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Wiring problem, guitar gone quiet - now fixed

AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1679
edited May 2019 in Making & Modding
I have a baritone with two humbuckers wired like this.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vgbeok1cmrustb2/wiring.png?raw=1

Last week it worked fine, today the volume is very, very low - too low to register in my tuners, but with lots of boost just about useable, but noisy.

I checked the wiring and it looks fine. While prodding around I notice that if I short the connections on the pot that go to the jack and to the switch, the correct volume level returns, and the volume pot works ok.

Obvious answer is to connect the two lugs on the pot, but I'd like to understand what's going on.

Can anyone explain?
See my trading feedback: http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138835/austrianjohn
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Comments

  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1679
    edited May 2019
    Problem solved - I resoldered the pot connections and it now works perfectly.
    See my trading feedback: http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138835/austrianjohn
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14412
    edited May 2019
    .
    You say, atom bomb. I say, tin of corned beef.
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  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1679
    Funkfingers said:
    Most probably a poor ground connection on the volume pot chassis.
    Having worked perfectly yesterday it again stopped working today, so I redid all of the electrics and its now ok ... for now.

    I'll double check the ground connection tomorrow.
    See my trading feedback: http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138835/austrianjohn
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 72253
    It won't be the ground connection - that would make the volume nearly full all the time, and only drop a little as you turn it down.

    If it's not the soldering it will be either a poor contact between one of the terminals and the trackboard, or between the rotor and the track. You can usually fix the first by squeezing the rivets with a pair of fine-nose pliers. The second is normally game over unless you want to try taking the pot apart and bending the contacts slightly so they put a bit more pressure on.

    "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

    "Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

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  • AustrianJohnAustrianJohn Frets: 1679
    ICBM said:
    It won't be the ground connection - that would make the volume nearly full all the time, and only drop a little as you turn it down.

    If it's not the soldering it will be either a poor contact between one of the terminals and the trackboard, or between the rotor and the track. You can usually fix the first by squeezing the rivets with a pair of fine-nose pliers. The second is normally game over unless you want to try taking the pot apart and bending the contacts slightly so they put a bit more pressure on.
    Thanks. After re-soldering the connections and a spray with contact cleaner its working. Any more problems and I'll replace the pot.
    See my trading feedback: http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/138835/austrianjohn
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