# I just rewired and installed new pickups in my Strat and no sound from pickups at all. What could I have done wrong?



## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

I recently installed a calibrated set of seymour duncan Quarter pound pickups into my mim strat with new 250 k pots and a new 5 way switch. I followed the diagram to a tee and watched several videos of installing new wiring and pickups into a strat to confirm the diagram was right. I took so much care in soldering and the connections were beautiful so I can't figure out why there is absolutely nothing coming from the pickups. I was worried I was potentially using the wrong kind of wire but the volume pot works in turning the buzz up and down and I used that same 26 AWG wire throughout. I have been using 63/37 Solder and I know its supposed to be 60/40 but again the volume pot worked so I'm not sure its that. I used a multimeter to test the pickups and they are in perfect shape. If anyone knows how I can use a multimeter to find where the problem is or knows any common mistakes in rewiring and installing new pickups, I would greatly appreciate the help.


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

It's almost certainly something dead simple to fix. Include a pic of the wiring if possible and I'm certain someone here will ID the problem in short order.


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

Wow speedy response thank you! Here’s some pics, I need to resolder everything at this point getting pretty messy, but this is how I have it all wired. Just left the jack out to make it easier to test with and amp.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

The solder and wire gauge are not anything you have to be concerned about.
Have you tried the guitar with a different cable? 
Are you are sure the amp is working well?

Back to the guitar...check the output jack connections.

As @StevieMac said, some close up pics of the wiring around the pots and switch would be extremely helpful.

To use your multimeter to help you, look up "Continuity Testing" ...it is an EXTREMELY useful feature on a meter.

BTW...Welcome to the forum!!


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

T


greco said:


> The solder and wire gauge are not anything you have to be concerned about.
> Have you tried the guitar with a different cable?
> Are you are sure the amp is working well?
> 
> ...


Haha thanks you all are very welcoming! I have tried the cable and amp with my other guitar everything working as it should on that end. Here’s some closer shots of the pots and switch. I Will definitely check out continuity testing thank you


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Are you certain the jack wiring is correct i.e. shouldn't be reversed? I'm asking because essentially I know nothing about guitar wiring and am aiming for a simple splution..ha ha!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Try some continuity testing, especially around the switch, and let us know how that goes.


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

StevieMac said:


> Are you certain the jack wiring is correct i.e. and shouldn't be reversed? I'm asking because essentially I know nothing about guitar wiring and am aiming for a simple splution..ha ha!


Haha ya, I’ve reversed pretty much everything at some point trying to figure it out


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Looks like the tone cap leg could be touching the pot housing...be certain it is up and away 

Is that a 4 way switch??


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)




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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

greco said:


> Try some continuity testing, especially around the switch, and let us know how that goes.


Did some continuity testing found some spots that have some issues, definitely the white wires from the pickups need a better connection and it appears the capacitor isn’t doing anything? I guess I’d know more if I understood where everything is supposed to be sending the signal if anyone knows of a resource like that


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

StevieMac said:


> Are you certain the jack wiring is correct i.e. and shouldn't be reversed? I'm asking because essentially I know nothing about guitar wiring and am aiming for a simple splution..ha ha!


I think the jack wiring looks good. However, along the same line of thinking, is the jack making good contact (i.e., "snap fit") with the 1/4 " plug on the cable?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

Alan Small said:


> Looks like the tone cap leg could be touching the pot housing...be certain it is up and away
> 
> Is that a 4 way switch??


Oh is the capacitor not supposed to be soldered to the pot? The diagram made it seem like it was.


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

greco said:


> I think the jack wiring looks good. However, along the same line of thinking, is the jack making good contact (i.e., "snap fit") with the 1/4 " plug on the cable?
> View attachment 421284


Looks good to me I think…


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

bradpearson9 said:


> Oh is the capacitor not supposed to be soldered to the pot? The diagram made it seem like it was.


I think he meant: ensure that the leg of the cap that's _soldered to the lug _isn't touching the pot housing.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

This might be of interest...
Understanding Guitar Wiring: Introduction - StewMac


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

StevieMac said:


> I think he meant: ensure that the leg of the cap that's _soldered to the lug _isn't touching the pot housing.


Thank you


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

StevieMac said:


> I think he meant: ensure that the leg of the cap that's _soldered to the lug _isn't touching the pot housing.


Oh I see, no it’s up and away


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

bradpearson9 said:


> Did some continuity testing found some spots that have some issues, definitely the white wires from the pickups need a better connection


Continuity is very helpful...Correct!! You will use it often. 
In the past few days I have done over 200 continuity tests on solder joints in custom cables I'm making.
I have about another 400 or so continuity tests to do. Great that they are fast....LOL!



bradpearson9 said:


> it appears the capacitor isn’t doing anything


IMHO....Don't worry about that now. Get the pickups, switch and volume working first


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

greco said:


> Continuity is very helpful...Correct!! You will use it often.
> In the past few days I have done over 200 continuity tests on solder joints in custom cables I'm making.
> I have about another 400 or so continuity tests to do. Great that they are fast....LOL!
> 
> ...


Okay! I’ve got everything else seeming to be well connected except the black pickup wires on the tone knob but I guess that’s mostly because im not sure where the other side of them is to check the continuity


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## 2N1305 (Nov 2, 2009)

Hi. When you say you can't get anything from the pickups, what exactly do you mean? Have you scratched a metal object near them, or what? I'Ve checked your wiring against my brain and the diagram you provided and can't find anything wrong. Unless of course your potentiometers are not the right value, and even then, they'd have to be way off...

Is your amplifier working correctly?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

2N1305 said:


> Hi. When you say you can't get anything from the pickups, what exactly do you mean? Have you scratched a metal object near them, or what? I'Ve checked your wiring against my brain and the diagram you provided and can't find anything wrong. Unless of course your potentiometers are not the right value, and even then, they'd have to be way off...
> 
> Is your amplifier working correctly?


I’ve tapped them with a screwdriver and held some earbuds up to them and nothing on full volume. Amp works with my other guitar.I got the 250k pots that I saw was recommended on the diagram. Unless quarter pound pickups need the 500k I’m not sure what’s wrong


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

edited because I seem to be blind today


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

knight_yyz said:


> Every single one of you missed it? There is no jumper to connect both sides of the switch. You're missing the dark blue jumper which is soldered to 4 lugs, two on each side as shown
> 
> View attachment 421287





greco said:


> Try some continuity testing, *especially around the switch*, and let us know how that goes.


If you read earlier in the thread, I did suggest focusing on the switch.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

original post corrected


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

knight_yyz said:


> Sorry thats for a telecaster, a Strat is a bit different. give me a minute


Looks good to me...


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

continuity all around seems to be perfect


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

holy crap my computer is acting like a POS I'll be back


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

knight_yyz said:


> View attachment 421290


I have done that and the continuity is good all the way to the pot


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

a close up of the jack?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

knight_yyz said:


> a close up of the jack?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

Okay so it wasn’t in the diagram but I tried this and it’s working great, is this bad?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

bradpearson9 said:


> Okay so it wasn’t in the diagram but I tried this and it’s working great, is this bad?


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

@bradpearson9 
If you added that black wire across the two lugs of the volume pot then you are bypassing the tone pots. If the guitar is producing sound this way the signal is going to lug one then lug two then directly to the jack uninterupted. It's possible you fried the volume pot. Disconnect the wires at the lugs if you have a meter and check for resistance between the two volume pot lugs. (not the grounded one) If your meter moves from 0-250k then the pot is fine.

The other thing you can do is run the blue wire going to the volume pot directly to the jack in place of the yellow wire. If that works in all 3 positions you know the pickups are fine.

If you find that you overheated the volume pot replcae it. Then I would suggest stripping the ground wires on your pups a little longer and twisting them together for one joint. 

While you are at it you have a ground loop. Ground loops are bad. It won't be the cause of the problem you are trying to diagnose but, there is a chance you will get ground loop hum. Cut the bare wire connecting the pot casings. They are already ground via the aluminum shielding on the PG


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Nothing that works great = bad


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

bradpearson9 said:


> Okay so it wasn’t in the diagram but I tried this and it’s working great, is this bad?


By adding the jumper, what you did is essentially removed the vol pot from the circuit.
Ergo, the pot is the problem.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

knight_yyz said:


> It's possible you fried the volume pot.


@bradpearson9 A rite of passage for many of us. Welcome to the club!


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

So I should try and replace just the volume pot?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

bradpearson9 said:


> So I should try and replace just the volume pot?





knight_yyz said:


> Disconnect the wires at the lugs if you have a meter and check for resistance between the two volume pot lugs. (not the grounded one) If your meter moves from 0-250k then the pot is fine.


Did you test it with your meter?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

greco said:


> Did you test it with your meter?


I did, it says zero, but I tried it on the other pots it also read zero, so I tried it on the pots that went with the original guitar and they also read zero so I may just be doing it wrong?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

bradpearson9 said:


> I did, it says zero, but I tried it on the other pots it also read zero, so I tried it on the pots that went with the original guitar and they also read zero so I may just be doing it wrong?


I also had volume control before I took everything off of it if that means anything


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I forgot to tell you to rotate the knob on the pot and see if the value changes. Center lug to any outside lug. One way will read 250 to zero. Other way will read 0-250 when you rotate the knob. If it doesn't do this try another pot.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)




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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

@knight_yyz posted at the same time.


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

greco said:


> @knight_yyz posted at the same time.


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

bradpearson9 said:


> View attachment 421329


What is it that fries it the heat of the iron?


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the help, it was the volume pot! Gettin sound now!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)




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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

What a great community, keep contributing @bradpearson9 . We need pictures of that guitar as well!


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

The strip of "plastic" that is used as the variable resistor in the pot can melt. Or burn right off.


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## bradpearson9 (7 mo ago)

MarkM said:


> What a great community, keep contributing @bradpearson9 . We need pictures of that guitar as well!


I agree! Here it is! Played around with it and it plays and sounds amazing! Thank you all so much for helping me out


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

It is not uncommon to cook a volume pot on a strat.

A lot of grounding happening on the lid can have an adverse effect on the disk on the inside of the pot. For shits and giggles, take the lid off of the pot sometime, it’s cool to see how simple they are.

Soldering is an art and it’s really challenging to get solder to take onto metal casing or chassis without holding it on their for a LONG time if you have a weaker iron. Which can put a burden on internal components and cook caps and tesistors

I use a bear of a Weller which is probably overpowered and although it forces me to work quickly, it takes 2 seconds to make grounds.










I like to twist the black leads from pickups and solder “tin” (solder them” together and then ground them to the side of the pot. Makes it easier and cleaner. Took me a long time to figure out little things and preferences.










A little trick that I like as well is cutting a lead off of a cap or resistor and using it as a connection for the ground lug. It’s a smaller wire so it takes less time to solder it. It also allows you to wire the lead from the input jack.










I’m happy to see that you figured out the issue and that you’ve got it working. I’m sorry I didn’t see this post earlier. I was suspecting that it was an input jack issue or something was grounding the hot leads on the pickups etc.

Good thing you were determined and added that jumper. Good work!


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

dual cap


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I try not to bend the lugs so I use buss wire


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

bradpearson9 said:


> Wow speedy response thank you! Here’s some pics, I need to resolder everything at this point getting pretty messy, but this is how I have it all wired. Just left the jack out to make it easier to test with and amp.
> View attachment 421271
> 
> View attachment 421272
> ...


Pardon my ignorance, what is that uncoated wire called that you used for a ground? Where do you get it?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

MarkM said:


> Pardon my ignorance, what is that uncoated wire called that you used for a ground? Where do you get it?


Buss wire








Hookup Wire - 22AWG Solid Tinned Buss Wire - By Foot


22AWG solid tinned bare buss wire. Commonly used for clean grounding in professional guitar wiring.




nextgenguitars.ca





Also available in 18 AWG (i.e., "thicker")


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

greco said:


> Buss wire
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Missed that on my last order to Nextgen. Wonder where I could find it locally?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

MarkM said:


> Missed that on my last order to Nextgen. Wonder where I could find it locally?


Buy some solid core 22 or 18 AWG wire and strip it. It doesn't have to be tinned.


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## NashvilleDeluxe (Feb 7, 2018)

Isn't wiring delightful? I just finished a Jimmy Page (21 pickup combinations) wiring to go into a 70's walnut 335 for a customer. One of the push/pull pots was faulty, and I lost an hour until I figured it out. Now it's time for "ship in a bottle" and dragging the whole hot mess into the body. I find it relaxing. Will, from @la grange guitar workshop (FB)


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

@NashvilleDeluxe, oooohhh I like those octapus arms thingy-- a DIY or where did you get it???


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## NashvilleDeluxe (Feb 7, 2018)

DavidP said:


> @NashvilleDeluxe, oooohhh I like those octapus arms thingy-- a DIY or where did you get it???


It’s just a “third hand” soldering base. They’re available in all kinds of configurations. I like the kidney shaped ones for instrument work, because it curves around the body. I use both 40 watt (pots) and 25 watt (everything else) irons, so the alligator clips act as both a grip and a heat sink to prevent accidental overheating of delicate parts. Helping Hands Soldering Tool, Third Hand Soldering PCB Holder Tool, Four Arms Helping Hands Crafts Jewelry Hobby Workshop Helping Station Non-Slip Steel Weighted Base Helping Hands Soldering Tool, Third Hand Soldering PCB Holder Tool, Four Arms Helping Hands Crafts Jewelry Hobby Workshop Helping Station Non-Slip Steel Weighted Base : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

greco said:


> Buy some solid core 22 or 18 AWG wire and strip it. It doesn't have to be tinned.


There I was on Amazon, and some popped up? It was like Amazon was reading my mind!


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