squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I've just tested the pickups on my Washburn XB600 as the neck p/up seemed much weaker than the bridge.Readings from my multi meter are thus: Bridge p/up - 16.2.Neck p/up - No reading at all.My questions: Is the zero reading a sign that the p/up is duff?If so,how can it give me an output through my amp?And secondly,is the 16.2 (not sure what the units are.Kohms?) reading normal for what I believe are Active P/ups?Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1319378692' post='1413308'] I've just tested the pickups on my Washburn XB600 as the neck p/up seemed much weaker than the bridge.Readings from my multi meter are thus: Bridge p/up - 16.2.Neck p/up - No reading at all.My questions: Is the zero reading a sign that the p/up is duff?If so,how can it give me an output through my amp?And secondly,is the 16.2 (not sure what the units are.Kohms?) reading normal for what I believe are Active P/ups?Many thanks. [/quote] Where exactly or to what are you connecting the meter? I don't know Washburns but 16.2 K sounds pretty high. Cheerz, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Thats what I thought too John,but as is usual,I may be doing something wrong.The p/up has 2 leads (1 white wire encased in a braid earth) meter is set to 200K and probes are connected across the 2 leads.Just checked again and reading is defo 16.2 for the bridge p/up.Neck p/up gives no reading at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) Is that with the pick up wires still connected to the pots/rest of circuit or are they disconnected from everything? edit: When you say no reading at all is that 0.000 (or close) as in meter probes shorted together or a 1.----- as with probes apart? Edited October 23, 2011 by KiOgon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkBassChat Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1319378692' post='1413308'] I've just tested the pickups on my Washburn XB600 as the neck p/up seemed much weaker than the bridge.Readings from my multi meter are thus: Bridge p/up - 16.2.Neck p/up - No reading at all.My questions: Is the zero reading a sign that the p/up is duff?[/quote]No reading at all means infinity and it's exactly oposite to zero. Zero means shorted, infinity means open. I assume you have no readings (which means infinite resistance). [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1319378692' post='1413308'] If so,how can it give me an output through my amp?[/quote]The easiest way to check a pickup is to tap on it with a scewdriver. If you hear the sound in the amp, the pickup is OK and you are not measuring it correctly. [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1319378692' post='1413308'] And secondly,is the 16.2 (not sure what the units are.Kohms?) reading normal for what I believe are Active P/ups?Many thanks. [/quote]I don't think that this bass has active pickups. This bass has a preamp (active electronics) but this does not mean that the pickups are active. Especially that with an active pickup you cannot measure output resistance with multimeter (at least in a simple way). I can only guess that you have passive pickups. Mark Edited October 23, 2011 by MarkBassChat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Right now.John,the pickups are disconnected completely from the electrics,in fact the neck pickup is completely out of the bass,and on the workbench.Reading is 1.--- as with probes apart. Mark I have already tried the 'tap test' and the neck p/up was giving a very weak reaction compared to the same test applied to the bridge one,also,in use,the neck p/up was not giving the true output that a neck p/up should, in comparison to the the bridge.You're probably right,they're probably passive.(Shows how much I know).I'm presuming then that the neck p/up is u/s,and needs replacing.What does the team think? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1319387146' post='1413456'] Right now.John,the pickups are disconnected completely from the electrics,in fact the neck pickup is completely out of the bass,and on the workbench.Reading is 1.--- as with probes apart. Mark I have already tried the 'tap test' and the neck p/up was giving a very weak reaction compared to the same test applied to the bridge one,also,in use,the neck p/up was not giving the true output that a neck p/up should, in comparison to the the bridge.You're probably right,they're probably passive.(Shows how much I know).I'm presuming then that the neck p/up is u/s,and needs replacing.What does the team think? Thanks. [/quote] Well it sounds like a break in the windings then, I don't know how it was giving any output though! I don't know if it's worth asking about a rewind, or is a straight forward replacement easiest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkBassChat Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 The final test is to connect each pickup separately directly to the output jack. If one of the pickups does not give output signal, it is to be replaced. I would also look carefully at the wires whether they are not shorted/broken. If you don't see anything, replace it. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Yes Mark already tried that too.The p/up in question gave no output through an amp.I can only think that if there was even a small output,the pre-amp was boosting it sufficiently to be heard while it was installed in the bass.Having said that,it would have been equal to approx 1/2 of the signal from the other p/up,which is strange, as it now appears to be completely dead.It's hard to understand how a break in the winding could have happened tho'. I think a rewind is a no-go,as it is epoxy filled and probably not cost effective.I've seen a couple of p/ups with the correct dimensions in the dreaded Ebay,but they all seem to be in China,and seem very cheap.By the way,what are your thoughts on the resistance reading of the 'working' p/up? 16.2 K.a bit high? Many thanks for your assistance guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 No idea what washburn pups are like but just so happens I've today measured my Gherson Jazz pups & they're 7.7K neck / 7.37K bridge. Mind you they're probably 38 years old Yours could be totally different spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 I think the norm is around 11-12K John.I've contacted a guy in Germany who rewound p/ups for me before,but as soon as I mentioned the Epoxy filling,he said it was prolly a no-go.Do you know of anywhere local where I could start to find reasonable replacements.They're 4 1/2" X 1 1/2" soapbars, and seem to be pretty thin on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Just heard from the German guy.I sent him a pic and he says he may be able to do something.He also said that the high reading may be due to there being 2 coils (humbucker) each with 8K resistance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1319395703' post='1413647'] Can you by any chance get a few piccies up. (Pre-amp too for my benefit ) Sneaky suspicion the XB and my Dean are cousins from the same factory. I have the Pre out of mine (And it works ) so if everything looks the same, I'll pull mine apart tomorrow and measure up. [/quote] Small problem my friend.Due to my inexperience I initially blamed the Washburn pre-amp,and promptly replaced it with an Artec SE3A 3 band EQ.I've attached a pic of the bass in its case if thats any use,but the electrics will look completely different to yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Heads up on this guys.My German friend has just been in touch.He's checked the p/up and has declared it dead.I now have to find a replacement.Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1320345562' post='1425717'] Heads up on this guys.My German friend has just been in touch.He's checked the p/up and has declared it dead.I now have to find a replacement.Any ideas? [/quote] EMG soapbars are 1.5" high...a quick check reveals that the 6-string 45 series are 4.5" wide as well (not the 40P but the others). You can get active and passive variants, there's probably something in there that'd give the right sound for you! http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/124/29/2 http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/239/253/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Right Lawrence,thank you for that.I've looked at the site and I think the 45HZ may be the one.It's passive,has twin coils and at £70,isn't too dear.I'll just have a little hunt around first.Watch this space.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Right guys heads up.Things are tight money wise,so I decided on a Wilkinson humbucker from a company in China, who were on Ebay.It arrived yesterday,packed like Fort Knox, and I installed it today.Wiring had me a bit perturbed tho'.Black,yellow and red and white,which were soldered together.I naturally presumed that the black was ground, and the yellow would then be hot,but that put both pickups out of phase.So reversed the connections and that worked OK,except that I now have a slight buzz when I'm not touching the strings,but only on the new pickup.I presume that it will have to be earthed now,but I dont see an earth wire.There is an ARTEC SE3A pre-amp installed in the bass,by the way.That may or may not be important.How do I ground this new pickup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 If you definitly have it in phase with the other pup then work out where it is earthed and copy that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 All sorted now.Turns out that it was the mains supply in the room where I was testing the amp.I don't get the buzzing anywhere else in the house,just this one room.It's happened before with a cheap bass that I have,which I just put down to shoddy electrics in the bass. The Wasburn has turned out to be a very playable little bass after all.The neck is not too wide,for a 6er anyway,but is amazingly slim and comfortable.It has the ARTEC preamp to help it along,and the cheap Wilkinson pup is actually not that bad.So I'm happy enough for the present.Thanx for all input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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