Re-wiring problem

[rapscallion]

Would anyone be able to give me some advice on wiring up my jazz? I need help as to where to wire the pickups, including a series/parallel switch. I'm also a bit new with this, so not sure which wires from the pickups are + and -, but I have photos which if you'd be kind enough to have a look at, hopefully will shed some light on it. Controls are volume/switch/volume/tone.

Thanks alot guys!

rapscallion

[Ou7shined]

[rapscallion]

Awesome, thank you ou7shined, much appreciated. What about pickup wires? Unfortunately they arent they usual red and black

[tommorichards]

By red and black, its just means hot and earth. Its doesnt matter which way round they go unless the plate is grounded, and even then im not sure.

For your pickups, i'd assume the yellow and red are hot (treat them as the red wire in the diagram) and the black and white are earth (black)

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='rapscallion' post='1292751' date='Jul 4 2011, 09:35 PM']Awesome, thank you ou7shined, much appreciated. What about pickup wires? Unfortunately they arent they usual red and black[/quote]
As above, I too would initially assume that the black and white are your earths. However it [b]does [/b]matter which way round they go. If you get it all together and you feel it sounds a little scooped then chances are you have wired them "out of phase" - this may be what you are going for, it is a Jazz after all. If not, it's easily reversed by choosing any one of the pups and switching round it's wires - for example take your bridge pup and connect the red where the white was and vice versa - the result will be a slightly hotter, fuller tone.

[tommorichards]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1292907' date='Jul 4 2011, 11:17 PM']As above, I too would initially assume that the black and white are your earths. However it [b]does [/b]matter which way round they go. If you get it all together and you feel it sounds a little scooped then chances are you have wired them "out of phase" - this may be what you are going for, it is a Jazz after all. If not, it's easily reversed by choosing any one of the pups and switching round it's wires - for example take your bridge pup and connect the red where the white was and vice versa - the result will be a slightly hotter, fuller tone.[/quote]
I only meant that it doesnt matter if he uses both grounds as the hots. I just decided not to tell him about the out of phase problem for kicks

[rapscallion]

Awesome, thanks a lot guys
I'll have a play later

[rapscallion]

So I've followed the diagram above, but I've come stuck with the bridge ground wire? I've soldered it to the bridge vol control with the ground from the bridge pickup, but it's still buzzing. Have I done something terribe? or is it to do with the black control plate not having shielding? Thanks!

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='rapscallion' post='1293857' date='Jul 5 2011, 08:09 PM']So I've followed the diagram above, but I've come stuck with the bridge ground wire? I've soldered it to the bridge vol control with the ground from the bridge pickup, but it's still buzzing. Have I done something terribe? or is it to do with the black control plate not having shielding? Thanks![/quote]
Have you got the strings on yet?

[tommorichards]

Have you soldered the bridge ground?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='tommorichards' post='1293889' date='Jul 5 2011, 08:26 PM']Have you soldered the bridge ground?[/quote]
Yeah he said it's soldered to the bridge vol control above.

[rapscallion]

One string, I only put it on to try it out. I haven't soldered the ground to the bridge, I didn't realise I had to, it certainly didnt come like that.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='rapscallion' post='1293902' date='Jul 5 2011, 08:34 PM']One string, I only put it on to try it out. I haven't soldered the ground to the bridge, I didn't realise I had to, it certainly didnt come like that.[/quote]
No you just bare it a little and make sure it is in contact with bare metal on the back of the bridge... it was probably already like that.

Try all the strings on first. It might not be perfect but it might help.

[rapscallion]

Strung it up and its a little better. When I roll the tone right off it disappears, but with it on its buzzing like hell.

Also, when I have both pickups on, it sounds really honky, not rich like how I was used to. Have I wired it out of phase?

[rapscallion]

Strung it up and its a little better. When I roll the tone right off it disappears, but with it on its buzzing like hell.

Also, when I have both pickups on, it sounds really honky, not rich like how I was used to. Have I wired it out of phase?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='rapscallion' post='1293942' date='Jul 5 2011, 09:00 PM']Strung it up and its a little better. When I roll the tone right off it disappears, but with it on its buzzing like hell.

Also, when I have both pickups on, it sounds really honky, not rich like how I was used to. Have I wired it out of phase?[/quote]
Sounds like a candidate for shielding out the cavities. The control plate is made from metal so doesn't need any further shielding - it might be an idea to scratch the areas where the pots make contact with it to aid better shielding though.

Just whip one of the pups around and see how it sounds.

What's the back story to this bass anyway?

[tommorichards]

Try a little bit of copper shielding under the bridge to "enhance" contact between the wire and bridge. I've found it can help with buzzing.

[rockpig]

the buzzing is probably a combination of bad or non existing shielding and ground loops. to rectify the shielding paint the cavity with about 4 coats of carbon paint. you can get that here [url="http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/vmchk/Lacquers-and-Paint/Conductive-Shielding-Paint/View-all-products.html?TreeId=16"]http://www.tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/v....html?TreeId=16[/url]

Or cover the inside of the cavities with copper foil. check out here [url="http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsWire.htm"]http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsWire.htm[/url]

the ground loops will require re-wiring in a far more complex manner. I suggest reading this article and anything else you can find on line and then applying the ideas to your circuit. [url="http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.php"]http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.php[/url]

as for the more honky sound chances are you wired the pick ups out of phase.