I got a '52 with a stock neck pup and a lawerence 280 in the bridge. the two things i can't figure out is that the neck pup is whisper quiet while 280 is quite loud and that it is quieter when i'm not touching the bridge or strings than when i do (that's backwards right), but if i touch the control panel the guitar is dead silent as far a hum goes. so then i tried to connect the control panel and the bridge with a wire so that i could get rid of the hum by touching the bridge, but when i did that the guitar quit making any noise (including the kind i want it to). i've been fighting with this for like a month so i'm looking for any help or ideas. thanks.

Caper · November 4th, 2003, 05:59 PM

Go to mr.gearhead and check your current wiring with a schematic there.

Think293 · November 4th, 2003, 06:55 PM

that's where i went and everything seems to be right and the noise isn't that bad, it just bothers me that it gets louder when i touch it and not the other way around.

Bswailes · November 5th, 2003, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Think293

that's where i went and everything seems to be right and the noise isn't that bad, it just bothers me that it gets louder when i touch it and not the other way around.

Try reversing the new pickup's leads.

Let me refer you to: "Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide." and "Guitar Electronics and Hot Rod Techniques." Dan points out that there are 5 ways to hook pickups together. Good stuff!

Brett

Think293 · November 5th, 2003, 09:38 AM

tried that too. could it be a bad pot or switch or something?

Bswailes · November 5th, 2003, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Think293

tried that too. could it be a bad pot or switch or something?

No. A bad pot generally makes a scratchy noise. May be a switch, but I think it's very unlikely right now. Generally the problem is in what you changed immediately before.

(Occham's Razor a. the 'most simple answer' theorem.
b. It's used in quantum mechanics-see a, above).

1. Unsolder the new pickup.
2. Re-hook up (alligator clips or whatever) the old pickup the way it was hooked up before.

Still have that same noise?

November 4th, 2003, 04:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Think293 TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Age: 24 Posts: 28	help please I got a '52 with a stock neck pup and a lawerence 280 in the bridge. the two things i can't figure out is that the neck pup is whisper quiet while 280 is quite loud and that it is quieter when i'm not touching the bridge or strings than when i do (that's backwards right), but if i touch the control panel the guitar is dead silent as far a hum goes. so then i tried to connect the control panel and the bridge with a wire so that i could get rid of the hum by touching the bridge, but when i did that the guitar quit making any noise (including the kind i want it to). i've been fighting with this for like a month so i'm looking for any help or ideas. thanks.

November 4th, 2003, 05:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
Caper Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,168 7 Photos	Go to mr.gearhead and check your current wiring with a schematic there.

November 4th, 2003, 06:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Think293 TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Age: 24 Posts: 28	that's where i went and everything seems to be right and the noise isn't that bad, it just bothers me that it gets louder when i touch it and not the other way around.

November 5th, 2003, 09:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
Think293 TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Age: 24 Posts: 28	tried that too. could it be a bad pot or switch or something?