A pickup problem

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I just got a new set of SD D-Activators for my 7 string (thanks to @rosski!), but I'm having a bit of an issue.

Basically, the base plates are about 2mm too wide to fit in the holes. I've tried to show this in some photos:


Any ideas..?
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Comments

  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    Iain. Is it the width of the baseplate that's the problem, or the length/shape of the pickup fixing lugs?
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9989
    tFB Trader
    looks like there's enough 'meat' on the tip of the triangular 'lug' to grind a mm or so off ... at least from the pic.
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    You have only two options…

    Enlarge the cavities, or reduce the size of the pickups.

    The second is only possible if you're certain there is enough space between the edge of the baseplate and the coil that there's no risk of damaging the coil. It's hard to be certain from the photos, but it looks like there might be. Will the pickup go in upside down? If so it should be safe since the coil can't be wider than the top of the bobbin.

    I'd probably do that rather than trying to enlarge the cavities, which will be difficult to do cleanly and without risking chipping the finish, even with a routing template.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Thanks all.

    The pickups do fit in upside down so its not an issue with the lugs but rather the plate's a bit too wide. The plate does seem to have an extra bit of width so shouldn't be a problem to take bit off the edge.

    Best tool for the job? I don't really have a lot of tools at my disposal!
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    edited May 2016
    Sheet of sandpaper flat on the kitchen worksurface, held down with double sided tape if you've go some. Wrap a turn of electrical insulation tape around the coils to protect them from knocks, and so that you can see if you've touched it against the sandpaper. Run the pickup lengthwise along the sandpaper. Go slowly, checking the baseplate after every couple of stokes.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    I was going to say a belt sander, but Roland's method should work too, it will just be slower :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • rosskirosski Frets: 36
    What a pain! If you want to send them back let me know. Worth persisting though I reckon as they sound awesome
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  • Cheers chaps, I'll have a go tomorrow. :)
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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 9989
    tFB Trader
    If the worst came to the worst ... I could laser cut you a new baseplate ... 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • Right chaps...

    I managed to get the pickups down to size and get them to fit, so that's all good.

    However, I'm having wiring issues. I've been trying to wire it up like this: http://www.seymourduncan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2H_5WSPL_1V_1T.jpg but something's not quite right.

    At position 5 (bridge) I just get 1 bridge coil; at position 4 I get 2 bridge coil and 1 neck coil; at position 3 I get the both neck coils but it sounds kind of weak and airy; position 2 I get all 4 coils but sounds weak and airy still; position 1 gives me both bridge coils but again, really weak like it's not outputting the full amount.

    I am bare confused. Is the diagram wrong or have I effed up somewhere, or have I knackered the pickups sanding them down?

    I have made a change to the diagram, as when the cap was wired to the middle prong of the pot it just acted as a volume.

    Thanks for any help offered!

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    edited May 2016
    What settings are you trying to get?

    As far as I can work out, that switching will give you, going from the neck end of the switch to the bridge:

    Bridge single coil
    Both pickups split
    Neck humbucker
    Both humbuckers
    Bridge humbucker

    Which strikes me as very odd and not logical.


    On the tone control, is the cap lead touching the pot casing next to the terminal? That would make it work as a volume.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Thanks!

    Ideally, I'd like to go for something like - bridge humbucker - bridge single - both humbuckers - neck single - neck humbucker. But would something like this even be possible with a regular 5 way or would I need a super switch?


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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    edited May 2016
    Not possible with a standard 5-way, but you don't necessarily need the full 4-pole Superswitch. There's a Megaswitch (confusingly similar name, but important difference - and much simpler to wire up) which does that switching, or very close - the E model. (You get the outer single coils rather than both humbuckers in the middle position.)

    The full Superswitch is a higher quality switch and does definitely give any setting in any position though.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Alright, thanks for all the help so far. I'm almost there!

    I've got hold of a super switch and wired it up as described above using this diagram: http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WD2HH5L11_02/Guitar-Wiring-Diagram-2-Humbuckers5-Way-Lever-Switch1-Volume1-Tone-02.html

    The coil splits sound great, but whenever I select a humbucker I get a thin, nasally tone, which I've helpfully recorded below:



    Any idea what could be causing this? Have I just bodged the wiring, or have I knackered something in the pickups themselves when sanding them down?

    Cheeeeers.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    That sounds like the pickups are out of phase internally, but if you've followed the Duncan wiring coding that would be surprising…!

    Try swapping the red and green wires on each pickup, that will confirm it or rule it out.

    I don't think you've knackered anything in the pickups, or they probably wouldn't work at all, and at least not be so consistent between both pickups. Do you have a multimeter to test them?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Thanks!

    I got to the source of the problem, and the source of the problem was that I am an absolute egg.

    These are Dimarzio pickups and I was trying to wire them up like they were SDs.

    image

    Thanks for all your help anyway, and remind me to buy you a drink should we ever meet. :)
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963

    I got to the source of the problem, and the source of the problem was that I am an absolute egg.

    These are Dimarzio pickups and I was trying to wire them up like they were SDs.

    lol

    That would put the pickups out of phase with themselves, yes :).

    They weren't a model I'd heard of so when you said SD in the first post I assumed they were Duncans… and for some reason I still didn't spot it even though it's completely obvious they're DiMarzios in the pic :D.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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