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At my wit's end sort of (wiring)

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(@noodleface)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

Hello, first post here.

Last week I ordered some D Activators for my Ibanez RG1527 and decided I might as well learn how to install them myself since it's something I've never tried. Pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong. My first soldering iron was apparently broken, so for the 4 hours I was trying to do this and failing was a waste. Next day with new iron, I managed to wire it up in about 20-30 minutes. It seemed fine, but something wasn't quite right. My output on the bridge seemed lower than the neck (similar distance from strings) and I seemed to be getting an awful lot of feed back. I also started hearing a lot of static noise through my amp (ENGL Blackmore). I tested my other RG, and there was no noise similar to this even though it too had Dimarzios.

I decided I'd open her up and go at it again. There were a few tiny pieces of wire that I either cut by mistake or missed when twirling them together, so I soldered it all back up but still hearing the noise. I even resoldered the ground from the bridge which I didn't touch in the first place, but still nothing. I just don't know what to do.

I assume this is a grounding issue because it goes away when I touch my strings, or any metal part on the guitar. Also, the hum seems considerably louder on the neck pickup (going back to the output thing here). What do you guys suggest? Should I take everything out, restrip the wires and wire it all back up? Is this bridge humbucker potted incorrectly and I need to send it back?

I don't want to pay the outrageous fee that a tech around here costs ($65 for a setup.. don't want to know about pickup installations). Looking for some guidance here, really at my wit's end with this thing. To top it off, I've put 5 chips in the guitar during this process.


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

To top it off, I've put 5 chips in the guitar during this process.
You're way ahead of me. None of mine even have a processor in them, let alone 5. :shock:

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@slejhamer)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3221
 

Nothing special about the D Activator wiring as far as I know, so it sounds like you missed a ground somewhere.

And don't eat while you're working; chips, donuts, fried chicken, whatever ... ;)

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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(@noodleface)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

Nothing special about the D Activator wiring as far as I know, so it sounds like you missed a ground somewhere.

And don't eat while you're working; chips, donuts, fried chicken, whatever ... ;)

I don't know what I could've missed. The ground goes from the output jack to the tone pot, with the bridge ground connected to that tone pot. Then a wire from the tone pot to the volume pot. I didn't even touch any of this stuff like I said. As per Dimarzio's instructions I have soldered the black and white together on each pickup, but still getting hum.

Is it normal to get some level of hum that will go away? My other Ibanez doesn't do it so I'm not sure.

Only thing I can think of, is I have the green and bare wires soldered together on each of the pickup, should I do it the original way and put both the bares together on the pot then do the greens separate?


   
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 Bish
(@bish)
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Joined: 18 years ago
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First off, welcome to the GN Forums!!!

I have no idea about what you are doing but I can be pretty sure you do have a ground issue. Of all the guitars I've ever messed with or played I've never had an issue with what you have described.

Definitely retrace your steps and wiring issues. I believe you'll discover the culprit.

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"


   
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(@slejhamer)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3221
 

I don't know what I could've missed. The ground goes from the output jack to the tone pot, with the bridge ground connected to that tone pot. Then a wire from the tone pot to the volume pot. I didn't even touch any of this stuff like I said. As per Dimarzio's instructions I have soldered the black and white together on each pickup, but still getting hum.

Only thing I can think of, is I have the green and bare wires soldered together on each of the pickup, should I do it the original way and put both the bares together on the pot then do the greens separate?
Black and white soldered together and taped off so the ends don't touch anything. Did you do that?

Red is hot.

Green and bare soldered together to ground . Is that what you mean by "soldered together on each pickup"?

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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(@noodleface)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

I don't know what I could've missed. The ground goes from the output jack to the tone pot, with the bridge ground connected to that tone pot. Then a wire from the tone pot to the volume pot. I didn't even touch any of this stuff like I said. As per Dimarzio's instructions I have soldered the black and white together on each pickup, but still getting hum.

Only thing I can think of, is I have the green and bare wires soldered together on each of the pickup, should I do it the original way and put both the bares together on the pot then do the greens separate?
Black and white soldered together and taped off so the ends don't touch anything. Did you do that?

Red is hot.

Green and bare soldered together to ground . Is that what you mean by "soldered together on each pickup"?

Yes, I soldered the black and white together and taped them off. Each separate red is soldered to a different spot on the switch. The green and bare I have twisted together and soldered to the volume pot. I soldered both sets to different spots just in case, still nothing. I didn't touch the ground wiring when I removed the stock pickups so I don't know what's going on.

I've retraced the ground to the tone pot (the ground from my bridge is connected here), from there to the volume pot, then from the volume pot it goes to the switch.


   
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(@dogbite)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

although a very common technique...grounding to the backs of pots. I learned you need to further ground the pots. I would run a wire from the back of both pots and ground it somewhere else. like the bridge screw or something similar.
when I had a bad hum I was told to try that. my guitar was so quiet I thought it wasn't even on.

good luck. hang in there. keep checking the wires.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@noodleface)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

although a very common technique...grounding to the backs of pots. I learned you need to further ground the pots. I would run a wire from the back of both pots and ground it somewhere else. like the bridge screw or something similar.
when I had a bad hum I was told to try that. my guitar was so quiet I thought it wasn't even on.

good luck. hang in there. keep checking the wires.

What type of wire would I use for that?


   
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 Bish
(@bish)
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Joined: 18 years ago
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What type of wire would I use for that?

Something similar in gage size to what is already there should be about the only stipulation I could think of.

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

yeah. a similar wire that is used for the pups. if a pup wire is too long, perhaps you could use some of that.
Radio Shck has wire. just get some shielded wire. single strand coated in plastic, as normal, then there is a braided wire surrounding that, which is then coated in plastic. just cut it then expose the single wire , same as with any wire.
but check your wiring and soldering first.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@noodleface)
Active Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 5
Topic starter  

yeah. a similar wire that is used for the pups. if a pup wire is too long, perhaps you could use some of that.
Radio Shck has wire. just get some shielded wire. single strand coated in plastic, as normal, then there is a braided wire surrounding that, which is then coated in plastic. just cut it then expose the single wire , same as with any wire.
but check your wiring and soldering first.

Went through everything, maybe my cable is messed up or something else. Plugged my other Ibanez in and could hear a faint noise as well that went away when I touched the bridge. Now I have the feeling it's something else.


   
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(@steve-0)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1162
 

Went through everything, maybe my cable is messed up or something else. Plugged my other Ibanez in and could hear a faint noise as well that went away when I touched the bridge. Now I have the feeling it's something else.

This is going to sound odd but I had the same problem when I re-wired my guitar and it ended up being that the output jack wires were somehow backwards, when I switched them around the hum went down almost completely (I use hot single coils so I'm going to shield them eventually), so that's a possibility. If that's not the problem then you can always re-solder them back together.

Before you do that try using a different cable if you have one, just to make sure.

Steve-0


   
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