Help with Gibson control cavity electronics

[mooncobra]

Hey guys. I am having a problem with the volume on the bridge pickup. I don't understand the electronics really, I do basic setups, that's about it. So, when the volume is turned all the way down, you can still hit a note and you can hear it. When the volume is anywhere but turned all the way up, it sounds and feels like the tone is turned down and it isn't clear. When the volume is turned all the way up, it sounds good. Just got this a little while ago. Did it get messed up during shipping? Can anyone look at the picture and tell me what to do to get it back to working properly? When I turn the volume all the way down, I want silence. When I have the volume halfway down, I don't want the tone to sound like it is turned way down. I just want the volume turned down. With the volume turned all the way down, you can still play the guitar and hear it, and not just a little, quite a bit.

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[ChurchHill]

Does this effect both pickups equally or is it one or the other?

Well, I didn't see anything that jumped out at me, but there's obviously a problem. Both volume pots have been replaced and that's just a mess on the back of the tone pot to the lower left in the pic. It does look like the ground to the selector switch isn't connected, but this shouldn't matter that much.

I've seen situations like this caused by a bad ground that wasn't as connected as it should be (as in not connected at all). I'd start by looking at that mess on the back of the tone pot. It appears that the output jack ground is under there somewhere. Not really sure what's going on with that lower piece of shrink wrap around the cable returning from the selector switch, either. The output from the switch (the black wire wrapped around the shrink wrap looks like it's connected to the output jack somewhere in that bunch of wire hanging off the right side.

I'd also try checking all the ground connections, including the plain wire running around between the back of all the pots. The problem could also be in the pickups (more accurately, the lead wire coming from them), but I doubt it.

Here's a wiring diagram from Seymour Duncan that might help you figure out where everything should be connected.
https://www.seymourduncan.com/wirin...h,2-volume,2-tone,3-way-toggle,accessory-none

 

[halebox]

Pot probably broke or has solder stuck inside. Replace pot it’s easy

 

[ChurchHill]

Definitely a good possibility. I'm guessing whoever replaced those pots originally is also responsible for the rest of the wiring. Could have easily messed up one of the pots, too. Could be either the newer CTS volume pots, or the older Gibson tone pots.

Honestly, I'd probably just tear everything out and replace it all, but that's SOP for me and I keep extra pots, etc., on hand. In any case, replacing a pot is really easy.

 

[Emg77]

Hello.

A couple of things I notice is first, the switch wiring seems funky. Looks like a possible splice job. Second, there seems to be a wire coming from the switch the has been cut and isn't terminated anywhere. Third, the bridge tone pot's ground lug may be having a grounding issue. I see the network ground wire may be soldered to it, but I don't know how good of a connection it is. I typically will bend the grounding lug to the pot and then solder it. As far as that goes I would check all of the grounding network. And as mentioned a bad pot or solder on the wiper.

 

[splatter]

I always wired mine with the wire coming from the pickup hooked to the outer post and the switch wire hooked to the center post. And the tone pot cap hooked to the same post as the pickup.

 

[mooncobra]

Does this effect both pickups equally or is it one or the other?

Well, I didn't see anything that jumped out at me, but there's obviously a problem. Both volume pots have been replaced and that's just a mess on the back of the tone pot to the lower left in the pic. It does look like the ground to the selector switch isn't connected, but this shouldn't matter that much.

I've seen situations like this caused by a bad ground that wasn't as connected as it should be (as in not connected at all). I'd start by looking at that mess on the back of the tone pot. It appears that the output jack ground is under there somewhere. Not really sure what's going on with that lower piece of shrink wrap around the cable returning from the selector switch, either. The output from the switch (the black wire wrapped around the shrink wrap looks like it's connected to the output jack somewhere in that bunch of wire hanging off the right side.

I'd also try checking all the ground connections, including the plain wire running around between the back of all the pots. The problem could also be in the pickups (more accurately, the lead wire coming from them), but I doubt it.

Here's a wiring diagram from Seymour Duncan that might help you figure out where everything should be connected.
https://www.seymourduncan.com/wirin...h,2-volume,2-tone,3-way-toggle,accessory-none

Thanks for the help man, much appreciated. It only seems to be the bridge. I forgot to mention, when the bridge volume is turned all the way down, it starts buzzing and hissing pretty loudly.

 

[mooncobra]

Pot probably broke or has solder stuck inside. Replace pot it’s easy

Thanks for the help man!

 

[mooncobra]

Hello.

A couple of things I notice is first, the switch wiring seems funky. Looks like a possible splice job. Second, there seems to be a wire coming from the switch the has been cut and isn't terminated anywhere. Third, the bridge tone pot's ground lug may be having a grounding issue. I see the network ground wire may be soldered to it, but I don't know how good of a connection it is. I typically will bend the grounding lug to the pot and then solder it. As far as that goes I would check all of the grounding network. And as mentioned a bad pot or solder on the wiper.

Thanks bro!

 

[mooncobra]

I always wired mine with the wire coming from the pickup hooked to the outer post and the switch wire hooked to the center post. And the tone pot cap hooked to the same post as the pickup.

Thanks man!

 

[ChurchHill]

Thanks for the help man, much appreciated. It only seems to be the bridge. I forgot to mention, when the bridge volume is turned all the way down, it starts buzzing and hissing pretty loudly.

Yeah, I was guessing it was the bridge. That narrows it down a bit. If checking those grounds and making sure everything on the back of the bridge tone pot is solid doesn't work, I'd replace the bridge volume pot and switch the wires around on both volume pots as suggested above and in the diagram.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll find the problem. Hope this helps!!

 

[mooncobra]

Thanks for the help man, much appreciated. It only seems to be the bridge. I forgot to mention, when the bridge volume is turned all the way down, it starts buzzing and hissing pretty loudly.

Yeah, I was guessing it was the bridge. That narrows it down a bit. If checking those grounds and making sure everything on the back of the bridge tone pot is solid doesn't work, I'd replace the bridge volume pot and switch the wires around on both volume pots as suggested above and in the diagram.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll find the problem. Hope this helps!!

thanks man. looks like I will have to take it to the tech. I am crap at soldering. if I did it, it would be a messy billy blades type mess for sure,a full blown disaster.

 

[ChurchHill]

Well, at least it'll be a simple job to clean up. Parts shouldn't be too much of an issue, even if they replace one or two pots. Little bit of wire, quick job.

And you're welcome. Anytime, man! Glad we could all help a little.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Rip it all out and start over. Sounds like he had his iron turned up too high and sat it on the pot back too long and burned out the pot trace. You could try replacing the one offending pot... but honestly that is a complete hatchet job. Also replace the 3 way switch wire running from the switch to jack with a new shielded wire as well, as it has been cut up for whatever reason. And any sort of better caps like even Orange Drop 715Ps will give you a big improvement over those discs. Start over with 4 new CTS 500K audio taper pots... or buy a prewired kit from RS Guitarworks or similar.

 

[ChurchHill]

Rip it all out and start over. Sounds like he had his iron turned up too high and sat it on the pot back too long and burned out the pot trace. You could try replacing the one offending pot... but honestly that is a complete hatchet job. Also replace the 3 way switch wire running from the switch to jack with a new shielded wire as well, as it has been cut up for whatever reason. And any sort of better caps like even Orange Drop 715Ps will give you a big improvement over those discs. Start over with 4 new CTS 500K audio taper pots... or buy a prewired kit from RS Guitarworks or similar.

+1000

I've been really happy with the RS pots and kits for about 12 years now. They're in all my guitars.

 

[mooncobra]

Rip it all out and start over. Sounds like he had his iron turned up too high and sat it on the pot back too long and burned out the pot trace. You could try replacing the one offending pot... but honestly that is a complete hatchet job. Also replace the 3 way switch wire running from the switch to jack with a new shielded wire as well, as it has been cut up for whatever reason. And any sort of better caps like even Orange Drop 715Ps will give you a big improvement over those discs. Start over with 4 new CTS 500K audio taper pots... or buy a prewired kit from RS Guitarworks or similar.

How much will this run me? With labor?

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Rip it all out and start over. Sounds like he had his iron turned up too high and sat it on the pot back too long and burned out the pot trace. You could try replacing the one offending pot... but honestly that is a complete hatchet job. Also replace the 3 way switch wire running from the switch to jack with a new shielded wire as well, as it has been cut up for whatever reason. And any sort of better caps like even Orange Drop 715Ps will give you a big improvement over those discs. Start over with 4 new CTS 500K audio taper pots... or buy a prewired kit from RS Guitarworks or similar.

How much will this run me? With labor?

https://rs-guitarworks.myshopify.com/co ... hort-shaft

$45 for the kit... and maybe $40 for installation. (If you have a production Gibson get the long shaft pots).

I’d also replace the 3 way wire too... $6
https://rs-guitarworks.myshopify.com/co ... aided-wire

 

[mooncobra]

Rip it all out and start over. Sounds like he had his iron turned up too high and sat it on the pot back too long and burned out the pot trace. You could try replacing the one offending pot... but honestly that is a complete hatchet job. Also replace the 3 way switch wire running from the switch to jack with a new shielded wire as well, as it has been cut up for whatever reason. And any sort of better caps like even Orange Drop 715Ps will give you a big improvement over those discs. Start over with 4 new CTS 500K audio taper pots... or buy a prewired kit from RS Guitarworks or similar.

How much will this run me? With labor?

https://rs-guitarworks.myshopify.com/co ... hort-shaft

$45 for the kit... and maybe $40 for installation. (If you have a production Gibson get the long shaft pots).

I’d also replace the 3 way wire too... $6
https://rs-guitarworks.myshopify.com/co ... aided-wire

Awesome man, thanks for the help. I appreciate it.