No Volume

Posted by Steve Bookout on May 21, 2021 at 10:06pm

Guys, after assembling yet another 3 stringer with one pick up, one volume pot, and one tone pot, something is amiss.  Have never had this issue before.  Static noise is heard when the guitar is plugged in, but there is no volume coming from the amp.  There is a humming and if I touch the strings, bridge, there is an additional but weak growly noise.  Other electric instruments work just fine when plugged into this same amp.  

I've treble checked the wiring against Seymour Duncan's wiring diagram, replaced wiring, re-soldered the terminals to insure the connections were solid.  Any suggestions, please?

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Replies

  • BrianQ. June 15, 2021 at 12:49pm

    Good to see you got that figured out Steve :)

  • Steve Bookout June 14, 2021 at 10:21pm

    Ill Green-I did find the issue. The braided ground wire had one wire broken loose and it was touching a "positive". I could not see it with my eyes until a magnifying glass was used. Thank you for your comments/suggestions. They are appreciated.

  • ILL GREEN June 14, 2021 at 9:38am

    I do see grounding issues with the tone pot.  Though I see everything is grounded but I don't see a ground wire for that pot's terminal like you did for the volume pot.  Bend back a terminal to touch the metal or solder a wire from the terminal to the ground wire thats already soldered on top.  Also cover any open wire with hot glue or black tape.

    I usually solder a vol. and tone pot in modern tradition because its louder and responds faster.  Its like 50s wiring but terminal 1 of the tone pot is my ground, terminal 2 is the first end of my capacitor, while the other end is soldered onto terminal 3 of the volume pot.  I do it this way because I prefer every component of a passive system guitar to have direct ground.  I'm just a freak but doing it this way for 3 years now and never shielded and my guitars are quiet plug and play things.  

  • Steve Bookout May 23, 2021 at 11:16pm

    Thanks for the info, Brian. It is appreciated! I learned something, too! In the past I have merely used what wire was available in the junk electronics bucket. Now we'll go pick up some smaller diameter wire.

  • BrianQ. May 23, 2021 at 4:07pm

    Steve, in the future I would steer away from using that large diameter wire, it will give you a cold joint if you don’t have enough wattage & takes more heat, which can result in overheating the pot. FYI cold joints will always give you noise. 

  • Steve Bookout May 23, 2021 at 2:13pm

    Ordered a new pick-up and two Bourne pots. Perhaps we'll discover the FUBAR.

  • Steve Bookout May 23, 2021 at 1:18am

  • BrianQ. May 23, 2021 at 1:04am

    Steve, have you also verified that the Jack polarity is correct?

  • BrianQ. May 23, 2021 at 1:02am

    Steve, here’s what we’re doing to make sure everyone can read our comments?

    8957674658?profile=RESIZE_710x

  • Steve Bookout May 23, 2021 at 12:12am

This reply was deleted.