Problem with Precision Bass wiring

[BlueSquirrel]

Hi everyone ! I'm trying to fix an old second-hand short-scale Precision Bass using a second-hand Fender pickup. I've also bought a ready-made wiring harness whih came with a wiring diagram that was provided by the shop. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I understand the diagram given that I've tried to solder the pickup to the wiring harness and I'm currently getting no sound out of that bass ! When I tap on the pickups' poles with a screwdriver, it doesn't make any sound.

I phoned the shop but non one answered. However perhaps somebody here could have a look at the diagram and tell me what they think, please ? Thank you very much in advance !

Belows is a pic of the wiring diagram from the shop (and I'm including a pic of the wiring harness too):
The diagram reads that "white" is hot and that it should go on the volume pot.
Then it reads to solder the pickups's ground wire on the volume pot.
Then it reads to solder the wire coming from under the bridge to the ground as well (so I assumed it meant to solder it on the volume pot as well).

I believe that the pickup is in working condition because I took a reading with a multimeter beforehand and it read '10.5 K' which mamkes sense for a bass pickup.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Here is how I tried to solder the pickups to the wiring harness - the black wire which goes into the bass goes under the bridge ( and as I said, it's not working. I'm getting no sound). Would anyone have a suggestion, please ?
Thank you very much in advance !
Blue Squirrel

 

[Hal Nico]

Wire it this way,

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Thank you very much for your help !

Sorry, I don't really understand the difference between the two diagrams, except I don't see where the black wire that comes from the bridge is and where it is supposed to go on the diagram from GuitarElectronics.com

 

[dpang2836]

Black goes to back of Pot. Heat up one of those Globs and press it down. Maybe add some over it.

 

[BluesForDan]

I only see one black wire going to the output jack, where's the white wire?

 

[Hal Nico]

Thank you very much for your help !

Sorry, I don't really understand the difference between the two diagrams, except I don't see where the black wire that comes from the bridge is and where it is supposed to go on the diagram from GuitarElectronics.com

Turn the tone Pot so it's tangs are pointing the same direction s in the Wiring Diagram and Volume pot and then read the Diagram again

 

[Faith Nicole]

obv you have a meter, so.
One lead at white PU wire at volume pot. other lead at ground at jack.
If reads the ~10K (based on your initial PU reading)- ok
if high (infinite), ground break. Re-solder all ground points.
If zero, shorted out somewhere. re-check connections.

If it reads Ok, check the pots for function. For example: Vol pot one lead on white wire, one on center. turning the pot knob should go from 0 to approx 250K.

if the pots got overheated they don't like that and go bad

I hope I typed that right, I'm at work and in a hurry

ps, I've got a meter with a 1/4" jack on the leads, I just plug it in to test things overall

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Turn the tone Pot so it's tangs are pointing the same direction s in the Wiring Diagram and Volume pot and then read the Diagram again

Right, thank you. I can't turn it, the wiring harness is too tight and I don't want to break it as I bought it ready-made.

 

[Faith Nicole]

I only see one black wire going to the output jack, where's the white wire?

light weight wires. black and red in the same insulator at jack

from what I see, the difference in the two schematics is that the tone pot is reversed for function, should still work

 

[BlueSquirrel]

I only see one black wire going to the output jack, where's the white wire?

I think it's the tiny red wire (the big black wire contains two thinner wires : one thin black one and one thin red one), but it's a wild guess on my part...

 

[BluesForDan]

ah, yes, now I see it. Thanks @Faith Nicole and @BlueSquirrel

 

[BlueSquirrel]

@Faith Nicole
"obv you have a meter, so.
One lead at white PU wire at volume pot. other lead at ground at jack.
If reads the ~10K (based on your initial PU reading)- ok"

Right, thank you. I've just done that, and it reads '11K', so something might be functioning, after all.

I'm going to try checking the pots as you advised. What should I set the mutimeter to ? It's currently on 20K.

 

[Faith Nicole]

@Faith Nicole
"obv you have a meter, so.
One lead at white PU wire at volume pot. other lead at ground at jack.
If reads the ~10K (based on your initial PU reading)- ok"

Right, thank you. I've just done that, and it reads '11K', so something might be functioning, after all.

I'm going to try checking the pots as you advised. What should I set the mutimeter to ? It's currently on 20K.

they read as 250K in the photo (unless I'm blind) so higher setting than that on your meter. But, really as long as it varies from 0 to something high it's working.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

OK, thanks a lot ! So, I grabbed the tags of the tone pot with the red and black leads and I turned the shaft. It went from 0 to 233.
Then I tried to do the same thing with the volume pot. I grabbed the tag to whih the white wire is going with the red lead from my multimeter, then I attached the middle tag to the black lead from the multimeter. Then I turned the shaft of the potentiometer. Nothing happened. It read zero. Then I grabbed the next tab, it still read zero. I checked the three tags, always the same result. Does it mean that the potentiometer is broken, or is it just a bad connection ?

 

[BlueSquirrel]

OK, thanks a lot ! So, I grabbed the tags of the tone pot with the red and black leads and I turned the shaft. It went from 0 to 233.
Then I tried to do the same thing with the volume pot. I grabbed the tag to whih the white wire is going with the red lead from my multimeter, then I attached the middle tag to the black lead from the multimeter. Then I turned the shaft of the potentiometer. Nothing happened. It read zero. Then I grabbed the next tag of the volume pot, and it still read zero.

 

[Faith Nicole]

on my phone, I can't zoom properly. Is that a solder blob on the volume pot between the two red leads? they should not connect.

all three prongs on the pot should be separate from each other

reading zero is a short, btw. it means two things touching that shouldn't be

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Right. in fact, they don't actually touch.

 

[BlueSquirrel]

Perhaps I messed up when I soldered the pickup's white wire to the first prong. The solder joint looks a little dull, it's not as bright as the others, plus I didn't put a lot of solder on it. I'll try to take some pics, but I don't have a macro lens.

 

[Faith Nicole]

vol pot still shouldn't read zero between prongs. two outside prongs should read about 250. center prong plus either outside prong should vary 0 to 250ish

when in doubt, remove wires, test pot by itself