UPDATE: SOLVED! SC-101's and other brand pickups.....anyone had this issue?

[Ace38]

OK, so today I had my favorite guitar tech solder in a Guitar Madness Stratbucker (think duncan jb jr.) into my Deluxe Strat, and I left the neck/mid SC-101's in their regular spot. To me, the bucker sounds thin and the output isnt as high as the other two pickups. The guy asked me if the pickup was a Duncan before he installed it and I recalled reading on our sister forum Strat-talk that adding a Duncan to an existing set of Fenders required some wiring changes. Is it possible that the changes would work in reverse as well? Both times I've wired GM buckers (a hexbucker previously that is now in the hands of @Eddie) in with SC-101's I've had similar results.

Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks

 

[Guitarmageddon]

OK, so today I had my favorite guitar tech solder in a Guitar Madness Stratbucker (think duncan jb jr.) into my Deluxe Strat, and I left the neck/mid SC-101's in their regular spot. To me, the bucker sounds thin and the output isnt as high as the other two pickups. The guy asked me if the pickup was a Duncan before he installed it and I recalled reading on our sister forum Strat-talk that adding a Duncan to an existing set of Fenders required some wiring changes. Is it possible that the changes would work in reverse as well? Both times I've wired GM buckers (a hexbucker previously that is now in the hands of @Eddie) in with SC-101's I've had similar results.

Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks

Does the GM stratbucker sound ok on its own?? is it only position 2 causing the issue? Need more info.

If it's only in position 2 it's a phase issue with middle pickup

If it's in position 1 bridge only too, it's an incorrect wiring issue.

 

[Ace38]

Does the GM stratbucker sound ok on its own?? is it only position 2 causing the issue? Need more info.

Nope, sounds thin on its own. The single coil seems to overwhelm it in Pos. 2

 

[Guitarmageddon]

Nope, sounds thin on its own. The single coil seems to overwhelm it in Pos. 2

It's wired wrong.

You will have to consult with GuitarMadness as to which color wire is which.....because there are no guides for that brand......

My guess is it's only using half the coil now, not both sides.....

You should have white,green,black,red and perhaps a bare wire too.....GuitarMadness has to tell you which is which....

North Start = hot, should go to pickup 5-way
North Finish should go to the South Start - taped and soldered off
South Start - taped soldered off to north finish
South finish - ground along with bare wire if there is one....

It's just not listed here what colors they use

https://guitarelectronics.com/guitar-wiring-resources/humbucker-wire-color-codes/

 

[Ace38]

It's wired wrong.

You will have to consult with GuitarMadness as to which color wire is which.....because there are no guides for that brand......

My guess is it's only using half the coil now, not both sides.....

You should have white,green,black,red and perhaps a bare wire too.....GuitarMadness has to tell you which is which....

North Start = hot, should go to pickup 5-way
North Finish should go to the South Start - taped and soldered off
South Start - taped soldered off to north finish
South finish - ground along with bare wire if there is one....

It's just not listed here what colors they use

https://guitarelectronics.com/guitar-wiring-resources/humbucker-wire-color-codes/

I had the wiring diagram up there with me, and its wired according to that diagram. Maybe its just my ears? I'm in the process of uploading some audio and will get it on youtube shortly.

 

[Guitarmageddon]

I had the wiring diagram up there with me, and its wired according to that diagram. Maybe its just my ears? I'm in the process of uploading some audio and will get it on youtube shortly.

What is their color code? Will help for future mods for members.....

 

[MrYeats]

I told you it would not work if Dart did it..lol...just kidding. Do you have a multitester? Is the braided wire properly grounded? Test by connecting the two "dead" wires together. If it is low output, switch between them till you get the highest reading.

 

[Ace38]

OK, here's a video of the pickup positions 1, 2 and 3. I'll upload the GM color code photo momentarily.

 

[MrYeats]

What pots and caps are you using?

 

[Ace38]

 

[Ace38]

What pots and caps are you using?

Stock that came with it, just like I always have before w/o any issues. I was worried maybe the pots were 250, because I admittedly forgot to check, but that wouldnt make it sound that thin I wouldnt think.

 

[Ace38]

Edit to above.....No, because the hexbucker I referenced earlier was for sure on 500k pots and it did the same thing.

 

[Guitarmageddon]

View attachment 122550

So...have you looked under the hood to see that white/red are soldered and taped off and it's done right? It sounds strange in the video.....

Green to the 5-way and black and bare to the back of pots.....

 

[MrYeats]

are the red and white for sure soldered and not just taped?

 

[Ace38]

So...have you looked under the hood to see that black/red are soldered and taped off and it's done right? It sounds strange in the video.....

Green to the 5-way and black and bare to the back of pots.....

are the red and white for sure soldered and not just taped?

Yes to both, and everything is correct as you said. I watched him do it.

 

[MrYeats]

The cap should not matter till you roll it off. Make sure the tone pot is not grounded on the third leg.

 

[MrYeats]

where is the braided wire grounded?

 

[MrYeats]

It cant be yes to both as one says tape black and red, the other says white and red. I think it should be white and red.

 

[MrYeats]

the complete hb circuit should be north start and south start.

 

[Guitarmageddon]

Yes to both, and everything is correct as you said. I watched him do it.

That sure as heck does not sound like 15k output.....I guess it's just a bad pickup design.....