57 Classics into 4 knob Dot

[Rocky Road]

Hi, I am in the process of installing 57 classics into my epi dot. It's a later model (maybe 1-2 years old). With a background (way back) as an electronic tech, and having replaced a set on a strat, well, I had no idea what I was doing. One wire, no problem. Until I figured out the shielding was the ground. I think. Anyway, I've managed to completely remove all of the components to trouble shoot the thing.

 

1. Replace neck pickup with 57 classic. Restring and tune. Test. No sound from neck. (Bridge sounds better than ever.)

2. Go back to workbench, cut strings off.

2.5. Consider options.

3. Pull out 57 classic pick up. Remove heat shrink. Look at it for a while. Google a variety of things to figure out how to trouble shoot. Found other good pickups to try. Discover you can just loosen the strings to remove the pickup. Figured out that that fancy wire covering on the 57 classic made of some kind of metal is the ground, and that there are two leads in one on the potentiometer side.

4. Fire up the new soldering iron, the nice ugly Hakko 888 model, solder, flux, and solder removal tape. Remove pickup.

5. Reinstall the neck pickup correctly - did not mount. Test. Tested by tapping on it. Nothing. Tapped on the bridge, and good.

5.5 Adjust neck PU volume and tone several times during process.

6. Remove the 57, remove the bridge, try bridge in neck position. Nothing.

7. ....?

8. Consider options. Notice scratch on top of new pickup, 1.5 mm in length, in the middle by the screws. Think that would probably cost me 15% or more if I try to return. Maybe a nice (?) memory if I get this to work.

9. Remove all of the pots, plug and selector switch. Unsolder ground.

10. Look at it for awhile. Google some stuff.

11. Assemble components, reground, reconnect the 57 in the neck position. Test. No sound from amp (Champ 600) on 12 (cable taps make sound). Touch pickup - nothing. Tap on it with guitar pick - nothing. Squeeze hot lead - amp gives sound (TSSSS). Squeeze hot lead - and touch pickup (TSSSS sound turns into tssss - it gets quieter, but still have sound). Pull hand from hot lead - nothing. Repeat with same results repeatedly, using variety of settings on volume and tone pots.

12. Study youtube of reassembly. Pick up Aquarium tubing (to pull the pots through to the holes).

 

I am wondering if it's going to work if I reassemble or if anyone knows what I might look at.

 

Notes:

 

- I am not going to take this to a professional - I will keep working on it until it works, at any cost.

- Save your humor for your friends. This is not a funny situation. My story is funny. Your wise cracks will probably not be as funny, so be creative or don't reply.

- I really need some help here and I bet someone knows exactly what I should check into or test next. I could use your help. My attempt at humor and self depreciation was for your appreciation primarily. Please help.

[SpruceTop]

Hi, I am in the process of installing 57 classics into my epi dot. It's a later model (maybe 1-2 years old). With a background (way back) as an electronic tech, and having replaced a set on a strat, well, I had no idea what I was doing. One wire, no problem. Until I figured out the shielding was the ground. I think. Anyway, I've managed to completely remove all of the components to trouble shoot the thing.

 

1. Replace neck pickup with 57 classic. Restring and tune. Test. No sound from neck. (Bridge sounds better than ever.)

2. Go back to workbench, cut strings off.

2.5. Consider options.

3. Pull out 57 classic pick up. Remove heat shrink. Look at it for a while. Google a variety of things to figure out how to trouble shoot. Found other good pickups to try. Discover you can just loosen the strings to remove the pickup. Figured out that that fancy wire covering on the 57 classic made of some kind of metal is the ground, and that there are two leads in one on the potentiometer side.

4. Fire up the new soldering iron, the nice ugly Hakko 888 model, solder, flux, and solder removal tape. Remove pickup.

5. Reinstall the neck pickup correctly - did not mount. Test. Tested by tapping on it. Nothing. Tapped on the bridge, and good.

5.5 Adjust neck PU volume and tone several times during process.

6. Remove the 57, remove the bridge, try bridge in neck position. Nothing.

7. ....?

8. Consider options. Notice scratch on top of new pickup, 1.5 mm in length, in the middle by the screws. Think that would probably cost me 15% or more if I try to return. Maybe a nice (?) memory if I get this to work.

9. Remove all of the pots, plug and selector switch. Unsolder ground.

10. Look at it for awhile. Google some stuff.

11. Assemble components, reground, reconnect the 57 in the neck position. Test. No sound from amp (Champ 600) on 12 (cable taps make sound). Touch pickup - nothing. Tap on it with guitar pick - nothing. Squeeze hot lead - amp gives sound (TSSSS). Squeeze hot lead - and touch pickup (TSSSS sound turns into tssss - it gets quieter, but still have sound). Pull hand from hot lead - nothing. Repeat with same results repeatedly, using variety of settings on volume and tone pots.

12. Study youtube of reassembly. Pick up Aquarium tubing (to pull the pots through to the holes).

 

I am wondering if it's going to work if I reassemble or if anyone knows what I might look at.

 

Notes:

 

- I am not going to take this to a professional - I will keep working on it until it works, at any cost.

- Save your humor for your friends. This is not a funny situation. My story is funny. Your wise cracks will probably not be as funny, so be creative or don't reply.

- I really need some help here and I bet someone knows exactly what I should check into or test next. I could use your help. My attempt at humor and self depreciation was for your appreciation primarily. Please help.

 

 

I am no electronics wiz but I have successfully installed many pickups, made wiring harnesses, etc... One thing you can do is to make sure the pickup is good. If you have an electronics multitester, set the tester to check continuity (Rx1K). Continuity is set to be checked if the meter goes to zero when both probes are touched together. If so, then check the pickup - one probe on one wire and the other one on the other wire. If you get a reading of about 8K ohms, the pickup is good. Now you just have to figure out why the 8K ohm reading is not making it to the output jack. Check continuity on everything that should be grounded (I have omitted a ground wire before) and check continuity on the path of the pickup + wires.

 

Also, I use a tuning fork to see if the pickups are working when plugged into an amp.

[Rocky Road]

I am no electronics wiz but I have successfully installed many pickups, made wiring harnesses, etc... One thing you can do is to make sure the pickup is good. If you have an electronics multitester, set the tester to check continuity (Rx1K). Continuity is set to be checked if the meter goes to zero when both probes are touched together. If so, then check the pickup - one probe on one wire and the other one on the other wire. If you get a reading of about 8K ohms, the pickup is good. Now you just have to figure out why the 8K ohm reading is not making it to the output jack. Check continuity on everything that should be grounded (I have omitted a ground wire before) and check continuity on the path of the pickup + wires.

 

Also, I use a tuning fork to see if the pickups are working when plugged into an amp.

 

Thank you very much for your reply. I will be diving into the Dot again Wednesday about 5 a.m. PST. homeWork, Work, Wife, dot, will go through tests Wednesday and communicate results on this topic.

 

Thanks again!

[Versatile]

Good advice...stick with it

 

A thought occured which may have been covered...

 

As a basic test, can you test the P/U's wired by extension connected to the guitar loom?

 

V

 

[Rocky Road]

After checking the resistence back through the tone pot (the plug was already installed) everything looked good and I went ahead and installed it. I was able to get some sound out of the pick up today after removing the electrical tape coving the soldered wire. Using the aquarium tubing worked very well, with patience. I also had a large sized 90% angle dull pointed tool with a screwdriver handle. I have a variety of these "picks" some sharp some not, with various angles. They are very handy.

 

Anyway, at this point, the selector switch is upside down, but that is an easy fix. The pickup is installed and sounds great. It's early here so I didn't want to wake the house up, but there was enough improvement after playing a few chords and chops that I couldn't help but smile. And, while the idea had started circulating in my head that I should just go buy a Gibson ES-339 or 335, now I'm probably going to be good to go with this Epiphone. I do wonder what the ultimate difference would be or if it would be so subtle as to not matter. Maybe I should do a side by side.

 

The second 57 classic came in the mail yesterday; unfortunately, the company sent 2 neck pick ups. Nothing is going smoothly but progress continues.

[Vinlander]

...

The second 57 classic came in the mail yesterday; unfortunately, the company sent 2 neck pick ups. Nothing is going smoothly but progress continues.

AFAIK there is no distinction between Gibson classic 57 for neck or bridge or simply put neck is also used for bridge. I ordered a set for my Sheraton back in 2011 and I ordered a classic plus for the bridge but I think it was labelled as neck pickup.