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First time humbucker pickup installation


newlife15

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Well hello all, I just finished my first ever pickup install.

Mind you I only swapped out the pickups not the wiring, but the fact that I can even attempt let alone complete the job for me is pretty cool. So, I swapped out my epi stock pickups from my DOT for the Tonerider Alnico IV pickups. First I took out the bridge pickup. I have never done this so I didn't know that its only one wire from the pots to the pickup. But when I opened the black casing I saw the white wire and the plain wire.

The toneriders came with four wires and I followed their instructions for just straight plain wiring. Well success. Next time I will try for changing pots and pickup switch selector.

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Congrats on a successful install, welcome to the dark side, modding, be careful to keep it in check, it can easily get away from you.

 

Thanks for the words. You know, I was just playing the guitar and I notice crackling when I strum. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

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Congrats on a successful install, welcome to the dark side, modding, be careful to keep it in check, it can easily get away from you.

 

Thanks for the words. You know, I was just playing the guitar and I notice crackling when I strum. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

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Congrats on a successful install, welcome to the dark side, modding, be careful to keep it in check, it can easily get away from you.

 

Thanks for the words. You know, I was just playing the guitar and I notice crackling when I strum. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

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It's very easy for a stray wire (one wire strand is almost invisible alone) to short across the potentiometer terminals, double check to make sure that any stray wires are isolated.

 

EDIT: Only push the Submit or Save Changes button once, even if it doesn't seem like anything's happening.

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I own many many guitars, and I still haven't changed out a pickup myself yet.......

 

Congatulations....As Rob mentioned, and you noticed, there can be some "kinks" involved to finish

 

and perfect the install.....Remember to visit the DIY threads..............

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Well, I have been swapping out pickups and attempting to rewire guitars on and off for 20 years, and i still get crakles and and teething trouble sometimes. Just go back in there and double check all the connections, look out for shorts, or untidy solder joins.

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Newlife,

 

Congrats on your first install!

As mentioned, the crackling is probably a loose connection.

Good chance it may not have even been the ones you did. Sometimes just moving things around can disturb a connection...

especially with the stock Epi wiring.

Also, if the stock connections include a white plastic speed connector.....I've had problems with those myself.

Had one come loose just by looking at it.

 

Not using all four leads? Double check the two "extra" pickup wires that get connected to each other and left alone. If not properly isolated they can touch other connections.

 

I have no doubt you'll get it straightened around.

 

Congrats again, and, let us know what you find.

It may help the next guy.

 

Willy

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The guys are right, it's going to be a connection problem, just what kind is

the question.

I take it it's making the same sound as you would get if your AMP Cord was about

to croak? You know, CRACKLE, wiggle it back and forth to get connection?

 

Does git make same crackling sound if you just hold your hand on the strings,

then wiggle the git back and forth, or just when you strum?

 

I assume you soldered? What did you shield your solder joints/wires with?

 

Your noise could be caused by:

1. Inadvertant/Intermittant connection - as mentioned, a couple of wires may be

touching, or not "taped off" well enough. Are the two "middle wires" on your pups

taped off or shielded so they won't short out against something?

 

Or, you may have a "whisker" of a wire sticking out that you didn't spot, and it's

shorting out - string vibration travels thru the wirning.

 

2. Cold Solder Joint not connecting well, connection opens and closes due to string

vibration while playing.

 

3. Accidentally pulled on your pup wires going to the pots/Molex connector (as Willy mentioned),

causing the connector to become loose, or may have pulled too hard, causing an intermittant

connection at the pots or toggle switch.

 

Just post what you did/found - there are LOTS of capable folks who can answer questions!!!

 

Good for you for taking the big step and starting your own mods - RaSTuS is right, it can be

addictive!!!!!

:rolleyes:

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I think WE (oooh-rahhh, TEAM!) have covered every immediate angle, now we

anxiously await to hear what you've found out. Amazing, isn't it? Most

forums would have just let your thread roll off into oblivion. Not us,

we want to hear the results.

 

Quote by Vince Lonbardi: If you come to a fork in the road, take it...

[confused]

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